Omar Rodriguez-Lopez - Vondelpark Bij Nacht Lyrics

If you know me at all, you’d know that I have a very, very soft spot in my heart for The Mars Volta. Besides releasing one of the Best albums of 2005 with their release Frances the Mute, they also headlined one of my favorite tours this year. After recording, promoting and touring for Frances the Mute, I thought I had gotten my Mars Volta fill for the year. No! They also managed to put together a live album from their 2003-2005 tours which they intend to release later this month. It’s all music from their GROUND BREAKING 2003 release, Deloused in the Comatorium; really phenomenal stuff. After hearing about this album I, again, thought that 2005 had received its Mars Volta quota. Wrong again. Guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez has just embarked on a solo tour with a newly formed quintet to promote a release that has gotten virtually no publicity nor mention until the last month or so. I had no idea he was forming a small side project. He had released an album a year or so ago of his own solo work, and there had been mention of a sequel, but this album is in a completely different direction. Many have called it much more jazz-influenced, which I think I can agree with. It is him at his most self indulgent, certainly. It sounds mostly like a jam session that just happened to be recorded. I’m really pleased with the large presence of Adrian Terrazas. A woodwind extraordinare for The Mars Volta, he really takes center stage alongside Lopez on this release. The back and forth performances are really enjoyable. I’d even argue that he outshines Lopez on a bulk of the album. Where Lopez’s playing sounds like merely noodling, Terraza is able to shoot back with riffs that are well-planned and well executed. This album is definitely something I could imagine listening to while at a small underground club in the city… and hopefully I will sometime soon. The quintet is currently touring in what appears to be faily small clubs through out Europe, with no current US dates planned. I’m hoping for something very small in the major cities. Maybe a show at the Paradise? Could be me at my most optimistic, but I’m certainly hoping for the best.
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