Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Easy listening album. Boring but nice to have as background music while you work. Nothing special, Calexico played it safe no risk or innovation. Same songs over and over with an eventual horn Fail.
Rien de vraiment intéressant sur le side A, parcontre le side B avec son mariachi revival est assez rafraîchissant, donnant une vibe western spaghetti à l’album
Expected to hate this, but I actually liked it surprisingly much. Weird sound, but pretty good!
Great mix of Indie Rock, Tex-Mex, Jazz, and Latin folk rock.
Pretty cool folksy/pensive album with a Latin feel, but not much notable beyond that. I liked Not Even Stevie Nicks…
Some of this really resonated with me. I like this kind of folksy Roma, vaguely zydeco indie rock.
Love this album. I have not listened to them before. It is a pleasure listening and to their music.
I was happy at the start because it was sort of indie but then it turned into jazz at the end? Who wants that?!
Liked this, I liked the horns and it had a good atmosphere
Неожиданно хорошо. Лучшая песня - Black Heart.
Oh, this was interesting - I really liked it! Some tracks weren’t as strong as others, but on the whole, I enjoyed the atmosphere it created. Love the mariachi flair. I can absolutely see myself listening to this again. This is exactly the kind of thing that makes the project worth doing - I had never heard of this band or album, and possibly never would’ve otherwise. Favorite tracks: Sunken Waltz, Black Heart, Pepita, No Doze
This is cool, a solid 4 stars. Exactly the kind of thing I’d hoped for when starting this project, new and interesting music. Not just a deep dive into some of the esoteric favourites of a bunch of boomers. There must be more albums like this out there, weird mixtures of genres, original approaches to production. Not another Byrds album. Sorry Calexico but this review is just slagging off the boring and repetitive choices on this list.
2.5/5. Meh, it has potential, but I found it pretty boring.
Idk!! I liked it but it was pretty boring. Good sounds thiugh
This was really cool. Latin and western infused indie rock with some dope instrumental passages. Reminded me a bit of Wilco.
heyy this was interesting, I usually skip over melancholic indie stuff like this but it held my attention. I'd say 4.5. it lost me a little here and there but made me want to listen to more. Pepita stuck with me the most.
Maybe it’s the horns or maybe it’s the damaged woman on the cover I want to make my wife but I loved this album
Deeply unremarkable.
Not bad alternative music. Enjoyed listening to them.
This was better than expected. I think I heard this band once in the past (maybe in a bad mood) and wrote them off, but this album is interesting. Zuna loved "Attack! El Robot! Attack!" - her ears perked up and she stopped chewing on her foot.
I really liked what was going on in the album; the instrumentals were fantastic. There was a lot going on: Spaghetti western-type vibes, folk sounds, some outlaw-ish grit with steel guitar & bass, Spanish flamenco fusion, jazzy themes...this album has a lot of elements that I dig a lot. The only thing keeping me from giving this album a 5 is the vocals. I felt they were whiney and didn't really fit the music. Everything else was great, though.
Creative? Yes. Technically impressive? Probably. Enjoyable listening? Not really. Most of the tracks sounded like emotional montage music from a 2000s action movie.
I really enjoyed this album! Added a few songs to my playlists too.
I like the southern baja flavour
This is pretty good. I like the Mexican style blended into the Indie sound.
Interesting. Didn't like some but really surprised by how interesting it got in places!
überwiegend schwermütig. Crumble sticht hervor
This was a real fun album and cleansed my palate after yesterdays.
Just like that, the lame streak is over in an instant. Never heard of this group or album, but damn it was a great ride. Great variety of sounds and styles, blending some indie rock instincts with more traditional Mexican instruments and styles as well, it's a really cool combination that I didn't know I needed. Saving almost half of this one to return to, these are the kind of albums that absolutely belong on a list like this. Bravo! Favorite tracks: Black Heart, Pepita, Close Behind, Attack El Robot, Guero Canelo, Crumble, No Doze. Album art: Feel like I've seen this one many times, but never close up. It looks different close up for some reason. Cool girl sitting on a skateboard, the style is very modern. Cool cover. 4.5/5
Pretty chill and a good change of pace. Didn't blow me away, but was nonetheless a nice listen
Probably the next best album i’ve rated on this site yet after Liquid Swords.
Will listen again.
Really good
Calexico is a vibe
If Fargo was set in the Yosemite Desert, this would be the soundtrack. It’s a mood for sure. It’s good music, too. Does it belong on this list? Not in lieu of some glaringly-overlooked albums.
The formality and tastefulness of this strand of indie rock that makes me pull the sheets over my face. This is Dances With Wolves; give me The Wild Bunch.
Goddam, I love this album. Bought it the day it came out after a rave Guardian review, then moved to Tucson 2 weeks later (Hume might object to the structure of that sentence). What an incredible, atmospheric soundtrack to a pivotal time in my life. Even used to eat at El Guero Canelo on occasion! Their best individual album by far, so dramatic and tuneful, vocal and instumental alike. Mariachi-indie rules.
Wasn't expecting much when it popped up but this is a pretty unique album. Not sure I'll come back to it often, but very enjoyable listen.
