Customer Reviews

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & Jeremy Michael Ward

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Well, if you haven't heard this yet...don't come expecting to hear something along the lines of Omar's solo stuff like Calibration, Apocalypse inside of an orange, or even De Facto type electronica/dub music.
This album is a great example of electronic music (not electronicA). This music -- and yes, it is music, these are compositions -- reminds me of older electronic music compositions I have heard from the 1960s and 70s. This could very well be catalogued as a classical music album purely because of its remarkable similarities in sound to early electronic music. This is true electronic noise composition done by two very good musicians. Several friends of mine couldn't even make it through this album in one listening, I love experimental, out-there music, so I sat down and listened to the whole thing.
There is no rocking guitar or memorable melodies on this album, and it is an album purely for those who want to hear everything Omar puts out. I personally love his random twists and manic changes in his music output. It was sad to see J. M. Ward go, but it is glad to see something like this to add to his posterity as a musician.
Once again, I recommend this album for those who love experimental, electronic, noise, music concrete, and sonic exploration material. If you are in search of rock, alternative or pop this isn't for you, although I highly suggest you listen to it at least once!
Happy Listening!

I don't usually write reviews, but I felt that the average score of this particular album was unfairly low, so I'll give it 5 stars in order to get it to what I consider a more appropriate score (4 I think, but it won't be enough).

By what is already written here you must have realized that album is non customer friendly, and by customer I mean the kind of guy that actually likes the postmodern experimentation (yes, a bit exaggerated) that Omar has been up to since, as we now see, his departure of at the drive-in.

As you should probably know, his style fluctuates rapidly (and sometimes insanely) between progressive rock and jazz (not necessarily virtuoso in technical means, which is one of the reasons by which I actually like his music, by some lack of pretentiousness and pomposity I rather say), latin, funk, ambient, dub... But this... this is entirely different, there's no apparent structure; there's no immediate identification either of a purpose, of a feeling nor of a melodic sound and thus, it fails to communicate virtually anything. All this provokes the loss of the integrity of this whole experimentation as a work of art (at least colloquially). But we've been already in this situation, the lack of traditionally accepted sonic structure is part a wider attempt to produce a novel way of musical expression, that was the whole point of the avant-garde movement of musique concrète and computer music since the 40's.

OK, so what is this? this is more than just a fine exposure of sound manipulation, this is good enough to remind me great tape works of avant-garde composers, but I think it doesn't manage to attain a complexity level consistent with this precedents and it doesn't represent the evolution the genre has undergone since its first developments.

Summarizing this album is a nice work that deserves to be bought by those who wants to explore further in music than the good old prog/latin/funk/..../dub mixture that Omar creates, but avoided by those who wants to stay in its limits (so I've said nothing new). Also this album may be considered as one good avant-garde project (ah, if yo are new in this and you liked it, google avantgarde project) that might be considered as a new great step in Omar's excursion in experimentation and will make us regret the loss of Jeremy as a convincing prospect in the production of more of this perception-conflicting Sound Manipulation.

This record...wow, just wow. WARNING!!!!: IF YOU LOVE THE VOLTA, DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS UNLESS YOU APPRECIATE THE ELECTRONIC, AMBIENT, SOUND-MANIPULATION, NOISE ROCK PORTION OF THE COCKTAIL THAT IS THE MARS VOLTA. This record is definitely, without a doubt, strictly for either only the most dedicated Volta/Omar fan, or the type of people who's favorite VOlta record is Frances the Mute because of the amount of ambient and surreal noise in the background. If you like the Volta for the rock aspect, or the vocals, or the drumming or whatever, and you don't absolutely love the electronic sounds they implent as much if not more than anything else, do not listen to this record. This solely consists of, to the untrained ear: annoying, high-pitched, whirling noises and sounds that don't seem to have any organization, purpose, or meaning. To the appreciative ear, this is the most insane, out of this world, aural experience you could ever get with any Volta or Omar release. Consists entirely of crazy sounds and noises I've never heard before, or thought possible. No "real" instruments, no vocals, no percussion, nothing but electronic sounds and noise manipulation; which is exactly what Jeremy Michael Ward did in the band, and this is an album solely consisting of that.

Well, I read some other reviews for this before I bought it, and got pretty much what I expected. I'd recommend that you don't bother buying this. What you have here is, pretty much, a couple guys in an "altered consciousness" making noise. I've seen interviews w/ Omar saying that he often releases his solo works to fund other projects, so he got my money for this one, that's probably enough. It was a good thought to get some more of Jeremy Ward's work out there, but you won't really gain anything from this album, unless maybe you're looking for some noise ideas yourself. Spend your money elsewhere, all of Omar's other albums are great, so buy those or wait for Old Money or the other two that are coming soon.

