Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Don’t judge a book by its cover…..cool folk rock and enjoyable song writing came out of an album which I thought was going to be some Chicano rap. Honestly I would’ve probably enjoyed that more. 3.5
Great English/Latinx Indie rock music
Easily forgettable
Different sound. Has a chillaxed feel. I didn't hate it.
Going to give this 3 stars as there was some good stuff on here in and amongst the country vibes. There were even some slide guitar moments that weren't too bad. Definitely some tracks on here I'll check out again, overall 3 out of 5
This wild cinematic journey through the Southwest feels like a perfect blend of desert-rock and mariachi sounds, spiced up just enough with some edgy twists. It's like nothing else I've heard before. Highly recommend checking this one out! Spins: 3 Playlist Additions - Sunken Waltz - Quattro (World Drifts In) - Black Heart - Not Even Stevie Nicks... - Close Behind - Woven Birds - Across the Wire - Dub Latina - Güero Canelo
Definitely a good album, good production quality too!
What an interesting mix of Latin music, country, jazz, and rock. I really enjoyed this album. The song writing itself leaves a bit to be desired. I could listen to the music itself all day
2026.0321-23
Interesting Americana album that covers Country, Western, Indie and pop tones. The vocals are similar to Bon Iver and there are even touches of Morricone and Mexican vibes. Worth the listen.
Great band, great album ***** (5)
I didn’t enjoy this
Dull
Just like Taco Bell It's very good, but isn't very authenticlly "Latin American" even if there are hints of it here and there
Really cool south western Latin music here.
Meh. Very forgettable album. Sounds nice enough I guess.
Excellent. Literally the main reason I decided to undertake this endeavour. Something I hadn't ever heard of that is truly truly excellent. Wiki says "desert noir", and, living as I do in the concrete suburbs of one of Europe's biggest cities, that is something I need a LOT more of in my life.
5 soothing and mysterious
Thought this was a really eclectic listen, full of surprises.
I always enjoyed Calexico more live that I did on record, though Feast of Wire isn’t too shoddy. The songs are for the most part quite concise, and there are some lovely musical moments, but unfortunately, Joey Burns vocals consistently get lost in the mix. My highlights are “Black Heart” – its cinematic arrangement is wonderfully evocative of small-town western drama - and the folky pop of “Not Even Stevie Nicks…” which reminds me of the much-missed Orange Humble Band. 6/10
Very soft and soothing
Ehh, this was kind of disappointing. I don't even know who the group is, and it is largely well done, but I feel like it was really missing the oomph of a good album. I think one sticking point for me to highlight this is they title a song "Attack El Robot! Attack!", and you'd imagine there should be a lot of frenetic energy or something but no, just a hushed latin alternative esque song with some beeps and boops. Sorry fellas you could've done something and you didn't
Early 2000's indie is annoying to me. Too long, too slow, too boring. Maybe I'm annoyed because a certain hipster subset of my friend group would only listen to/talk about this kind of stuff, and it just got overhyped for what it was. A neat song or two (El Robot) but the rest was mid. 2/5
Kinda forgettable but not irritating.
I'm giving this an extra star because of the instrumentals which are always appreciated (and this particular singer sucks on the singing songs). I guess mariachi shit is not for me.
bien
Découverte de l'artiste. Album un peu plat. Pas convaincu par le style mi western mi jazz.. Peu de musiques se distinguent.
Pas mal. Quelques bons morceaux. Certains me plaisent moins. Ça m’a fait pensé à la B.O. de Far Cry 5. Ça mérite la moyenne. Mais vu que en fin de journée j’ai carrément oublié c’était quoi l’album, bah ce sera 2.
Who? This album got a 20 year remastering? What? Never heard of them and after listening to this, I know why. The theme this week must be "BORING", back to back to back albums with no muscle, no hits, nothing upbeat, nothing that differentiates them from an indie album you get for free at a concert in the local park. The second half is very instrumental, not a bad thing since he kinda sucks at singing. Nothing memorable. I've nearly lost all faith in this Top 1001 list. There's NOTHING that would justify this album being included. Dreary, boring, dark, generic, hitless, below average vocals, below average songs, etc, etc. Two stars for wasting 35 minutes of my time.
Flojo
This is pretty great! But I would have preferred it to end just before Across the Wire. It’s too long
Actually really enjoyed this. Wasn’t sure what to expect but this was such a fun listen. I didn’t mind the instrumental songs and it went by pretty quick, didn’t drag or anything. But my god, that album cover…
Oh I liked it. It’s very underground btw. Quattro / The World Drifts in my fav track.
its nice but the album is just not for me. horrible album art btw
I listened to 45 minutes ("Sunken Waltz" - "Convict Pool"). Idk if there's another disc but I'm happy with that. I digged this album; Latin American fusion? There were notes of jazz, indie, Latin music, and it was cool. I like crumble a lot; when the guitar solo comes in is super satisfying. Strong 6 to light 7
I really liked Calexico, when they first came on the scene (that's a dated phrase, isn't it?), about 25 years ago, or so. I had a few of their albums, back when I was buying too many CDs, but I didn't have this one (maybe because, by the time it came out, I'd already bought 2 or 3, lol?). Initial thoughts, after listening through one time: it's good, very likely a 4-star album, but maybe not quite as good as one of the ones I have ("The Black Light"). Another thought is that it seemed like maybe it got stronger, as it went on (although the first song is good). About the music: they were cool and exciting, because they were doing something nobody else was doing, and doing it well: combining a number of different elements, to create *their* sound, which was atmospheric, complex, and somehow seemed to evoke where they're from (Arizona/the Southwest). I've started a second listen, and I think I'm liking it a bit more this time, as I better appreciate the complexity, the details, the cohesion, the atmosphere, and the music. Easy 4 stars, but I don't think I can quite justify 5, although it's tempting.
