Customer Reviews

Even My Sure Things Fall Through

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Half the songs on the EP are quite good: Chanel #5, Crystal Frontier (both versions)& Crooked Road and the Briar. The rest are mediocre. None of the songs on this EP stand out like most of Feast of Wire does. They all have a second tier feeling. Nevertheless it is worth owning if you're a Calexico fan.

Joey Burns and John Convertino have created a niche entirely their own and have remained true to their vision of creating dusty, mariachi-tinged soundscapes that capture the mood of the early Southwest with nary a hint of pretention. No musical anachronisms here--everything is true to form.

That said, the only song on this extended play that could be called "essential" is the new single, Crystal Frontier, which is a tad bit livlier than most Calexico songs. The rest is remixes and B-sides, etc. A new version of Sonic Wind is okay, but there is nothing here that really pulls you in (not that any of their songs are truly involving). I suspect this CD was released to promote Crystal Frontier and the band's current U.S. tour, suggesting Calexico may be in need of new directions or new ways to mine <i>oro</i> from the same vein. Not bad, but not likely to win any new fans.

Calexico needs to be seen live to appreciate what they do. They put on a memorable show.

If I understand aright, this short album/long ep was released to promote the single 'Crystal Frontier,' and if any song deserves such promotion, it's this one--one of Calexico's all-time best. The moment you hear the opening lines--"Marco's shadow falls on the door/To the seven lost cities of gold"--you know it's gonna be good, and good it is. Awesome, in fact. There are actually two versions, one with a full band (the "main" version, I suppose), and a more minimalistic accoustic take. The former is unquestionably the one to have, but they're both good.

The rest of the album can't help but seem a little anti-climactic by comparison, but 'Crooked Road and the Briar' is also a pretty good song, as is the cover of AMC's 'Chanel No. 5.' The remaining tracks--a few remixes of songs from Hot Rail and a few new ones--are not-hugely-impressive instrumentals--okay background music, but not really anything that's likely to particularly grab you.

And that's that. Except--also included is the promotional video for 'Crystal Frontier,' as well as those for 'The Black Light' and 'Ballad of Cable Hogue,' from the band's second and third albums respectively. The former I can take or leave, but the other two are...really great; the one for 'The Black Light' actually makes me appreciate the song itself more than I had done.

These videos make a very nice bonus, and, in my view, bump the whole affair up a star. No reason I can think of for any Calexico fan not to snap it up.

I discovered Calexico 18 months ago and I can't stop buying their CDs and DVDs.If you like mariachis and spaghetti western music you'll love this album.There's a touch of Tom Waits in there and intelligent cinematic music too. Check out their live DVD and you'll be bowled over.I'd go as far as saying they're one of the greats and if you've not heard their stuff,check it out now!!

This is interesting, to be sure. Calexico is experimenting, but this isn't nearly as essential as, say, The Black Light. Also, there is the matter of the guitar riff on Crystal Frontier, completely ripping off Mad Season's November Hotel.

An awesome EP from a great Tucson band, which incorporates rock with the sounds of a mariachi band. It produces a very cool and unique sound. This CD features B-sides and remixes. It also includes a few videos! This is a great CD to play when your hanging out with friends late at night. There isn't one bad track on the entire CD.

Disc of unnecessary outtakes and extensions really doesn't work unless heavily invested in the band's material.

The title of this collection of rarities could easily be construed as an excuse for putting out an odds n' sods EP instead of a new album, but music this evocative deserves much better than to simply gather dust on various European CD singles. Working the sun-baked stretch of the border that lies between Arizona and Mexico and between Ennio Morricone and the Tindersticks, tracks like "Sonic Wind," "Banderilla" and the Two Loneswordsman remix of "Untitled III" would make excellent accompaniment for a drive across the desert in an old Lincoln Continental. Even better is "Crystal Frontier" (included here in acoustic and full Mariachi band versions), a gritty and witty slice of musical reportage that may be the best thing Calexico has ever waxed. The CD-ROM portion of the disc offers appropriately haunting videos to that song and two others, rounding out a tasty package that should both delight Calexico fans and entice newcomers into further exploration. (DAN EPSTEIN - May 21, 2001)

This album is a SURE thing. From the first cut on, it is just beautiful. I have tried it on two of my pickiest friends who agree that they found it outstanding as well. Thank you NPR for interviewing Joe Burns and introducing me to this fine sound.

Listen to anything by this band. The are just great musicians. But you need to see them in person to really get their genius. I really like this current cd but I love the tour only cd I got at the same time even more........Aerocalexico.