The Mars Volta- Next?
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Topic: The Mars Volta- Next?
Posted By: Epignosis
Subject: The Mars Volta- Next?
Date Posted: February 16 2009 at 16:08
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While The Mars Volta produced three well-received albums (among us at PA), The Bedlam in Goliath is almost a love or hate sort of album (although I personally have mixed-feelings about it). It did win a Grammy (for whatever that's worth in the prog community)... So read the question above and vote your conscience.  ------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
Replies:
Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: February 16 2009 at 16:08
Something even more manical.  That was their best effort and one of my favorite albums of all time. ------------- 
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Posted By: The Miracle
Date Posted: February 16 2009 at 16:11
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Something like Frances without the ambient parts would be my wet dream. Bedlam is the only TMV studio album i'd give under 5 stars, so I hope they won't keep that sound. I'm sure they'll switch it up because every album so far has been a huge change from the previous one. So I guess in comparison to Bedlam I want something slightly mellower.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/ocellatedgod" rel="nofollow - last.fm |
Posted By: Drew
Date Posted: February 16 2009 at 16:14
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I put the first choice- I listened to that album once and never again. I really enjoyed their first album, and I haven't enjoyed them since.
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Posted By: horsewithteeth11
Date Posted: February 16 2009 at 16:17
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Went with the second option. Cedric said that their next one is supposed to be more "acoustic", which wouldn't surprise me. I also hope they bring back the Spanish lyrics used in Frances and Amp since I particularly enjoyed those. I'd still like it to be somewhat maniac though.  ------------- 
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Posted By: Petrovsk Mizinski
Date Posted: February 16 2009 at 16:22
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Something even more manical.
What is the point of mellower or toning it down? All that seems to do to bands is to make them push themselves less and even stop pushing altogether and what results is an album of 'some nice tunes' instead of an album that is totally off the edge and crazy. It reminds me of ...And Justice For All to the self titled album. ...And Justice For All took a step up from Master of Puppets in terms of technicality and just being straight up more off the edge and you can hear the band pushing themselves extremely heard. Then comes the self titled album, and everything is more mellowed out and well, it has some okay tunes for sure, but no longer is it absolutely crazy mind f**k like AJFA was. This is to me, is what happens when bands 'mellow out' or 'tone down' rather than pushing harder. I want to see bands push themselves each time and become less accessible sounding and create absolute mind f**k. And you know what, who cares if it alienates the more 'mainstream' fans in the process? Because it's their loss if they can't enjoy something more complex and out there. |
Posted By: The Miracle
Date Posted: February 16 2009 at 16:28
Sometimes I want to listen to music, not sonic assault... Manic and insane doesn't equate to good music... Bedlam was overloaded with intensity making it a mess and a headache. When they tone it down a bit it's always more subtle, original and creative. Bring back songs like Miranda please... IMO of course.  ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/ocellatedgod" rel="nofollow - last.fm |
HughesJB4 wrote:Posted By: Petrovsk Mizinski
Date Posted: February 16 2009 at 16:33
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^Each to their own dude. I loved Bedlam, and want to hear more insanity from their next album. |
Posted By: Pnoom!
Date Posted: February 16 2009 at 16:40
| Something like their debut but only 35 minutes long. |
Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: February 16 2009 at 17:15
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They should quit. The first album was listenable, but they've gone rapidly downhill and their last album was utter garbage which disgraced the good name of prog. It was just an assault on the eardrums with no musical virtue at all. ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: Evolutionary Sleeper
Date Posted: February 16 2009 at 17:53
Same here. Really mediocre. ------------- 
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Posted By: JROCHA
Date Posted: February 16 2009 at 18:08
| I would really enjoy something with more of latin jazz feel to it. I read their next album will be their acoustic album whatever that means. I dont think they have made a bad album yet in their careers. Bedlam was a very exciting album to me. Something Manical |
Posted By: Prometheus
Date Posted: February 16 2009 at 19:28
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i voted something a bit heavier... after all the problem wasn't so much that it was too heavy or intense, it's just that it wasn't cohesive as an album, nor was it enjoyable song by song-- i can't listen to the thing past Goliath and tourniquet man is an utter abomination. (also, cedric messed with th vocal style too much, both in how he sings and in the unnecesssary electronic manipulation thereafter -- the only band i can think of that did more unnecessary vocal manipulation is Darkane) in all, they haven't actually gotten that heavy, and so i feel that it would be a new direction for them (but i'm also on a tech death kick right now...) ------------- "Tell me why world, unfathomable and good, The beauty of everything is infinite and cruel." --Kayo Dot |
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: February 16 2009 at 20:04
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something more EVIL!!!
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm 
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Posted By: Moatilliatta
Date Posted: February 16 2009 at 22:02
The good name of prog?
This statement is very harsh, but to each his own. I guess.