I tend to want variety in what I'm listening to day-to-day: changing up the genres and such. I'm getting tired of listening to white dudes. That being said, the second half of this album was refreshing thanks to the cumbia, dub, robots, etc. When the Mexican horns and accordion hit on "Across The Wire" . . . what a relief! I didn't care for the singing, but I enjoyed the percussion, strings, and that ever-welcome slide guitar.
Never heard of him but dig this
I really enjoyed this album. Great sound and great beats.
Maudlin. id hoped for it to get better, its the hope that kills you.
I thought I was going to enjoy this after track 1, then it devolved into cacaphonous horns and I was done - downhill from there.
Really eclectic and nice. Elliott smith meets mariachi. Occasionally jazz. Also true to form love cover hit nicely in the pacing.
I'll definitely have to revisit this! This album has such a cool sound, and there's a lot of interesting things going on here. Love the fusion of Mexican influences with indie rock/folk/jazz/Americana. Favorites: Sunken Waltz, Black Heart, Attack El Robot! Attack, Guero Canelo, Crumble
Been a while since I listened to this album (or Calexico at all) and damn, this was awash with nostalgia for me. Saw them open for Yo La Tengo once upon a time and was blown away. This record is very good and I'm pleasantly surprised to see it on this list. Love the range of sounds and influences, so happy to be reminded to listen to this again.
the first and last songs are great but I forgot to keep listening in the in between. It’s both eclectic and boring somehow
Interesting, if one-dimensional.
что ето опять нахуй блять зачем мне это слушать
Some cool moments, "Black Heart" was by far my favourite, along with "The Book and the Canal", and "Attack! El Robot! Attack". Other than that, it didnt really catch me.
Interesting album, and not what I expected based on the year and the description. It was only after I heard a few tracks that I twigged the "Calexico" band name, and it makes sense having listened to the album. Not much more to say than I quite liked it; although it wasn't brilliant and it was a bit long. I'll listen to one or two of those tracks in the future.
Nicht schlecht, aber nicht meins
Not what I was expecting but really enjoyed this one.
75
Hard to know what I think about this eclectic mix of styles, even after two listens. Some tracks I really liked a lot, some I just wanted to FF through and didn't get at all. 3.0
Chill. 6/10
Took a look at the album cover. Figured I may have an idea, then dove in. I accidentally kinda liked it quite a bit. I couldn't tell you why or how, but I liked that album. I don't think anything stood out as specifically the most genius writing ever, but it's extremely cohesive. Arranging, honestly? Kinda stellar. Competent, emotional songwriting coupled with the band being alright makes for a good backdrop to put it all. The mariachi and other Tejano music influence is cool and works well. Some of it sounds like white guys from Tucson, but some of it sounds pretty good. Dunno, expected really nothing and found a little gem. I'd listen again.
Album #29, Calexico, Feast of Wire ⭐⭐⭐ This is pretty close to my kind of thing. I like indie and alternative country like this. Maybe not so much Tex Mex, but I’ve never really gotten into Calexico or Los Lobos properly. Every now and then a song of theirs comes on and I usually enjoy it. This is the first Calexico album I’ve listened to in full. I’ve seen them live as well, but I barely remember it, which probably says something. I’m sure I enjoyed it at the time. It’s a good album, but there are too many instrumentals for me. Having seen them live, I now remember there were loads of instrumental sections there too, so I get that it’s part of what they do. It just doesn’t do much for me. Some of them sound like film soundtrack pieces, and I don’t really reach for that kind of thing. A few are cool though. Some have a trip hop feel, heavy drums and strange strings, which I liked. Not exactly trip hop, but in that territory. The best thing about the band is Joey Burns’ voice. There’s something about it that I really like. It’s understated and vulnerable, and it suits the music perfectly. I just wish there was more of him singing on this record. Not all the songs are that memorable either. The opening two tracks are very strong and made me think the album was going to be excellent, but I lost interest as it went on. It gets three stars because there are some very good songs here. My favourite was “Not Even Stevie Nicks”, which honestly sounds like a Wilco song and is probably the biggest outlier on the album. Maybe that says something. I think what I’d actually prefer is a more stripped back version of Calexico, or even a Joey Burns solo acoustic album. So if any fans are reading this, point me in that direction. More of him, less of the instrumentals.
Not heard this before - Well crafted songs with genuinely unexpected Mariachi horns. Works surprisingly well.
Some interesting tracks, but not enough to keep my attention.
I was worried when this started with a folk-country opening, but it had a number of more interesting tracks incorporating different styles. The last track I feel like I’ve heard but I don’t know where. Some of this was in 4 territory, some of it 1. Landed on a 3 - would seek out and listen to some of these tracks again.
This record took me on a musical journey. Tracks like "Not Even Stevie Nicks" remind me of a cool, salty wind blowing across a face painted in an orange glow from the fire. Other tracks felt like the dancing women emoji and the cowboy hat emoji overlaid on top of a quinceañera photobooth picture. Then, "Attack El Robot Attack" poses and answers the question "what was Robert F Kennedy Jr's brainworm jamming out to while it was chowing down?" Overall, a diverse set of tracks that definitely kept me interested throughout its 47 minute runtime.
Dang, don't judge a b̶o̶o̶k̶ album by it's cover... This was a pretty dang enjoyable surprise.
There were a few songs that I liked, but overall, the music really washed out his voice. I could barely hear him or the lyrics and it made for kind of an exhaustive listening experience. The music itself was very good, however.
Had never heard of these guys, liked them a lot. Busy day so I had them on in the background a bit.
Would not buy
Remix albums, not for me Nice sounds From country indie to smooth jazzesc Strangely varied
Gets better the weirder and bigger it goes - often expansive, sometimes epic. Somewhere between Tom Waits, Roy Hargrove and Mumford & Sons, no prizes for guessing which end of this album's diverse spectrum lands best with me... Long.
I had never heard of this band before today and based on the description / other reviews, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I kind of loved it though? I’ve been trying not to overuse the word “vibe”, but it certainly is a vibe!
