El Grupo Nuevo De Omar Rodriguez Lopez – Cryptomnesia [Album]

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June 30, 2009, 11:02 PM

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Fingers, pies, strings, bows, all words that would be suitably used in a sentence to describe Omar’s musical activity. Cryptomnesia is the 12th solo release in a 5 year period for Omar, in addition to the 5 Mars Volta releases that happened over that period as well as the array of collaborations, guest appearances and producers credits Omar has also accrued.

This album, although titled under the Omar Rodriguez Lopez moniker, features his At the Drive In and Mars Volta partner in crime, Cedric Bixler-Zavala on most of the tracks. This works in Omars favour enormously. Omar can have a tendency to just go off on one and just come out with some crazy spasmodic type riffs. It’s Cedric’s vocals that hold it all together before Omar goes too far in to one of his pieces.

When Omar was younger he hated the guitar and only took it up as it was an instrument all his band mates could relate to. Still hating the guitar whilst he played Omar chose to add as much effects and discordance to his riffs as his could. Over the years Omar has come to like the guitar a little bit more but still retains that crazy sporadic style, created through hatred, that makes him so great.

Cryptomnesia is a great album because it lets Omar run free with his playing and at times the guitar and drums are just going mental, but then it is pulled back in by the strong lead vocals of Cedric. Cryptomnesia is therefore a great way for Mars Volta fans to venture in to slightly more obscure styles and also a great transition to some of Omar’s solo efforts that don’t have vocals on.

Cryptomnesia is also the first in a series of three releases under the name El Grupo Nuevo De Omar Rodriguez Lopez, so expect more good things in the future.

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