The 11 Best Songs By The Mars Volta

It's official.  Coachella line-up has been officially released.  The Mars Volta has broken up.  I guess that means we'll have to wait until Coachella 2023 for the reunion.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By The Mars Volta

1. Intertiatic E.S.P. (De-Loused in the Comatorium)
2. Metatron (The Bedlam in Goliath)
3. Viscera Eyes (Amputechture)
4. This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed (De-Loused in the Comatorium)
5. Ouroborous (The Bedlam in Goliath) 
6. Drunken Ship of Lanterns (De-Loused in the Comatorium)
7. Teflon (Octahedron)
8. Concertina (Tremulant)
9. Ilyena (The Bedlam in Goliath)
10. Lapochka (Noctourniquet)
11. Meccamputechture (Amputechture)

The 11 Best Songs By The Mars Volta

As some bands age, they get more radio-friendly and less daring.  Their one-time attempt to re-invent their genre is replaced with the need to conform to the masses.  Not the Mars Volta.  As they get older they actually get weirder and more chaotic. It's like they're a marathon runner who veers off the smooth path to the finish line in order to take a rocky unmarked path to the middle of nowhere where the end is only vague a suggestion.  A place where Syd Barrett and Jerry Garcia are jamming while Kurt Cobain bar-b-ques hot dogs.  Yeah, the Mars Volta's music makes that little sense.  As distance and as inaccessible as it at times, it's always refreshing to hear that some band is still concerned about tearing down the future rather than being content on settling into the past.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By The Mars Volta:

1. Ouroborous (Bedlam in Goliath)  
2. Ilyena (Bedlam in Goliath)
3. Intertiatic E.S.P. (De-Loused in the Comatorium)
4. Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt (De-Loused in the Comatorium)
5. L'Via L'Viaquez (Frances The Mute)
6. Viscera Eyes (Amputechture)
7. Metatron (Bedlam in Goliath)
8. Roulette Dares (De-Loused in the Comatorium)
9. Miranda That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore (Frances The Mute)
10. Cotopaxi (Octahedron)
11. Wax Simulacra (Bedlam in Goliath)

Buy The Mars Volta's new album, Nocturniquet ...now.

The 11 Most Anticipated Albums of Spring 2012

Tebow nation is on fire.  Nothing will further propel his legendary status than throwing 316 in his upset victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.  But was it really an upset?  Was it really that surprising that Denver won?  I don't think so...in fact, I called it.  (I swear...you can ask the one friend I told they were going to win).  There's three things you have to take into account.  First of all, Tebow is not leading a 8-8 team.  He's QBing for a 7-4 team.  There were five games of the season where he wasn't playing.  Even if he only won two of those games, they'd be a 9-7 team.  A 9-7 team upsetting a 12-4 team isn't that big of a stretch...especially since they're playing at home (which is the second factor).  Thirdly, Pittsburgh was injured up the ass.  Literally...I read one of the defensive end injured his ass.  With Mendenhall out...Big Ben at about 50% and half the o/d lines riding the bench...the Steelers were not at full strength.  Denver beating Pittsburgh is a mild upset at best...it doesn't even compare to 7-9 Seattle's upset last year of defending Superbowl Champions New Orleans.  In football...any given Sunday...and team can win.

In music...any given Tuesday, an established vet can release a dud.  A has-been can make a comeback.  Or a new band could become a new trend-setter.  Who will make waves this year...that is something we've never been able to predict.

Here are the 11 Most Anticipated Albums of Spring 2012:

1.  Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band - TBA (May)
2.  Kanye West - G.O.O.D. Album (May)
3.  Smashing Pumpkins - Oceania (June)
4.  Madonna - Gimme All Your Luvin (April)
5.  Metric - Realities (May)
6.  Garbage - TBA (June)
7.  Mazzy Star - TBA (April)
8.  The Hives - TBA (May)
9.  K'naan - TBA (May)
10.  Beck & Dwight Yoakam - TBA (June)
11.  The Mars Volta - In Absentia (April)

The 11 Best Mars Volta Songs

Not only does today see the 5th studio album by Austin's dynamic duo Omar and Cedric. Octahedron marks the 5th album featuring Omar on lead guitar...to come out this year. With three solo albums and side project featuring Cedric on vocals...and the other guys from MV as the backing band...Omar proves that Ryan Adams is really just a big slacker.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By the Mars Volta:

1. Miranda That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore (Frances The Mute)

2. Roulette Dares (De-Loused in the Comatorium)

3. Ouroborous (The Bedlam in Goliath)

4. Intertiatic E.S.P. (De-Loused in the Comatorium)

5. Ilyena (The Bedlam in Goliath)

6. The Widow (Frances The Mute)

7. Meccamputecture (Amputechture)

8. Drunkenship of Lanterns (De-Loused in the Comatorium)

9. Viscera Eyes (Amputechture)

10. Metatron (The Bedlam in Goliath)

11. Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt (De-Loused in the Comatorium)

Buy the new Mars Volta album, Octahedron....now!!!