Interesting….. don’t know what to think
Rv
Albums that surprise me in a good way are worth 5 stars
7.5
I really liked this album. I’m not sure I’ll choose to return to it much (my bar for a 4), but I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt.
Takie nooo :/ 2,5
Really enjoyed this, had a lot of variety and I added a few songs to my playlist
I wish this had more of the mariachi sound that some of album had. It wasn't enough.
2000s folk rock. Cool Western vibe, Tex-Mex flavour. Epic Americana.
This is really great, and a genuine find. A varied album with lots of different flavours and influences. I love the strings and brass, the Mexican-infused elements, the darker notes. There's a real atmosphere that sits across a lot of this album, and it's quite melancholic in places.
This is great. Like the soundtrack to some Western in my head. Love it. No particular standout tracks but the vibe is definitely there the whole way through
"Quattro - Worlds Drift In" was the only song that stuck out to me on an overall eclectic, but meh, album
Good.
Was lowkey dreading this one based on what I gleaned from Wikipedia but it rules actually
An interesting album, just not my style
Perfect
Já, þetta er einhvers konar indie-mariachi combó. Það fer ekkert í taugarnar á mér en gerir jafnframt ekkert fyrir mig, ég er bara ekki í mariachi-liðinu, þrátt fyrir Rex og pex í Mexíkó. Látum eina hlustun nægja og höldum áfram.
Mi gente latino
What if Ween were a lot chiller, with much more Latin influences
Pop, jazz, and latin rolled into 1. Pretty fun
Wasn't familiar with Calexico - pretty much fine, won't seek it out but enjoyed listening to it
This slaps crazy hard. Was mesmerized the whole way through by the strange weird-west synthesis of electronic sound, 2000s indie-folk, and Latin/mariachi (I don't really know the genre(s) involved). Tastes fresh off the vines. Had zero familiarity with Calexico or their game before today and now I'm all about it. All-America and all desert-cool. More than anything, though, it's a unique sound (or at the very least, new for this list and I haven't really heard anything like it before). Fav tracks: Black Heart, Pepita, Close Behind, The Book and the Canal, Dub Latina, Guero Canelo
Dull and boring.
really enjoyable indie - blending americana with folk and some flavours or mariachi
Some pretty fun stuff! Not overly unique but some elements that make it stand out in my opinion. 3/5
Pretty chill, but kind of mid. Ryan kind of likes it. Ryans him of Liam Gallagher.
What to say? Enjoyable. Good. But not great. 3 stars.
this is my favorite calexico album. no contest. still one of the best live bands i've seen and look forward to another show in the future, but they are just not much of an album band. _feast of wire_ transcends their studio weaknesses and provides an almost perfect experience, beginning to end. "black heart" is a special kind of amazing on this album. it's kind of what they tried to on earlier albums but just didn't get the feel right. they nail the strings and stripped down acoustic jam band feel here. it almost feels like portishead meets uncle tupelo's acoustic stuff and is just brilliant. p.s. their covers of the minutemen and of love are also outstanding recorded tunes
innocuous enough, but as bland as a Dacio Sandera. Like being slowly beaten to death with a double glazing brochure.
Kind of a random mix of genres but it works. Very elevator music vibes at times, but not in a bad way at all. Probably wouldn't listen to again
I welcome change of pace with a really varied track list using different styles yet still tied together. I am not sure it quite hits the heights on any track to make it a 5star for me but its one of the most solid albums on this list.
This was a new band for me. Favorite songs: Across the Waltz Quattro- World Drifts In Close Behind Across the Wiry Rating 3.5/5
I'm a small Calexico fan but haven't listened to too much. Carried to Rust is amazing. This was lovely and painted a wonderful atmosphere throughout. But even on repeated listens I struggle to give it a 5. It loses its way in parts. But it's still a great listen.
sometimes you just get the exact right album for the day you’re having. usually i’m not a fan of these many switches in mood/genre, but this was delightful.
I didn't know what to expect here, but it was a fascinating mix of indie, country, folk, some lovely orchestration. Honestly I can't say what they were singing about most of the time, maybe I didn't listen enough to the vocals, and I think a few of the vocal tunes felt a bit lazy maybe. But it didn't take anything away from my enjoyment of it. I even went back to seek out their cover of alone again or which seems to be on some versions of this album. I really enjoyed this album. I definitely want to give it another go.
Good album
Good
Wow, this was surprisingly cool. Never heard of these guys but I can see how their sound would blend into the crowd.
3.5 rounded up
Mid. Rate 5/10
Interesting vibe
I was already under Calexico's spell when this came out, having first heard them around the time of Hot Rail in 2000 - I heard The Battle of Cable Hogue on a free CD with Uncut magazine, and I was hooked. Feast of Wire took their already well established cinematic, spaghetti western sound to entirely new levels. There isn't a single weak moment - it's brimming with a deeply atmospheric sense of place, and the whole thing seems to play out like a film. Put your headphones on, close your eyes, and you can taste the dust. Their run of albums from 1998's The Black Light through to 2008's Carried to Dust are untouchable, but Feast of Wire stands head and shoulders above them all in really capturing the essence of the band. I still reach for this album regularly - one of my all time favourites.
I can't quite put my finger on Calexico part-Americana, part indie-folk western with a dash of Mariachi, but that's a good thing. And I love Feast of Wire, it's an interesting listen in terms of music and the stories. I think this is their 3rd album, suppose I could have looked it up, but whatever it is a great album which is always a pleasure to listen to if only becuase of the variety, is Not Even Stevie Nicks... the obvious stand out track? Well it's brilliant so that's fine too. Lovely atmospheric stuff.
