Mars Volta-The New Album

[opus]

I wanted to know some of your opinions on this albums sonics. I have heard diverse comments on the recording/mixing quality. To me, the mix of "The Widow" just kicks my ass. I love those drums. Any opinions????

[Sirocco]

i dont like the overall dynamics. i hear the same a lot.

[eligit]

i'll be painfully honest.

was really looking forward to this one but couldn't even make it through the whole thing when i finally got it.

the songs felt overstuffed and frantic with too much vocal wailing overdubs and i felt the noise interludes were kind of a cop out because the songs didn't have proper ends.

and the HARSH sonics drove me away. really nasty sounding. not the kind where there is richness and then contrasting harshness layered on top. just all around harsh.

also it was too freakin loud and crushed.

really will have to come back to it and give it another chance cause these guys are talented but first impression of this record was not positive.

[opus]

I agree that the album as a whole is kinda hectic, But am I the only one who thinks that the song "The Widow" sounds amazing????The Drummers taste is right up my alley.

[eligit]

Originally Posted by opus

I agree that the album as a whole is kinda hectic, But am I the only one who thinks that the song "The Widow" sounds amazing????The Drummers taste is right up my alley.

i will have to check it.

since i am a guitar player i really didn't like the guitar sounds because they were so nasty but i will have to screen that out and listen to the drums.

who knows, i might even like it a little more this time.

[BrianBrian]

Originally Posted by opus

I agree that the album as a whole is kinda hectic, But am I the only one who thinks that the song "The Widow" sounds amazing????The Drummers taste is right up my alley.

Yes, the overall album is hectic and it seems to be squashed too much. I am with you though on "The Widow", I really dig those drum sounds, especially the kick. It works very well with the bass.

[denial]

I think it's a great record but takes quite a few listens to grasp.
The drum sound and performance is also great.

[alphajerk]

i loved the first one. dont like the new one.

[eligit]

Originally Posted by denial

I think it's a great record but takes quite a few listens to grasp.
The drum sound and performance is also great.

even the sound?

i'm all for stuff that takes a while to "get" on a musical level but the sonics on this one just made me want to turn it off.

[stereomixer]

Costey blew it, no seperation, all compressed, bad eq decisions, no full dynamic range, no seamless sections, to much top end, bad lower mids, overthought mixes, sounds lke a bad demo to me, this is not Brendan O Brian mixing here folks.

Originally Posted by eligit

even the sound?

i'm all for stuff that takes a while to "get" on a musical level but the sonics on this one just made me want to turn it off.

[opus]

Well, "the widow" is definitly thier only single on the whole album and it sounds like it might have been mixed with different intention then the majority of the album. I will check the credits to see if any other "mixers" were involved for thier "single". But I like the raw sound of the whole song, guitars and all. It has Raw energy that I dont hear much of anymore.

[Dragonfly]

I think the album sounds great. Never mind the arrangement, its hectic because thats what they are and thats their sound. Omar produced this one, rick Reuben was not on board. I thought he and Rich Costey put together a solid sophomore album, and for everything that went in, I'd say they did a find job sonically carving space for each element.

It's unfortunate that The widow is the single in my opinion also, it is definitely not the catchiest song on the album. Cygnus Vismund kicks ass, as does L'via L'viaquez, Miranda, and Cassandra Gemini. I like the guitar tones, and the drums are more open and roomy than I'd normally like, but I still like how they sound in this context.

Fleas trumpet playin ain't the best though, downright brutal.

[grahluk]

Love it in all it's messy sprawl. I thought it was pretty pretentious at first about the song lengths and all broken down into movements. Oh? Art! This is a "Composition" After listening though that's pretty much the only way I can see putting names and track ID's to that thing. Musically I love how after a theme changes it eventually returns 20 minutes later and dynamically fits. Hat's off to them. They're the real deal even if they're a bit obtuse. Also great live. Saw them a couple years ago. Will see them again tomorrow. The album sure has a lot of layers and such but live they pull it all off. A billion overdubs but they can at least play all the parts confidently. I liken them to Led Zeppelin, Hendrix or Janes Addiction in that their studio records can be very grand as far as overdub parts while live the music doesn't seem to suffer from the leaner arrangement. IMO pretty ****ing amazing band. I could see them giving other acts on the same bill a bit of a complex. Soundwise? Well I could see it benefitting from a different production aproach. I do believe what we hear is intentional and not the result of incompetence. Their aesthetic sonic wise is pretty consistent across their 3 releases and is not out of character with their live sound. Of course live their sound is a bit fuller and more dynamic but hey that's live.

[eligit]

i think the band should do exactly what they want as far as songs and playing and all that. i enjoy this band's music basically even if some of the tracks here are a little less than crucial to me.

i just am not crazy about the depth and smoothness of the individual sounds or the mix as a whole. just feels a little crushed and flat and harsh at times. and the singer could have been recorded more flatteringly without loosing the rawness they were obviously after. it just sounds a little whiny and thin.

still a really cool band. reminds me of achilles last stand off the zep record presence (the most underrated zep album)