Feast of Wire

Really strange and enjoyable

I really enjoyed this album. I’ll check out more from this artist for sure. I like the folk rock and jazz vibes from this eclectic album.

This is a great band. their version of Love's "Alone Again" is great!

Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Not really my thing, pretty smooth though Favourite song: Track 13 - Güero Canelo

Never heard of Calexico which is a nice change from my recent album choices. I don't mind this at all. I don't know if I'd give it a full repeat in future but as background music it's good.

didn't blow me away. Some good sounds here and there but it leaned too much into the sullen indie vibe than the more exciting mariachi sound.

A lot going on and it sounds good.

Very good.

Well that awesomeness came out of nowhere!

Calexcellent

Good and interesting mix of Latin and modern and folk.

Meh

First I was struck by the instrumentals, less fussed on the vocals... but the instrumentals eventually became monumental and beyond beautiful. I thought this was a 3.5, a one and done. But now I think I'll put it in the listen again pile. Particularly towards the end

Nice album. Great mixer between Mexican, country and rock music.

Pretty good little americana music album. Looks like how country should have progressed.

Not sure why but I enjoyed the music today

One radio hit does not a profound album maketh. I'd swap in the Decemberists if we're looking for a bohemian rock ensemble vibe.

Really didn't know what to expect but enjoyed this a lot. Kind of a west coast Iron and Wine with some Latin flair in the instrumentation. Would absolutely put this on again and hope to see more from these guys.

Not unpleasant, but instantly forgettable vaguely Mexican music.

Initially really enjoyable but the extended instrumental sections started to wear after a while

Sonzao bem interessante, ambientação orquestral e atmosfera

I loved the blended of genres on this album - a great listen!

I'm not even sure what I listened to but this was an interesting and fun album. I'm usually turned off by albums that have too much variety but this one did it right. 3.5

Listening to this made me feel like I was listening to the soundtrack of Ted Lasso. I enjoyed this and would almost describe it as a modern twist on Yacht Rock if that’s possible.

A Mexican western-infused alt-country record with plenty of acoustics and mariachi. There are a lot of cool ideas, like the fusion of jam, jazz, and Latin in "Crumble" that gives off Santana vibes. I had low expectations going into the first song since it's the most popular, but I was pleasantly surprised. Some forgettable tracks, but I have a few standouts, and there's usually something interesting happening in many others. Favorites: Quattro, Black Heart, Close Behind, Guero Canelo

Sounds like this was meant for a kind of shit but ultimately enjoyable western which has Benedict Cumberbatch and the Rock Johnson in it.

1.5

Varied jazz, chill, folk noise. Max says 4. I say 3.5 but that's not an option. Not super memorable, but not unenjoyable

Enjoyed

Very western style

Such a WEIRD fucking album, but good weird. I can’t even give this album a genre. I went into this with zero expectations because of the album cover, but I was very pleasantly surprised.

mariachi rock? not a huge fan but it was still an interesting listen.

A capa é feia hein. Eu estava pensando, talvez eu pudesse ir rankeando de música em música, mas talvez isso fizesse eu perder o interesse de ouvir de novo uma música que eu não gostei agora, mas acharia boa no futuro, então vou continuar apenas dizendo se vale a pena reouvir o álbum ou não, ou talvez apenas citar as músicas que eu gostei agora. Black Heart: o som é cabuloso, faz eu me sentir na foto do single de Gold on the Ceiling, brabo. Por favor Eu do futuro, escute esse álbum de novo, ele é diferente de tudo que eu já ouvi, simplesmente a ambientação que ele passa, sei lá, é pesada, muito bommm mesmo, poggers.

Levyn alku tuli kuunneltua sujuvasti vaan loppua kohti lässähti musiikista mitään tajuattoman korvaan turhan taiteelliseksi.

Ei jäänyt erityisesti mieleen. Sen verran, et suht miellyttävää oli kuunnella. Ok.

I ALREADY RATED THIS YOU IDIOTS

veeerry interesting. 3 stars.

This is pretty amazing. Richly crafted and awash in musical influences. Just levels upon levels of sound and mood, an incredible flow from track to track, and an almost cinematic quality to the sound. Fave Songs: Quattro (World Drifts In), Sunken Waltz, Across the Wire, Attack el Robot! Attack!, Woven Birds, No Doze, Dub Latina, Crumble

I very much enjoyed this charming, eclectic collection of songs.