Every time I buy an Omar record I expect it to be weird and far out there. To me it comes with the territory. He and Cedric left At the Drive-in because they wanted to push the boundaries of music and become more progressive. Omar plays a key part in what makes the Mars Volta that weird, compelling, experimental rock band that challenges the listener in every way. So when unleashed on his own; you expect him to push the boundaries even further. Most of the Omar records I have had the pleasure of listening to, although showing that creative spark, are incredibly listenable and yet still hold the challenge that makes Mars Volta records so gripping. Well, that was until I heard this CD...

The album was recorded back in 2001 after the demise of At the Drive- in and before the birth of The Mars Volta. If I was to pigeon hole this album I would put it in the EDL category, which stands for `Extremely Difficult Listening'. It is without doubt one of the worst CD's in my collection. To give you an idea of what it sounds like, think of the buzzing noises you get when trying to tune in a radio and the variation of sounds you get when you nearly pick up a channel. Now try listening to this sound pretty much continuously for 44 minutes. Well that is pretty much sums up this whole album. In the third track `Salvo' in around the 13 minute mark it is like they finally found a station when the word `Weapons' is heard followed by further murmurs before moving back to the irritating buzzing.

This album really is a test of strength. Anyone who has listened to this album more than 10 times (I'm on my third listen) I would really like to hear what they hear in the album that I'm missing. How this record was split into tracks and the reason behind track selection I think only Omar knows. If you're not looking at your CD player you wouldn't know the first track `Sounder of Tame Swine' lasts 2 minutes and 43 seconds while the third track `Salvo' lasts 14 minutes and 18 seconds. Then there is the task of trying to work out what the track names mean and how they relate to the tracks. It just seems impossible.

There are two tracks on the album which stand out head and shoulders above the rest; the fouth track `Impoverished Beliefs' and similarly titled ninth track `Improvised Beliefs'. These tracks showed signs of sanity within the record with a sign of tune until the noises come back and the awkward listening is apparent once again.

Overall this album shows that there are no boundaries to Omar's creativity and imagination. I hold up my hands to him for trying to push the limits with this record. As much as I don't like it, I can appreciate that Omar does like to push the boundaries of his music further and takes more of a risk in doing so. In turn it means that people may not understand what or why he made this album and then released it to a wider audience when it was originally just for family or friends. But at the same time if there is one person out there who does think it is a good record, maybe it was worthwhile releasing it. For me though it is a step too far and should be avoided and I would strongly recommend saving your ears for his more recent stuff.

I thought this album was hard to wrap my brain around, at first. It's very ambient yet mood catching. This album must be taken for what it is, an experiment to find a new sound. Created in 2001; (During the Defacto sessions) it was printed on minidiscs and given out to friends of the band.
This is NOT radio friendly, and not even close to being structured as most music, but it gives you a glimpse of the creative genius' steps toward one of the best albums of the millinium - Deloused in the Comatorium.

BUT... This album is not one that I would recommend. Unless you are a sound manipulator and into Musique Concrète. In that case, buy this album.

Jeremy Ward's title of "sound manipulator" was a pretty serious pick. That is exactly what he does. Manipulate sound. Any sound. I appreciate his work with The Mars Volta and De Facto. It fits. It adds. It's beautiful. But, listening to an entire CD of nothing but sound manipulation is pretty difficult for me.

I have been very loyal to my friend Omar Alfredo Rodriguez-Lopez... and this album just isn't for me. I hope it is for you.

I just received this cd in the mail yesterday and all I can really say or think is simply "wow." The sounds that these guys put together on this album make me think of what we'd hear if we wired microscopic microphones near the firing synapses of the abysses of one's creative mind.

It isn't a jazz/latin/rock fusion like we are treated to in Omar's other albums. Most of it is simply sound, manipulated over and over again, sometimes in a bleeding repetitious manner.

If you're into hallucinogens and mind altering drugs of the sort, you may, much like I have, enjoy this album (and I do not mean to typecast fans of this kind of stuff, but in all seriousness, who HAS been to a Mars Volta concert sober and has not later regretted it?).

First let me say that i dont hate this record. I have pretty much all off his music from At the drive, Defacto through Mars Volta and all his crazy Miles inspired Solo records. I also intentionally search out music that is a bit left of centre so my natural inclination is towards interesting Avant Garde experiments in sound. I really wanted to like this record but the reality is it is just a experiement that should of remained in the vault. I am all for more music from Omar but this should never be described as music. It is just a collection of field recording amassed together and manipulated to go in interesting dirrections... Granted there is a mild curiosity about it but you will never pull this record out on a regular basis and enjoy it for what it is. In one word.. Noise. No structure or flow to any of the tunes. A pity because it could and should of been graet.

should i say anything if i can't say something positive? please don't be lured into buying this thinking you'll be enjoying some new great musical omar excursions. no stars.