CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

The Bedlam in Goliath

by: The Mars Volta

Release Date January 29, 2008
I don't write artistic music reviews. Let me just say that I have listened to this album almost every day since it was released, and I am still far from bored or sick of listening to it. I have not listened to much of my other music this year, Bedlam seems to have sucked the life out of it all. I hope the Volta unleashes more brutal assaults on us soon. I hear the next album will be mellow/acoustic.

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

De-Loused in the Comatorium

by: The Mars Volta

Release Date June 24, 2003
This album by the Mars Volta is brilliant. The album starts with an energetic few tracks, and goes into a spacy jam of Cicatrez ESP. It ends quite abruptly feeling, but the ending leaves you satisfied. The story is about a man named Cerpin Taxt, who poisons himself, goes into a coma, has dreams about bizzare things, and then wakes up, and jumps off of a bridge. (Very dark sounding, I know.) The story is actually great when put into the song, and his story can be interpreted as you would like, and Cedric Bixler-Zavala definitely leaves alot of lyrics unexplained. Guest appearences include RHCP's John Frusciante for Cicatrez ESP, and RHCP's bassist Flea plays throughout. ATD-I band members make a step forward from the previous genre, paving a ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

Frances the Mute

by: The Mars Volta

Release Date March 01, 2005
the mars volta walked to my house and sat on my porch. the mars volta started smoking something. the mars volta knocked on my door but didn't stand up. I opened the door and then closed the door and then sat on the porch next to the mars volta. we didn't say anything for a while. the mars volta exclaimed, "e-e-e-eyes!" it was OK. I knew that the mars volta was OK.

--http://alicia-pernell.blogspot.com/

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

Amputechture

by: The Mars Volta

Release Date September 12, 2006
Great band from El Paso that have a lot of King Crimson spirit. Who said prog bands can't come from El Paso? Awesome music with outstanding guitar play. There is no doubt that they are weird but they are weird in a good and interesting way. I will be seeking out more of their work!

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

Calibration (is Pushing Luck and Key Too Far)

by: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

Release Date February 05, 2008
Seriously, I don't know why everything Omar makes does this to me, and I often wonder if it's just me, but here we go:

I bought Calibration, and gave it a listen. I went through the entire album and it was spacey and weird (like I expected). It was okay, but I didn't think I would listen to it too much. 5 days later, I put together a playlist real fast to work to and realize that every single track from this album had grown on me so much in 5 days that they are all on this list. TMV and Omar's side project concept albums are more than just music for me. They are basically all I listen to, they never get old, and since they cover 4 different genres at some point in their albums so far I have songs that sound great no matter what mood I am in.
... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

The Bedlam In Goliath [2 LP Vinyl]

by: The Mars Volta

Release Date June 10, 2008
I don't write artistic music reviews. Let me just say that I have listened to this album almost every day since it was released, and I am still far from bored or sick of listening to it. I have not listened to much of my other music this year, Bedlam seems to have sucked the life out of it all. I hope the Volta unleashes more brutal assaults on us soon. I hear the next album will be mellow/acoustic.

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

Tremulant

by: The Mars Volta

Release Date November 23, 2001
First I got Deloused, and then, starving for more of this incredible mind-bending sound, I got Tremulant and was pleased. This EP is an incredible example of the Mars Volta's monumental skills. This album is replete with blazing soundscapes and incredible vocals. The songs on Tremulant (just three) have the same sound of Deloused material but with less experimental song structures. Omar's writing and playing astounds. Cedric's otherworldly vocals carry every track. Jon Theodore's drumming is, as usual, the best. The keyboard and bass add just two more incredible layers to the masterpiece. And Jeremy Ward's (RIP) sound collages open and close the album perfectly.

SONGS:
Cut That City- Opens with a rather long and hypnotic sound collage with no melodic ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

Scab Dates

by: The Mars Volta

Release Date November 08, 2005
I have been a huge TMV fan for 4 years, but for some reason I had always ignored Scabdates... Probably since a few of the songs are on other albums, I didn't think it would be anything special. I ordered it on a whim the other day and since I got it I can't stop listening. It's a bunch of jam session I hadn't heard (that I really really like) and a new spin on songs I already loved. The emotion in the music and voice is pumped up a bit.

I will, however, say that this should not be the first TMV album you sample. Almost every time I hear a new Volta song I think to myself "okay, this is even a little crazy for the Volta..." But then about 3 listens later I love it. TMV is like coffee, wine, beer, etc... You almost surely won't care for it so much the first time ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

The Bedlam in Goliath

by: The Mars Volta

Release Date June 17, 2008
I don't write artistic music reviews. Let me just say that I have listened to this album almost every day since it was released, and I am still far from bored or sick of listening to it. I have not listened to much of my other music this year, Bedlam seems to have sucked the life out of it all. I hope the Volta unleashes more brutal assaults on us soon. I hear the next album will be mellow/acoustic.

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

Amputechture

by: The Mars Volta

Release Date September 19, 2006
Great band from El Paso that have a lot of King Crimson spirit. Who said prog bands can't come from El Paso? Awesome music with outstanding guitar play. There is no doubt that they are weird but they are weird in a good and interesting way. I will be seeking out more of their work!