Jazz, folk, latin, Mariachi and Indie rock all rolled up in one big warm tortilla.
Indie fusion? I don’t know what to call it but I like it.
Between a 3 and a 4. Wouldn't mind listening to it again.
I didn't know what to expect going into this one. Was pleasantly surprised. It was good, and I'll listen to it again.
Solid inclusion on the list. It has a distinct vibe throughout that I think several indie rock bands of the era would end up exploring, but overall enjoyed it.
Lekkere muziek. Klinkt een beetje pop-achtig, maar heeft ook iets zweverigs, some met wat leuke geluidjes. ***
A nice Americana album wit a twist of Tex Amex and film noir sounds.
Feast of Wire is a mix of indie an mariachi. Calexico is likely the only indie mariachi band in the world and they are surprisingly good. Side A is the more traditional side with folky indie and it’s very good. Sunken Waltz and Black Hearts are fantastic. Pepitas is more latin influenced. Side B is much more mariachi with contemporary influences. It’s good but goes on a little to long 7.7/20
I liked the sound, will listen again.
I was nervous when I saw the low grade photoshop album cover with questionable font choices, but I'm glad I didn't judge the album by its cover because the smooth atmospheric acoustic songs were actually quite pleasing. Downright sophisticated acoustic artistry compared to the artwork. I enjoyed the nylon string guitars, the spacious stand up bass, and the generally clean sounding folk instrumentation. Pretty good album!
Now THIS is why I signed up for this. Music I've never heard from a band I was only vaguely aware of, and I'm absolutely loving it.
Svær at fastslå, lidt indierocket, men med alle mulige mærkelige vibes
Brilliant.
After processing my disappointment that this wasn't a Latin album sung by the woman on the cover, I realized I liked it regardless. It reminded me a little bit of Fountains of Wayne. It was consistent and maybe slightly repetitive, but the instrumental tracks were appreciated and enjoyable. I'm not totally sure I'd make a point to listen to this again, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. More of a 3.5 but I'm rounding up.
I listened to this walking to the store at 6am Feb 24 after my car broke down the week before. I'm not sure why but I bsolutely loved the vibe this album had on my walk this morning. I was surprised at how long it was but I'll definitely check it out again.
Enjoyed the two listens. Very folk and I enjoyed the layering of strings in the tracks. Not sure if I'll keep coming back to it, so 3/5 for now!
Cool, spicy and melodic songwriting. I like this a lot.
Californian surfer dad drinks wine in Napa Valley. Kids have flown the nest but are only a phone call away.
There are quite a few bangers in here, but as a whole I think it falls a bit short. Relaxing listen for sure.
Not my favorite
its alright, nothing special. 2.7.
Pleasantly surprised! I think you’ll know from the first song whether this is your thing or not.
Nothing really stuck out to me, but consistently decent at least
Cute, I like it.
I thought this was going to be a fun little latin influenced folk album. I was wrong.
Not my fav
Very good
Pretty good album of folk-music-influenced indie rock, but not folk rock like The Byrds, more like traditional instruments, waltzes, and mariachi
A cool Mexicali sound. for me it was again something nice to be exposed to but I didnt find it special.
It was not memorable.
These 2000s albums just get more and more inexplicable. However, I actually liked this one a decent amount! Definitely has appreciable moments
Riktigt slöseri med tid.
These are the records I love to find. Really interesting blend of sounds i a way I haven’t really heard done before.
Absolutely wonderful
liked the vibes of this album a lot, cool instrumentation and fun genre mixing
Some very cool mix of genres. Running late to work I felt like I was a desperado -
Bluesy, folksy, country, latin infused indie rock. This shit rocks. Its just exactly what i needed. Its not a 5 as in its perfect but its a 5 as in where has this been all my life
some decently juicy earthy texy-mexy stuff. a lot of tracks are really really just... nice to listen to, humble, dainty and full of sounds straight from the edge of the border. some songs have lyrics but a big majority are instrumental.
This was pretty good - I liked the instrumentation. Close Behind and other mostly instrumental tracks were my favorite. A high 3.
trippy, feels a bit all over the place but not in a bad way. Moods and tones shift alot through the album. Deserves a second listen 3.5
Folksy jazzy
This album would be a solid 4/5, with just a little bit of editing. Pull out “Not even Stevie Nicks” and “Attack El Robot! Attack!” and it flows so much better. That said, I really enjoy this album and Calexico’s musical formula. Definitely a must hear artist, and this album is almost as good as any from this period. Alright, I’m rounding up.
Unremarkable
New to me, and I like the album. Some interesting things going on musically.
Would have thought post rock indie music would have mixed with mariachi music like steak and ice cream…..Somehow it works though
Some kind of interesting ideas popping up here and there, but mostly a forgettable but ok mix of songs. Bit indie, bit country, nothing special.
Favorites: Sunken Waltz Black Heart is beautifully operatic. Like a southwestern Bond theme. Woven birds Guero Canelo Beautiful album.
