Well here it is, or was, the latest iteration of The Mars Volta, still offically and unofficially, the only band I continue to be fannish about from year to year. I couldn't review their prior new album, "Octahedron"... why, I don't know. The new new one is named "Nocturniquet", naturally enough. It's pretty fuckin' good, I think. I'm still thinking, but man oh man am I enjoying seeing them play live again on youtube - been so long since I checked back on these guys, oh wow! Cedric with backup vocals, live! I really like that, even if it's Omar. Studio Cedric with three double tracks and three harmony tracks of himself in every octave of the human vocal register is just too damn much Cedric. They need more voice texture, that's been made obvious by this little taste of blending vocal timbres.
And speaking of texture... I guess this album is what they meant by "future punk". Maybe it's new new-wave. It seems they've got two synth players - one of them's got a big mac something or other in front of his keyboard the whole time. I miss Ikey Owens, the organ donor, but I guess there's a point to it, in this exploring new textures thing. And yet the music is "stripped down"! Well it is, for them, that's what I love about this band.
The new drummer Deatoni melds perfectly with the band. Cedric almost ruins things at times with his verse chorus verse pop sensibilities, but then he saves it by taking some fantastically cool turn: "In the time of the sixth flood!" Awwwyeah!
oh, good god, these guys make me realize there's so fucking much living to be done, still! and recording... i've barely even started my discography yet
i am listening to the new album @ spotify and during track 5 ~ the malkin jewel ~ i finally figured out who they remind me of..
ReplyDelete_COMUS_ meets _RUSH_
heh! you're right, there is a little comus in there - i'd never made that connection until your reply - cool
ReplyDelete