Tony Cordova

January 4th, 2007

Sparta: Threes

Threes is a step forward from their previous albums; until now, their music was like At The Drive In 2. As much as I love the former Sparta albums, I would find myself thinking, “Why don’t I just listen to ‘One Armed Scissor’?” Threes adds a mainstream and catchy feel to their music, which I love because it’s not just the same old stuff. However, Sparta still keeps their unique lyrics, voice and guitar.“Untreatable Disease” is what Threes starts with, and you should listen to the entire album from start to finish.

Sparta

He Is Legend: Suck Out The Poison

He is Legend’s first two albums were what made me want to follow the band throughout their career. These two albums were identical in style, but Suck Out the Poison is very refreshing because it retains some of the original form, but presents it in a new and exciting way. The most noticeable change was in their vocals, but the entire able still retains He Is Legend’s signature style. By doing this, the band was able to keep me interested and impressed.“China White II” is awesome!

He Is Legend

The Blood Brothers: Young Machetes

I must admit that the first time I heard the Blood Brothers, I really didn’t like them. I thought they would be much better off with only one singer (the one without the strange, squeaky voice). I have since realized that Mr. Squeaky Voice is what makes the band unique, and I came to enjoy most of their music. Unfortunately, Young Machetes does not give me any inspiration and has no real effect on me, except for that it is something to listen to after “Bloc Party” (alphabetical, you know). While there are some songs that are interesting, the entire album is relatively disposable. “Laser Life” is pretty cool.

The Blood Brothers

Thom Yorke: The Eraser

Any fan of Radiohead will love this album, because they know how to appreciate Thom Yorke’s voice. All of Yorke’s songs are mellow and they really focus on his amazing singing talent. However, the listener should not go into this album expecting good instrumentation, in fact, it is arguably bland and boring. I believe Yorke uses this as a tool to focus on his incredible vocals and tolerable lyrics. If it was anyone but Thom Yorke, this album would probably not be worth listening to, but since it is, most people will be pleasantly surprised. “Cymbal Rush” is a great song; don’t focus on the rhythm, just the voice and melody.

Thom Yorke

September 18th, 2006

Since June 2003, The Mars Volta has released four full-length albums, one of them being a live album recorded from shows that took place all around the world. It was no surprise that their newest installment in the saga was incredible, despite the extremely high expectations of the fans. The beauty of a Mars Volta album is that you cannot just take and pick songs from it, because they all mesh together into a ninety-minute symphony that can only be described as a story experience with an introduction, rising action, climax, and conclusion. Their previous albums implemented that style beautifully, so I expected nothing less with the new one, and they delivered.

Along with amazing guitar riffs, intense saxophone, drums, bass, percussion, and vocals, comes a fascinating story with almost incomprehensible lyrics. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (guitarist, composer) and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocalist, lyricist) use ambiguous lyrics to convey the message of the album, which leaves much of the story to listener interpretation. Amputecture is exactly this way; some of the lyrics make very little sense (They even go as far as making words up), not to mention one of the songs is sung completely in Spanish.

To try and classify this album in a certain genre would be demeaning to The Mars Volta’s innovation as a musical group. They bring in all sorts of genres that mesh into one. There are so many levels in the music you can almost pick out something new every time you listen.

Those familiar with The Mars Volta will absolutely love Amputecture, but new listeners may have to do a double take on what they are listening to. This kind of music is definitely an acquired taste, even those who are familiar with At the Drive In (Cedric and Omar’s previous band) will be skeptical. It took me a few listens before I truly appreciated the beauty of this album. So if you don’t have a few hours to set aside to immerse yourself in the music, then this album may not be for you. But if you truly know how to appreciate a new and innovative style of music, then you may want to check out Amputecture.

The Mars Volta