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

[Lonk]

I like it, feels like it'll be part of something else though so looking forward to hearing the whole album.

[lordxizor]

I dug it as well. Looking forward to new stuff from them!

[Deathless]

Looks like we'll be getting the album September 16th? I always enjoy when the album information is leaked by sites early.

https://www.theprp.com/2022/07/22/news/details-for-the-mars-voltas-comeback-album-reportedly-leak-out/

A since-deleted product listing over at France’s Amazon may have spilled some beans today. The listing was for an as-yet unannounced new self-titled album from returning progressive rock outfit The Mars Volta. According to the listing, that effort will arrive on September 16th, featuring the following track listing:

01 – “Blacklight Shine”
02 – “Graveyard Love”
03 – “Shore Story”
04 – “Black Condolences”
05 – “Vigil”
06 – “Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon”
07 – “Cerulea”
08 – “Flash Burns From Flashbacks”
09 – “Palm Full Of Crux”
10 – “No Case Gain”
11 – “Tourmaline”
12 – “Equus 3”
13 – “Collapsible Shoulders”
14 – “The Requisition”

[Pettor]

Great tune! So happy they reunited. Mars Volta might be hit and miss for me but it's a special band. Love Frances The Mute so much!

[The Letter M]

https://us.cloudshillshop.com/collections/the-mars-volta-kinetic

Breaking a decade of omertà, The Mars Volta reawaken from their lengthy hiatus with an eponymous album that radically reshapes their paradigm. The new album shakes loose some of The Mars Volta’s long-standing shibboleths, fearlessly defying all expectations and categorizations. Instead, The Mars Volta pulses with subtle brilliance, Caribbean rhythms underpinning sophisticated, turbulent songcraft. This is The Mars Volta at their most mature, most concise, most focused. Their sound and fury channeled to greatest effect, The Mars Volta finds Rodríguez-López’s subterranean pop melodies driving Bixler-Zavala’s dark sci-fi tales of the occult and malevolent governments. Distilling all the passion, poetry and power at their fingertips, The Mars Volta is the most exciting and accessible music the group has ever recorded.

New album is up for pre-order in various formats, including CD, vinyl, and cassette!

-Marc.

[ErHaO]

Cool, thanks.

I am relatively new to their music (know and like a couple of tracks from Deloused), but dig the new songs and decided to preorder this vinyl version.

[Deathless]

Thanks Marc.

A new single was also debuted today - Vigil

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHujjkkc35o&t=38s

[Zantera]

I'm hyped for the album but nothing about these pre-order deals really makes me overly excited to open my wallet. I know I'll end up ordering the CD from Amazon or something as we get closer to the date, but over 40 dollars for a regular black vinyl? I get the minimalistic approach for the cover and all the clothing but that also doesn't make me jump of excitement. If this was a colored vinyl and the t-shirt had something more to it (like an actual print and not just the band name in miniature text) I would probably spend 80-100 bucks on a package without hesitation but now I'm like "Eh I'll wait and just get the CD".

[ErHaO]

I'm hyped for the album but nothing about these pre-order deals really makes me overly excited to open my wallet. I know I'll end up ordering the CD from Amazon or something as we get closer to the date, but over 40 dollars for a regular black vinyl? I get the minimalistic approach for the cover and all the clothing but that also doesn't make me jump of excitement. If this was a colored vinyl and the t-shirt had something more to it (like an actual print and not just the band name in miniature text) I would probably spend 80-100 bucks on a package without hesitation but now I'm like "Eh I'll wait and just get the CD".

Yeah I basically paid 10 euros more for a golden foil cover instead of a brownish one (which does not look good to me). They should've made the golden one the regular edition, as the design seems made for that. 

Unfortunately vinyls have gotten very expensive over the last year. I know inflation and all, but vinyls took like a 25% hike. Most new albums are 35-40 Euros here. I have learnt that if I want something it is usually better to buy it right away as the scalpers ensure every non-regular version will cost way more in the near-future. And our record stores have become scalpers as well, usually buying exclusive editions from other stores and selling them for a big markup later down the line.

