The Mars Volta Thread (the band has un-broken up)

[darkshade]

This is the official Mars Volta appreciation and information thread. I love this band, got into them sometime after Frances The Mute came out, and have been following them ever since. Ive had a love/hate relationship through the years, but ive always listened to them with interest. an example of the love/hate thing with them is i could listen to a song or 2 by them and get so pumped up i could take on the world. on the other side, i recently felt like throwing on Frances the Mute, but i took the little known title track on my iPod and put it on as the first track instead of the last track, and boy was that a bad idea. My mood was totally drained and the rest of the day i felt "meh". Any TMV fans will understand what im talking about (if youve ever heard the title track that is)

(for people who dont know, the title track is not on the proper album)

anyway, my favorite album has been Amputecture ever since it came out. I could never understand the love De-Loused In The Comatorium gets, though i appreciate it now, and is in the top 3 for me. Their recent Octahedron was a big letdown for me. Besides the fact that it came out the same day BC&SL came out (which were both purchased that same day) it just wasnt what i quite expected from the band. I knew it was going to be a softer album, but i guess i still expected more. Since You've Been Wrong, Cotopaxi, and Luciforms were the only songs i 'kind of' liked, but the album got shelved pretty quickly.

now i love the album, and all their albums (including Bedlam in Goliath, which i havent even mentioned yet). Being used to their crazy sound, Octahedron was a little disappointing, but i think it will get even better over time, in context with whatever they release in the future.

Speaking of the future, anyone know any news about their new album? i know pre-production started in May, but havent heard much since.

The Mars Volta 

[DarkEternalNight]

I'm just getting into them. I like.

[MetalManiac666]

I only have Bedlam, which I find enjoyable despite people claiming it's one of their weakest albums.

[Gorille85]

I only have their first album. I think it's an OK record.

[darkshade]

for me it goes like this

Amputecture
Bedlam in Goliath
Frances The Mute
De-Loused in the Comatorium
Tremulent EP
Octahedron

[Perpetual Change]

Here's my ranking

Good
1.) De-Loused
Decent
2.) Frances
Bad
3.) Bedlam
4.) Amputecture
Shit that goes into my "Least Favorite Records Ever
5.) Octahedron


So yeah. Pretty much not looking forward to anything they do in the future.

[The King in Crimson]

My Ranking:
Frances
Deloused
Octahedron
Bedlam

I have not listened to Amputechture or Tremulant yet so I can't rightly rank them.

This is the official Mars Volta appreciation and information thread. I love this band, got into them sometime after Frances The Mute came out, and have been following them ever since. Ive had a love/hate relationship through the years, but ive always listened to them with interest. an example of the love/hate thing with them is i could listen to a song or 2 by them and get so pumped up i could take on the world. on the other side, i recently felt like throwing on Frances the Mute, but i took the little known title track on my iPod and put it on as the first track instead of the last track, and boy was that a bad idea. My mood was totally drained and the rest of the day i felt "meh". Any TMV fans will understand what im talking about (if youve ever heard the title track that is)

Ugh, the title track is not very good at all. I'm very glad they decided to keep it off the album.

Their recent Octahedron was a big letdown for me. Besides the fact that it came out the same day BC&SL came out (which were both purchased that same day) it just wasnt what i quite expected from the band. I knew it was going to be a softer album, but i guess i still expected more. Since You've Been Wrong, Cotopaxi, and Luciforms were the only songs i 'kind of' liked, but the album got shelved pretty quickly.

now i love the album, and all their albums (including Bedlam in Goliath, which i havent even mentioned yet). Being used to their crazy sound, Octahedron was a little disappointing, but i think it will get even better over time, in context with whatever they release in the future.

Yeah, about Octahedron, I really liked it when it first came out (especially Teflon) and I listened the hell out of it then, but I just threw it in my CD player about a month or two ago and it has not aged well at all. Some good songs, but a lot of it is just boring now.

Speaking of the future, anyone know any news about their new album? i know pre-production started in May, but havent heard much since.

Coming out this year last I heard and I'm looking forward to it.

[sonatafanica]

TMV is excellent.

