Calexico - Feast Of Wire (2003)

Artist...............: Calexico
Album................: Feast Of Wire
Genre................: Folk Rock Country
Source...............: Cd
Year.................: 2003
Ripper...............: Exact Audio Copy
Codec................: FLAC
Information..........: TntVillage
Covers...............: Front
Total Size...........: 322 Mb


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Feast of Wire does indeed offer a tantalizing array of sounds new and old from Calexico, including

more pop-oriented takes on their already eclectic style as well as some different sonic twists.

Though the album features plenty of the atmospheric interludes of their previous work -- such as the

squelchy, piano-based "Stucco" and the cello- and pedal-steel-driven "Whipping the Horse's Eye" --

the overall feel of Feast of Wire is one of restraint and refinement. The album's longest song, the

gorgeous, film noir/spaghetti western fusion "Black Heart," tops out at just under five minutes, and

the vast majority of the tracks barely make it past the three-minute mark -- not enough time for

experimentation to turn into self-indulgence. However, it feels like these shorter compositions have

more impact: "Sunken Waltz" sketches a vignette of Southwestern despair with just acoustic guitar,

brushed drums, accordion, and Joey Burns' papery vocals. Burns' voice plays a larger part on Feast of

Wire than on previous Calexico albums, adding a humble charm to sweeping songs like "Quattro (World

Drifts In)." Despite its seeming limitations, Burns' small, parched-sounding instrument is

surprisingly versatile, lending a Dylan-like cast to the aforementioned "Black Heart" and a Dean

Wareham-like drawl to the lilting Tex-Mex melody of "Across the Wire." Burns' vocals also dominate

Feast of Wire's most uniquely accessible moments: "Stevie Nicks," a surprisingly, sunny bit of folk-

rock, and the quiet, alt-country-ish "Woven Birds." But despite the steps forward Calexico makes on

this album, the band still has time for their more traditional, instrumental-based music, exemplified

here by "Dub Latina," "Pepita," and "Guero Canelo." The second half of Feast of Wire in particular

sounds more like what you'd expect from a Calexico album, and the group touches on the different

facets of that style, including the kitschy-cool "Attack el Robot! Attack," which with its crunchy

drums and gurgling synths, does sort of sound like it could be from a Mexican sci-fi movie; the

shuffling Latin beat, pedal steel, and mod horns on "Close Behind" give it a Morricone-meets-mariachi

feel that makes it a quintessential Calexico track; and best of all, "Crumble" builds on the smoky,

jazzy side of their sound that they began developing in earnest on The Hot Rail. In the hands of a

lesser band, all the different sounds Calexico explore on Feast of Wire could result in a mish-mash

of an album, but fortunately for them and their fans, it's one of their most accomplished and

exciting efforts.


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Tracklist
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01. Sunken Waltz
02. Quattro (World Drifts In)
03. Stucco
04. Black Heart
05. Pepita
06. Not Even Stevie Nicks...
07. Close Behind
08. Woven Birds
09. The Book and the Canal
10. Attack el Robot! Attack!
11. Across the Wire
12. Dub Latina
13. Guero Canelo
14. Whipping the Horse's Eyes
15. Crumble
16. No Doze