wickedfullpac

• Cedric Bixler-zavala

This is my view:Omar solo De Facto TMV ATDI. I don't like the latter at all.I still haven't managed to get a decent quality version of the Apocalypse Inside of an Orange but I'll be looking for it soon because it keeps slipping my mind. I love Money Mark's synth solo on Jacob Van Lennepkade II, and I usually hate synths in jazz!I heard TMV playing with some hip-hop artist whose name I cannot remember at the moment, but it was really good. I'd love to hear them do more of that stuff. Cymbaline212 wrote:This guy needs his own topic. Discuss anything Omar related.

Cedric Bixler-zavala

PI better not be the only one posting. There should be tons of Omar fans on this board!I recommend checking out any of his solo albums.

The Apocalypse Inside of an Orange (2007) and Se Dice Bisonte, No Bufalo (2007) are two of my favorites at the moment. If you haven't heard, he is planning to record 8 solo albums this year. Whether or not they are all released this year is another thing.Do these/will the next ones feature John Frusciante? The latter, of Red Hot Chili Peppers' fame, too, released several albums over several months (1,5 years, or something), and some of them feature The Mars Volta guys.

'The self-titled collaborative album between OMAR RODRIGUEZ LOPEZ (of THE MARS VOLTA) and his late band mate, JEREMY MICHAEL WARD, will come as something of a departure for fans of Rodriguez Lopez's vast catalog of rock-oriented albums. Originally recorded in 2001, after the dissolution of AT THE DRIVE-IN and prior to the 'Tremulant' EP which would announce the arrival of THE MARS VOLTA to the world at large, the Rodriguez-Lopez/Ward collaboration is a playful, abstract concoction of manipulated sounds and processed, unrecognizable recordings of household objects, everyday activities, passing dialog, and similar ephemera. Originally issued as a limited edition (200), minidisc-only release and distributed amongst friends, the album has never enjoyed widespread availability until now. Comparable to the work of minimalist composer Steve Reich, Rodriguez Lopez has stated that the album is representative of his concept of artistic freedom, as well as illustrating the crossdimensional elements linking his various solo projects (namely the A Manual Dexterity soundtrack) and his more 'traditional' work with DE FACTO and THE MARS VOLTA.' Have you heard megaritual or despair yet?

As I've already spammed plenty enough I and a few other folks run a music review/commentary website. Currently (slowly) we are in the process of putting out the Omar 'Power Hour' where we cover, in depth, four albums he is on (like we did with Adrian Belew). After the Belew power hour we ended up doing a big King Crimson tournament.We thought about doing one for Volta, but decided it would not be as interesting, so we decided to undergo a MUCH MUCH more elaborate project. We are going to rank every single Omar album from worst to best. This is obviously an obnoxious undertaking so this is why we need YOUR help.The ranking will be done via your rankings, which will be averaged out to create our list. Simple right? YES it is!Now, if you are feeling adventurous, and if you feel confident in your writing, please add a paragraph to each entry (or ones you want to add one to) explaining your thoughts/feelings/rationale for ranking the album where it is.

Swearing is fine, but nothing derogatory or outright offensive. We will use the paragraphs (credits included if you want) in each ranking post.The only request I ask is that before participating please really consider if you have a strong opinion about each album. Have you listened to them recently? Have you only casually clicked through? Have you had these on repeat since they came out? Im asking the coma for their thoughts because you all spend plenty of time on these albums.

I guess I'm not looking for (for lack of a better word) uneducated opinions.This will be a long project, so don't anticipate this coming anytime before Thanksgiving, but it will happen.ThanksAlexEdit:Here are the first two entries. From worst to first (and categorized):NOT A FAN:33. TELESTERION - Automatically gets the last spot simply because it's a compilation album. I never bought it, never listened to it, basically ignored it. The Somnombulists track is pretty awesome, but quality of the songs is not why this gets the bottom spot.32. DESPAIR - Listened once.

Never again.31. JEREMY MICHAEL WARD - Nothing I can really say, except I was disappointed in it because my expectations were so high.30. WOMAN GIVES BIRTH TO TOMATO! - Listened once.

Did not like. The title had me expecting so much more.29. MINOR CUTS AND SCRAPES - I have been in the mood to listen to this album once or twice in my life, and have listened to it several times more hoping to find something I'd missed, but try as I might I just can't get into it like I feel I should.NOT MY THING, BUT NOT COMPLETELY WITHOUT MERIT:28. MANTRA HIROSHIMA - Listened a bunch of times. I 'got it' once, but was never able to find the magic upon subsequent listens.27.

