Customer Reviews

Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack 1

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It took me a year or so to appreciate all the places that this one goes, but after careful deliberation and a continuously ballooning obsession with Mars Volta, I have decided that this is better than DeFacto and Omar's newest solo album, the projects that have come outside ATDI and Volta. It goes all over the place, the highlight to this approach being the acid-soaked salsa freak-out "Deus Ex Machina." Really, this is true salsa, with a salsa singer singing about "la reina de [su] vida" or the queen of his heart. The whole time the traditional instruments are drenched in phaser and distortion, creating a salsa song like none you've ever heard.

There are some very intriguing guitar-noise experiments that differ from track to track, the whole thing being capped off with a song that sounds like Mars Volta since Cedric sings on it ("the palpitations form a limit"). The rest is pure instrumental esotericism. If you are curious to hear what Omar and Co. do outside of ATDI and Mars Volta, this is the place to start. I have a strong feeling that you will want to buy all the other side project material after this one, exposing you fully to the constant joy, wonder, and mind-blowing that goes with being a Mars Volta fanatic. I would love to describe all of these strange excursions on this album, but I am not going to mar with words the terrains that Omar plumbs with sounds. I am going to leave it up to your perception to discover them for yourself.

At first, i was anxious to see what this album was about waiting for the climax and all that good stuff you'd aspect in a typical everyday album, so i didn't see anything groundbreaking. after another spin listening to this album full on, i could see how good this album is. now i can't stop listening to the whole thing full on.

be accepting of its style and you'll see, you'll all see...yes...

it's quite wonderful.

This is an ambient record. You may find it quite different if what you typically listen to/appreciate are 'radio' songs. But any fans of electronic oriented or jazz music will have not trouble 'getting' this. To say ambient, I don't mean it's dead. It's got plenty of grooves, soul and passion. The music is atmospheric, quite lush, with Mars Votla-esque elements. It's chill music with some rockin' parts thrown in, in the right places. I argue with those who call it 'structureless'. There is plenty of structure, again, it goes back to the ambient thing...and there is no 'white noise' whatsoever. Every sound and every beat on this album was well thought out and well placed. And with the improvisation nothing is overdone, or taken too far. This would be perfect to wind down to after a Mars Volta concert with some friends and a few beers. In fact, if I meet the right Mars Volta fan, I'll make him dinner, and call it 'Mars Volta Dinner Music', and I mean that in the best way. I love this record. It is imaginative and sensual...and it's only been my first listen.

Keep in mind that this is a soundtrack album but the film is missing! Omar, get on the movie right away with all your ideas and be as great as Ennio Morricone.

This album starts in a soft confusion with lots of samplers arriving from anywhere to becomes more clean when the guitar steps in on the first song. Then magnificient "Dyna sark arches" hits me, I just want to hear more song in that vein. At third song, I am completely blown away. It begins with a delicate guitar and a soft fake flute but suddently weird amp noise are getting in sporadically. An advice that the song will turn electronic at the end. There is a nice creepy flanger effect and a georgeous latin guitar solo. Fourth song is a typical mexican song, cute but one is just enough on an album. "Dramatic theme" is weird and more piano oriented, I always want to be further in the song until minute 4 where the music is beautiful and 5:40 where it's different. Next song is only weird a typewriter beat and a guitar, I don't like it but it is interesting, if you like it get Adran Belew's albums. Song 7 is crap! "Of blood blue blisters" would have been exceptionnal without that fastforward sampler they put in? The heavy part are friggin good. "Dream sequence" reminds me the band Hawkwind which I don't get. This is not music, it's echoe and wind.. The final song is a great typical Mars Volta song.

Overall stunning

this is a great, unorthodox and avant garde work of art. if you like lots and lots of white noise with very few structured guitar parts, then you will love this. only a few songs actually have structure to them, and the rest are spacey, atmospheric and psychedelic sounds (most created by omar himself, a la typewriter in one of the songs) do not get this thinking it will be anything remotely similar to atdi. keep in mind that this is a soundtrack to omar's unreleased film and it is not a rock album. if you like those trippy moments in the the mars volta songs, then you'll probably love this. while it may not be the most exciting thing i'v heard from omar, i am giving it 5 stars because for what it is, it's done with remarkable patience and creativity.

