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| The Mars VoltaOctahedron2009 Warner Bros. 
  Review by: GlassPipeMurder See others by this writer ![[staff]](/images/icons/staffsticker.gif){kind=icon}
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Published on July 10th 2009
What about the voice of Geddy Lee…- Pavement, 1997 What about the voice of Cedric Bixler-Zavala…- GlassPipeMurder, 2009 It’s been just a year since the Mars Volta’s Grammy-winning The Bedlam in Goliath dropped, but everyone’s favorite pair of afroed Texicans are already back with a new set of spacey riffs, vexing time signatures and hallucinogenic lyrics comprising the eight songs of Octahedron. While comparing this post-hardcore/prog-rock/Latin-influenced jam factory to Rush is both a lazy description and an erroneous one, it’s harder to avoid on Octahedron than in the past. While this may be due in part to not promoting the album with a free Circle Jerks cover, and the album itself somewhat lacking the frequency of spastic freakouts found on Goliath, it’s also by design the band’s “acoustic” album, drawing much less from punk dynamism and even more on ambience, minimalism and metamorphosing musical transitions. However, even though the band refers to it as their acoustic album, there are enough chaotic outbursts and rollicking rhythms to satisfy those still riding the train from the At the Drive-In days. “Since We’ve Been Wrong,” the album’s North American single, will probably not satisfy said fans, though. Drifting calmly, it wanes more than it waxes, but does serve as a new, more relaxed direction for the mercilessly progressive act. Europe’s first single “Cotopaxi” is much more in the vein of what one would expect from the Mars Volta. With a fuzzy groove and hastened tempo complementing Bixler-Zavala’s soaring vocals, it makes for the album’s best track while completely putting to rest any literal interpretations of this as an acoustic album. The album is thus rescued from tedium alongside such other notables as “Teflon,” which helps reiterate the mastery of guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez’s production skills, and “Desperate Graves,” a startlingly straightforward number structurally and lyrically as Cedric promises creepily, “When I turn the dial and leave the gas on / I'm the matchstick that you'll never lose.” Some of the tracks demand more patience than they may be worth to many listeners, such as the seven-and-a-half minute “Copernicus” that follows a crawling guitar pattern up and down the scale, flanking the seemingly effortless crooning that deviates only to reach for excessively high stretches. “With Twilight as My Guide” reaches nearly eight minutes, rooted in an atmospheric foundation aided by former Sublime and LBDAS confidant (and seemingly Mars Volta lifer) Ikey Owens. It’s an interesting number, but it never takes off and passes by rather unassumingly. Then there are those on Octahedron that do a magnificent balancing act between the minimalism of the “acoustic” direction and the convulsive Mars Volta that wows listeners around the world. “Halo of Nembutals” erupts in a series of crashes and staccato flairs after glowing softly for a minute and a half, while album closer “Luciforms” captures a quiet intensity offset with paroxysmal whirling and some of the best guitar soloing in the band’s catalog. Octahedron is certainly not going to win over any critics or skeptics of the inexorably experimental ensemble. To them, this is probably more of the same weird clamor of the last seven years, just with a different title. And while that may be true to an extent, followers of the band will find a more controlled, meditative effort here that still manages to impress the same level of musical ingenuity. People who liked this also liked:           Please login or register to post comments. What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?