I don't care what they do, as long as it's up to par. I don't think they're ever going to make an album as amazing as De-Loused or Frances again, mainly because their sound is becoming less organic, but I do still love Amputecture and Bedlam. A more acoustic based album sounds great. ------------- www.last.fm/user/ThisCenotaph  
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Posted By: BroSpence
Date Posted: February 16 2009 at 23:56
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Loved all the albums so far. So I don't care as long as the friggin release something! I'm sure it'll be great. Also the album didn't win a grammy. "Wax Simulacra" won a grammy. "Best Hard Rock Performance" not "Best Hard Rock Album".
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Posted By: ghost_of_morphy
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 00:45
Bedlam is ok for what it is. I didn't go into it with much in the way of expectations, so I wasn't really dissappointed by it. I wasn't thrilled by Deloused either, but at least they were going in the right direction with that one. They need to go back to the start of their careers and head out in a different direction. ------------- 
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Posted By: heyitsthatguy
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 00:57
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the last one BRING ON THE DEMONIC CLUSTERf**k OF BEEPS AND WAILINGS ------------- 
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 01:24
| I think they should try something new - that's what makes great bands. A combination of acoustic guitar & jazz with latin feel sounds interesting. |
Posted By: mono
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 02:27
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I think they lost a bit of the heaviness they had on previous releases. Maybe they'll put that back up front for their next album? (hope so...)
------------- https://soundcloud.com/why-music Prog trio, from ambiant to violence https://soundcloud.com/m0n0-film Film music and production projects https://soundcloud.com/fadisaliba (almost) everything else |
Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 02:51
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My sentiments exactly. I have problems with the Volta's style. In fact, what with the blending of nutty avantegarde, hard rock and Spanish crap, they pretty much come off as...well, an LA band, which they are (sorta, I guess), and that's cool. THE PROBLEM IS...the lads DO tend to wander. I'll vote for "toning it down," but I don't mean the intensity, weirdness and/or diversity level, I mean the LENGTH. Take the best tracks off a Volta album, and you've got got a heck of a record. Factor the other hour back in, and...you've got a Volta album. ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 05:27
Well aware of that, sir. ------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 06:06
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None of those options really for me. At the moment, I think the band's biggest problem is that they want to cram way too much on an album, as they did on Bedlam. In my review I wrote that they should learn the fine art of restraint.... Some of the tracks on that album go on for way too long, and I am not in favour of recordings that last forever (this is one of the issues I have with Dream Theater too). That said, I think the good parts on Bedlam outweighed the weaker ones, and that the guys have still a lot to say in artistic terms. As regards the comment on 'ruining the good name of prog', well... it is not my habit to bash people openly in the forums, but I feel that such statements are the ones that give prog a bad name - and I also question the good taste of posting such a scathing statement in an appreciation thread. I am not a Dream Theater fan, but I don't go around the numerous DT threads saying they should quit. |
Posted By: mrcozdude
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 06:32
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I know im going to get lynched but amputechture was by far my favourite.It was when they finally defined there sound and incorporated all there influences perfectly,it does take a lot of patience to reach that verdict though. I don't mind what they do but, i miss Jon Theodore. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/cozfunkel/" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 08:55
 -------------
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Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 09:00
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What they should do next? Something that surprises and excites me, and it being the Volta I don tthink theres much of a worry with that.
------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005 
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Posted By: Hercules
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 09:03
I would definitely not suggest that DT quit - I'm not a fan at all but I can see what they're doing and can appreciate it to some extent. I can see absolutely no merit (or anything actually progressive) in anything The Mars Volta have done since their debut and bits of Frances the Mute. And this is NOT an appreciation thread - it asks for opinions and I'm neither afraid to be frank (even controversial) if I think it's justified. Their last album was painfully bad (I haven't reviewed it because there is no option for 0 stars and I am not prepared to even give it 1!) and if that's the best they can offer, they might as well call it a day as far as I'm concerned. ------------- A TVR is not a car. It's a way of life. |
Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 09:05
I'm really curious what is meant by an "acoustic" album and how they will put another spin on their sound. This is probably my most anticipated new release, along with Dream Theater's. -------------
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Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 09:08
As am I, the small doeses of acoustic playing they have used so far on their albums has been very good (Thinks of Sarcophagi) so the prospect of a full album definitely excites me. ------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005
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Posted By: Zitro
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 11:17
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They really need to tone it down. The last album for me is unlistenable, almost like a parody of themselves (see my 1-star review) and the change of drummers hurt the album a lot. (their previous drummer was amazing) |
Posted By: manofmystery
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 13:15
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Retirement -------------  Time always wins. |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 14:15
What about the option of 'not listening to a band if one doesn't like them'? Ever heard of that? This is what I usually do when I dislike something.
