Mars Volta

[Aman]

Has anybody heard of these fellas?

They are just truly genious. Their CD, here (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...music&n=507846) is just brilliant.

Their singer's voice is just unique and unhumanly high-pitched, the guitars are very creative and the drumming packs a really large punch into the songs.

My favorite song from them is "This apparatus must be unearthed".

Any fans here? Any comments about this band?

 

[raif]

I love these guys. They should be coming out with a new cd pretty soon here, maybe some time in fall.

At the Drive In still holds a special place in my heart though. Hopefully Cedric and Omar will get back together with those Sparta guys one more time before they are too old for anyone to care.

 

[Ebonyks]

I'm not a big fan of their full-length (It's pretentious and ridicliously overproduced, as far as i'm conserned, the fact that their "sound manipulator" died from a drug overdose is the best possible thing that could happen to the band, since now they have something to keep them in line), but i highly reccomend the tremulant EP, it has all of the prog-rock goodiness of de-loused, but is more focused (IMO, anyway)

 

[Aman]

Just read up on them, and they are releasing two new vinyl LP records in november... good stuff!

Right around my birthday, too!

 

[mr man]

At The Drive-In > Mars Volta > Sparta

Really. I haven't listened to TMV's album in a long time but I'll occasionally pop in Relationship of Command or In Casino Out. The music was better before their pretentious ways.

 

[NightStalker]

Great band in my view... still a fan of the older stuff (ATD-I) but good for some variety. although I get the feel that the new album sounds very much like one very long song, with little variation taking place... but thats IMHO so please no harsh comments

cheers
-jake

 

[phkd]

I have been a fan of the ATD-I guys and their derivatives, and love TMV but feel at times that TMV LP was a tad over-produced (I don't think "pretentious" is the right word however). I definitely like TMV though and they sound good with SR-71'ed Grados heh.

I especially love the last 2 songs. Televators is a nice change of pace from the rest of the CD with great acoustic tones and a sweet bridge. and the last song's ending just hits me as an incredible sense of desperation and intense emotion (you know, with the staggered guitars and drums and the hopeless lyrics). Also watching the guitarist play the solo in that song live is incredible, he looks like a robot with too much power running through him haha.

If de-loused sounds like one long song, that's cause it's supposed to, since the album as a whole tells an exaggerated story of an artist that the singer knew who committed suicide (not the sampler who overdosed, someone before that). just fyi, i guess.

 

[NightStalker]

hey phkd how r u?
thanks for the opinions and info on the album.
I have nothing against albums designed to tell storys (being a big fan of genesis and the flaming lips myself) but i just get the idea after extended listenning that the album lacks change (with the exception of the song u noted), and ends up being a demanding listen.

cheers
-jake

 

[phkd]

im doin good, how are you?

I totally agree it's a very demanding listen (getting through the middle of Cicatriz ESP if you aren't in the mood for it, comes to mind). For me a couple of the songs sound similar, and I can see why people would think it all sounds the same, but i guess thats with any type of music. For example all Death Metal sounds the same to me, but thats because i don't listen to it regularly (if at all). I bet if you listened to it more you would find each song more distiguishable. Don't bother if you don't like it, but that's just my theory.
-AJ

 

[Supsup]

I love TMV...


I like TMV more than ATDI, but I don't care for Sparta much.

I'll agree with phkd though, that the album sounds superb on the Grados. The separation makes for some wonderful listening.


My favorite songs on the album are Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt, and Drunkenship of Lanterns.


Very trippy, that drunkenship.

 

[NightStalker]

I'm good thanks mate... just enjoying me hols

Quote:

Originally Posted by phkd all Death Metal sounds the same to me, but thats because i don't listen to it regularly (if at all). -AJ

Very good point, didnt think of it like that... It is probobly just that I am relatively new to the radiohead/TMV kind of alternative sound, and the more I listen to it the more i can appreciate the changes between songs.

Thanks for the feedback, having alot of fun listenning to this album.
Take care,
-jake

 

[raif]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NightStalker It is probobly just that I am relatively new to the radiohead/TMV kind of alternative sound

interesting... I wouldn't have put the two bands in the same category.

Ethereal Rock maybe?

 

[asmox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NightStalker It is probobly just that I am relatively new to the radiohead/TMV kind of alternative sound

yeah.. radiohead and tmv are completely not in the same category at all. in fact, the two bands are about as far as you can get in terms of music styles while still staying in the same genre.

 

[strohmie]

After seeing a billion recommendations for De-loused in the Comatorium I finally went ahead and had a listen. Good stuff, I've gotta say, a bit upset I didn't give it some love earlier. I wouldn't say that the Radiohead comparison is completely off...maybe the person child of Dream Theater and pre-Kid A Radiohead, with more of DT's harder edge and vocal sound with occasional ethereal rock sound that Radiohead is known for. Or maybe I've just had too much coffee today and am hallucinating.

 

[asmox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by strohmie ...maybe the person child of Dream Theater and pre-Kid A Radiohead, with more of DT's harder edge and vocal sound with occasional ethereal rock sound that Radiohead is known for. Or maybe I've just had too much coffee today and am hallucinating.

yeah, maybe.. the dt comparison is even worse than radiohead, i'd say.

dt is neo-prog rock/metal.
radiohead is pretty much indie alternative rock with touches of experimental aspects throughout.
tmv is a completely off the wall amalgamation of post-hardcore art rock/space jazz and psychedelia.