# 156 : Good album, I liked listening to this, I didn't recognise any of the tunes but it was a pleasant listen. I wouldn't part with my hard earned for this, but I might listen to it again. Fav Track : Black Heart
feast of wire is definitely a unique album on this list. when you thought you could pin it down, it changed its focus. in general, that's a latinx presence and an indie/alternative genre on this album. but i was reminded of the band genesis' early progressive music sometimes? the trumpets and other orchestral instruments used weren't expected, either. i don't know where calexico came from but i enjoyed this album. a different kind of listen that i really enjoyed. a 3.5 i'm happy to round up.
This was really surprising. Somewhere between indie and alternative country and Mexican. It felt incredibly unique; not something you hear every day. This eclectic mix kept things interesting from track to track, as I never quite knew where to expect things to go. For me, I think there is a sense of nostalgia mixed in with all of this, but even still, it's a nice listening experience!
Det var lite för lugnt för min smak. Bra att jobba till dock
This was a lot of fun. Mariachindie. 83/100
Suprised that Dimery's list doesn't contain Calexico's *The Black Light* or *Hot Rail* instead, but it is true that some of the gems found in *Feast Of Wire* also make the latter a very important release within the Tucsonian band's discography. In 2003, Calexico had already acquired a good reputation in French music buffs circles, thanks to their connection to relatively popular indie acts hailing from France (where I also come from). This might explain why *Feast Of Wire* feels like a "bigger" album statesides compared to France: because a lot of American people actually discovered the band because of *that* particular album. Truth be told, all three LPs from that trilogy of albums display the same assets, and also the same "endearing" flaws. The assets are that charming and well-crafted mix of indie-rock and tex-mex mariachi influences most of the other reviewers praised in this app. And the flaws are that the tracklisting of those records always seem a little topsy-turvy and disjointed to an extent, with a few instrumental interludes that don't necessarily go to any *precise* destination. Calexico's "pueblo" aesthetics imply that they rarely care about cohesiveness anyway, favoring loosely-shaped ephemeral pleasures instead. There's a French turn of phrase for said aesthetics, by the way: "auberge espagnole" ('Spanish inn'). You throw whatever you have in your hands onto the wall and then hope that the landing sticks somehow. In *Feast of Wire*, some of the things thrown onto the wall are worthy of a Michaelangelo fresco, fortunately. With its gripping and heartrending string section inspired by Arvo Pärt and Penderecki (!), "Black Heart" is one of those wonders, and it would be a crime not to listen to this song at least once in your life. The jury's still out as to whether the rest is "essential" within the confines of a 1001-best-albums-of-all-time list. But I do hope there will be room left for the album when I establish my own ranking at the end of this project. If only for that one jewel. 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list, rounded up to 4. Which translates to a 8.5/10 grade for more general purposes. Number of albums left to review: 298 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 309 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 169 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many other records are more important to me): 227
Definitely a solid indie rock album. I enjoyed pretty well. I didn’t find it memorable but then again part of me feels like this one could grow on me just a tiny bit, perhaps. Lately I’ve been having a harder time being sure of my ratings lol I thought they did a nice job of incorporating several styles.
Önnur umferð. 3,5.
An unknown artist for me, an interesting listen but not one I will revisit in the short term
2/5 not good enough
Beginning to question the proprietor of these 1,001 albums.
I only knew Calexico from XPN playing Alone Again Or… to death. They’re pretty decent. I dig the instrumentals the most. I may do a relisten on a nice hot summer day. It seems made for that. Songs added to Spotify: 1
Not all songs available on Spotify Wide range of styles - accordion was unexpected
Truly never heard of Calexico. More folk. this is another interesting artist. not one I would go out of my way to listen to but it's crazy but I can hear a lot of my favorite artists in some of these songs as if they were influenced by this artist. Not sure how much longer I will be able to listen to this.
Innovative easy listening.
Very Chill. did not mind it. wont go looking but i did enjoy it
Bastante agradável, especialmente as faixas instrumentais.
Good stuff, enjoyed the latin american sound. I liked the instrumental tracks better than the ones with vocals though. Later half of the album was my favorite for that reason.
First half and last song were good, lost me in the 2nd half, felt like two separate bands
The album is really varied in its music type, it was really nice
This didn't do much for me on the first listen, but on the second I kinda warmed to it. Some of the songs are reminiscent of good western soundtracks, others just fade into the background. And there was one that sounded like a Bond song (Black Heart). Overall, an interesting mix of styles, but I wouldn't be rushing to listen to it again.
A cool blend of folk and Latin music. Not really my thing but well made.
this thing is all over the place, in a good way.
Great album
I don't have a ton of hope judging by this cover. Let's see. It's better than its cover, I'll give it that. Didn't walk away with anything, but it went down smooth.
Yeah, you know at first I just thought this was a band that Ryan Adams was in that I didn't remember. The first couple songs definitely lean that way. But the run from "Black Heart" to "Woven Birds" went in very different directions and I went right along for the ride. The latin influences really added quite a bit, imo. I'd listen to more from these amigos.
Really liked this one. There was an obvious cajun/jazz thing going on, but it was also very spaghetti western, 90s emo, and a few other familiar sounds at times. I guess what I'm saying is that it was a little bit of everything and I liked it. The instrumentation was beautiful as well.
good
This album transports you to movie land, as it feels more like a score. Definitely mood setting.
