After March 2005's epic of psychadelia, prog, and outright groundbreaking material that was Frances The Mute, they hit us with a live disc called "Scabdates". With such wierd names as "Gust of Mutts" and my personal favourite "Abrasions Mount the Timpani", it looked like live performances with some new material and trademark extended VOLTA jams...a juicy slice from one of the modern scene's most innovative bands. The starting track, "Abrasions Mount the Timpani", begins the spectacle in classic TMV wierdness. Baby shrieking, hospital sounds, and electronic soundscapes create a haunting mood to open the album. After this piece, "Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt" opens with its groove and unforgettable chorus while the rest of the song meanders through incredible jams. "Gust of Mutts" and "Ghost of Pouts" are tracks that segue the remaining parts of Take the Veil with extended jamming and vocal sections that sounded honed from touring. "Caviglia" is a spacious piece with blurbs of effects, keyboard lines, and soft sliding guitar lines to increase the atmosphere, coupled with shouts and moans by Cedric. Overall, very cool! The next piece is a track from the Tremulant EP, "Concertina". A rockin' number that features Ikey's B3 hammond prominently in the mix and some of Omar's best riffing and Cedric's best singing. Includes Adrian Terrazas on saxophone with some crazy effects (!) during the bridge. "Haruspex" is an insane 5-minute jam that hardcore Volta fans will recognize as the jam that was at the tag end of the bootleg of "The Widow" when it was recorded at the Wiltern in May 2004. Features some really cool drumming from Jon Theodore, Robert Plant-esque vocals by Cedric and crazy axework from Omar. And now for Cicatriz Esp., the final 5-part, 45-minute jamout to finish off Scabdates. "Pt. 1" is eight minutes and includes the main verse/chorus riffs from the original version...but once it gives way to the jamming off De-Loused in the Comatorium it transforms into the monster it becomes in live shows: intense jamming, new parts and vocal lines being brought in as though they were there all along. It also includes some of Omar's most melodic guitar work to date...an awesome Omar wah-wah riff then segues into "Pt. 2". It starts off slow than builds to an incredible forte over the two and a half minutes. "Pt. 3" reintroduces the amazing funky wah-riff in Pt. 1 that should be on the next CD, unless TMV is absolutely crazy; you could hear the crowd clapping along to it! About halfway through, the groove changes to insane soloing from Omar to end it and introduce the more spacey "Pt. 4" with an incredible chord progression and nice melodic guitar work from Omar. Sounds like quality album material to me...a similar feel to the slow part from "Cygnus...Vismund Cygnus". Finally, "Pt. 5" is a 20-minute monolith that begins with a keyboard solo with some sampling and effects and saxophone craziness. Around the 10:00 mark, the band comes in with some crazy riffing which fades to electronic soundscapes. Around 17:30 the band comes in again for real with great organ work by Ikey in this intense section...which then finishes with an energetic ending of the original "Cicatriz Esp". I love what Cedric says at the end: "Thanks for coming out everybody, go home and take a bath." Overall, The Mars Volta is so creative they can play their old songs and you can hear 50-60% new music and jamming everytime...its just incredible to hear from such talented musicians. This is no gimmick, people, Scabdates is definately something to get as soon as you can.
I read everything down to Cicatriz, I've heard that's supposed to be something special, and I don't want to ruin the surprise for November 8th. But thanks for getting me even more excited!
Odaton, you know just as well as anyone that to some people, no matter how innovative or creative the music is, the band will always be shat on and be called a gimmick. The Mars Volta is no different, sadly. It seems that people just don't want to listen to something that's different and refreshing. They hit the scene in 2002 with "Tremulant", and it was different from the shit that was released in that year. The next year, "De-Loused.." was released. It didn't get the #1 spot, and they probably never will. It's a shame that they'll never receive the popularity as a band like, say, Linkin Park or Green Day. I wish this was the 70s. Bands like the two I mentioned would be hated and despised, and bands like Coheed & Cambria and The Mars Volta would be accepted and embraced most likely. Then again, there was disco in the 70s.
yeah.. i dont know why TMV isnt worshiped the way they should be... Ahh well when they first started touring they werent that great on stage.. but now their live stuff kicks ass i think its better that people dont know TMV that much because i can play it and feel like its my own.. not some dribble that everyone likes
I don't want The Mars Volta being played on MTV, no. But it'd be nice if their records sold more. Maybe a few concerts on MTV2 like the $2 Bill things. Just the little things. Just a small amount of exposure can do wonders. Airing Televators, The Widow, etc. on MTV2 at early hours isn't much of a big deal, you know. In any event, I got "Scabdates" today. It's... not your typical live album. I expected a straight up live album, and got something mixed with a studio album. I can't say I'm disappointed.