See the most recent in the series: here
As an amateur musician self-teaching an instrument, I have to be my own source of music theory. I try to cast a wide net and broaden my musical knowledge as much as possible. Given the Billboard chart's increasing irrelevance, I've taken to using YouTube to discover bands that would otherwise remain in varying degrees of obscurity. I like to be "that friend you have" that knows the most about music across different eras.
Hopefully, this will allow me to share some of the more obscurely excellent bands I have stumbled upon in my time.
Today, I'm very excited to share one of my absolute favorites of experimental rock - but don't say I didn't warn you that they can be an acquired taste (in fact, it may not be for everyone):
The Mars Volta!
The Mars Volta was founded by Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, who you may also know from At The Drive-In. If you followed The Mars Volta after they broke up, you may have also spotted Lopez in Antemasque or Bosnian Rainbows.
The Mars Volta has a very haphazard, experimental sound that makes you suspect much of it was borne from improvisation. The lyrics often bear a much closer resemblance to free form poetry and rarely leave you with a cohesive narrative. They ignore most conventions of song structure and length, frequently writing songs that clock in over 15 minutes.
The Mars Volta produced a number of albums with excellent music that is honestly nothing like anything you have heard before. Imagine a particularly angsty Nirvana, with a more varied chord and instrument selection, paired up with Pink Floyd.
I'll list some of my favorite Mars Volta tracks at the end of this post, but their true magnum opus is De-Loused in the Comatorium:
You can listen to most of the album here, via The Mars Volta's Vevo:
De-Loused is based on the short story of a man named Cerpin Taxt, who enters a week-long coma after overdosing on morphine mixed with rat poison. The lyrical arrangements are very complex and steeped in metaphor, frequently resembling poetry. If you want to see what I mean, here are the opening lines of the first track:
"Clipside of the pinkeye flight
I'm not the percent you think survives
I need sanctuary in the pages of this book "
De-Loused is a continuous mix, not unlike Dark Side of the Moon - it is intended to be listened to in sequence. Indeed, many songs will feel incomplete if one skips to them, and other may feel superfluous without the rising crescendo that leads you into the next track.
Indeed, I would even argue that De-Loused deserves to be measured and compared against an album like Dark Side of the Moon - it's that good, but it is sometimes so cacophonous that it can take time to appreciate!
If you recognize the bass in De-Loused, it's probably because it's Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers standing in on this album.
Unfortunately, The Mars Volta split up in 2012 after 11 years, but perhaps we'll get lucky on that front!
Singles from De-Loused:
- Inertiatic ESP
- Televators
My favorites from De-Loused:
- Son Et Lumiere
- Inertiatic ESP
- Eriatarka
- Cicatriz ESP
My other favorites across all albums in roughly descending order:
Viscera Eyes - This single is probably the closest The Mars Volta made it to the mainstream.
L'Via L'Viaquez - For fans of the electric guitar and excellently executed spanish lyrics.
Vermicide - I describe this melody as "haunting".
Meccamputechture - Award for "track least likely to be able to spell for your friend".
The Widow - May have made it to the radio in a few progressive areas.
Wax Simulacra
Day of the Baphomets - From wikipedia: "Baphomet is a term originally used to describe an idol or other deity that the Knights Templar were accused of worshipping and that subsequently was incorporated into disparate occult and mystical traditions."
Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt
Tetragrammaton - Another for guitar fans
Drunkship of Lanterns - No official link available.
This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed - I think I'll avoid being there for that, thanks.
All cover art credits to the Mars Volta and related labels.
Please let me know in the comments if you are a fan! I rarely get to discuss the Mars Volta, I'd love to hear from those who managed to see them live!