I thought it was decent when I first heard it, but as I became familiar with it, I really started liking it. Overall I am very favorable. I will listen again, I will include many tracks on playlists. 4/5
I didn't expect anything and i didn't get anything, just meh tbh, didn't hate it, didn't like it, somewhere stuck in the middle.
Needs more Mariachi and less white guy singing
3.5 - Indie southwest inspired folk rock. Quiet, sensitive white guy music. A few pretty songs and some dark, meandering instrumentals. About 10 minutes too long. Standouts: “Not Even Stevie Nicks…”, “Woven Birds.”
Not my thing
While I quite enjoyed this one - especially the wide variety across the album - I struggle to understand how its inclusion on this list is justified. But well, it sounds better than many of the other albums on here anyway.
I enjoyed this album enough to listen to it all afternoon! I’d describe it as breezy, sometimes haunting, sometimes sexy, sometimes sweeping, and sometimes… mariachi? It made for an interesting listen by mixing indie rock with such a Latin flavor, and, well… I LOVED it.
Loved this album! Listened twice and looking forward to listening again! Loved the fusion of sound and the overall mood of the album!
Calexico has a unique sound. A fusion of folk, Latin, electronic, and jazz elements, Calexico has created a type of folk music that sounds like the American Southwest. This beautiful collection of songs is the work of an experienced band - this is their fourth studio album. Calexico remastered Feast of a Wire for its twentieth anniversary, and added a number of live track with the reissue. The band's skill as a live act is evident, and adds another interesting dimension to this fantastic album.
Prima Indie muziek, heel muzikaal, veel leuke instrumenten.
Not what I expected but was impressed by the music
Southwestern Americana.
Every time I thought a song was worthwhile I was almost immediately disappointed by the next one. Quattro - World Drifts in and Guero Canelo were the only two that stuck out to me. I never thought a 47 minute album could feel like 2 hours until now.
Band bekannt von I'm not there. Toller Sound, nicht immer mein Stil.
Black Heart // Guéri Cabelo // 2.5/5
Based on album art and title alone, not what I expected to hear at all. I feel like this group inspired The Lumineers, they sound similar in my opinion and later into the album the title starts to be a little more central. Lotta familiar sounds, no familiar tracks to me though. In the album’s defense, half the tracks were greyed out on Spotify. Pleasant background noise to say the least. 3/5
I quite liked this
Впечателения нереальные. 5 не поставлю, потому что есть просто "обычные" треки. Но атака роботов и черное сердце - вау!
в начале думал что будет омэрикана но потом превратилось в нечто особенное алкоальбом: виски с квасом (это вкусно!)
Meh
Enjoyed the instrumental palette from this one!
Very unique blend of genres! I hear some western, trip hop, mariachi, pop and country. Great crafted songs and the singer is very good! Standouts: Quattro (World Drifts In), Black Heart, Woven Birds, Attack! El Robot! Attack!, Across The Wire, Alone Again Or, No Doze 8,5 out of 10
Mariachi meets indie rock. A fairly unique listening experience.
Wish I could give half stars because this is a solid 3.5. Instrumentals were cool, better than the rest of the album.
Did not enjoy.
This was a new genre of music- “FESTIVE INDIE” and I’m here for it. 8/10
So far, nothing stands out. This style of music just doesn’t do anything for me. It’s just white noise. I feel like I’m in a desert. So much vast emptiness. I really didn’t find it enjoyable. 4/10
Really fun album that changes the sound up so much that you have to double check if you're still listening to the same thing. Indie-Mexican-Jazz. Loved it. 8/10
Serene indie folk rock with heavy acoustic guitar and sometimes Mexican classic guitar riffs. The songs that did have singing, complemented the tasteful instrumentals. A unique album that showed a great amount of range stretching from genre to genre. 9/10
Þrælgóð plata.
Sucha vibe
Ému par cette belle découverte
Fresh sound that belongs in Robert Rodriguez films but don't love it for everyday listening
Favorite Tracks: Sunken Waltz Quattro - Worlds Drift In Attack El Robot! Attack!
This is a great album. The ballads are sincere, the instrumentals interesting and worthy of multiple listens. The up tempo songs (never realy very up tempo), are melodic with tight, toe-tapping rhythms and the latin tinged songs also rhythmically interesting and tight. I don't know other albums by Calexico but this one is a home run. 4 stars
It’s country, mariachi, and indie rock. Good at setting a scene. I like the second half of the record more than the first.
no me hizo nada. Y la portada es fea.
Latin feel with a modern twist.
Just find this type of musing uninspiring, but given that it is this type of music quite listenable
This is not bad. I get a Built To Spill vibe. Another band that (by the book) I should love, but don't. It's just that there's not a whole lot here that grabs me. I'm always willing to give it another chance though.
no me gusta
Otro album para escuchar de fondo tranquilito, buenaaaa
Disquin del chill, como los primeros. Se agradece después de los últimos que me habían tocado.
i listened to this album a lot in the late 00s, and while the band's whole *thing* has not grown well with me, musically i still like the album a lot. i really love the instrumental tracks especially. rounding a 3.5 down to 3.
The platonic ideal of the kinds of albums I let ruin my mood throughout the 00's. No thanks!