Well, okay, that was pretty great.

Outstanding! Eclectic mix of great songs. I am quite well-taken with this one.

Wow this is fun and unique! I think my lips began to chap halfway through this album from the desert heat. I love the vivid landscapes this album paints in my mind. I love it!

The originality of this album was superb, and the mariachi-western vibe was interesting and made for a fun listen. Some songs took longer to get into than others, but they were all good across the board.

Another album on this list that was perfectly fine but I definitely didn’t need to hear it before I die.

Never heard of Calexico before and was very impressed by this. Lots of fun, a great blend of genres that kept things interesting without seeming too scattered, and a well-paced mix of songs and instrumentals. Will definitely be revisiting this and checking out some of their other records. I feel like after a couple of listens this would probably drop to a 4 but just from a first impression I’m going high

Ik ken deze band van naam omdat dit de muzikanten waren die samen met een zanger Giant Sand waren, maar eigenlijk nooit de moeite genomen om goed te luisteren; ten onrechte, zo blijk! Prachtig plaatje.

Goeie band, vooral live

4.0

Un impresionante álbum que combina lo mejor del country y la música mexicana; en una fusión impresionante de estilos que funciona como reloj de precisión atómica. Increíble, una verdadera experiencia sonora.

Yeah it’s cool certainly a kinda unique style but no individual tracks have really popped out so 4/5

6/10. I liked the instrumental parts, and the vocals weren't bad.

Fine. 6/10

Never heard of them before. Will really enjoy listening to this multiple times I think, was just a very pleasant experience!

I never heard of Calexico before, at least not directly. They may have been on a compilation or been on a soundtrack, but didn't jump out at me. That said, this is a good album. Its got great theming - This is an album of the American desert if I ever heard one - and a few tracks have replay-ability. 4/5

A good comfort album. I think they successfully brought the genre into the new century.

Really great sound! 3.5

2/5. It’s a nice collection of songs but it doesn’t hit right. Sometimes feels a little too pretentious. Not bad, just doesn’t work for me. The mixing of genres is the highlight for sure.

An interesting mix of modern alternative and salsa. Enjoyed this as a departure from the regular fare on the list, as it brought new ideas to the table and was well-executed instrumentally and production-wise. Don’t think this LP packed enough of an artistic, cohesive punch to land on my faves list, but I definitely see myself revisiting tracks here if I’m feeling stuck in a rock rut.

What a nice surprise. A journey indeed. Black Heart, total Portishead vibes. Close Behind, The Book and the Canal, Attack! El Robot Attack! are all great tracks.

What is this? Post-alt-country!? It's wonderful, I love it! 😻 I'm a huge fan of albums that go out of their way to be cinematic, or dabble with multiple genres, and this album does both of those things well. I haven't really listened to Calexico before so this is a great discovery for me - that's what this project is all about! Fave track - "Black Heart" - those strings are positively trip-hop! "Close Behind" sounds like a spaghetti western soundtrack, "The Book and the Canal" sounds like a revisionist western soundtrack, "Attack el Robot! Attack" sounds like Tom Waits, and let's say "Corona" for that mariachi feel....

An interesting yet uneven blend of latin and indie rock.

If there was ever a band that sounded like where they were from, Calexico would be one of them. Combining a Tex-Mex/Americana sound, I would guess they hailed from the desert or more specifically Arizona. They may not be ground breaking, but they bring together different styles and sounds for a very satisfying mix and pleasant listening experience. This album is an excellent showcase and well worth the time. I saw the band opening for Arcade Fire years ago and they impressed me, but the boomy sound of the large venue definitely made it difficult to hear and didn't do the band justice. I would much prefer to see the band in an intimate-size bar room in the desert.

Judging by that album cover, you would never guess that this is actually an indie country album with mariachi influences. Very unique. I don't think I've ever heard anything like this.

- Some of the songs give me videogame soundtrack vibes (Book and the Canal, Pepita) - Love the Spanish flair - A fun listen, 2.5

- Elements of indie, folk, Americana, and even some Mexican? - Makes you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere Texas -2.5 but rounding up for its uniqueness

It’s a decent album but I don’t really get why it’s on this list.

