Sputnik Music Forums - (Progressive rock) The Mars Volta

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- - (Progressive rock) The Mars Volta - De-loused in the Comatorium (http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128081)

^^^ Concertina IS a wicked bassline, and so is Eunuch Provocateur, I wonder why they got rid of her?

yeah, its funny how they got rid of her and ikey at the same time but they took ikey back. Apparently, as far as theory is concerned, she was a genius.

yeah i read somewhere that she had multiple music degrees, and when cedric discovered her she had just completed a degree in indian ancient music or something

Well I'll be ****ed, I didn't know that.

[QUOTE=manuscriptreplica]yeah i read somewhere that she had multiple music degrees, and when cedric discovered her she had just completed a degree in indian ancient music or something[/QUOTE]

Some info about Eva from an interview with the band...

From [URL=http://www.91781.com/tmv/interviews/01.htm]Interview with Cedric Bixler, Mon 24.03.2002, Leeds Cockpit[/URL]

[QUOTE]

People:
CB - Cedric Bixler
MR - Mike Randall
DA - Dicky Allen

DA - So how did the Mars Volta line-up get together?
CB - Well, we were just kinda doing Defacto and we wanted to expand on what Defacto does, but in a rock sense, and take it a little further, and not just keep it dub-orientated, which can only lead you to so many places. And so Ikey, our keyboard player, introduced me to Eva. Eva was in the process of graduating from UCLA, and she has a degree in Ethnomusicology, which is all, you know, I'm sure people reading this will be like "so what?", but to us it was a big deal because she understood the guajiro salsa. She understood a lot of what we were looking for.

MR - Shes got fantastic rhythm.
CB - Yeah, exactly. And on top of that it was especially important that she was a woman, you know, and it was especially important that Ikey is black, and its especially important that the people we play with are from ethnic backgrounds. It was very, very important. It wasn't a calculated move, but at the same time, the fact that they were naturally coming in the band, I felt like it was important, like it was something special that was happening, and we couldn't just let it go.

MR - So it was kind of to mix everything up?
CB - Yeah. Yeah, I mean, we listen to Sly and the Family Stone, you know, and that to me is an important influence, because sometimes musically I don't like them, but when I see them; I saw what Sly and the Family Stone did, and it was very, very, very important at the time, San Francisco, where they're from, blah blah blah, where we're from, what we're doing, you know, I think its very important that Eva liked what we were doing. The first time we played with Eva everyone improv'd for about two hours straight; like two hours straight of just pure improv. It was like going, "Hey, what's up? My name is so-and-so, I'm a blah blah blah, I like this, I like that.", but musically, and I haven't done that since our friend Julio was alive. So it was important to touch upon that again because I wanted to do that again and bring back a natural organic dance rhythm and a natural organic rock, you know? So Eva really clicked well, and we ended up talking to her more and more. She has such an amazing history already, you know. Her father was bass player for the Birds, the English Birds, her father was bass player for the Creation, her uncle is the engineer for Led Zeppelin albums and **** like that, so shes kind of like British rock royalty, you know. But she keeps it very low-key and lets her playing do the talking and the most we ever get out of it is to hear cool stories about her growing up and having these people around, the more and more I think about it, and the more and more I listen to like Biff, Bang, Pow or, you know, Making Time ... anything by the Creation, anything by, like, the Birds, you know, its like, I have my Nuggets box-set, I'm just like, "God ****, Eva, you play so much like your dad." And its an honour. Its a total ****ing honour, because on our first tour her father passed away, and so she had to fly home and everything, and I was like, for her to come do this, she was doing what her dad was doing at that age, and its really important for her to do it now because her dad told her. Her dad was like, "Go. Do what I was doing at that age. Don't worry about me." And I felt like, I just felt honoured that we're in a band with her, because in a way shes carrying a torch for that, you know, and its really important. Because I listen to that ****, you know, and then she lets it on like, "Oh, by the way, my dad is blah blah blah", and we're like, "Oh my God! Thats awesome!"

MR - Yeah. Where do you see The Mars Volta going in the future? Do you have anything planned for the near future? Do you have a game-plan for the next couple of years?
CB - ....Like since Eva graduated from UCLA she has extensive knowledge of Balinese music and stuff like that, so we are in the process of experimenting with that. So when you hear our full-length, it may not even be remotely what it sounds like on stage, which was what we used to brag about with At The Drive-In, "Okay, this album was gonna be blah blah blah", and then it never ended up that way. This time we kind of put our money where our mouth is and actually do it....
[/QUOTE]

"Eva was in the process of graduating from UCLA, and she has a degree in Ethnomusicology"
thats what i meant from Indian degree.... :lol:

"Hey, what's up? My name is so-and-so, I'm a blah blah blah, I like this, I like that."
for some reason, this had me laughing for quite a while

My brother is getting me this album for Christmas. From what I've heard from you guys and others, this is supposed to be a great album.