I had no idea what to expect, but I ended up really enjoying this. No funny review this time because I listened while working and haven't any deep thoughts.
This was mid. It was kind of boring, and not really what I was expecting, but it wasn't horrible.
...I expected something more uh, interesting? innovative? from this list for an album from 2003. this isn't doing anything for me. this feels like such a slog to listen to lol
like ordering Mexican food in Portland
three stars only because I liked the songs without vocals
I started off very much not liking this, but as it goes on, I find myself warming to it considerably. I rather think that I'll have to come back to this again.
Decent alt-country. Feels very spaghetti western. Not going to go into regular rotation, but I can dig it.
I used to go and see a lot of this sort of stuff live - I think I saw Calexico. I like it, but it does tend to become a bit samey after a while. Each individual song is generally good or better, but after a while I want something different. Perhaps if this album was 15-20 minutes shorter?
I remember when I first started to really explore the alt-country genre this band came up quite frequently. I only really listened to a few songs back then and never felt compelled to go any further. It turns out that I was right to do so. I like what they're going for better than the execution. There's albums from the likes of Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, Neko Case, and many others that I would rather see on this list than this exercise in mediocrity.
I really liked this album! Lots of variety, maybe a few too many instrumentals, but really catchy and clear music.
Started out really fun got a bit too mellow for my tastes. Still enjoyed it
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Woven birds, Attack! El robot! Attack
Solid album with mostly heard of them before as setbreak music as it certainly is chill and works great in the background. Perfect music to cruise the desert southwest
An album I knew nothing about prior to the suggestion. A good find, some dark sounding tunes with a latin edge.
folk avec une touche latin forgettable 5/10
Wow this is fire, loving this album, listened to the deluxe version with a bunch of live tracks. Amazing musicians, sounds like superb ween
Surprisingly good country music
Heel chill album dit. Ik zag 'indie rock band' en dacht alweer dat het middelmatige shit zou zijn, zoals zo vaak in deze lijst. Maar dit was wel een fijne verrassing. Beetje folk meets mariachi meets jazz zelfs aan het eind.
Très chouette, comme tous les albums sortis après l'an 2000. Par opposition à tous les albums sortis avant, nettement moins bons.
Rien à signaler
Yeah, this is pretty good!
Well that was suprising. Well done and a great listen.
It's pleasantly folksy and jazzy but with the various strings, horns, and accordion felt very cinematic and worldly. Soothing to listen to while studying and felt very expressive, atmospheric, and dynamic. I have very little to complain about and think repeated listenings will only make me like it more. A strong blend of genre/instrumentation and well-composed ear candy made for a fun trip and my highest rating so far. 8.5/10
For me, this had a lot of the right ingredients, but somehow came out half baked. Music is solid, lyrically I wasn't feeling it. I could tell there was passion and intent, and maybe I'm just not in the mindset to appreciate it, but this was a dud for me.
2.5
Good stuff! Never heard of the band, but this is incredibly varied and interesting. It's a mix of folk and alt rock/pop. Will listen to this again. 4/5
Meh
Первые треков 5 шел на пятерочку:)
honestly, I don’t know what I was expecting but this one is honestly kind of cool and I did enjoy it more than I thought I would. It was we different and diverse from itself too and I didn’t get bored of it.
There's something about this album that makes it all at once eminently listenable and yet utterly forgettable. There's far too much craftsmanship throughout this album to rank it lower than a 3 but weirdly it hits none of my musical buttons at all. Although I'll say these instrumental piece would be real nice in a movie. I'd compare it to Wilco in the way that I know these guys are "good" but I feel nothing, other than a little sleepy. 5/10 3 stars.
Amazing.
Enjoyable listen. Really enjoyed the Latin American sounds.
hit me with a little groove a little shimmy. makes arizona sound like the place to be and not an oven inhabited by California republicans
Indie, mariachi, jazzy, folksy. Very interesting
I could see myself liking this if I heard it back when it came out in 2003 and if I was younger but twenty years later I find it just kind of boring. I didn't think there were many songs on here that stood out, one of which being a Love cover that's not as good or really that different than the original. All that being said, I didn't strongly dislike this one either, I just didn't hear any songs that pulled my interest or sounded unique. Standout Tracks: Sunken Waltz, Not Even Stevie Nicks..., Alone Again Or
Lovely album - eclectic, without trying too hard and all the while forming a cohesive whole. Love the Mexican / Latin tinge to the songs. One small fault is Side B, does meander a tiny bit compared to the compact directness of the first half, but it is pleasant nonetheless.
It seemed a bit all over the place at first but there are some really cool songs on here with a variety of genres
3.5/5
I don’t recognise the name Calexico, so today will be a listen with completely fresh ears as if the album was new. The album art shows someone on a skateboard, and Apple Music describes it as alternative. This bodes well! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Close Behind, Güero Canelo I think I was expecting skater punk here, but it certainly isn’t that. To my ears, it sounds somewhere between the Pogues and the Gipsy Kings, with maybe a little dash of Dropkick Murphys at times. I found myself enjoying the instrumental parts much more than the singing parts - not to say the singing was bad, the music just shined more without the vocals distracting from it. It was a lovely album to have on in the background while studying, but I’m not sure I’ll be rushing back otherwise.