[skydivingninja]

I like the Mars Volta, but I kinda have to be in the mood for them.  De-Loused and Octahedron are the only albums I can listen through all the way.  Great stuff.  Frances is also great, but I've found listening through that whole thing is kind of a chore.  Bedlam is okay, bit too much filler in there.  Amputechture I never listen to.
Favorite Songs:
Cygnus...Vismund Cygnus
La Via L'Viaquez
Desparate Graves
Teflon
Roulette Dares
Televators
Goliath
Viscera Eyes
Aberinkula
Tourniquet Man
Agadez
Veil Cerpin Taxt
Drunkship of Lanterns

Lots of great songs from these guys.  They just need to reel it in sometimes.  Now I'm gonna listen to De-Loused for the first time in a while. 

[darkshade]

This is the official Mars Volta appreciation and information thread. I love this band, got into them sometime after Frances The Mute came out, and have been following them ever since. Ive had a love/hate relationship through the years, but ive always listened to them with interest. an example of the love/hate thing with them is i could listen to a song or 2 by them and get so pumped up i could take on the world. on the other side, i recently felt like throwing on Frances the Mute, but i took the little known title track on my iPod and put it on as the first track instead of the last track, and boy was that a bad idea. My mood was totally drained and the rest of the day i felt "meh". Any TMV fans will understand what im talking about (if youve ever heard the title track that is)

Ugh, the title track is not very good at all. I'm very glad they decided to keep it off the album.

it wouldnt fit on a single disc release anyway, it would have had to have been split onto 2 cds.

but yeah that title track isnt so hot.

3 of my favorite songs are Tetragrammaton, Viscera Eyes and Day Of The Baphomets; which is part of the reason Amputechture is my favorite. But im also a big fan of their entire discography (Octahedron i have to be in the mood for though i like it)

[AcidLameLTE]

I've been meaning to give them another go recently but I just haven't got around to it.

[Sigz]

I haven't listened to them besides a few songs here and there in probably two years. I used to love them though.

[sneakyblueberry]

for me it goes like this

Amputecture
Bedlam in Goliath
Frances The Mute
De-Loused in the Comatorium
Tremulent EP
Octahedron

Hey, I thought I was the only one here who thought Amputechture was any good!  I've seen a lot of people on hear say its a weak album, and even MP called it 'unfocused'.   Glad to have you on board

My ranking:

De-Loused in the Comatorium
Amputechture
Frances the Mute
Octahedron
Bedlam in Goliath

BiG was a huge letdown for me, way too much filler and not nearly enough gold. Frances has some awesome tracks but just rambles on too much for my liking. I really only like 'Copernicus' on Octahedron, but that is a damn fine song.  Amputechture is freakin awesome, Vermillion is probably in my TMV top 5.  De-loused is my favourite because the songwriting is more cohesive and (dare I say it) commercial.

[YngVai]

Amputechture is the only thing they've done that I don't get off to, but even it has its moments.

[bmc]

whats with all the Bedlam hate?

my ranking:

Frances
Bedlam
Deloused
Octahedron
Amutechture

[SoundscapeMN]

Bedlam has putrid production.

[Dimitrius]

Frances the Mute is the best them.

[The King in Crimson]

BiG was a huge letdown for me, way too much filler and not nearly enough gold. Frances has some awesome tracks but just rambles on too much for my liking. I really only like 'Copernicus' on Octahedron, but that is a damn fine song.  Amputechture is freakin awesome, Vermillion is probably in my TMV top 5.  De-loused is my favourite because the songwriting is more cohesive and (dare I say it) commercial.

This is very true, but I still love it. A lot of the songs are just way out there, bombastic, and full of energy with a lot of great, musical hooks. I can understand why people wouldn't like it, but listening to all of Cassandra Gemini always gets me pumped.

Bedlam has putrid production.

Ugh, it does.

I was listening to some TMV at work last week and when the last song on Frances finished and Bedlam started up, what a stark difference in quality. The songs being pretty meh certainly didn't help.

[darkshade]

im a little surprised at the low reception for this thread. For a board who likes Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Opeth, Pain of Salvation, Transatlantic, Riverside, Spock's Beard, The Flower Kings, etc. (8 of the biggest prog rock bands in this decade) i thought there would be more fans or casual listeners of The Mars Volta; as they are in the top 10 most popular prog bands of the last 10 years.