Very easy listening. I should look into this artist more
A latin alternative album that has a movie soundtrack like vibe to it. Highlights: “Quattro” and “Not Even Stevie Nicks…”
3.5/10 elevator music of a wild western Mariachi band if it was in the movie Rango with a white voice over it, even though half the album had no words(and no Espanol) lol. Its folksy, country, jazzy latin infused indie rock that never quite reaches rock energy iykyk Highlights(if you held a gun to my head and said choose): Sunken Waltz, Black Heart, Pepita
Banger
Güero Canelo was easily the best track, I wasn’t sure if those were didgeridoo noises in the background or some kind of vocal effect, but it really captured my attention. Aside from that, a decently listenable album all around.
Looking at the album art, I was expecting a different sound (latin influenced rock rap? West coast stoner surf punk rock?). I liked Calexico's sound, and found it refreshing and immersive.
Pretty cool.
I will probably put more effort into listening to this band.
3.5
I love this sound. Another artist that works very much within conventions but creates a sound that is both unique and timeless; this sounds like it could have come out of any decade from the 1970s to 2020s. A couple of ear worms. It definitely flags in places; the instrumentals don't hold up. A solid, if not brilliant, album that is gives a lot of joy.
I didn't know much about these guys, except for their cover of Love's Alone Again Or. But this is terrific. Lots of great playing and melonies and interesting ideas. A four that might become a 5 someday (for me).
The first song really made me feel like I was going to endure a really bad 47 minutes of music, thank god that changed by song 2. This album had a concoction of so many genres and sounds, some of which I loved some I didn’t so much. That being said the good did outweigh the bad for me. They were very experimental, and I did enjoy there more indie sounds. I really liked the song structures and the melodies on display. The vocals are brilliant. You can tell that they’re very absorbed in all that they take inspiration from here. There’s so many different sounds and styles to dissect, it definitely take more than just one listen to decipher this complex record. Favourite songs are: ‘Quattro - World Drifts In’, ‘Black Heart’, and ‘Not Even Stevie Knick’s’.
honestly if it were just instrumental it might have been 5 stars
The first song was pretty great
Never before have I encountered an album cover that is less reflective of the music.
Nice to hear a return to the older style of an album composed of 14 two-and-a-half-minute songs. You don't see that all the time in the 21st century. The opener, Sunken Waltz, is a little lacklustre considering it's many people's introduction to Feast of Wire – but it's still passable. Nice, jaunty accordion and acoustic guitar playing. Quattro - World Drifts In is a much more viable pick for an album's opening track. It's hushed, fast-paced, mysterious. And surprisingly complex. Kind of Latin-American-sounding too. The intros and exits of horns and slide guitars throughout the song give it plenty of personality. Black Heart takes a much darker turn, featuring microtonal strings that verge on creepy. Reminds me a bit of the strings in Radiohead's Climbing Up The Walls. A cool track that starts off (seemingly) weak but really picks up steam throughout. Later in the album, Not Even Stevie Nicks feels like slightly lazy songwriting. Almost like this Calexico singer (Joey Burns) forgot to run the track past a test audience before forcibly etching it into the record. The melody is kind of lacking and there's nothing interesting going on sonically (save for a few drum beats). The instrumentals are cool, but sometimes a bit limp songwriting-wise, and/or kind of similar to other songs earlier in the album. Close Behind is really enjoyable until you realise it's a carbon copy of Sunken Waltz, only with strings instead of vocals. It's still enjoyable after that, but less so. Across the Wire is pretty similar to Sunken Waltz, too, though slightly happier (and the inferior waltz). The Book and the Canal is actually surprisingly great – but after less than two minutes, it suddenly tapers out. (What happened? Where did my beautiful soaring string masterpiece go?) The instrumental run of Whipping the Horse's Eye / Crumble / No Doze is a kind of limp way to end the record. Convict Pool should've been the closer. Güero Canelo is the best song on the record, barely edging out Quattro and Black Heart. It's the only one that pushes any kind of musical boundary, and the acoustic guitar melody is pretty great. Plus, there's electric keyboard – the best instrument texture in rock, no contest. 3/5 Key tracks: Quattro - World Drifts In, Black Heart, Güero Canelo
started very good but went on just a bit too long
Favorite Track: Attack! El Robot! Attack!
I think this week has been good so far. "Feast of Wire" is no exception. There's nothing I hate about this album. Did you know that "Feast of Wire" is possibly the only album on this list that has a pre-gap track? I hope to listen to a similar album in the future. 4 stars for "Feast of Wire".
Like others have said, this is the reason to do this project. I’ve never heard of this band before, I got them this morning and was kinda hoping for something I was familar with. So happy I got this album! Very dynamic and sounds like a soundtrack to a western
Pleasant
2 stars It wasn’t offensively bad but it was forgettable and it didn’t inspire any desire to revisit or save anything.
It’s fine. Probs closer to 2.7
- This album was, uh, pleasant and inoffensive, I guess. It's kind of lethargic with clean production. I would have liked more energy and grit. - That's especially in contrast to what I expected going in... I thought it was going to be metal because of the (terrible) cover and the title "Feast of Wire", but it ended up giving me a Matt Mays and Conor Oberst do Jazzy Americana + Mariachi, but without the great storytelling (I prefer each of those other artists to this). - To be honest, I wasn't interested/invested enough in the singing to pay attention to the lyrics because the voice was bland and quiet, so it got lost behind the louder instruments.
It's ok. The mexican influences are interesting, the country ones... aren't. It's drenched in indie sound, which I don't like, but the musicianship and singing is good. 3/5
The "Mexindie" sound isn't for me personally, but pretty solid album nonetheless.
Favourite Songs: Quattro - World Drifts In Black Heart Güero Canelo
Now this was a surprise. This album went a lot of places and I enjoyed the whole experience. Definitely a highlight of this listening project thus far. 5/5
enjoyed this way more than I expected
Not what I was expecting. Won't revisit.
i really REALLY liked this album and artist
I was kind of digging this at first, but then it sort of petered out for me. I like the little mariachi flavor in some of the tracks....that was different. Good, not great.
