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by **LOLtron** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 10:51 am

Check out this review of The Mars Volta's latest album.

The first 10 seconds of Noctourniquet start like some kind of lullaby slowly churning a little melody. That suddenly disappears and gives way to the nightmare of industrial drums and strange noises that make this, without a doubt, the new Mars Volta album.

Fans of De-Loused in Comatorium or its brilliant follow-up Frances the Mute will wonder where that band has gone but people who stuck by through Amputechture and Octahedron may have seen this album coming. The album is not something that can be casually listened to while trying to complete menial tasks around the house or driving around ... or at least not until you fall in love with it . I actually didn't like the album one bit on first listen. For once, the music started to match the idiocy, bombast and nonsense of the lyrics. For people who hate The Mars Volta, this is the album they've been waiting for to completely write off TMV as the unlistenable band of pretentious prog rock pieces of shit that they think they are. I almost did it after my first listen but, then I went back and tried again and again and again and again.

On my second listen I heard an album that sounded as if the drums were on some kind of geared crank. The crank starts ramping up slowly and when it finally got too tight and the release is let go and the drums come crashing through only to start the process over. This technique is repeated on most of the albums songs and it never gets old.

The problem with Noctourniquet is that it has almost zero song structure, something TMV have played with since Frances the Mute: meandering songs that don't have verses or bridges or even a recognizable hook. Instead the album is filled with free form, stream of consciousness songwriting that includes such lyrics as, "I am a landmine so don't you step on me ... 'cause I can blossom on the petals of an ECT", and "In the time of the sixth slug we are cattle to the prawn." One of the strangest songs on the album is the first single released back in February, The Malkin Jewel, a strange prog rock Tom Wait pirate shanty. That's the only way to describe it.

The guitar heroics that have been heard on previous albums are mostly sacrificed on this album. We get lots of strange guitar fuzz noises and lots of synth stabs, but not many true guitar pyrotechnics. The star of this album is newly-minted fulltime keyboard player Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez (the younger brother of band leader Omar). Unlike on past albums, the keyboards are front and center, as is obvious on the previously mentioned Malkin Jewel.

If you're looking for exciting TMV songs like you've heard before, then you're going to be lost. The most TMV sounding song on the album is MolochWalker.

Overall, the album is highly enjoyable. If you're not a Mars Volta fan already, then there is little chance you're going to like this. This album comes out of left field, especially when you know that this summer members of TMV will be rejoining their old band mates for a few festival shows as At the Drive-In. After listening to Noctourniquet many times, I can tell you that these At the Drive-In dates aren't about making music, they are about making money to create more albums with lots of weird noises. VIVA LA MARS VOLTA!

Written or Contributed by: guitarsmashley

http://www.theouthousers.com/index.php/reviews/entertainment-reviews/18722-yoni-takes-a-leak-on-the-mars-volta.html/

by **guitarsmashley** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 12:36 pm

Missing two links.

by **eltopo** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 12:59 pm

great write up,great album.In a lot of ways I think this is TMV's most causal listener friendly album the songs are short,the whacked out guitar effect laden freak outs are at a minimum,the whole album is in English (though Cedric has a knack for using words that I've never heard before) and over all I think that on purely emotional level the causal fan will be able to relate to the heartfelt way Cedric projects his complex lyrical phrasing Songs like "Empty Vessels Make The Loudest Sound" and "In Absentia" really stand out in this regard.The Mars volta better than any band I've ever listen to can narrate a story through an entire album even if you as a listener are not quite sure of what the characters look like or where they're going.The music is so strong that even if you don't know the story Hyacinth or Solomon Grundy you can still enjoy the album start to finish. As a diehard TMV I'm constantly waiting for them to release a bad album (the shit live album doesn't count) because I feel it's bound to happen but it hasn't yet they contiune you to make great really challenging stuff that I can't get enough of

by **guitarsmashley** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 1:12 pm

eltopo wrote: As a diehard TMV I'm constantly waiting for them to release a bad album (the shit live album doesn't count) because I feel it's bound to happen but it hasn't yet they contiune you to make great really challenging stuff that I can't get enough of

