Sunday, April 02, 2006
Calexico - Feast Of Wire
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.
Other Albums:
calexico - even my sure things fall
calexico - alone again
calexico - hot rail
calexico - convict pool
calexico - aerocalexico
calexico - iron and wine in reigns
calexico - spoke
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Popular Posts of the Week
-
Tubeway Army is the debut album by Gary Numan and his band Tubeway Army, released in 1978. Its initial limited-edition run of 5000 (known u...
-
Editors releases their third studio album "In This Light And On This Evening" (out on Oct. 13 in the U.K.) after Back Room and An...
-
New bands and albums held off for one day, this post devoted to Edwyn. Best known for his tenure fronting the Scottish pop revivalists Ora...
-
1. Manic - Floor Boards (EP) 2. Blood Brothers – Set Fire To The Face On Fire 3. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Satan Said Dance 4. Sarah Nixey...
-
1. mp3 preview: JLS - Everybody In Love I love the new JLS song, for a limited period you can download the song from here. 2. Cheryl Cole...
-
History They originally called themselves The Reactionaries , with additional band member and singer Martin Tamburovich. According to Watt, ...
-
Album of the week 'Strong lyrics and riffs in alternative rock area.' Nothing's Shocking is Jane's Addiction 's first st...
2 COMMENTS:
can't find the password :(
Don't worry:)
PW:theindieconnection
Post a Comment