The Bedlam in Goliath
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Test Spin
January 31, 2008 - 1:00amThe Mars Volta’s musical innovation never comes without a price, whether it be overwrought lyrics or goofy marketing (here, some horsecrap about a Ouija board curse). Predictably, then, the rare high points on their new release, The Bedlam in Goliath (“Aberinkula,” “Ilyena”), are overshadowed by ostentatious drivel. These guys are obviously talented (check out new drummer Thomas Pidgen), and, occasionally, their pristine production and atypical harmonies produce something disturbingly awe-inspiring.
But the band’s stuck in a rut; Frances the Mute (2005) was their best work, and it’s been downhill ever since. Despite shorter and more numerous offerings on this album, variety is scant. Rare moments like “Soothsayer,” where the band experiments with Middle Eastern motifs and choir samples, are the exception rather than the rule. It’s a shame — with so much technical virtuosity and musical vision, you wish they’d turn away from material so hackneyed, morbid and overdone.
Refreshing
I totally disagree, The Bedlam in Goliath is a new and refreshing turn in The Mars Volta Group's astounding musical career. Their music has become more fluid and accessable then the last album Frances the Mute, though even more odd and quarky. Cedric and Omar have delivered a fun experience that might even prompt you to dance, as I have done. I would reccommend this album to anyone who is a true fan of The Mars Volta Group.