What's surprising to me is the Output. Tool is obviously one of my absolute favorite bands and they haven't made a bad album yet either, granted it be nice to include one more song and no random noise tracks on the last two but still very strong albums but the Output isn't there at all. TMV released their 2nd or 3rd album depending on how you want to score it since 10,000 days came out.

by **eltopo** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 1:18 pm

guitarsmashley wrote:
What's surprising to me is the Output. Tool is obviously one of my absolute favorite bands and they haven't made a bad album yet either, granted it be nice to include one more song and no random noise tracks on the last two but still very strong albums but the Output isn't there at all. TMV released their 2nd or 3rd album depending on how you want to score it since 10,000 days came out.

yeah I'm also a big Tool fan and while I agree they haven't made a bad album yet I could do with 4 minute songs with chanting and doctors talking and junk like that, I feel like Tool thinks that have to have a few weird tracks on the album and I know TMV does the same thing but in my opinion their weirdness doesn't feel as organic as TMV. Talking about their output Omar (the guitar player he also writes all the music..for those that don't know) puts out like 4 solo albums a year oh and last year he also made a feature film,that guy's productivity is just insane

by **guitarsmashley** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 1:30 pm

Alot of it could do with bank accounts. Tool sells arenas and TMV plays 3000 seat theaters. And Tool have the luxury of doing other things that keep them out of the studio. They only just started rehearsing for a new album in January and say Maynard will come into the studio to start writing in June. He brings them out to tour in order to fund his heavy loss Pucifer tours and who knows what his wine making venture brings in or losses.

by **eltopo** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 1:59 pm

guitarsmashley wrote:Alot of it could do with bank accounts. Tool sells arenas and TMV plays 3000 seat theaters. And Tool have the luxury of doing other things that keep them out of the studio. They only just started rehearsing for a new album in January and say Maynard will come into the studio to start writing in June. He brings them out to tour in order to fund his heavy loss Pucifer tours and who knows what his wine making venture brings in or losses.

yeah Pucifer is not very god

by **DMM** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:04 pm

guitarsmashley wrote:TMV plays 3000 seat theaters.

I saw TMV at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. That's where the Flyers (NHL) used to play. It's pretty big; it seats like 18,000 people.

by **eltopo** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:22 pm

DMM wrote:I saw TMV at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. That's where the Flyers (NHL) used to play. It's pretty big; it seats like 18,000 people.

wow they played the spectrum? I've seen them twice in Philly both time was at the electric factory (awesome Venue)

by **DMM** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:23 pm

eltopo wrote:wow they played the spectrum? I've seen them twice in Philly both time was at the electric factory (awesome Venue)

They were opening for System of a Down.

Yeah, the electric factory is great. My favorite place in Philly is the Trocadero, though.

by **guitarsmashley** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:23 pm

DMM wrote:I saw TMV at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. That's where the Flyers (NHL) used to play. It's pretty big; it seats like 18,000 people.

Opening?

by **DMM** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:26 pm

guitarsmashley wrote:Opening?

Yep.

Nice review, by the way. I may have to check this out. I didn't buy the last album. It's not because I had become disenchanted with the band or hated Ampecture or anything like that. I just forgot to buy it.

by **eltopo** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:30 pm

DMM wrote:They were opening for System of a Down.

Yeah, the electric factory is great. My favorite place in Philly is the Trocadero, though.

yeah I saw them at the Baltimore arena on that tour. I felt bad for both bands cuz the crowd was all little kids and big meathead nu-metal jock types they didn't seem to care about the whole show until SOAD played one of thier radio songs

by **guitarsmashley** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:32 pm

DMM wrote:They were opening for System of a Down.

Yeah, the electric factory is great. My favorite place in Philly is the Trocadero, though.

Yeah I saw them play Madison Square Garden before De-loused came out...opening for Queens of the Stone Age and RHCP(worst live band ever)

by **eltopo** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:40 pm

guitarsmashley wrote:
Yeah I saw them play Madison Square Garden before De-loused came out...opening for Queens of the Stone Age and RHCP(worst live band ever)

thank you
RHCP are terrible live