i haven't learned high school words if i'm in fifth grade, ya dick! "Oh look, more crazy words no real person has ever seen or read before. Yawn. those are words you should have learned in high school, ya twat! Oh look, more crazy words no real person has ever seen or read before. Yawn. I felt the same way with Bedlam. So much chaos, it all just because static. Maybe I was a little bit annoyed that they redid "Rapid Fire Tollbooth" and took all the mellow groove out of it. But after this album (which does nothing for me at all) I'm looking back at Bedlam and enjoying it in pieces. Don't think I can yet sit through the entire thing though... Yeah I'm not saying Im not down for spazzouts or long periods of white noise; Francis the mute was my favorite album before octahedron came out. But with bedlam in Goliath, it was just such a crazy assault on the ears, as awesome as it was, was kinda hard for me to listen to all the way through in one setting. Amazing yes, flowing not as much. I'm just appreciative that they made a stripped down, melodic record, and I think people should give this one a chance if they've found the past couple of Volta records too "out there" to enjoy. I've never done drugs in my life. Never even lit a cigarette. I'm a nerd, don't hang out with cool people, i didn't desire to, got picked on in high school, etc... As a drummer, I know personally that using drugs did enhance my creativity, but it also fucked up my performance aspect of playing. I have immense respect for the Volta as musicians, regardless of their drug use or not. They happen to write interesting music that showcases their musical talents, and this album is actually listenable due to the fact that for the most part, the songs don't involve spazzouts, or 5 min stretches of crickets chirping. The songs are just songs, and tasty ones at that. Big props the those guys for making an album that's about the songs, rather than acid noise trips through altered soundscapes. TheMike: "name" hit the nail on the fucking head. Scores for that comment, I can't agree enough. "...but i dont think they offer a free pass as far as creativity goes." As far as "prog" release go this year "im always weary of the "its not pretentious, its psychadelic" line. drugs can do terrific things to your perception of the world around you, but i dont think they offer a free pass as far as creativity goes. then it becomes way too easy to pull out the "you're just not cool enough to get it" crap." im always weary of the "its not pretentious, its psychadelic" line. drugs can do terrific things to your perception of the world around you, but i dont think they offer a free pass as far as creativity goes. then it becomes way too easy to pull out the "you're just not cool enough to get it" crap. Oh look, more crazy words no real person has ever seen or read before. Yawn. mikexdude you going to Fest? no time to respond to all the hate below, just wanted to say... mikexdude you going to Fest? I'm disappointed this hasn't received more love. It's different, but very good after a few listens. Sorry, I love Pavement, and that song, but that is a god fucking awful way to begin a review. gregorb wins for confirming my supsicions
hey defianceohioequalslove, the only album of theirs that i would recommend is De-Loused in the Comatorium, which was produced by Rick Rubin. Since then, Omar has been producing the own albums and it's always missing that certain cohesiveness. Rubin was able to take incredible talent and contain it, whereas the albums since then have been like kids in a playground hopped up on Red Bull. This album is definitely better, but De-Loused is really top-notch in so many areas, and still remains in my top 10 for the decade. I'll never wrap my head around why people enjoy this band, or At the Drive In. Changing time signatures and spazzing the fuck out at the drop of a hat doesn't make for anything even approaching entertaining for my ears. I've not listened to this much yet, but Cotopaxi is great. This band just keeps getting worse & worse. I'll never wrap my head around why people enjoy this band, or At the Drive In. Changing time signatures and spazzing the fuck out at the drop of a hat doesn't make for anything even approaching entertaining for my ears. I'm sorry... "What about the voice of Atom G?," rather. "What happened to the voice of Atom G?" i always find it funny that The Mars Volta are considered pretentious. Whenever I think of "pretentious" I think of either minimalist Velvet Underground rip offs or some artsy for the sake of artsy stuff. I've loved this band since day one, but this album is straight up boring. Cotopaxi is my favorite on this album, I think it best represents the energy and sounds they bring. Give that a listen. i used to hate this band but now i like them. the first single sounds pretty cool. album should be arriving in the mail tomorrow! i just cannot get into this band. i understand musical ambition, in fact i admire it, but everything ive heard from them so far just sounds so fucking pretentious. i feel the same way about at the drive in, though, so maybe im just hopeless. Somebody please recommend a song by these guys. Something that rocks, not an absurdly long clip of crickets chirping, because it's things like that, that make this band come off as soooo damn pretentious. But hey, I'll give them another shot if I get some song recommendations. Why not. |
