Listen: https://themarsvoltaofficial.bandcamp.com/album/the-mars-volta-the-mars-volta
The quality songwriting at the core of TMV is squandered by the band’s drabbest sound palettes to date.
More rock reviews: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLP4CSgl7K7ori6-Iz-AWcX561iWCfapt_
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FAV TRACKS: BLACKLIGHT SHINE, VIGIL, PALM FULL OF CRUX, TOURMALINE, EQUUS 3
LEAST FAV TRACK: COLLAPSIBLE SHOULDERS
THE MARS VOLTA – THE MARS VOLTA / 2022 / CLOUDS HILL / PROGRESSIVE POP, LATIN ROCK, INDIETRONIC
6/10
Y’all know this is just my opinion, right?
source
Easily the most difficult part about this record was trying to properly criticize it without just sounding like an elitist Volta fan longing for the old style of songwriting.
The only reason they could possibly get away with recording such a shitty album is definitely their legacy. This album sucks.
It’s hard for me to put my finger on why I wasn’t enjoying it as much… thanks for explaining it in a way that has me nodding yes. Big Brain Fantano does it again!
Dry ass record (And Im a big Volta fan)
I feel bad for people that don't like this album. Except for fantano, he doesn't deserve for someone to feel bad for him
white balance changed dramatically at 5:29
I think it's a brilliant record. Definitely a grower, not a shower unlike most of their past works.
Blacklight Shine is the only genuinely good song on this record, if you ask me. Qué Dios is good too, but it's pointlessly short. Every other song (other than Graveyard Love, sort of), is low-energy, forgettable, anemic, and uninspired, imo. Cedric's melodies are mediocre throughout – like he doesn't know how to fit himself into any of the songs. He's absolutely fantastic on Blacklight Shine and Qúe Dios, and I think that's because he's in his element, but those songs are also just more harmonically full – they're a better, more musical bedrock for melody. The melodies just come naturally in songs like those.
I don't really get how you think No Case Gain is such a stand out song. Utterly bland piece of music. Nothing of any interest happens during it, much like most of the others.
What I can't wrap my head around is why they marketed the record the way they did. Everything about the lead up to it made it seem like it was going to be a return to their latin roots, not to mention an attempt to contribute to the preservation and celebration of Puerto Rican culture in the aftermath of colonialism – and Blacklight Shine reinforced this, as did the music videos for the other two singles. Turns out Blacklight Shine is basically the only song of its kind on the record bar Qué Dios, which honestly feels like a gigantic middle finger to all of the above.
Like, they didn't have to make a sprawling prog record, they could have made an album of tracks in the vein of BS and QD, and it would have been album of the year for sure. Just a collection of groovy, proggy, latin pop songs would have been an absolute joy. Instead, they made this snoozefest. I never would have thought that The Mars Volta was capable of making such boring music. Isn't pop music supposed to be catchy? Super disappointing.
Also, why on earth did they recruit that Willy Rodriguez guy for this? All they had him doing was backbeats. Guy's a virtuoso jazz fusion drummer. What gives?
I don't know… if you like this record, good for you, but it's not for me at all.
I listened to most of it but found I lost interest. I didn’t understand why at the time but I think you summarized it pretty well with the tone being bland. Nothing really catches the ear in my opinion.
I thought the writing & performances were really good and it sounded really good too, but I also like Octahedron so goes to show what I know
COOKIE RECIPE HERE
I think Cedric got too personal on this album if that makes sense, it's hard for me to get excited over songs where I feel like I'm listening in on a private conversation with someone's wife. And I agree musically it's just not that interesting but if you've heard any of Omar's recent solo stuff it shouldn't be a surprise. I get it, what they're going for but unfortunately there is nothing on this album for me 🙁
I will say I disagree about the production though, I think compared to most of their other albums that can sound like digital perfection this one sounds waaarm but that definitely doesn't save it . They are probably happy with it so good for them but I'm real sad about it lol
The most offensive part of this review was implying Tools Opiate era was the best tool era.
This guy is lame, this has to probably one of the biggest masterclasses on fusing traditional pop structure elements with futuristic genre bending creativity, not to mention the themes cedric writes about, I mean who has ever written a record against scientology? But making it listenable for anyone
The record is great! Volta fanboys apparently forgot that the band has put out pop records before i.e. Octahedron. I was worried the pop direction would make the record sound too much like Antemasque but honestly it sounds like a Volta record to me. Omar and Cedric are older and less indulgent and that's ok, I'm just happy they're back.
I cannot disagree more, it’s a masterpiece.
Wish this was better
As a Mars Volta fan, this album is one of their very worst. It's… painfully boring, innocuous muzak at best. Unambitious, milquetoast cash grab at worst. I really dislike when artists talk about their work maturing when they mean it is becoming more and more subdued. I wasn't expecting a sonically eviscerating monstrosity like Bedlam in Goliath, but i also definitely wasn't expecting Mars Volta to do their best Passion Pit impression either. A decent 2 to a light 3 from me. Percussion saves a lot of the worst bits.
Anthony is just not doing the correct drugs whilst listening to the Volta. Easy 4/10
I really don't know why they did this. Noctorniquet should have been the last album of TMV.
I finally got around to listening through it today. A lot of the songs I got the same feeling from them as Blacklight Shine where I was hyped to see where they'd go but then they'd cut off without exploring the musical themes any more. Kinda disappointing but I enjoyed it for the most part.
Perhaps the most underwhelming to long time fans, but at the same time very accessible to new ones. Imo TMV can do no wrong, they’ve always remained incredibly unique even in this new phase of their career. More than anything I think everyone who’s been begging for a new TMV record for the past ten years should just be pleased that they came out with another one at all.
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE
Dear Mars Volta, I was DMing with Anthony “The Needle Drop” Fantano, and he said he would pay for higher production with a reworked album – he told me it to be true
love the cheeky dorian electra in the back. they're looking into my soul
I LOVE YOU ANTHONY
This album is good and it latches onto you when you listen to it a few times. First time is always weird. 2nd time is weirder. But the true fans catch onto what they are doing and they’ve been doing this for decades. I love how their albums tear people apart and split the fan base over and over. Just shows how self entitled people really are with their ADD Judgey complaining ways they live.
After all the pre-release reviews, I've got it clear that new sound has nothing in common with old Mars Volta stuff. So keeping this knowledge in mind making listening new album so easy. Agree w/ Anthony on lack of details (even without Mars Volta context). This is good album for another long road trip as a background music. Peace.
This review is better than the album
Worst Volta record, amazing record nonetheless
it was just a bad album, disappointing. at least we still have black midi 😀
The Mars Volta is such a weird band for me. I consider Octahedron to be a 10/10 masterpiece, but I find little to no value in all of their other projects. At least until this new one, which I find gives me some of what I loved about Octahedron, but is not quite at that level.