Eh, it was okay
Nothing wrong with this but I got about three fourths through the album before I found something that really resonated and then it was over. Interesting sound played well but kind of slight. Unfortunately I don't think I'll remember this in most contexts. Shame, since it seemed right in my zone. Could have used more variations, nothing here to hang my hat on like I can with Jim White Favorite Tracks: Across the Wire, Crumble
Commits the irredeemable sin of having a skateboard on the cover but sounding like corporate hold music
Now this was a nice surprise. I'm not sure how I slept on it back in 2003 but a fun twist/cut above the standard indie rock of the time.
i mean it’s good but there were like 4 albums in the list (this one is 205th) that sounded waaaaay too similar to this one 3.5
I didn’t really get this on the first listen. Listening while I was half asleep on a busy bus probably didn’t help. Some interesting moments but nothing really grabbed me, this one will need another listen at some point.
I mean it's alright.
This album is really funny and such a delight too. I am really surprised. I didn't know what to expect, maybe because of the cover..., but it's truly something I've enjoyed a lot listening to. There are also some pretty interesting songs, so beautiful. It at times becomes very cinematic too, being a very immersive album. It has a bit of country, mariachi (there are absolutely latin roots on the songs), jazz, rock... It's pretty eclectic but very, very cohesive. All the songs flow into each other with so much naturality. So, yes, I'll say it again, I am really surprised. And that's for how good this album is.
Excellent songs. Interesting arrangements.
I enjoyed the songs with lyrics, but too much of it was just instrumental.
Decent. Very listenable. Terrible cover art.
Wasn't horrible but not my thing. I was expecting something a little more exciting because of the album cover.
Cool Latin altrock!
Hated the album artwork so much. Threw off the whole album for me
it was a really pleasant listen not at all what I was expecting, I was sort of The Eagles hits played by the Salvation Army or something but no it was a really nice sound.
I don't know what I expected with this. It made for pleasant driving music. I liked it.
Nah
0/16 bekannt 7/10 Beste Songs: Pepita, black Heart, no doze
- 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummers al toegevoegd aan MMMM
This is really good but it didn't really tickle my fancy. It was well done but not 'fun' I guess? I think there is a lot to like here but one listen didn't juice me up.
2.07
3.5
3.0
The worst part of this album is the horrendous cover art, but that sets the bar very low. It's pretty standard indie rock of this era with sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle, Latin American flair. I think Sufjan Stevens might have been listening to Across the Wire when he wrote Casimir Pulaski Day, so we can give them some influence points. I didn't hate it. I didn't love it. Light 3
Was ok - nothing special for me
mostly good to great songs; too many instrumentals, even if they were okay. An album meant for mood/background, not active listening. Great for reading? >4 stars but not 5 stars.
I wasn’t sure what to make of this album. I loved the first two songs, and then felt lost as the album progressed. After one listen, felt like I needed a second listen, and then a third. What I realized after the thirds listen is that I love this album! This is why I embarked on this journey, to find new music! I had never heard of these guys before, and now I have a new album to love!
Je ne connaissais pas du tout, c'est la première fois que j'entends parler de cet album et de ce groupe. On donc affaire à un genre de country un peu expérimental ? C'est pas facile à classifier, d'autant plus que c'est un album très varié avec des titres qui se détachent bien les uns des autres. Donc difficile à moi de bien en parler, mais c'était fort sympathique.
Vooral instrumentaal deel is mooi
Riascoltare
This is amazing. Love the trumpets/mariachi sound.
3.1 It was fine. Some songs were enjoyable, some weren't. Most were very inconsequential. One of the (albeit, thankfully rare) times I wonder why it was included in this list. It doesn't seem particularly groundbreaking, didn't seem to help set or turn a genre, and I've never seen anyone reference it even in hipster circles.
Tiene varias instrumentales
Best song: N/A Nice find: Not Even Stevie Nicks Worst song: No Doze Alternating lyric-less songs. Nothing stuck out as good.
Loved the instrumentals will relisten
great. Will return
I only know their Iron & Wine collaborations but this is very good
Atmospheric and cinematic too. My fav things
It was decent, I enjoyed it especially after that Black Crowes shite
Strange. Not terrible, but just kind of weird vibe.
Honestly really enjoyed this. Sounds great.
1.9 / 5 This stuff sure has its' place somewhere and the artistic design is, uhm, interesting? I never knew I didn't need a mix of mexican mariachi music and bland californian art pop, but now I know. Definitely not the shittiest album on this list, but cmon man...
The mariachi interludes are so dramatic and I love it. Tasteful indie rock. Gonna add this to semi regular rotation.
Flabbergasted that this band are on the list. Not because they're bad - quite the opposite! I've heard so many tedious classic rock albums from the early 1970s that I'd forgotten how great some of the underground bands of the early 2000s were. Americana, alt-country, call it what you like, but there were a few excellent artists updating the sounds of the American south-west around this time. Calexico and The Handsome Family were the two I listened to the most. Both still sound fresh to these jaded ears. Having said all that, this is my least favourite Calexico album. Typical! The Black Light and Hot Rail both enthuse me more than this one.
A lot of different genres and sounds in here. I thought most of it was pretty cool, but it got boring at parts. Will have to revisit at some point.
74/100. It blends such a wide array of genres, styles, and cultural influences without ever feeling messy. One minute it's desert folk, the next it's jazzy, maybe even a bit cinematic. A really good record.
