If being weird and original were enough to get by in today's world of music, then The Mars Volta would probably be one of the world's biggest rock bands. Fortunately for listeners everywhere, weird and original are not the only means of determining a good band; however, for those who can appreciate weirdness and originality, The Mars Volta's latest CD, The Bedlam in Goliath, has more than enough of both of those attributes.
On The Bedlam in Goliath, The Mars Volta's fourth full-length album, the Long Beach, Calif., band continues to explore its Latin-infused progressive rock. Released less than a year and a half after its last effort, 2006's Amputechture, The Bedlam in Goliath the album features Red Hot Chili Peppers' John Frusciante on guitar alongside lead guitarist and The Mars Volta co-founder Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. It's a strange, yet wonderful blend of guitar styles - Frusciante's funky playing complements Rodriguez-Lopez's Latin-style very well.
The album's first track, "Aberinkula," sets the stage for how the rest of the album is going to sound. The track starts quickly, with vocalist and co-founder Cedric Bixler-Zavala screaming "Have you seen the living?/ Child of narrow chutes/ I will not be reversed/ toss her in the well." Bixler-Zavala calms down during the verses, singing in a more understandable tone. The track has an Egyptian feel to it near the end, and leads right into the second track, "Metatron."
"Metatron" features a driving guitar riff joined by a bunch of distortion. It sounds like a punk song with psychedelic overtones. The song almost sounds like it's going to burn itself out after about three minutes, but "Metatron" keeps chugging along for more than eight minutes. It's a little bit too long, but overall it's a solid track.
The most memorable lyrics from The Bedlam in Goliath might just be Bixler-Zavala screaming "Maybe I'll breakdown/ maybe I'll try" at the beginning of "Metatron." Unfortunately, part of the reason they would be the most memorable is because these lyrics are one of the few that the listener can actually understand on first listen. Bixler-Zavala's high-pitched, shrill voice takes some getting used to, and can be a bit jarring at first. For listeners who take the time to get comfortable with Bixler-Zavala's voice (or for those who are already fans of The Mars Volta) they will find some very rewarding vocals.
The album's first single, "Wax Simulacra," follows The Mars Volta's style of not following the norm. The track is a mere two minutes, 38 seconds long, which is barely a blip on the album's 76-minute 13-second runtime.
Bixler-Zavala's whiney, shrill voice is prominent in this song, singing "Came back to doubt yourself/ But broke in two/ They find it punctual/ With idle tooth/ I'll find something/ To shake by the roots." There's not really much else to say about the song as it simply doesn't play long enough to elicit strong feelings about it one way or the other.
The album closes with "Conjugal Burns," a welcome change into a slower style, at least for part of the song. Bixler-Zavala's lyrics are cryptic: "Where am I now/ That the music has faded?" "Conjugal Burns" leaves the listener off of a good note, as it's not too weird to put off the listener.
Critic's Conclusion: Well, The Mars Volta certainly is different, and there's no arguing this. If the listener has an open mind to different-sounding music, and can get past Bixler-Zavala's voice, The Bedlam in Goliath is a fun ride that will leave most people wondering what hit them at the end. B-
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