Look Mexico: The Crucial Collection

First off, I will go ahead and state that I am not the right person to write a review on a Look Mexico album. Yes, I’ve heard the band before (and liked them, for that matter). But Will has tried to get me to go see these guys several times when they’ve been in town; the first attempt I showed up right as they were finishing the last song, and the past couple of times I’ve used some admittedly lame excuse for ditching out on four guys that could use some gas money more than I needed that A/B/Y pedal I just shelled out close to $50 for. Ironically, I’d rather be on tour than putting on a suit and going to work every morning, so I’m at least jealous of Look Mexico for being on the road so much.

But this isn’t the time nor webplace for me to be reminiscing on shows missed and friends let down. Look Mexico put out what I best can describe as a “compilation” of past work, or as Will informed me: “It’s a collection. All the songs from The Crucial EP, some songs from the So Byzantine EP, and B-sides and remixes.” Which doesn’t really help me out much, because as you’ve read, I’m not a fanboy or anything. Regardless, the music is good. Really good. And I appreciate that, especially as a musician. You don’t have to like golf to appreciate that Tiger Woods is a great golfer. And you don’t have to like indie rock to appreciate that Look Mexico is proficient at songwriting.

I’m not going to go into great detail on each of the 14 songs on the album. The average song length is easily over 3:30, and there are no less than a bazillion parts to each song, so I’d need the rest of SAL to cover it properly. It’s not shoegazer; it’s not jam band; it’s not just plain-ol-indie rock; it’s not anything that can be pegged into a genre. It’s just good. Hell, I don’t even know what to compare it to. But I will go on the SAL record that I’ll show up next time they’re in town. Promise. To end it:

“Look Mexico plays music that sounds great on a hot southern day right after it rained and you’re sitting on the front porch drinking a beer.” How’s that for a promo tag?

Genre: Indie/Emo/Rock

RIYL: Minus The Bear, American Football, Karate

Label: Lujo

Whose Ship Is This

Guys I Need A Helicopter

www.myspace.com/lookmexico