Never heard of this before, but good. I enjoyed it. 3/5

Beautiful

Un àlbum original i creatiu amb barreja de géneres, instrumentals, sons fronterers, rock alternatiu dels 00's... Calexico mai van ser punta de llança de res, però són un dels segones divisions a disfrutar de tant en tant i aquí es troben en el seu millor moment

I haven't been able to give this album the attention it deserves today because I've been busy with work, but this feels like it could be a masterpiece. Such an interesting blend of music and very polished. I'm going with 4 stars for now but could turn into 5 on further listening.

Was kind of empty and not too exiting. Maybe just not my style. I’ll come back to it at some point but overall as of right now, as a whole album, feels uninteresting

Highly surprised by this. Loved the Latino feel to it. Super interesting and unique!

Sometimes I'd like some context for why an album is on this list. Because I'd like to see some Poi Dog or Reivers or the Origin. This is good music. I'm not sure what really sets it apart. Nothing too catchy. Maybe it's deeper than I can appreciate?

I enjoyed the alternative + latin mellow mariachi mixed in. Good mix of instrumental/vibe tracks and lyric tracks. Liked Close Behind the most and Sunken Waltz was a good intro. Enjoyed the experience.

Honest and straight

Was hoping for more, didn't really do it for me

An interesting mix of genres, and the genres do vary to one extent or another as the album progresses. But as far as what this album has to offer, that is more or less it.

Nothing exceptional or spectacular, but if you’re driving or cooking and want to fill the silence, it’s a nice listen.

Great combination of alternative rock and Latin/mexican music, unique sounding

I have really enjoyed this album! There's a nice mix between traditional Latin sounds and then Americana country with some jazz and rock in there too. I love the variety in the different tracks, it keeps the entire album so interesting to listen to. This gorgeous instrumental track "Whipping the Horses Eyes" which is so emotional and harrowing blends beautifully into the bouncy jazzy almost black panther-esque bass which opens "Crumble", it's such a fun listening experience like listening to a really cool and edgy story. I wish this album was a film! I know it would be epic. Nice to be introduced to something so different from this list.

I didn't know what to expect from this but I really enjoyed it! I really appreciated the variety of song styles, some instrumental. A mix of tempos. Kept me interested. Thought it straddled the range of music themes so well Would listen again to this

When I saw the cover I thought, nice we're getting some punky mexican band. Was quite surprised by the sound but I did enjoy it a lot!

Interesting mix of light mariachi, world, jazz. Was alright, just a general weird fusion. 5/10.

Tex-Mex-inspired Americana country. Contrasting with the growing popularity of contemporary country, there was alternative country that was innovating on the genre. Feast of Wire conjures up images of the American southwest, now far removed from its cowboy days and finding it's foot in modern society and culture. I think the instrumental sections are some of the most interesting on the album, as they grab you and impress their influences the most out of any song here. However, Black Heart is easily the standout track.

Nice diversity! A little confusing at times because of the sudden change in genre. But great talent. They would be good at writing movie music

nej

This album is a very consistent and engaging mix of indie rock, mariachi, jazz, alt county, and just about everything else. The guitar work in particular stood out to me, especially the jazz guitar in the penultimate track. The album feels spacious and has enough room to let melodies linger and for musical ideas to slowly and fully develop. This music truly inhabits the feel of the southwest in a way that captures the expansiveness and occasional tumultuousness of that region.

Awesome

Never heard of this band, also removed from the book so didn't read about the album. First impression was oh no, more mid 00s Americana. Ok so it's not just that, there is variety, but for whatever reason I don't care about any of the songs, it's just on in the background. It's not bad bad. Maybe it's because I went to see Yo La Tengo last night and this is bad by comparison. Speaking of which, why is there no Yo La Tengo in this book? There are 2x Ryan Adams albums and a fair bit of this sort of meh. There's room. Anyway near the end now and this band are pretty tight, particularly on some of the more jazzy numbers, I'm giving it a 3.

OMG thank you for reminding me of how awesome Calexico are.

The band name and cover for Feast of Wire belie Calexico's total vision of the project. That is, a listen makes it clear that something else is going on. But the base - cleanly-interluded and unique indie - is plenty strong itself. The album manages to sound completely of its era but also hard to make, then or now.

Honestly, I am not in the mood today for music I don't recognize or know at all. I need some familiar favourites, some easy 5-star classics. I groaned, out loud and obnoxiously when I saw this album come up. I thought "Really? More unknown fucking crap that I don't give a shit about that I have to suffer through???" But I'm having a hard time right now, so I was being a judgemental bitch. I hate the band name, the album name, and the album cover. But, and it's a big BUT, the music was chill. It wasn't the awful ear assault I was expecting and I actually looped all the way through without batting an eye. I am pleased. Not impressed, but pleased for now.