Here's my honest, non-brown nosing the Mars Volta opinion. This album is so and so. Nothing on here screams out 'amazing' and this would not appeal to you just because you love At the Drive-In and/or the Mars Volta. I understand loyalty and all because I love the two above mentioned bands but this solo debut just doesn't live up to it.

Omar is responsible for the sound of any band he's been in, writing all of the music in his unique style. I think Omar should have actually held this soundtrack off until his movie came out.

Overproduced, alot of the usual Mars Volta-synth and mellow, floaty intros and break downs, reverse guitar and hispanic music influence.. with a big dose of Pink Floyd.... borrow this album. Don't kill your 18$ on it unless you are sure you will want to listen to this over and over. My copy has been made use of maybe 6 times since I got it.. as opposed to "De-Loused" which gets listened to once a week.

As a follower of Omar's work, I felt the need to check this out. I thought the album was worth the money I spent on it. It's ambience sets the mood for day dreaming and provides something great to work to. I really only recommend this album to anyone ready for a very mello collection of work who has an open mind concerning music.

The first 5 tracks were inpressive with their light feeling and attention to detail. Omar's father does the vocals for Deus ex Machina (track 4) and really gives the listener a musical biography for Omar. Infusing his new style with his old (he used to be in a salsa band w/ family) and creating the best of both worlds! track 10 features a special guest appearance from music partner in crime Cedric Bixlar-Zavala providing the vocal track (that isn't Omar singing!!)The only thing that turned me off from the album is Dream Sequence (track 9) only because it gives me the creeps (more like nightmare sequence, heh).

Totally great album, I can't wait to see how it gets incorperated into this supposed movie Omar may be concocting!

I feel that this album is one of the better guitar albums that I have heard. For those of you who are ATDI or TMV fans, this is something totally different. I think that Omar's guitar playing is up there with David Gillmore(for those of you who don't know david gillmore, he is the guitarist for Pink Floyd.) Don't expect to hear a ATDI or a TMV song, because you won't hear it. You will hear some of the best guitar playing, ever. If I could sum up this album in just one word it would be, amazing.

Omar is a musical genious. Soundtrack 1 sounds good, can't wait for #2 perhaps to blow me away, i hope. IMO omar is a very very very talented muscian. i like the way he puts the snipets of spanish voices and AMAZING GUITAR Playing and sound scratch efects, mixed all up together is kinda cool.

While 'the Mike's' review is mostly opinionated, there are a few misleading fictions, the major of which is his proclamation that 'Cedric has let us down'. Cedric Bixler is featured on one track as the vocalist, this is an Omar Rodriguez solo effort.

From a person that enjoys progressive and somewhat experimental music I can say that this album is very interesting. The guitar work is underrated by most reviewers, as in some tracks it is overshadowed by Omar Rodriguez' tasteful ability to refrain from 'blowing up' on the guitar simply because he is most often associated with being a guitar player. It would seem to me that by releasing this album (or soundtrack, if you will) Omar Rodriguez solidifies his feelings for music as music, rather than as a gimmicky ploy to dive into the pockets of 14 year old guitar players still uncertain as to who they believe their guitar hero should be. This album shows his ability to restrict his talent for the benefit of solid music, and that his range as a writer and producer are not limited to the chorussy progressive stylings of The Mars Volta.

It is a full effort, and as such can only be graded in its entirety. There are a few tracks that stand out, but standing out in a crowd of the great only means that they are that much better. Contrary to popular belief there are more than two songs with vocals, though not in a traditional pop structure.

This is a very good solo effort from a talented musician with a bit of integrity. I ordered the album through Amazon and was given a month delay in shipping, but Goldstandard Labs website states that the album should ship within 2 days if you purchase it through them.