[Pettor]

Got a bit hyped for Mars Volta again and started to re-run my favorite one; Frances the Mute. Frances is one of the best prog rock albums I know and really unique / special. Not many albums out there like Frances.

However could someone outline the story a bit? I know the vague details like the person being a child born of rape with HIV who tries to search / understand what happened etc. But the details are a bit unclear to me and specifically what each character represents / are. Cassandra Gemini is specially unclear to me and I love the Plant a Nail in the Naval Stream part / climax, but have no idea what they are talking about 

[RoeDent]

Thread title certainly needs updating. "The band has broke up" and here we are talking about a new album?

[twosuitsluke]

New album Friday, how are we all feeling?

It's kinda crept up on me but I'm excited to hear it now. I've liked all the singles so far, even though a lot of fans really haven't.

Apparently it's going to be fairly poppy, which I have no problem with.

https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/the-mars-volta-the-mars-volta-review-3309443

NME just gave it 5/5.

 

[Lonk]

Im looking forward to it, I liked what I heard so should be fun 

[Zoom E]

New album Friday, how are we all feeling?

It's kinda crept up on me but I'm excited to hear it now. I've liked all the singles so far, even though a lot of fans really haven't.

Apparently it's going to be fairly poppy, which I have no problem with.

https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/the-mars-volta-the-mars-volta-review-3309443

NME just gave it 5/5.

 

An astounding masterpiece? That is high praise, indeed.

I listened to Vigil and it definitely sounds very different from what they’ve done before, but change can be good.

[twosuitsluke]

Just finished up the first listen and I really liked this record.

It is a really vocal centric album, the songs are all relatively short and it's more of a pop sound than they've had before. That all being said, it still sounds like The Mars Volta. I'm far from a super fan but I enjoy their music.

I'd listened to all the singles prior to release but damn, Vigil is hitting me so much harder than before. It is just gorgeous and Cedric's vocal melodies are doing it for me 

[Elite]

I had no idea this was going to happen, this is literally the first time I'm reading that the band had made new music!
Guess what I'll be listening to today!!

[Lonk]

Enjoyed that, a bit different than what I expected but not bad at all

[The Letter M]

Well, it sounds like TMV but it also doesn't sound like TMV, if that makes sense.

I can't say I hate or dislike it, but it's not quite what I had in mind. Also, the middle of the album blends together for me with songs that all sound/feel the same based on style, and even all run at about the same slow-ish tempo.

Again these are just first impressions, so repeated listens may reveal different feelings. I guess I expected some more high energy songs in there like old TMV, but it seems they were actively avoiding some of their older sounds.

-Marc.

[lordxizor]

I really missed having more upbeat tunes. I've never been a huge fan of TMVs slower songs. We'll see hw I feel after a few more listens, but the first impression was underwhelming for me.

[SoundscapeMN]

the difference in style feels similar with what happened with Opeth on Heritage.
I hope this isn't foreshadowing the reinvention of their sound.

[Elite]

Did you two listen to a different album than I did?

Holy shit, what a cool record (one listen in).

[Crow]

i've been listening to more pop than ever lately so it stands out to me how absurdly hookless this thing is. like idk if the sound is good or not but it's melodically very flat

[twosuitsluke]

I've listened to this album 3 times today, and will probably go for a forth. I really like it, and it's apparently just the sound I'm looking for in a Mars Volta record.

I'm far from a huge fan, and if anything I find the band fairly overrated. I really like Deloused, and there are songs on Frances that I adore (The Widow and L'Via L'Viaquez³) but other than that I find the album overrated. As for their others, I enjoy them but can't say they come anywhere near all time favourite records.

I'm not gonna sit here and say I miss their old sound because I'm really not that invested. But, I do really like their new sound, and I'm wanting to spin this 4 times in a day, so it must be doing something right. I've seem a lot of people on reddit moaning about the change but I'm along for the ride and having a grand time.

