the Mars Volta

[benrand]

I just picked up their new disc for 7 bucks and it is a revelation...I am surprised how good it is.

Good drums, good drum sounds, the guy definitely knows how to play and he uses some interesting fast combinations between the hands and feet, as well as some Bozzio sounding white noise effects.

But he sounds a LOT like Tony in some spots, in fact, the band sometimes sounds like the old Lifetime.

Lenny Castro plays percussion on it and there is a heavy afro-cuban feel with him playing in some spots, the disc goes from slow afro-cuban montuno type stuff to shredding Heart of the Sunrise Yes/Chris Squire sounding metallic prog. I hear a lot of the Beatles too. There are melodies that stick with me and I imagine myself playing to them...I think that's the highest compliment, from a drummer's perspective.

I gotta say, I ripped these guys big time in the past but I am convinced they're a pretty good recording band. It's not for everyone, obviously.

And for 7 bucks at Best Buy, it can't be beat. It's 10 bucks at amazon.


Amazon link

[maxweinberg]

I've really fallen in love with this band. When De-Loused first hit the shelves I really didn't appreciate it, my ears weren't used to hearing this kind of music and filtered it appropriatley. Now, De-Loused in the Comatorium is one of my all-time favorite records.

Frances the Mute is also a masterpeice. These guys are a rare breed of musicians that I hold to the same respect as Floyd. They are the few that are pushing the limits and boundaries and making REALLY weird stuff.

Theodore is an amazing drummer. Really amazing polyrythm/latin/tribal stuff that you wouldn't realize is amazing unless you listened to what he is doing. Everything he plays is so fitting to the style of music-you wouldn't notice it.

BUY THESE ALBUMS!!! You might not like them the first few listens, but I PROMISE they will grow.

[CLWarunki]

I picked up the new album too and there are some GREAT *MOMENTS* - I, however can not stand them for too long... the vocals get really annoying IMO - and their experimentation is very contrived... the drummer has a hard-rock/jazz feel and a lot of his grooves are based on really fast double/paradiddles... very cool. I do think that this second album is a step up from the first, which was good too.

Oh yeah, and Flea + Frusciante are both on the disc.

[Suspiria]

I am gonna check out the new album I guess. I remember seeing them live about one year ago, when they toured with the Chili Peppers in Europe. The audience (including me) absolutely hated them. I mean people were yelling, trying to get them to leave. I must admit that at one point I covered my ears, it was absolutely terrible. Also because of the sound-mix - the engineer must have been under the influence of...something.
Anyway, I hear so much good stuff about them that I am willing to give them a shot. The most recent single does sound promising. Thanks for bringing this up again!

[Vdrummer]

I got it a few weeks ago and transcribed bits of it for the next issue of Drum!. Check it out in a couple of weeks. They have some great moments, for sure.

[Derek DeFields]

Deloused is one of my top 10 albums of all time.

Frances is not as great to me. Too much wank and dead air and the moments are fewer and far between.

Jon is a great drummer.

[Drumdawg]

I agree with Derek on his statement. At about 5 minutes in to the first song of the new album is the highlight of the cd. I get pretty burnt out after that. I still like "at the drive in" best... I will continue to give them props though for doing things their way.
Peace, Sammy J

[benrand]

My original complaint was after listening to a live boot, the guitarist sounded like he didn't giive a crap about his axe.

I think they are a different band in the studio. There really is a strong Lifetime, another band that some love and some hate, vibe to their music.

But I do like it better when they are letting it rip, the slow stuff is kind of ponderous. Then again, I can listen to Yes albums all the way through... [img]cool.gif[/img]