The initial blast of mariachi music struck me as a bit appropriative, but this is a long album and I tried to give it a few minutes. I think time is your friend with this one because it covers a lot of ground. In total, the mix of influences feels genuine for a band from the Southwest and might not be surprising from a few former members of Giant Sand. The album feels like it has a few different acts, broken up by short instrumentals. The Mariachi gives way to some psychedelic country and Cake-adjacent indie rock with some reverberations of Fastball’s “The Way”. The sound will always peg this record as “of its era” in the late 90s or early 00s, but it’s not so trendy that you can nail it down further. Except for the album art, this record makes a convincing case for a timeless list like this one. I’m convinced these guys are actual musicians, not just some kids looking for an exploitable niche. I listened to this several to this several times in the few days after I got it. The live disc attached to the rerelease is a great listen too. Easy 4.5 for me
Quite a strange one here. Some boring, folk-y songs with very simple instrumentation, some clearly mariachi things, and then some more elaborate things which remind me of film soundtracks, perhaps a bit like James Bond themes, even some jazz at the end. Made me pay more attention (at times) than most other albums on this list and that deserves some recognition.
Never heard of this band before. It was a tad pedestrian overall. When I saw reviews with Mariachi bands etc I thought it would have been a lot more punchy than it was sadly.
Interesting album. More listenable for the most part than I expected, though the dnd got away from them a bit. Kind of folky and laid back.
this freaking ruled. had zero expectations but loved this. kind giving shades of sufjan stevens + radiohead
I can’t explain it well but I really enjoyed this album. Very nice tone, and good vibes. Very tasteful choice of instruments. Liked close behind, the book and the canal, and crumbles. I miss mmorpg. Close behind reminds me of going to a market to buy some supplements before taking down a boss monster. The only problem is it’s a bit too long. Can just skip disc2 if you want to. Overall really good.
An interesting album for sure. I found myself bopping along to this, but in my opinion it was just alright.
Super chill vibes and incredible guitar playing, it was perfect for wrapping the last of my Christmas gifts today on an overly-warm Christmas Eve. Excellent background music that stands out from other artists.
I thought this was going to be a Latino rap album from the cover art. Does that make me racist? I loved this. The indy vibe is awesome with the latino horns mixed in! It's a cool fusion that I never would have thought of. Really happy this is on the list.
Quattro is an all-time favorite, and I forgot that the whole album is filled with songs nearly as good, making for an excellent listen. Every Los Lobos fan should check out this album, because it is Los Lobos adjacent. But every millennial who doesn’t know who Los Lobos is should check out this album. Calexico is your generation’s Los Lobos.
Tex Mex mood music with a dance beat. A unique sound that works most of the time. I like the texture. It's largely nice background music. There areba lot of instrumentals. The second half of the album is a little uneven. The jazz numbers tend to meander. These guys sound best when they go full mariachi. My favorite songs are "Close Behind" and "Black Heart." The song "Not Even Stevie Nicks" kinda sounds like a Bob Welch era Fleetwood Mac outtake. I thought that was fun.
Music for straight millennial white men who prefer unseasoned food and IPAs
Para nada especial ni original lo sentí 4/10
No idea about anything regarding Calexico the band or this album specifically before I started listening to Feast of Wire. And it's another great pleasant surprise from the generator!. Calexico is a band that is pretty hard to define. "Alternative country" but maybe 2-3 songs on the album sound country. Regardless of whether or not its a notable album of music history, it is sonically a great album from a pretty unique space given that time period of music in the early 2000s. True indie gold.
Sounds like it would be on an old Starbucks CD.
I liked the first track, and the more jazzy tracks, but overall I am unlikely to listen to this album again.
Some interesting moments, a bit repetitive, but some diverse influence pulls that are kinda cool. Nice background album.
I've heard of these guys before. Never heard one of their albums before though. I think Brian Jolley likes these guys. Wow this album was so good. There were several instrumental tracks that were unexpectedly good! Crumble was so jazzy! I favorited Dub Latina. 5 stars. I don't do that often!
I liked this album, it was well written and emotionally dynamic.
Wasn't familiar with these guys, but they have a neat sound and I will probably come back to this one in the future.
Very cool indie rock mixed with a unique western/cowboy esthetic. Little surprised to see it here considering how stacked this era was, but I really enjoyed it and it brought me right back.
Perfect levels of melancholy on this grey winter morning
This was such a fun listen. Calexico are best known for incorporating elements of Latin American folk music into their indie rock, but I can’t say it matters that much. The thing I loved is how cinematic it all felt, very big and with a strong sense of story permeating the work. Cool album.
Songs with words sound exactly like what I would've listened to in 2003. But much of the album is instrumental jazz sort of jam and I don't love those songs that much.
Good, better than i thought it would be
This is a very good album from a band with a unique sound and a real sense of place. Love the instrumentals which all have a different feel and mesh with the overall vibe. "Quattro," "Not Even Stevie Nicks...,"Across the Wire," and "Guero Canelo" are the standouts for me. Though I like their two albums after this one a bit more, this is really good. It also includes a cover of Love's "Alone Again Or..." which is great but is only on the 20th anniversary edition.
Cant believe ive never heard much of Calexico's stuff. Kinda sounds like if you threw Iron and Wine and The Jayhawks in a blender with a touch of wilco and a southwestern flavor. I especially liked the numerous instrumental tracks and how varied they were
Cool album and not something I'd ever have listened to. This is why I'm doing this. 👍Quattro - Worlds Drift In
This album was pretty sick. Awesome fusion of a bunch of different genres and influences that sounded very pleasant. Very much fits in with the American southwest geography
This looked SO bad on paper, but it works quite well surprisingly - it's the kind of music I was hoping for in this list.
I may need to listen to this more but my first impression is that it is good. 4 stars or B-.
Had never heard of this band. Unique sound, decent background music.
Not bad
Good record to drive out to the middle of the desert and smoke a mixture of chemicals
Very soothing in the instrumentals. Also enjoyed the singing, some of the songs felt like they should have been on the twilight soundtrack.
i mean… it’s alright. just wasn’t feelin’ it.
This album was pretty good, but it was great for background music. Gave good vibes to the day.
