Customer Reviews

Xenophanes

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

 

 

I am a big fan of Omar, but mostly in the context of the Mars Volta and At the Drive-In. I love each of their albums, and I think that the man is a genius.

However, his solo work has been all over the place. Calibration is hardly song oriented and combines mostly noise elements and processed vocals that were briefly introduced on Frances the Mute (but were not the focus of that album). It is heavy music and hard to get into. Apocalypse is a great album, but it at times feels like it goes on for too long.

And now onto Xenophanes. This is truly a gem, and I was surprised not to see more reviews here. It is much more song-oriented than the rest of Omar's solo work. The riffs are very catchy while still sounding fresh and experimental, and Omar's vocals in Spanish are quite good and go well with this music. I won't go into a song-by-song review here - they all flow very well together.

Overall, Omar has created an excellent and moody record, but without making it difficult to listen to. Highly recommended!

This album is very peculiar; its just as accessible as it is complex. The newest Omar fans as well as the oldest are all able to appreciate this album. I actually delayed listening to this for awhile when I read it had Ximena on co-lead vocals, since I'm not the biggest fan of her vocals. I put it off for a while along with Tychohorizonte, Cizana de los Amores, and Ciencia de los Inutiles. However, when I did spin it, I found out Omar actually did the majority of the lead vocals, and Ximena's vocals were more supporting or harmonizing, and when used in this context, I suddenly found a massive appreciation for her voice. There's a song or two where she does sing lead, but even on these she sounds a little different than on other releases, and I enjoyed her vocals very much. That being said, this is one of his most solid albums, with the whole thing from front to back consisting of great, well-written, well-composed songs that take the listener through an audio journey into your own mind. I don't even have to know Spanish, which I don't, to know what is being sung and what is going on. Definitely a great album and a lot of fun to listen to. 4(1/2) stars out of 5

If you haven't heard Xenophanes, you can at the Omar Rodriguez Lopez Productions' web page in the Catalogue, under the 'Digital' tab that appears below the LP; you can stream the entire thing (along with most of his/defacto/tmv releases!) and decide for yourself.

Mixed by Rich Costey, Thomas Pridgin on drums, Ximena Sarinena (up and coming Mexican pop singer with a unique, pleasant voice; also ORML's lady if I'm not mistaken), art design by Sonny Kay.


In the context of Bedlam of Goliath, Pridgin's fusion chops could be taken as miscellaneous prog shredding of the worst kind --a shame. On Xenophanes OMRL has music that more than meets his drummer's style and strengths half-way, and the result is a great deal more satisfying.

Ximena Sariñana singing ORML's lyrics is the real highlight and pleasure of the LP --Omar's surely auto-tune corrected vocals are unexpectedly tolerable, though Ximena takes center stage and keeps it for the most part (Especially Track 6). Her being listed as an accompanist is yet another ironic, humorous conceit on the part of the uber-producer-arranger-yaddayaddayadda OMRL.


This reviewer's judgement: if not the strongest material since Frances the Mute, then Xenophanes is certainly the most compelling, focused and uniquely stylized release in-itself since Tremulant, this coming from an early admirer of TMV/OMRL's work. The lyrics are especially compelling, being completely in the Spanish tongue; the textures, lush; the percussion and rhythm sections tight and focused. Nothing negative to add other than possibly the mix: loud, loud, loud!

If you are buying this LP, you probably already know it is a great album and features omar singing alongside ximena sarinana. great stuff.

the record itself is bright pink and the whole thing is a work of art.

greatly satisfied!!!

Omar Rodriguez Lopez is one of the most prolific solo artists of all time and Xenophanes is his newest artistic creation that combines elements of jazz, rock, and latin into a cocktail of musical experimentation. The man behind the musical success of The Mars Volta has usually saved his best material for that band but here on Xenophanes he unleashes a burst of creative energy that is both interesting and accessible. The songs are more focused and the riffs are more memorable than his previous solo work and the inclusion of Thomas Pridgen on drums is a key to the intense vibe on this album. Highlights include the amazing grooves of "Mundo De Ciegos", the memorable melodies of "Desarraigo", and the killer instrumental section of "Flores De Cizana". When compared to The Mars Volta, the quality of Xenophanes lies somewhere between the solid work of Octahedron and the masterpiece The Bedlam In Goliath making this a 4.5 star album. The awesome album artwork is the icing on the cake....