The 11 Best Songs By Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

Has American Idol destroyed the music industry?

Everyone wants to blame the internet and all the illegal downloading. But believe it or not...a lot of people STILL don't know how to do it. My parents have a hard enough time checking their email...let alone figuring out what the hell a torrent is. My friends have too much going on in their lives to hunt down where to download the music, they would rather just buy the album off itunes because it's less hassle. So is downloading to blame? For a small percentage...sure. But for a 60% drop? There's something bigger going on.

American Idol has become the mainstream. This is where America learns about new music. But the difference between AI candidates and real rock stars...AI candidates have no musical talent. Sure they can sing...but they have no connection to the music they're singing. It's not personal. It's not created from inside them. In fact, they themselves are created to be the artist that America thinks they want. The problem is...you can only wear that mask for so long. That's why all the AI artists' 2nd albums tank. They're not real musicians. They are karoake artists. A gimmick. And once "that artists'" gimmick has warn off...no cares anymore.

I really think the American Idol topic has a lot more to it...so over the next couple of days...I'll explore it in more detail. and hopefully, I can convince you all to turn it off...and bring back a music industry resurgance.

With a new Mars Volta album only a couple weeks out... ever prolific Omar (lead guitar) is releasing his 11th (that's right) solo album in 5 years. Let's see anyone on American Idol do that. This newest venture brings on Mars Volta singer, Cedric, to add vocals to all but two songs...so basically...it's like a Mars Volta album...to warm-up for the coming Mars Volta album.

Here are the 11 Best Songs By Omar Rodriguez-Lopez:

1. La Tirania de la Tradicion (Se Dice Bisonte)
2. Calibration (Calibration)
3. The Palpatations Form A Limit (A Manual Dexterity)
4. ....Is Pushing Lucy (Calibration)
5. Se Dice Bisonte (Se Dice Bisonte)
6. Power of Myth (Old Money)
7. Jacob Van Leenpkade II (The Apocalypse Inside of an Orange)
8. Hands Tied To The Roots of a Hemorage (Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fungus)
9. Coma Pony (The Apocalypse Inside of an Orange)
10. Tied Prom Digs on the Docks (Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fungus)
11. Dispanec Triage (Megritual)

Buy Omar's new solo album, El Grupo Nuevo de Omar - Cryptomnesia.

The 11 Best Albums of 2008 (Part 4)

With Obama set to take office in a little over a month...it's like we can't get out of 2008 fast enough. But before we sprint to the finish...let's not forget what good stuff did come out along the way.

And DON'T FORGET...to send me your lists!!! Just through them in the comment section and I'll make a full tally of 111 albums.

Here are the 11 Best Albums of 2008 (Part 4):

12. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
13. The Mars Volta - Bedlam in Goliath (Memories - bonus track)
14. Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst
15. Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak
16. The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement (My Mistakes - Jools Holland)
17. Metallica - Death Magnetic (Get album for $5.00)
18. Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life (No Epiphany - Daytrotter)
19. Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
20. Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell
21. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
22. Q-Tip - The Renassaince (get album for $5.00)

Visit my amazon store.

The 11 Best Mars Volta Songs

Why do we watch bad movies? You rent a bad movie thinking that there's something about it you like. Actress, Director, even just a cool title can tilt your decision to sacrifice a night in the favor of this cinematic entity. Getting sucked into watching a bad movie is one thing...but why do we keep watching? After 15-minutes, we pretty much know that the show is either good or a waste of our hard earned salaries. So why do we keep watching? We've already flushed the $4 down the toilet, not to mention canceling much better plans... so why do we stick with this cinematic road kill knowing that the time we spend watching will never be returned to us? It's like we think if we stick with the picture that it will somehow turn into the epic we hoped for. But deep down inside...we all know that will never ever happen. Never. Why throw away a perfectly good hour of our life? We all know it's the wrong choice. We all know if we click the "off" button, we'll all be much happier. But maybe it's in our nature to never give up. That if we stick with something that sucks, when we get the prize at the end of the tunnel, that the victory will be that much more glorious. Or maybe that's just what we tell ourselves.

Here are the 11 Best Mars Volta Songs:

1. Miranda This Ghost Isn't Holy Anymore: Pour Another Icepick (Frances the Mute)
2. Roulette Dares (De-Loused in the Comatorium)
3. Intertiatic E.S.P. (De-Loused in the Comatorium)
4. The Widow (Frances the Mute)
5. Meccamputechture (Amputechture)
6. Drunkship of Lanterns (De-Loused in the Comatorium)
7. Viscera Eyes (Amputechture)
8. Concertina (Tremulant)
9. This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed (De-Loused in the Comatorium)
10. Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt (De-Loused in the Comatorium)
11. A Plague Upon Your Hissing (B-Side)

Buy the absolutely ridiculously awesomely new Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliath (and get 2 bonus tracks).