When I had first been told about this band I was still a staunch and closed minded punk rocker who dismissed them as soon as I heard acoustic instruments and a bpm slower than 120. Turns out I just needed to grow up and embrace new genres, because these guys are great. A perfect desert drive soundtrack with visually vibrant songwriting and beautiful arrangements. I’m glad I got to listen with an open mind. Can’t wait to hear more.
3/10
𝘍𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘞𝘪𝘳𝘦 delivers atmospheric desert rock with strong moods, but its ideas sometimes blur together. Beautiful in places, uneven as a whole.
Loved this one
There was one track that blew me away on this album, it was an instrumental with so many fusions of genres and it didnt feel forced. Will listen again.
I enjoyed the tracks that had no vocals.
Very interesting blend of Mexican music and Indie Rock. Does get a bit repetitive at times and there's quite a few instrumentals here. The album cover looks real cheap and ugly to me, so it was a pleasant surprise to figure out that the music inside is better. Still a bit of a forgettable listen.
The Good: We are in for a Feast! The Bad: I am not that much into Wire… The Ugly: The album cover… I mean, really? Don’t believe I had ever heard of these chaps before, and now that I have, don’t really believe I have a great wish to know these chaps anymore. I can understand that one would like to do a little fusion music, but I don’t understand how it is even attempted by blending the styles they are blending… it’s like watching a 7-year old having fun at the soda fountain, mixing all the drinks into one cup, proudly taking that first sip while keeping the positive look on his face while in reality the desire would’ve been for just a Coke… without all the other shit mixed into it. Calexico is just an odd duck that makes no sense in my world… 2*
Interesting sound. It didn’t necessarily blow me away or stick but definitely not horrible. Two stars.
What an interesting album. Mariachi, Opera, tango, and many other styles can be seen here and honestly it was pretty fun. I feel like some people would hate this but I actually enjoyed the change ups.
Interesting
This was a pleasant surprise to me, though many of the tracks in its second half seemed pretty forgettable.
This was a fantastic album. Never heard of them before. Very creative. Lots of great sounds. We'll listen again.
I don't feel like this band has reached their fullest potential here, I think they've displayed the possibility of it. In this project there's a few songs I could repeat, I could also easily never look them up again and not feel a thing about it. I'd rather see them produce somebody with a stronger sense of direction. 2.1/5
solid album with some RPG ass music for some reason
Mix of some different genres but still works good
2,5
Indie rock usually isn’t my thing but Calexico is an exception. There’s something “Kenny Loggins” about the vocals. The entire album is a great listen.
Calexico's Feast of Wire is reminiscent of Wilco, Ennio Morricone, and Marty Robbins rolled into one. This modern day (if you want to call 2003 modern day) sounds older beyond its years and is example of why this list is fun. 3.5/5
Not bad
I've been a fan of Calexico since the late 90's. Their music just always feels so purposeful and artfully made. It is a particular style, but I think their music is beautiful and worth anyone's time. I don't think their music always feels like something "revolutionary," but it's like a mastercrafted wooden chair that isn't something brand new but has little flourishes and surprises all around it and is just so well made that someone can't help but admire it from all angles.
2.5 Idk, another case where I have no idea what this band actually is? It’s not enough to be two great musicians, which obviously these two guys are - but there’s no identity as a band here. Every song sounds wildly different. Jazz, pop, indie rock, Latin-infused funk. Being really good at music imo is not enough to make your album indispensable.
Wikipedia says that "Feast of Wire is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band Calexico. The album was released on February 18, 2003, through Quarterstick Records." This is an exceptional album. It still sounds like it was just pressed. The website americana-uk.com said it best: "its themes remain as relevant and as prescient as ever: people crossing the border into the US from Mexico, the homeless and those living at the margins of American society."
Yet another pleasantly surprising album to come from this project, really impressed with how many sounds they play around with.
Not my usual vibe, a latin-infused jazz album with a ton of character and amazingly unique production design. Could definitely see myself jamming to this in the car.
I can't believe I hadn't heard this before, this album was especially made just for me. Alt indie-rock with a mariachi/western flair. I love everything about it. It creates a world you can feel with each song. There's mariachia songs, western soundtracks, and darker western folk as well. Really love this one
this listen just kind of happened
The writing, arranging, and performance on "Feast of Wire" are all very accomplished, but it struggles sonically. The first four tracks immediately establish a very downcast mood, and the album essentially sticks to this template throughout. Over its running time of nearly 50 minutes and sixteen tracks, it failed to fully grip me. There are some very good moments, though: the 'James Bond' style strings in 'Black Heart' add a touch of drama, and 'Close Behind' evokes a clear 'Magnificent Seven' soundtrack vibe. A good, pleasant, but ultimately unremarkable listen. Maybe I just wasn't in the right frame of mind for this today? (3/5). 1 "Sunken Waltz" (3/5) 2 "Quattro (World Drifts In)" (3/5) 3 "Stucco" (3/5) 4 "Black Heart" (3/5) 5 "Pepita" (3/5) 6 "Not Even Stevie Nicks..." (3/5) 7 "Close Behind" (3/5) 8 "Woven Birds" (3/5) 9 "The Book and the Canal" (3/5) 10 "Attack el Robot! Attack!" (3/5) 11 "Across the Wire" (3/5) 12 "Dub Latina" (3/5) 13 "Güero Canelo" (3/5) 14 "Whipping the Horse's Eyes" (3/5) 15 "Crumble" (3/5) 16 "No Doze" (3/5) Total - 48 Average - 3 166/1001 92/166 albums reviewed were new to me.
Laid back and melodic. I like it.
Wait this is actually good
- mielenkiinto riitti kuunnella viis ekaa biisiä, teki mieli kuunnella vaan erilaista musiikkia nyt - ei ihan mun kuppi kuumaa, nelosraita oli kyllä ihan radiohead meets james bond meininkiä, ihan siisti biisi - albumitaiteesta vois kuvitella että tää on joku reggaeton albumi tjsp
This is my shit.
White boy stuns waiter by speaking flawless Spanish
They are awesome.