I can't rate it yet, but I will when christmas comes. :thumb:

i even like apparatus... so you know how much i loved this cd :D

This CD is disturbing yet i can't stop listening to it. Ive listened to the final track dozens of times because its so smooth. Some of the songs on this album are kinda boring though like the intro and tira me a las aranas. I also thought apparatus was weak, mainly because the guys voice is really annoying and at times the music is too chaotic. Overall though this is definately one of the best CDs of 2003.

this is one of the only album and band that got me un-controlably into music

great review

I just got this album this morning for Christmas, and I must say it's easily one of the best I've heard lately. The way the Mars Volta can merge addictive vocal melodies and complex, engaging rhythm work so smoothly, and keep up a brilliant and somewhat confusing lyrical concept throughout an hour-long album is a testament to their genius.

This one's gonna stay in my stereo for a very long while.

5/5

Amen to that Maveryck. I finally took it out because I got some new albums for X-mas, but I actually wasn't tired of it yet. I guess I'll put it in later if and when I get tired of my new picks (80s Metallica and Maiden, you decide).

(Experimental Hardcore) (Concept album) Mars Volta - De-loused in the Comatorium

[B]Album: [/B] Mars Volta: De-Loused in the Comatorium

[B]Genre: [/B] Too hard to describe.

[B]Tracklisting:[/B]

1. Son Et Lumiere
2. Inertiatic Esp
3. Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)
4. Tira Me A Las Aranas
5. Drunkship Of Lanterns
6. Eriatarka
7. Cicatriz Esp
8. The Apparatus Must Be Unearthed
9. Televators
10. Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt

[B]The Band:[/B]

Omar a Rodriguez-Lopez (Guitar)
Cedric Bixler Zavala (Vocals)
Jon Theodore (Drums)
Jeremy Michael Ward (Sound manipulation/Keyboards) (Now deceased)
Flea (Bass)
Ikey Isaiah Owens (Keyboards)

Guest spots by:
Jon Frusciante (Guitar on Cicatriz ESP)
Lenny Castro (Percussion)
Justin Mendel Johnson (Stand-up bass on Televators)
Rick Rubin (Producer)

[B]Overview:[/B]

De-Loused is an hour-long concept album which takes you through the journey of a man's drug overdose-induced coma and the hallucinations he experienced.

[B]The music:[/B]

As MV said themselves, 'we're a rock band who wants to be a salsa band'. Clearly showing their Mexican heritage in this album, a few select tracks have a distinct driving Latin beat while maintaining the hardcore elements that At the Drive In was known for. (For those of you who don't know, ATDI split into two bands: MV and Sparta.) However, if that isn't your taste, you have nothing to worry about. This album is far from Latin with a rock groove; it's more like rock and sometimes a little voice in the back of your head says 'Hey... does that sound like Latin to you?' and you say 'Eh... a little maybe.'

This album is guitar fueled 90% of the time, and the keyboards bring back memories of Pink Floyd. For example, there is one guitar solo on Roulette Dares towards the end of the song that, if I did not know it was MV, I would guess that it was Floyd. Rodriguez-Lopez is a true genius on the guitar, and his riffs control the song without dominating or self-indulging. Theorore's drum work perfectly compliments the rest of the band, although like most great drum work, it is easily ignored when you're listening to Zavala singing. His voice is almost feminine in nature, and while he does no screaming, the power and emotion in his voice as he wails things like "I'm lost" in Inertiatic ESP is extremely moving. The real news musically is Flea's contribution to the album on every track minus Televators, on which Johnson's stand-up work is barely audible but still suitable. Flea's signature slap-pop is nowhere to be found on the album. The musical maturity that Flea has acquired is fully present on this album. He has mastered the art of knowing when to sit back, while still being a vital part of the song and maintaining his Flea voice. (I actually thought it was Flea when I listened to it before I read the album notes.) Each member of the band is perfectly suited for the other 4, and it is a joy to hear them work together.