 

[KevShmev]

I like their first two records a lot, but have been pretty indifferent about the rest.  But those first two are most excellent.  But I have to be in the right mood to listen to them, kind of like King Crimson.  Frances the Mute is the bomb, with "Cassandra Gemini" being stupid good.

[skydivingninja]

im a little surprised at the low reception for this thread. For a board who likes Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Opeth, Pain of Salvation, Transatlantic, Riverside, Spock's Beard, The Flower Kings, etc. (8 of the biggest prog rock bands in this decade) i thought there would be more fans or casual listeners of The Mars Volta; as they are in the top 10 most popular prog bands of the last 10 years.

 

Riverside, Spock's Beard, and The Flower Kings are nowhere near "big." 

And threads do die, man.  Hell, Coheed is bigger than most of the bands you listed and that thread hasn't seen much activity.  Band threads usually pick up when the band is either starting to release info about a new album or if they're on the road.

[3MinuteWarning]

I absolutely adore Octahedron.  You're all wrong.

[skydivingninja]

I absolutely adore Octahedron.  You're all wrong.

Yeah I don't understand Octahedron hate either.

[Nihil-Morari]

TMV is great. Energy filled, fun to drive, sport and bounce to.

BTW I love the production on Bedlam. It's one of the most In Your Face records, I've ever heard.

[thecrowing]

I pretty much bed my prog roots with TMV. It all started after I was getting into Coheed, I heard Viscera Eyes and went to buy the album almost immediately. The first song that made me realize that I loved long songs was "Day of The Baphomets." I think that's my favorite track off of Amputechture (which I now proudly own on vinyl *drools*). Then I got Frances for $22, I remember cause I was pissed that I had to pay that much. There was no way I was leaving the store without it. Then fell in love with Comatourium and had to wait for Bedlam. I remember being really unsatisfied with Bedlam. I think, now, it was because all I listened to was Frances the Mute and I was just not prepared for the balls-all-out style it took. But Thomas Pridgen kicked that album's ass. Loved Octahedron. That was the album I was waiting for.

I do remember a LONG ass time that I didn't listen to them because I grew tired of the inconsistent and erratic nature of the songs. I couldn't take the intangibility they had. I don't know, it was like... too weird. But now I like 'em again. SO TMV FTW.

By the by, I'm listening to At the Drive-In more and more these days. Good stuff.

[darkshade]

im a little surprised at the low reception for this thread. For a board who likes Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Opeth, Pain of Salvation, Transatlantic, Riverside, Spock's Beard, The Flower Kings, etc. (8 of the biggest prog rock bands in this decade) i thought there would be more fans or casual listeners of The Mars Volta; as they are in the top 10 most popular prog bands of the last 10 years.

 

Riverside, Spock's Beard, and The Flower Kings are nowhere near "big." 

maybe 'big' was the wrong word. i know Riverside have gained in popularity pretty quickly in the short time they've been around. TFK and SB have just been around a long time. they ARE known in prog circles

and i forgot Symphony X

[setrataeso]

Been quite into these guys lately.
And Bedlam is probably my favourite album of theirs. Something about it...

[darkshade]

Been quite into these guys lately.
And Bedlam is probably my favourite album of theirs. Something about it...

i know what you mean, i love the intensity. The only track im not fond of is the one after Goliath (shows how much i care about it, dont even remember the name)

[The King in Crimson]

I absolutely adore Octahedron.  You're all wrong.

Yeah I don't understand Octahedron hate either.

I don't hate, but it hasn't aged well for me at all. I loved it when it came out, now I just like it.

[The Letter M]

So I'm listening to my 2-disc remix of Frances The Mute and felt like posting some of my thoughts on the band.

I've only really given FTM any chance of listening-to, although from what I recall of the debut album, it was pretty good. However, the three albums that followed I've spun once and completely neglected over the last few years. When their last album came out, I bought it almost out of habit (or perhaps because it was just there and something new to get), but I've not really listened to it. I only ever really listen to FTM. Is that weird? I suppose the fact that it's a concept album kind of helps. I'm a sucker for concept/conceptual albums.

