an ESSENTIAL Calexico ep

not a bunch of throwaway tracks, an essential own...

Alone Again Or-cover of 60's band Love, very good, got a vintage brass/folk rock sound, very happy which underlies a darker lyric
Convict Pool-understated thundering acoustic song,very emotional sounding
Si Tu Disais-Classic Calexico cover, originally by Francois Brut (?)originally on the ltd import of Feast of Wire with Link Wrays "Fallin Rain "(why is that not on here) along with
Corona-classic song,known by many as the song from Jackass. Its a Minutemen song, but the Calexico version adds the Mariachi horns and driving sound we all love
Praskovia-probably the most elkegant Calexico song yet, a more lush version of a waltz like Mazurka or Mazurra off Spoke,I imagine counts and countesses dancing to this one
Sirena-a new classic, rhythmically like Crystal Frontier, with a nice chorus and more understated horns

Besides all this its got a nifty bonus track of the cartoon El Kabong rides Again set to the tune of Minus De Cobra

good for fans or newbies

If you already like Calexico, you'll enjoy this EP. It's all good, solid Calexico sound. In particular, the song "Convict Pool" is majestic. I was listening to it this morning, amazed they could make so much sound from just a nylon-string guitar and a drum kit. John Convertino is one of the coolest, most interesting drummers in rock today! I also really like "Corona", a Minutemen cover. The other tracks, both covers and originals, are pretty standard Calexico fare. The El Kabong video is a nice bonus, but not something you'll listen to over and over like the cd.



If you're new to Calexico, this is a good place to start, but i think the album "Feast of Wire" is significantly better.

More Southwestern Soundscapes

There is something about Calexico's sound that is compelling, particularly to those whose lives and musical tastes were forged in the multi-cultural crucible of the American Southwest. Perhaps it is the seemingly effortless ability of John Covertino, Joey Burns and bandmates to meld western, mariachi, and any number of disparate influences into a sound that shouts Calexico when you hear it.

Convict Pool is the third Calexico recording I've bought since first hearing them on a Lee Hazlewood tribute album several years ago and it is another winner.

Though as an EP it is brief, there are a couple of great songs here. My favorites are Si Tu Disais, Praskovia, and the magnificent guitar and horn driven Sirena. The band falls a little short in its cover of Arthur Lee's classic Alone Again Or, but their rendition is still very listenable.

It's truly a shame Calexico is not more widely known. They have adopted and built on "borderland" sounds touched on by others over the years from Arthur Lee and Love to Tindersticks, and have forged them into a distinctive blend of southwestern soundscapes which may yet come to be known as the "Tucson Sound". If that blend appeals to you, then Convict Pool seeks a place in your collection.