Name sounded familiar, but didn't know what to expect. And indeed, don't know what I got. It was a sort of half folky half I don't know what, mish mash. Bits were ok but that's all. Best track was the first and it was down hill all the way after that .only worth a 2.
Wow! I wasn’t expecting that! A complete cinematic masterpiece. Had me hooked all the way through. It definitely created a mood, and it was a bit of me. I loved the little instrumentals as much as the vocals. I don’t think I’d have ever discovered Calexico without this project, so this has been another big reason to see the list through.
Not my bag at all. I now remember why I have steered clear of this band. I just cannot cope with all that Latin country folk americana. It's just too much for my uncultured ears to handle.
Fine
I liked this alot!
It always takes me a while to get used to the slower tempo genres. But after a few songs I found that I enjoyed the lead guitar work here, the use of a vast amount of different instruments to create different textures, and the nod to Stevie Nicks
Cool, but something feels so dated and overdone about this style.
I've never listened to this album (55). Great tex-mex acoustic stuff. A fun listen.
It is fine but not engaging for me. Not too long which is nice. Some things had cool vibes.
I'll write more about this later. Some good, some cringe, very very 90s alt but also surprisingly epic and very sonically interesting
Excellent. Really enjoyed this surprise
8, 12
We sumie fajne
Already got
Pretty good
Inoffensive but non-exciting
Blei umiddelbart ganske skuffa, men kom seg bittelitt
Trevligt!
Börjar urstarkt men andra halvan av Disc 1 tappar lite för mig, och Disc 2 är urballad med remixer osv som vattnar ur upplevelsen för mig. Men jättekul fynd!
Låter jävligt nice ba.
Some gems hidden in a boring indie album
Never heard of this band before, and judging by the cover, I expected something straight out of the early 2000s - but maybe on a budget. Turns out, the music itself feels a lot richer than that. Feast of Wire is a great blend of mariachi, indie rock, and country. Listening to it makes me feel like I’m somewhere in Central America or one of the southern states, craving a tequila under the desert sun. The atmosphere is incredible - warm, vivid, and full of texture. That said, I don’t think any of the songs are especially memorable on their own. But I’d definitely put it on during a warm summer evening. I should’ve built my expectations on the name - Calexico - not the cover. It’s a high three for me. The best part? They’re still around!
Black Heart
I really liked this album. Had no idea who or what this band was about but dug it.
Ooooh, how have I never heard this band before? It's like...SoCal grunge? I love the description of them as being "desert noir;" I think that's a very apt description. Really a big fan of their instrumental stuff. Again, this is an album I never would have found on my own and I'm glad that I've wandered into it. Oooh Crumble is one of my favorites. Love the jazzy flavor of it.
it's the first time i hear from these guys and they did not fail to dissapoint. i mean i know indie rock is supposed to be pretentious, but if you're going to do stuff that's new or you personally consider original at least do some better work on the mastering and the engineering. i dont think i will be coming back to that album. i consider myself a pretentious prick but that was just a bland try to do something that has actually already been done. i appreciate the use of different themes (the latin stuff was a nice pleasent surprise as a combination to the more indie sound) and not sticking to one style tho
5/5
Such a varied album with many different genres from Latin to psychedelic to rock. Upbeat, soft , slow and everything in between . Mostly instrumentals but with beautiful apt vocals.
More folky than anticipated at the start Builds up gently in quattro Could imagine this as a movie soundtrack for a woman running away from home to be herself over the moors in the 1850s Hard to pin down a genre
Once again, I had never heard of them, and had no idea what to expect, except for what I read in the reviews and the Wikipedia write-up. This was different from just about anything else I had listened to before, but I really liked it…very eclectic, but enjoyable at the same time. This one is four stars for me.
Incrrrrr
Interessante und abwechslungsreiche Musik!
Highlight Song/s: Sunken Waltz, Not Even Stevie Nicks and Across the Wire Now this is some music to ride horses to. Trotting in the prairie at nighttime whilst seeing tumbleweeds roll on by. Now to the actual review. This is a solid combination of indie music and western music, this album gives off great vibes; the horns in particular contribute a lot to the vibes. Just kinda wish the album cover was more reflective of the sound, even if having a wild west-like album cover would be cheesy.
Unexpectedly enjoyable
Wasn't good, but I would feel bad giving them one star
I'm suprised how much I liked this, lots of interesting stuff going on but it all blended together pretty semlessly.
Only knew about these guys from the I'm Not There soundtrack album. I dug their tracks on that album and this really illustrates their strengths as versatile musicians with rich soundscapes without too much digital enhancement.
2 - kinda cool but a bit boring
Another good album that I never heard before.
I like it well enough. Nothing annoying or bad. BUT, there's not much to love either. Not unique or memorable enough for me to want to come back. I do hear a bit of tex-mex, but I can't go so far as to say Mariachi as some others have. It sounds a little like Havana 3 a.m. to me, but that album has more vigor and fun (and samples) that make it a little more spaghetti-western. Fun! The guy's voice is fine, but doesn't really grab me. The musicians seem fine with their respective instruments, but again nothing sticks out. I'd say I'm happy enough to have heard it as it's better than some of the dreck I've run across on this list. But, it's not going on any of my playlists and probably won't come back to it. <shrug> I'm going to give it a 3 as there's nothing really wrong with it, but it can't get higher because it's mostly like background music.
I heard this album a bunch of times before! When I was in high school, I dated this man who would play this album in his car all the time and I mean all the time! The song 'Not Even Stevie Nicks...' would sound good on the radio between something by Gram Parson & Grandaddy. I pretty much feel about this album the same I feel about that man who seemed to only own one CD. Pretty good, some nice ways to kill time, not without gifts and nothing bad to say but a bit samey all around so I would sooner or later trade it in at the record shop in Berkeley & get a boyfriend with a bigger album collection. We never got together again, and I never heard Feast of Wine again until this morning.