#127 The Mars Volta

At first I was a bit cool on The Mars Volta. I appreciated their first full-length, De-Loused in the Comatorium, but wasn't wowed. I saw them play at All Tomorrow's Parties and wasn't completely convinced either. Their drawn-out, improvadelic jams didn't click with me for some reason. Then my wife discovered the band, and as she fell in love with De-Loused, I too became enamored with its tape-loop segues, impenetrable lyrics and epic prog-rock crescendos. And then Frances the Mute hit the scene. Their new full-length, which hits stores next Tuesday, is more experimental than the last. The Widow, the first single from the record, is deceptively straight-forward and one of the best rock ballads I've heard in years. The rest of the record is a stunning mix of Latin beats, Sun-Ra flavored excursions and sweet, sweet bombast. I listen to The Mars Volta loud and often and recommend you do the same.