Rock alternativo.
A cool album with some good songs which I saved to lists.
Opzich lekker maar niet bijzonder
Very pleasant, and some deep songwriting skills as well as the TexMex vibes, some bits recalling DJ Shadow as well as Los Lobos.
A nice little flair sprinkled throughout this.
Un mix de pleind e genre, mais c'est super entrainant, j'ai aimé l'album du début a ala fin. 4.25
When I hope for some more progressive country music it is something like this record I have in mind. While a bit too eclectic here and there I very much enjoyed it.
I'd listen to it again
3.75
this was fun! maybe fave new album of this experience so far
Got bored
Some good instrumentals. Didn't really grab me
Apparently mariachi-rock is a thing, guess you do learn something new every day
Nah. I didn't need this in my ears before I died. There's nothing exceptional here. There are a lot of interesting ideas on display but Calexico never seem to figure out what they're trying to do with any of these songs and, as such, they just feel half-baked and incomplete.
Loved the first half and was sure it was on pace for five stars, but the meandering instrumentals of the second half weren’t my thing.
Favourite songs: Sunken Waltz, Across the Wire Least favourite songs: No Doze, Whipping the Horse's Eyes, Guero Canelo 3/5
definitely some songs will be joining the playlist
Don’t know why everyone thinks this is the greatest album ever. It’s fine. Maybe I haven’t listened to it in the right mood
very nice
I think this is a contender for most average album on this list. Nothing that I like, but also nothing that I would dislike. Just few soft rock, indie, country even songs, with gentle melodies and some quirky (but not too much) moments. Okay singing voice, a bit dispassionate instruments and that's all.
Love the instrumentation. Love the vibe. This is exactly the type album that keeps me coming back to this list…something unique, of high quality, and most importantly something I would not have otherwise been aware of.
Went into this blind, and wasn’t too sold on seeing the album art. Boy, was I wrong. I loved the sad, solemn feel; western noir was a good way of putting it. Really wish I would have found this band when I was going through my angsty indie teens. Reminds me a lot of Bright Eyes, Neutral Milk Hotel, etc. Very cool lesson about not judging a book by its cover.
-i have NEVER heard of this band -the album cover is so different from the sound of the band omg -REALLY like sunken waltz it was very nice -i like this persons voice a lot too -i love the vibe of these songs. its like dark and moody but also elegant -pepita is a nice instrumental track that gets you in the mood a bit -nice little piano track -i liked the latin influences in some of the songs -the beginning of the album was more my thing -overall none of the songs specifically stood out to me and but it was a good listen for sure
Interesting twist. Feels like country mixed with indie from time to time. Nothing really stands out to me but it's nice to have playing in the background
Previously only knew this band from their Iron & Wine collaboration "In the Reins," which had a couple great songs on it that I treasure. I kind of like the "desert noir" description for this band, especially since I seem to prefer the cinematic instrumental adventure tunes vs the more traditionally structured songs. Honestly this seems like a random pick for the list, I would appreciate some more context around why this band.
This whole thing sounds like the soundtrack to some gritty HBO or Showtime series set in the southwest. Is it any good? It's alright I guess. Does it belong on the list? Probably not.
I knew of the name from Iron & Wine collab. It's fine? It's sorta there, doesn't move me. But for folk-ish rock I can see the appeal.
Heel uniek geluid. Een soort popversie van een mariachi-band. Maar wel tof
This album was interesting and adventurous. I particularly liked the Tex Mex style tunes but I wasn’t kept locked in.
This is a nice mix of acoustic indie, Tex-Mex, jazz and occasionally electronica. They explore different styles and it all comes together seamlessly, with no song sounding out of place. Joey Burns has a great voice that is easy to listen to over two CDs. I'm sure with another listen this would be a 5, but I'm off the a Jays game.
Calexico is such a unique band, I'm quite sure there isn't another band with this style/sound. I see that this album was released 20 years ago but it sounds like it could have been released yesterday, its truly timeless music. The song-craft and performances here are top shelf. I don't think their earlier 2005 album In the Reins is on this list, but it features my all-time favourite Calexico song - He Lays in the Reins, which is simply majestic. Please check it out if you're not familiar with it. However, this album is close in quality, really wonderful, lovely music.
Very funky. Absolutely amazing food for the brain
Gotivno, gitarice su kul ali not really my cup of tea. Woven birds bas lepa pesma. Guero Canelo hard af latino benger. Nisam najveci fan instrumental traka ali El Robot je pretty cool. Not really my cup of tea ali interesantno je kinda
Evocative and enjoyable, without quite hitting the heights I would have hoped for. Fun though, and a band I would be happy to hear more from.
Ensiks kelasin et voi ei taas tällänen huokailu-indielevy, mutta täähän osoittautui oikeesti aika kliffaksi. Hienot aika ennakkoluulottomat soundit, ja aika kivat stygetkin. 4/5
Hieno levy ja tästä tulee aina hyvälle tuulelle. En olisi tosin odottanut, että on listalla, mukava yllätys.
