Last record didn't make a huge impression but I saw them on the tour and they still put on one of the best live shows around. Regardless, I hope they eat well the rest of their lives on the basis of Feast of Wire alone.
They've had a strange career; never really had a buzzband/BNM album from the indie crowd, yet they aren't fully on the jamband circuit either. Nevertheless, every show of theirs I've been to has been packed.
― klonman, Friday, 30 January 2015 17:23 (nine years ago) link
New song sounds like it exists solely to be a clap-along for their live show.
I'd say Feast of Wire WAS their buzz/indie cred album. They are a very fun live band- the kind of show you can bring your otherwise disengaged parents/friends/family/whoever to and they'll have a great time.
I worry that most people perceive them as merely some kind of tostitos-commercial/Wilco hybrid. They have some great albums and I particularly love when they experiment with sparse instrumentation.
― Evan, Friday, 30 January 2015 19:02 (nine years ago) link
Listening to an advance of the new album, unsurprisingly great.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 1 April 2015 02:43 (nine years ago) link
And last night on TV
http://teamcoco.com/video/calexico-04-02-15
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 3 April 2015 17:48 (nine years ago) link
Haven't heard it but the early buzz is very encouraging. Hope they get a late career revival ala Kozelek (but more deserved).
Unfortunate tosititos-commercial perception otm. I remember even when Feast of Wire was out, critics always backhandedly referred to them as a one-trick pony, which seems unbelievably off the mark considering how much genre territory they cover.
― klonman, Tuesday, 7 April 2015 18:34 (nine years ago) link
I mean they are always pretty overtly southwestern/desert vibe, but if you actually actively listen it's easy to see that they're always creative and bring in a variety of influences for sure!
― Evan, Tuesday, 7 April 2015 19:09 (nine years ago) link
dunno this album is kind of awful - no distinctive edge or angle or vibe or appeal
― courtney barnett formula (seandalai), Saturday, 25 April 2015 01:00 (nine years ago) link
I would disagree! But I would.
Interviewed John C. for the SF Weekly:
http://www.sfweekly.com/sanfrancisco/calexico-fillmore/Content?oid=3771221
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 2 July 2015 16:45 (eight years ago) link
The new one is Calexico goes arena rock? Three preview songs out now that couldn't/could bode well?
― Elvis Telecom, Tuesday, 23 January 2018 08:42 (six years ago) link
After a second listen, I would add more question marks to that post.
― Elvis Telecom, Tuesday, 23 January 2018 08:43 (six years ago) link
Anyone check out the full album yet?
― hoooyaaargh it's me satan (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 15:42 (six years ago) link
I haven't. I'm like 3 albums behind on this band, honestly. I usually put on all those tour only albums that got reissued a few years ago (love those) but have been slacking otherwise.
― Evan, Tuesday, 6 February 2018 15:46 (six years ago) link
listening now, kinda a grab bag in terms of style and quality. my fav track so far is "Thrown to the Wild," which does the windswept tex-mex post rock thing that only they can do so well.
― hoooyaaargh it's me satan (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 16:32 (six years ago) link
They've put out lots of good stuff, but I still can't tell if they take too long between records or not enough time.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 6 February 2018 17:06 (six years ago) link
They've been hit and miss for a while now. New one especially.
― sctttnnnt (pgwp), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 18:49 (six years ago) link
I thought Algiers was a solid album, and they always manage to bring the best out of their collaborators whenever they do a joint project.
idk, i loved their '00s output enough that i'm gonna listen to everything they do from now on
― hoooyaaargh it's me satan (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 19:27 (six years ago) link
"Unconditional Waltz" is kinda weird in that it's essentially a instrumental cover of "America" by Simon & Garkfunkel, I wonder if they credit it on the liner notes?
― It's not delivery, it's Adorno! (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 21:22 (six years ago) link
― hoooyaaargh it's me satan (voodoo chili), Tuesday, February 6, 2018 Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Oh, I feel the same way - I mean, I give every album a chance and I make a point to hang onto all the songs I like. But it's been a while since I loved an album all the way through.
― sctttnnnt (pgwp), Tuesday, 6 February 2018 22:21 (six years ago) link
I was recommended by Cacavas. Messages me. Which is like wtf dude you are awesome, why give me the time of day. But I love the records. Fits my current vibe.
― nathom, Monday, 23 December 2019 18:00 (four years ago) link
Rather like their new holiday album:
https://casadecalexico.bandcamp.com/album/seasonal-shift
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 8 December 2020 03:52 (three years ago) link
america's #1 band
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 8 December 2020 04:14 (three years ago) link
Don’t think I can even make it through the new album.
― sctttnnnt (pgwp), Saturday, 9 April 2022 21:38 (two years ago) link
Honestly didn't even know they had a new album out, but I just bought tickets to see them in LA.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 10 June 2022 23:25 (one year ago) link
Didn’t make it through the new album either.
― Elvis Telecom, Saturday, 11 June 2022 05:29 (one year ago) link