OMAR RODRIQUEZ - Sacriledge, I know, because so many people think so highly of this album, but I never really loved it like so many do. And honestly haven't listened to it in years. Years.NOW WE'RE TALKING:26. CIENCIA DE LOS INUTILES - I appreciate that it is so different. Some really chill and beautiful songs here, but I also don't include it with my collection of Omar albums because it's just such a different project.25. CIZANA DE LOS AMORES - I like a good portion of this album, and I really like a couple of the tracks, but it suffers from the fact that I was getting worn out on the Ximena era by this point.24. UN CORAZON DE NADIE - Overall has an interesting, very dark atmosphere., and I have definitely been in the mood to listen to this specific album on several occasions.

But in the end there wasn't enough diversity among the tracks.23. CALIBRATION - Honestly, this is a really good Omar album.

Unfortunately, I haven't been in the mood to listen to it in years and I'm afraid I never will again.22. A MANUAL DEXTERITY - Around Knuckle White Tile and Deus Ex Machina are two of my absolute favorite songs of all time by any artist, but unfortunately all this album consists of as far as I am concerned are Around Knuckle White Tile and Deus Ex Machina. Nothing else speaks to me.SOME REALLY GOOD GROOVY ALBUMS:21. LOS SUENOS DE UN HIGADO - Not too sure how to rank the live albums, but this is a really good listen and a superb recording.20.

どういたしまして - Same as above. Poincare here is legendary, but that's really the only song I ever listen to on this anymore.19. OLD MONEY - I really wish this were higher on the list, and it probably should be, but other than Private Fortunes and Old Money, which I are all-time favorites of mine, I seem to always skip the other songs when they come on my ipod.18. SOLO EXTRANO - I enjoy this album a ton, but just can't justify placing it any higher.17.

SOLAR GAMBLING - I like it, just never listen to it anymore. Poincare is a favorite.16. PLEASE HEAT THIS EVENTUALLY - Technically, this is a single, but it's so different form the album version that I had to include it. An absolute gem of a song.15. SEPULCROS DEL MIEL - Just a really great, spacey jam that I have been in the mood to listen to more often than I would have guessed.14.

LYDIA LUNCH - I like this album more than anyone could ever realize. I find Lydia's lyrics funny, and the jam is just straight up top notch.13.

OCTOPUS KOOL AID - Just a great mood to these songs. My favorite Omar/Teri effort.12. CRYPTOMNESIA - Obviously a beast of an album.

Some great songs, but it seems to be lacking something. Too balls to the walls. But still awesome.SOME OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE ALBUMS:11. APOCALYPSE INSIDE OF AN ORANGE - One of the first, and one of the best. Melting Chariots, Jacob, Coma Pony. Truly underrated album.10. UNICORN SKELETON MASK - A year ago, this would have been in my top five.

For some reason, it just hasn't withstood the test of time like some others.09. EQUINOX - Really like it. Great diversity in the songs. Can't get enough of Suenos Salvajes and No.08. Omar/John Frusciante - Great mood and atmosphere.

Perfect album for end of the night when things are winding down. Kind of a timeless feel.07. TYCHOZORENTE - Best of the Ximena albums. Piedras Y Ansiedad steals the show, and the spoken word tracks have such great music behind them.06. SABER, QUERER, OSAR, Y CALLAR - Probably higher on the list than it should be, but god damn is it good. Angel Hair is one of the best songs Omar has ever written.05. MEGARITUAL - I like this album more than most people.

Can't explain why, but I just love this album so much.THE LEGENDS:04. ABSENCE MAKES THE HEART GROW FUNGUS - Not Omar's best album, but Sex, Consolation For Misery just might be my favorite Omar song of all time. And Prom Digs and Story Teeth help carry this one into the upper-echelon.03. EN ESCORPION PERFUMADO - Just a great, great album from start to finish. Omar on top of his vocal game, great atmosphere. Nothing not to like here.

Mensaje Imputente is so such a great song.02. XENOPHANES - At one point in time, this album was on my list of five albums I would take with me if I were to be stranded on a desert island for the rest of my life. Technically, this might be considered a Ximena album, but it is Omar at his finest.01. SE DICE BISONTE, NO BUFALO - What can I say about this one, really? This is the one that started it all for me. Not a song on this album that I wouldn't consider legendary. Done!Edit: It went something like this.1.

Doitashimashite (Live)3. Cizana de los Amores4. Se Dice Bisonte, No Bufalo5. Omar Rodriguez6.

Un Escorpion Perfumado8. Unicorn Skeleton Mask10. Solar Gambling11. The Apocalypse Inside of an Orange12. Un Corazon de Nadie13.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fungus14. Los Suenos de un Higado (Live)15. Calibration (Is Pushing Luck And Key Too Far)16. Woman Gives Birth To Tomato!17. Octopus Kool Aid18.

Ciencia de los Inutiles21. Solo Extrano?23. ORL & Lydia Lunch24. ORL & Damo Suzuki: Please Heat This Eventually25. Sepulcros de Miel26. A Manual Dexterity27. Saber, Querer, Osar y Callar28.

ORL & John Frusciante29. Mantra Hiroshima30. ORL & Faust32. Minor Cuts and Scrapes in the Bushes Ahead33.