Yllättäviä biisejä ja kivan monipuolinen kokoelma!
This music is probably the TexMex of Mexican style music but I don't care. There is a nice blend of Indie/Alternative and sounds that sound culturally Mexican too my untrained ear. I really enjoyed this and will probably return again at some point. Sunken Waltz, Quatro and Close Behind were probably my favorites.
"Desert noir" is the perfect description for this, and it was quite a tasty treat
Good 2000s Indie stuff, albeit a bit bloated.
Gimmicky
An unexpected treat. I was unfamiliar with Calexico and went into the album pretty blind. What a delight it turned out to be! The mariachi infused indie/jazz/folk offerings here are splendid. I found myself listening to not only this, but a whole number of Calexico albums as I got lost in their pretty unique sound. This album was awesome and has turned me onto a band that I apparently really love.
Nice cinematic flow to the album with the mixture of sung and instrumental tracks.
Calexico was a group I was only slightly familiar with and was not expecting what I ended up hearing. I really enjoyed how varied this is and was struck by how well written and recorded each song was with each track offering something special. I was also surprised by the amount of instrumentals ranging from really fun to really weird. I wouldn't mind going back to their previous albums to capture a bigger picture of this one.
HL: "Sunken Waltz", "Black Heart", "Close Behind", "Güero Canelo", "No Doze" holay, album of the week? (it's Monday today, just mean the last 7 days) What a trippy blend of genres & influences. Fits in with the notion that my favourite country albums are actually country fusion or country-adjacent. The cover of "Alone Again Or", which fits in perfectly with Calexico's eclectic sound, is a cherry on top. September 18, 2023 (later)
I saw Calexico and listened to a seven minute long double bass solo. I started laughing after 30 seconds in a totally silent auditorium, and I think I ruptured my gooch trying to hold in the sound for so long. Despite that, I still love Calexico and really enjoyed this album, and you can't say fairer than that.
Entirely unnoteworthy. It wasn't bad. I cannot really remember anything about it.
Indie rock, country alternativo. Ni fu ni fa.
I have desperately tried to get into Calexico over the past few years and it has never happened. I am not sure if it is the prevalence of instrumentals or what it may be, but I have struggled to dive deep and enjoy their music. This is a good album and I think it has an original sound. It's just music that fades into the background for me and so I can't give it five stars, but understand why others like what Calexico does.
"Feast of Wire" is the fourth album by American indie rock band Calexico. A good description of their musical style is a fusion of bluesy mariachi, desert-rock, jazz and experimentation. The two main members of Celexico are Joey Burns (vocals, guitar, bass, accordion, cello, mandolin and more) and John Convertino (drums, percussion and piano). Those two also produced the album with Craig Schumacher. The album begins with a waltz in "Sunken Waltz." Acoustic guitar, a drum beat and accordion. Trying to find space in the urbanization of their hometown Tucson. "Black Heart" has an eerie atmosphere and is very dramatic. A pedal steel guitar, mandolin and cello. It's a tale of the West..a criminal? An immigrant? I was wondering what a song titled "Not Even Stevie Nicks..." would be about and, well, not even listening to Stevie Nicks on the radio could stop him from jumping off that cliff. Compelling song. Burns with a tenor voice. They're covering some pretty heavy stuff so far lyrically. The second half lighten things up a bit lyrically and they cover different musical styles. "Across the Wire" has mariachi horns, an accordion and a steel pedal guitar. This is more country. About immigration. The next four songs are instrumentals which into Latin, Tex-Mex, blues and jazz category styles. The final song "No Doze" firmly put itself in the experimental category. Random drum beats and guitar strings. More steel pedal. Minimal lyrics which appear to indicate he's wandering in the desert. Appropriately, a long droning sound ends it. This album is dramatic, compelling and very good. It has a great flow, pace and mix of both instrumental and lyrical songs. It fits into many category from song to song...Tex-Mex, folk, blues, jazz, country and experimental. I'll be sure to check out more Calexico.
Really good sound
I discovered Calexico late into their careers, it was the magnificent Edge of the Sun where I really was hooked. Booked tickets to see them in Berlin, where they put on a brilliant show. Feast of Wire is one of the finest records of theirs, it has a wonderful feel throughout the record.
Saw their sound described as “Desert Noir” and I can’t think of a much better description than that. Calexico is a big band with lots going on and I’m a fan of all of it. Really great driving record here, there’s a lot of instrumentals and the break in vocals is fine by me bc the band brings it, great strings, horns, drawing Mexican band influences into their indie rock sound and it all works so well. This was a fun journey. 4 stars
Välgjort, dock en blend av genrer som inte direkt talar till mig. Lite uttråkande.
Very much a Sunday morning album
Huge mix of sounds here, which is really cool. I wish the vocals were a little less stereotypically indie, but otherwise a very good listen
A nice surprise, it does have some country-ish elements to it, but it works very nicely as an indie rock album. Not too much country influence to put me off.. Gets a bit weaker later into the album though
First track had me thinking, another dang country album, which really didn't fit the cover art. As the tracks progressed I was hooked. What is this album? I had no idea Indy rock Mariachi was a thing. I listened thrice and told a few people about the discovery. By my well defined scoring system, that's a five. Great find.
