A fairly groovy piece of work.

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.

Half a good EP

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.

Not Their Best

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.