jackhammer

Such a great fecking album. It's allure is the unexpected musical twists and turns. I love Kayo Dot too though. Great review. Review 'Leaving your body Map' too as that's nearly just as good.

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Comus

Don't get me wrong I like Kayo Dot too, even what I consider their worst album I gave a 7.4 earlier in this thread. Leaving your Body Map just doesn't do much for me in comparison to Bath, and I do infact prefer the two first Kayo Dot albums to it. My fruit psychobells is still amazing though.

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last.fm

Terrible Lizard

Joanna Newsom fascinates me, I would greatly appreciate a pm.

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“YOU ARE SCUM SLUT.”
-John Martyn

Comus

I know I’ve ranted and raved about the Mars Volta since I came here, but I’ve never actually stuck my head out and reviewed one of their albums, well no better time really. This is, absolutely the worst Mars Volta album to date, however it’s also my favourite. Despite a total lack of direction, completely overblown and the fact that it’s just random odds and sods that the band decided to record and that I very much dislike the last 4 songs. As I said, it’s the worst, but my favourite.

Take the start, Vicarious Atonement, the band works itself up, the guitar wails and meanders about for minutes before anything actually happens. Cedric finally bothers to start singing and when he does it is total and utter bullshit. A variety of instruments and sounds are meshed together seemingly randomly to great effect, that is of course if the aim is to confuse and upset a wide variety of listeners.

When I first heard this album it completely blew me away, I was absolutely astounded, this band had actually released an album so absurd, so useless, so utterly rubbish. But that was the appeal, in the first two or three months of the album leaking I had heard it at least upwards of 300 times, I knew every word, every single bit of total gibberish, I could even sing the Spanish verses! Since then it’s fair to say that I only spin it once a month if it’s lucky, but still, that’s quite a lot considering.


The only song I’d truly consider good and well in any way to the point is the much hated Vermicide, what is it with Mars Volta fans hating the shortest songs/singles of their much coveted albums? I don’t care if you hate it, it’s damn catchy. It’s worth noting that Frusciante contributed quite a lot of guitar to the album as he has done with all the other Mars Volta works. You know if you have to recruit members from Red Hot Chili Peppers that it’s going to be bad.

Unlike my other recent reviews, I won’t be including youtube videos, sorry I really don’t want to make you all suffer through needless drivel.


RAP! Wait, sorry more crap, and for fucks sake another 10+ minute long song. Meccamputechture is an affront to Islam, to associate such utter rubbish with the holiest of all religions is nothing short of sacrilege. Christ [sic] Cedric’s voice gets annoying quickly. Humans as ornaments? More like Mars Volta as shutting up, that would be far more novel.

To be honest I could endlessly go on about how utter rubbish the last half of the albums is, but I won’t bother, I’m just going to say, don’t ever, ever listen to it, the first half is barely worth it in order to insult it justly.

Despite the fact that it’s one of the worst albums ever released to critical acclaim, and definitely the worst Mars Volta album, this is my bloody review thread, and this is quite possibly my favourite album of all time. Thus logic, reason and taste must be thrown out of the window for the score.

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last.fm

Guybrush

I've had this album (and the others from Mars Volta) and although I've given it a couple of spins, I don't really know it very well yet though the overall impression is that it's enjoyable. Reading your review, I'm not really sure wether I should dive headfirst into this or ignore it and rather go for one of the other MV albums. I can say already that I do like the Vermicide song.

Schizophrenic qualities aside, that was a genuinely fun review to read. Great work.

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Something Completely Different

Schizotypic

Great review, I really enjoyed reading this. Every time I listen to this album I always feel like it goes downhill around the middle of Asilos Magdalena. I've been wanting to just listen to the second half by itself sometime, to test if I really don't like as much or if Cedric's voice and intensity is just getting to me. I've yet to do it. The fact that I can listen to Frances The Mute all the way through still puzzles me.

I also love the way The Mars Volta used total gibberish, although if you noticed there seems to be a religious backbone to the entire work. When listening to some interviews with Cedric and Omar I think they said something like (and I'm paraphrasing here) "It's more about what the listener takes from it". I personally take Amputechture as a work of abstract music.

Thrice

So, after reading this still not sure if I should shell out the cash to get it. I could demo it myself, but would rather get your opinion because you've let it grow on you. Would you recommend this album?

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Lew Harrison, who looked like an anarchist with his red eyes and fierce black beard, had been writing furiously in one corner of the room. "That's good—happiness by the kilowatt," he said. "Buy your happiness the way you buy light."

Comus

I don't really know if I would reccomend it to anyone, download it imho, see how you feel about it. It's certainly a very enjoyable album for me, and I know a lot of others enjoy it too, but there is a very large majority that don't, and even a lot of TMV fans dismiss this album.

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last.fm

Comus

It's a new review! omygod.


I think this is the third album from 2007 so far to make it onto this list (feel free to correct me as I cba to check, just be happy you’re getting a fucking review from me.

Something’s always bugged me about this album, more of a curiosity than an annoyance though. Despite the massive and obvious black metal influences, it never comes off as “heavy”. Instead the metal passages carry a certain, mystical, beauty. Repeating chords and wailing guitars with simple drums somehow resonate in a way which just plucks at your heart strings. Even so you’ll feel relieved when the more quiet parts come around, but eventually you’ll start missing it.

This album digs deep into your heart, Printempts Emeraude is a beautiful example of that. The track builds up a tension and then eases it off, but just not enough for your mind to completely relax. The kind of nervous and careful structure of the song make you feel like it could shatter at any second. It’s more of a lullaby than an evolution of black metal. Sometimes however, it feels like you’re listening to Nirvana’s Come As You Are (don’t ask me how I make the connection listen for yourself.


The album loosens up a bit as you dive further into it, the title track is a welcome diversion. The nervous nature of Printempts finally gives in to a more cheerful soundscape in the title track. From a fragile beauty to a more confident, strong, but still beautiful ambience. Even Les Iris stays a bit off the heavy side, while far more powerful than the rest of the album, there’s something about it that just keeps it from ever getting too much.


Despite the relatively short length of the album, the main good and bad thing about the album is the repetitiveness in the songs. All songs are between 6:07 and 7:39 in length and generally follow the same structure. While there are slight variations in it, if you’re trying to intently listen and analyse it can get tedious. However, if you’re out to enjoy this album, it makes it even more enjoyable. Sit back, relax with a nice pint or glass of spirits and just let the melodies and atmosphere wash over you in waves. It can eventually put you into a bit of a stupor.

The whole album very much evens out and eventually just fades away incredibly peacefully. The whole album plays out very much like the kind of dream you’d hit the snooze button to continue. And in that same way you’ll probably want to play it again and again, just for that feeling you get when you listen to it. It is a very satisfying album and it gives exactly what you want, unfortunately it’s a bit short, but put it on loop and you’d probably not notice the difference.

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last.fm

jackhammer

It's an awesome album that works on many levels. Is it Shoegaze? Is it Black Metal? Who cares?

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