And because I can't be TOO satisfied with officially released tracklistings, I had to throw in the title track (at the beginning, as is the usually understood placement for it) on my remix, and I re-edited the movement-indexes for "Cassandra Gemini" to fit the sections mentioned on the album artwork:
Disc One - 45:31
   Frances The Mute (14:33)
1. I. In Thirteen Seconds -  4:33
2. II. Nineteen Sank While Six Would Swim -  6:00
3. III. Five Would Grow And One Was Dead -  4:00
   Cygnus... Vismund Cygnus (13:02)
4. I. Sarcophagi -  0:45
5. II. Umbilical Syllables -  3:31
6. III. Facilis Descenus Averni -  4:00
7. IV. Con Safo -  4:46
8. The Widow -  5:50
9. L’ Via L’ Viaquez - 12:06

Disc Two - 45:56
   Miranda, That Ghost Just Isn’t Holy Anymore (13:24)
1. I. Vade Mecum -  4:16
2. II. Pour Another Icepick -  3:47
3. III. Pisacis (Phra-Men-Ma) -  3:43
4. IV. Con Safo (Reprise) -  1:38
   Cassandra Gemini (32:32)
5. I. Tarantism - 11:26
6. II. Plant A Nail In The Navel Stream -  9:37
7. III. Faminepulse -  7:37
8. IV. Multiple Spouse Wounds -  2:58
9. V. Sarcophagi (Reprise) -  0:54

It's a really good listen through, and while the first part of the title track does drag a bit, I think those opening sounds/bells/noises really set the mood for the album. It is a bit long, but I think they work with setting up the song, and the whole album. I'm not sure what it is about this album, but the mix of styles and sounds really seems to gel, and it doesn't sound TOO forced as in "Hey, we're throwing in these sounds just because we can"...it's a very natural-sounding to me. There's plenty of mellow sections, noise sections, jams and solos to love, and there's a lot to take in, but it's a rewarding listen if you stick through it.

Anyways, that's about it. Of the three albums that followed, which should I really give my attention to if I want to try and give them another chance outside of this album?

-Marc.

[The King in Crimson]

So I'm listening to my 2-disc remix of Frances The Mute and felt like posting some of my thoughts on the band.

It's a really good listen through, and while the first part of the title track does drag a bit, I think those opening sounds/bells/noises really set the mood for the album. It is a bit long, but I think they work with setting up the song, and the whole album. I'm not sure what it is about this album, but the mix of styles and sounds really seems to gel, and it doesn't sound TOO forced as in "Hey, we're throwing in these sounds just because we can"...it's a very natural-sounding to me. There's plenty of mellow sections, noise sections, jams and solos to love, and there's a lot to take in, but it's a rewarding listen if you stick through it.

Interesting remix.

Can't say I'd prefer it to the original, since I don't really like FtM the song, but interesting.

Anyways, that's about it. Of the three albums that followed, which should I really give my attention to if I want to try and give them another chance outside of this album?

-Marc.

Give Amputechture a try. It took a bit to grow on me, but I really like it now. "Day of the Baphomets" and "Tetragrammatron" are my favorite tracks. Bedlam is about 70% garbage, but some people swear by it.

[lateralus88]

I'm a fairly moderate fan of TMV. I really love Deloused and Bedlam. Very enjoyable albums with a lot going on. I really enjoy their jazzy influenced stuff.

[Xanthul]

I have *very* mixed feelings about TMV. Deloused is one of my favorite albums ever and I think Frances is brilliant but its transitions are too long. I really need to be in the right mood to sit through the whole record.

I haven't been able to get into any of their other albums. Granted, I only gave them one or two listens, but they didn't immediately grab me like the first two did. May have to give them a few more tries to see if they do anything for me. Love "Since we've been wrong" though.

[aparadoxindeed]

TMV is definitely one of my favorite bands ever... My favorites are probably Bedlam in Goliath and France the Mute.  The first time I popped in Bedlam I had the biggest smile on my face... it's just really where I was hoping they would go.  I love crazy off-the-wall drummers and the resulting chaos.  The drum sound really does it for me too.

Does anybody else listen to Omar's solo material?  It's not all great but there's a few good ones.  I really like Old Money, which was apparently supposed to be the follow-up to FTM before he decided to take it in a different direction.  Xenophanes and Se Dice Bisonte, No Bufalo are pretty interesting listens as well.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

Amputechture
Frances The Mute
De-Loused in the Comatorium
Bedlam in Goliath
Octahedron

Oh, and Tetragrammaton = their best song