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Posted By: Prog-jester
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 14:27
this would make only one song then 
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Posted By: Moatilliatta
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 14:31
1) Just because you can't see it does not mean it isn't there
2) If you see merits in De-Loused or Frances, wouldn't you like them to head back in that direction? That would be a lot more constructive of a comment. ------------- www.last.fm/user/ThisCenotaph
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Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 14:35
That'd be awesome. A 1-song Volta epic/album. Roughly 40 minutes.  -------------
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Posted By: JROCHA
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 16:22
| Why would you call it spanish crap. I think its great they add spanish lyrics into their music. |
Posted By: Petrovsk Mizinski
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 17:06
Useful comment  |
Posted By: Zargus
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 20:03
Well pretty much every swedish music magazin gave bedlam in goliath full score and ofc i agreed with em, so it seem its only on this site its a love or hate album... but then again this site seem to have many anti volta people, i gues its caus they have punk influences and are to avant gard most peopel on this sit only seem to like well structured symphonic prog with easy and nice melodys and ofc it shuld always sound the same, circa 70s genesis then its good, its best if every new prog band sounds liek that and dont try anything new dont try to progress ye thats good... i hope they make a even more wierd and crazy album and maybe a dubbel 2 cds with 80 min of music on each disc or why not 3cds, yust to piss you of even more.  ------------- 
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Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 20:19
| I'd like to see them tone it down a bit. I'm all for loud and in-your-face music, but within a context that includes some more reflective pieces, or even includes some space within the loudness. Tool manages to do this. The full-out, non-stop assault of Bedlam -- and I enjoy much of it -- just does not leave me much breathing room. |
Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 20:21
The Mars Volta should cover Close to the Edge in its entirety. ------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
Posted By: Equality 7-2521
Date Posted: February 17 2009 at 20:31
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Since the band has stated it will be their "acoustic" album, I'm sure it'll be toned down. Personally I would like to see it a little more balanced and not so in your face the whole time, but certainly not an acousticish album. Just tone it down a little. ------------- "One had to be a Newton to notice that the moon is falling, when everyone sees that it doesn't fall. " |
Posted By: Moatilliatta
Date Posted: February 18 2009 at 00:10
There was a poll a little while back along the lines of "which would you rather hear: The Mars Volta covering Close to the Edge, or Yes covering Tetragrammaton?" It got me thinking about it and I, for one, think this would sound amazing. ------------- www.last.fm/user/ThisCenotaph
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Posted By: The Whistler
Date Posted: February 18 2009 at 02:21
That would be...interesting. Somehow perfectly fitting too. ------------- "There seem to be quite a large percentage of young American boys out there tonight. A long way from home, eh? Well so are we... Gotta stick together." -I. Anderson |
Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: February 18 2009 at 07:59
That's why I made that poll. I for one think that The Mars Volta doing the whole album would be something very interesting. Think about what manner of strange sound effects they would use during the "I Get Up" portion of the title song. I think it begs to have Omar's fingers all over it.------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
Posted By: Moatilliatta
Date Posted: February 18 2009 at 10:50
ha, I figured you may have been the one who made the poll.
Yes, I can hear so many cool things happening there. I think Cedric's vocals would be amazing too. ------------- www.last.fm/user/ThisCenotaph
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Posted By: Norbert
Date Posted: February 21 2009 at 07:25
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Something excellent as Bedlam, but not necessarily as frantic.
For me Amputecture is the TMV album which doesn't deserve 5/5 , but still a strong 4/5.
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Posted By: Tzibo
Date Posted: February 21 2009 at 12:04
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So, what we need for the recipe of a good Mars Volta album is... a lot of the sheer insanity Mars Volta has but to balance that insanity they need to supress their songs a little bit - no more Frances the Mute "epics", which, to me at least, are nothing but a complete frenzy of noise and some random riff-bits, I seriously don't like them at all... But it seems that some people like, they're not just my cup of tea, TMV epics should be more like Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt, <20 minutes is enough, and that needs to be well done, also (your opinion can differ from mine, but imo TtVCT is a heck better than Miranda or Cassandra Gemini)... I'd also like the latin-style hues that L'Via and Asilos Magdalena have - in my opinion Asilos Magdalena is one of the coolest songs TMV has, even though it's almost fully acoustic and not so manic. And yeah, they need to hold on on the amount of different noises and instruments, TBiG was a little bit too crazy, and it wasn't as good as the other Volta Albums, even though it had it's awesome parts, too... The bottom line: Not so manic as TBiG, balance the frenzy with slower, more mellow parts, maybe an acoustic song, epics more like TtVCT, not Miranda... |
Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: February 21 2009 at 12:22
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i think TMV are progressive, partially because not everyone can get into them, or only certain songs. if even prog fans cant get into them, they must be doing something progressive. (Not that i base a band's progressiveness on how many people like/dislike them) ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
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Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: February 21 2009 at 12:23
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btw i think TMV should just do what they feel they must do to further their music exploration
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
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