[B]The lyrics:[/B]

The musical elements of the album are important, of course, but the true genius of this album is found in the lyrics. This album was written by Lopez and Zavala about their deceased friend and continual inspiration, Julio Venegas, who commited suicide in '93. He was a continual drug-user, who even experimented shooting up rat poison which caused a complete withering of one of his arms. One day he attempted suicide by giving himself an overdose of morphine, but he was found and his life was saved; however, he went into a coma, which is where the majority of the album takes place. Lopez and Zavala imagine the hallucinations that Venegas might have had during his coma, and musically document it with extremely odd yet understandable and touching mental images of a man standing on an infinite plain, surrounded by shipwrecked boats, completely alone. After coming out of the coma, Venegas knows the truth about himself due to the hallucinations that explored the light and dark sides of his mind. Venegas hurls himself over a bridge onto a freeway during rush-hour traffic.

The lyrics are hard to understand while listening. As of today, MV is still awaiting the release of a book written by Zavala and Lopez documenting the album's making and meaning. If you want, you should get the lyrics online. My favorite set of lyrics that i think are 99% accurate are found at [url]www.inertiatic.com[/url] .

[B]Conclusion:[/B]

Between the chemistry of the individual band members, and the intense and moving musical journey accompanied by the lyrics, it's no wonder that the band is frequently compared to Pink Floyd. I see it as what Pink Floyd would be if they were hardcore. Don't take that to the bank, though - I played the album for my dad, a 55-year old music junkie and huge Floyd fan, and he was downright [B]insulted.[/B] Regardless, ATDI, Floyd, and fans of almost anything that requires talent (Ahem... pop-punk fans may look elsewhere) would enjoy this album. Even if you're uninterested in the lyrical and artistic elements of the album, they rock, plain and simple. And even if you hate the music, you can't deny the power of the concept.

[B]Score:[/B]

5/5

[B]References:[/B]

[url]www.themarsvolta.com[/url] (official website)
[url]www.thecomatorium.com[/url] (album interpretations, interviews)
[url]www.inertiatic.com[/url] (bio, lyrics)
[url]www.goldstandardlabs.com[/url] (record label; go there for info about the book)

Thank you for reading. My AIM name is HolySkinnyAgent and my e-mail address is [email]kingsleyanthony@hotmail.com[/email] if you want to make some input. But you should probably just post here. Bye.

its an excellent album and i agree with most you have written..the links are a nice touch also. it would just have been a better review if you reviewed every song seperatley

Good review, but I like pop-punk and like TMV, so shut up :thumb:

Great review, i'm a huge fan and I think you did it justice there.

[QUOTE=moderaterock222]its an excellent album and i agree with most you have written..the links are a nice touch also. it would just have been a better review if you reviewed every song seperatley[/QUOTE]

i was actually considering doing that, but i was afraid that i'd be doing too much direct interpretation of each song, and i think that some should be left to the listener. also, one of the reasons that I like concept albums is that it's really one song but with multiple movements, like a symphony.

This review was done quite a while ago, and it's grown to considerable size.

Search for the review first, rulebreaker.

i merged the two threads.

thanks, stingray! sorry i didn't see this thread earlier.

amazing cd wish they were still ATDI and awsome review

dude I had no idea flea played bass for them

saw the mars volta open live for the queens of the stone age and red hot chili peppers. possibly the worst band i have ever seen in my life. they sounded like crap, didn't really play anything, and had no personality. they really didn't care what the crowd thought of them which is terrible.

in short i've seen local bands that can barely keep time that are better than these guys. but if you like them that's cool, you're just wrong :P. no flames!

I baught this album not too long ago, and it never leaves my CD player.

I love it.

this cd is a masterpiece.

[QUOTE=Crocto]saw the mars volta open live for the queens of the stone age and red hot chili peppers. possibly the worst band i have ever seen in my life. they sounded like crap, didn't really play anything, and had no personality. they really didn't care what the crowd thought of them which is terrible.

in short i've seen local bands that can barely keep time that are better than these guys. but if you like them that's cool, you're just wrong :P. no flames![/QUOTE]

Really? Thats odd, especially the no personality bit. When I saw them live they were amazing, with Cedric jumping everywhere, climbing up the side of the stage and throwing his microphone around. I think the show would have been weird if I hadn't heard the album first, but since I knew what to expect I absoloutely loved it.

Oh and since this is the review thread, I think the album is fantastic.

it never gets old.

the cd that is...

This album is amazing, i cant wait for their next one.

have you all heard? omar is doing a solo record, and TMV are doing a new album - both set to be released this year! yayy!

they do NOT suck live! (or whatever you said) full of energy, a great connection with the audience, and kept me thoroughly entertained throughout.