It was unexpected and easy to enjoy. Didn't particularly like to barking dogs lol but the blend of instruments and styles really put a great spin on the album

Pleasantly surprised with how much I liked this one.

Such an interesting blend of different styles. Latin, rock, power pop and a little bit of hot jazz? Very cool, and will probably return to this record.

3.5

It's OK - has a certain vibe

Wow what an interesting album this was. Had a bit of everything! Felt like an indie rock band with a lot of mariachi flavour mixed in. Wikipedia has it listed under the genre "Tex-mex" and yeah, couldn't put it better myself. A bit of folk and country, a bit of mariachi, a bit of jazz - A highly interesting album. Some of the songs here were a little too slow for me to really get into, but I liked this album a lot regardless. Favourite: Quattro - World Drifts In

Oh god it's frontier folk music aaaagghh no make it stop Wait hang on it's tex mex indie rock aaaaggghh no make it stop 2/5.

Bra. Dock för lång, sista halvan lite tråkig

I don’t really know what this album is. Half the songs were greyed out on Spotify. Some cool mariachi stuff, some good songs, but it did not hold together. Maybe because half the songs are missing.

8/10 dang that was so cool and creative! super neat!

Not what I was expecting at all based on the album art, but didn’t blow me away. Had some cool little tunes though

a lot of genre hopping without much success sometimes they're jazz, others they're rock inspired by latin sounds

Liked it! The instrumentals were nice.

Me listening to Feast of Wire for the 5th time in a row: "God damn that is good. Shit, that's fresh." But in all seriousness, hadn't listened to this in many years and I'd forgotten how freaking good it is. Glad it made it onto the list too, most of the stuff I was obsessed with in 2005 did not lol. It has "filler", but even those are hella good tbh. A jewel of the 00s, straight back into the rotation. 5/5

fajne

This is really good. I'd not even heard of the band and expected to dislike but the variety and catchiness of the songs are undeniable. I found myself playing this through 3 times. There are a number of styles here but it's assured and professional. Impressive.

3.25/5 I was expecting some really intense Mariachi border music. This was a nice surprise. It had some pretty orchestration and kind of dark synth bits that I enjoyed. Not bad.

I like this! There was some bloat as expected but it had some interesting sounds without being Avant Garde or over the top. Saved myself 45 minutes by not listening to the extended version too, win!

Slightly uneven start but ends up being an incredible record overall. Loved it. 4.5 stars

There were some parts of this I really loved and others where I just stopped paying attention. Overall, not bad. It's good stuff.

Never heard of the band before, and it was nothing like I though tit would be. Enjoyable but likely not one I return to

A mariachi infused American indie record. When it's good, it's great, but a few too many grout tracks and it tails off at the end. If it ended at track 11, Across the Wire, it would have been a 5/5. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Across the Wire Date listened: 18/03/23

Calexico always made me wonder why there wasn't more mariachi-infused indie rock. But then if that were a subgenre, none of the other bands would have been as great as Calexico.

On the fence about much of this kind of neo-roots music. I didn't dislike this, but I think I'd rather listen to actual old music or else something in a similar vein but more particular to its times.

Like an alternative Spanish style album. Not sure what the importance of this one as there were far greater albums in the 00s but I’ve realized this list isn’t about good or popular music. It’s about what random album was made in a time when no one else did it. Doesn’t matter if people listen to it. This is that kind of album. 4.7/10

Not what I expected in the first half, more what I expected (and like less) in the last half/third

Jesus fuck, what the fuck is this album cover? Actually digging the album though. Chill and folky. Super cool production choices throughout.

Such a mixed bag. There's some really cool, interesting stuff happening, but it happens in between a bunch of 2000s indie double tracked nonsense. My question for the editors: Why include all these bands that want to be Neutral Milk Hotel when you could have just included them instead? Best track: Close Behind

I like the Mex-influenced stuff more than the Tex, thanks

Somewhere between Wilco, a Mariachi Band, and a soundtrack to a western. I. Was. Here. For. It.

This album has some ups and downs. I did enjoy some parts, but overall it is not my kind of music.

I love the mood this album sets, like an indie mariachi road trip.

Not super excited about this but wasn't too bad

This oscillated between exciting and boring, but mostly positive

Nice surprise. Very diverse and has some original sounds.