Love some mariachi trumpets with indie rock.
Early naughties soft boy indie
Had never heard their solo stuff...just to collab with Iron & Wine. Didn't hate, but it didn't really impress me much either...seemed just there. 3/5
Entertaining, and well-named. Felt exactly like spaghetti western/Mexican music with some good orchestration.
Nice walking vibes 2.5
2.5
Interesting album, appreciate the genre bending
This would all be great and original and fun, but it’s much too easy to tune out. The songs blend together and the soft, casual singing does nothing to lull you back in. The instrumentation is beautiful and I commend them for it, but that’s mainly it, unless we’re counting vibes which are wonderfully unique here in the best way. Nothing big to hate on either though so, all in all, a very average album. 3/5
Ritmos muy tranquilos y relajados. Demasiada poca intensidad. Ciertamente me ha gustado poco
alt country. not sure why it’s on this list, as there are better examples of this genre out there. also, many of the songs are instrumental.
I listened to this twice. I still don't remember it. It is apparently very good background music, but I really can't speak to more than that.
I dug this. Some of it was great.
Very good album. A hidden gem for sure. Very eclectic
Alright indie type mariachi type music kinda weird
Cool different sound. Kinda like Spaghetti Western soundtracks.
I really like this blend of jazz, western, mariachi, and folk rock. Would go perfectly with a sizzling plate of Tex-Mex.
Listening to this album made me think that, had Forever Changes lived out a life somewhere in the desert and spewed sprawling stories rooted in the Tex-Mex style, it would sound like Feast of Wire. While the instrumental portions of the album come and go without a footprint (which was probably the point), Feast of Wire finds Calexico at its best when they take the time to allow a song to settle in its environment and blossom. It may be unknown to most listeners, as it was for me, but there's plenty of gems to uncover here. Favorites: Sunken Waltz, Quattro - World Drifts In, Pepita, Not Even Stevie Nicks..., Close Behind, Woven Birds, Attack El Robot! Attack!, Across the Wire, Güero Canelo.
Actually alright
Not for me.
fine?
Opens great but sags in the middle. What they’re trying to do is great but doesn’t quite land or make for sustained interest.
pretty cool album. I like that Mexican influence mixed with jazz and alt-country. These are one of those bands I've heard of and probably heard on KEXP plenty of times but never actively listened to. Will have to check out more.
Not what I was expecting. But some good stuff on here
Sounded like a western soundtrack missed with Jazz, not the greatest, wouldn’t go back for another listen
Hated parts of this, enjoyed other parts of this, I’ll have forgotten about this album come next week…
What a wild blend of instrumentation and song arrangements! This album really grabs your attention from the first track, and continually takes you on unexpected routes as you breeze through it. I don't even know how to classify it; almost as if Beck and a Mariachi band had a baby and ran it through a sampler? Highly worth the listen if you want to expand your tastes a bit. Please check out the 20th anniversary edition if you can, and listen to at least the live version of Pepita for that slide guitar. OOFA DOOFA!
Would summing up this pleasantly surprising, Sunday morning-worthy discovery as “MexiWilco” be clever or offensive (I’ll take my answer off air)?
Wow really surprised by this one. Super cool album. Lots of different stylistic elements including western, jazz, and latin.
Interesting mix of early indie rock and LatAm music. Whipping The Horse's Eyes is basically Pink Floyd with maracas and steel guitar.
weird electro-indie, not feeling it at all
this is bad. the world does not need an hour and a half of latino country music. and that album cover looks like the type of homemade shit people try to flog to you down market street in manchester.
I ate a little too much custard last night and ever since I've been blowing bubbles out of my bellend. It's a good day.
It's not as good as 'Is this it' by The Strokes, is it?
Warm, lush
Not my cup of Alt Rock.
Some really good songs on here, and unique influences for mid-2000's indie rock, but largely this wasn't my cup of tea. I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could.
i just happened to be travelling through the desert while listening to this and it was good. wasn’t crazy about every song but a great listening experience overall and one i’ll probably return to.
It's one of my favorite episodes of The Sopranos. Tony murders his "nephew" Christopher, and then deals with his loss by flying off to Vegas to have sex with Christopher's ex-girlfriend and take peyote. While tripping in the desert, Tony believes he sees a vision that explains everything. And the episode ends with a beautiful instrumental piece that somehow sounds like the only song that could possibly play over the credits (no one did musical drops like The Sopranos, a show that famously had no score and chose to use other songs throughout the series instead). The song was Minas De Cobre (For Better Metal) by a band named Calexico. Immediately, I did a deep dive. I determined Calexico is the thinking person's Iron and Wine; the alternative Mariachi Steely Dan. They have an impressive catalog, are still releasing albums, and remain criminally underrated. This is probably their best album overall. I bet Tony Soprano would agree depending on the hallucinagens he was tripping on.
good
Sensible aux influences jazzée et aux différents instruments. Un album réfléchi et sensible
More enjoyable than I expected.
Para mi está desubicado en la lista. Le pondría ceros estrellas pero no se puede.
A juzgar por esta muestra, me aburriría en un recital de Calexico.
I didn't love this at all...