[Sebastián Pratesi]

For all you Bandcamp users, or if you want to get it digitally or phisically:
https://themarsvoltaofficial.bandcamp.com/album/the-mars-volta-the-mars-volta

[twosuitsluke]

Collapsible Shoulders

[ErHaO]

I really dig the new record, listened to it three times already. I also think it is sonically very pleasing.

[twosuitsluke]

I really dig the new record, listened to it three times already. I also think it is sonically very pleasing.

I agree that it's really sonically pleasing, so much so I'm thinking about picking it up on vinyl.

I just can't stop listening to this thing. It's definitely going to make my top 10 of the year, possibly top 5. It's made me want to go have back and have a really focused, concentrated listen to all their other albums as well.

I'd actually love to go see them live now, whereas I wasn't too interested before.

[lordxizor]

i've been listening to more pop than ever lately so it stands out to me how absurdly hookless this thing is. like idk if the sound is good or not but it's melodically very flat

As I listen to this again, I find myself agreeing with this assessment. Each individual song is good enough, I just miss the insane, frantic hooks that old school TMV had. I loved the bizarre, frantic energy their upbeat songs had, and this album is distinctly lacking that energy, which is disappointing.

[The Letter M]

i've been listening to more pop than ever lately so it stands out to me how absurdly hookless this thing is. like idk if the sound is good or not but it's melodically very flat

As I listen to this again, I find myself agreeing with this assessment. Each individual song is good enough, I just miss the insane, frantic hooks that old school TMV had. I loved the bizarre, frantic energy their upbeat songs had, and this album is distinctly lacking that energy, which is disappointing.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. Maybe I just went in with those expectations and felt underwhelmed, but I can see how some folks may still enjoy this album. I need to give it another chance with new expectations and the right mood/mindset.

-Marc.

[ErHaO]

The album clearly has lower energy levels, it is overall very chill. But I personally disagree with there not being hooks, I find it filled to the brim with good melodies.

[ariich]

i've been listening to more pop than ever lately so it stands out to me how absurdly hookless this thing is. like idk if the sound is good or not but it's melodically very flat

This for me too. The sound is cool, but the music is pretty bland. I did wonder if a bit more energy might have compensated, but then I wasn't overjoyed with their last two albums either so I think maybe I'm just not that into the melodic style they use these days.

[hefdaddy42]

I liked it, but definitely not as dynamic as their earlier work.

[twosuitsluke]

The Mars Volta are due to play their first show in over 10 years, in Texas tonight. For anyone who is interested, find all the info and updates here...

https://www.reddit.com/r/themarsvolta/comments/xl6u6c/concert_september_22_2022_the_factory_in_deep/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

I'm interested to find out what they play tonight.

Also, link to a really great interview with Zane Lowe. Well worth a watch.

https://youtu.be/yy41vKDlAGA

[twosuitsluke]

Setlist for last night's show looked great!

*SPOILERS*

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-mars-volta/2022/the-factory-in-deep-ellum-dallas-tx-13b0516d.html

Anyone got tickets to any of the upcoming shows?

[Zantera]

I've liked it more every time I listen to it but it feels like one of those albums that will cap out at a 7/10 because nothing about it or the individual songs is really amazing or anything. For me it's more of a mood/vibe thing where I enjoy the atmosphere of the album and it fills a similar job for me as Valtari by Sigur Ros - another album that isn't among the band's best but has a chill vibe that appeals to me in a certain situation (like late night listening).

I'm still a bit puzzled by the extreme reactions to it (both positive and negative) because it feels too middle of the road to really warrant such reactions IMO. I guess maybe if you live and die prog and got a steven wilson tattoo on your back you might hate this because it offers very little in the way of prog, but there's way worse music out there imo. I thought Fantano's review was fairly spot on in this case and I think he gave it a 6.

Maybe expectations play into it - because I did not really have any at all. This was a band that had already declined over a few albums before they disbanded so it's almost impossible to think they would get close to Deloused/Frances levels. If you legit went into this thinking it could be an AOTY candidate then sure I get why you would be bummed out about it I guess.