Review - Omar Rodriguez-Lopez: Old Money

Originally published in Soundcheck Magazine (1/26/09)

If there’s one thing that Old Money – the latest solo album by The Mars Volta guitarist/producer Omar Rodriguez-Lopez – proves, it is just how much that band is Rodriguez-Lopez’s above anyone else’s. Detach the other band members (which doesn’t really matter, since they all have a hand in this album anyway), and the sound doesn’t change much from the space-station prog rock that has built a strong following since the band’s 2003 debut, De-Loused in the Comatorium.

Old Money contains all the intergalactic chord progressions and scientific theorem time signatures that The Mars Volta are known for. But it has more patience than the band has shown in recent efforts, which may be a testament to Rodriguez-Lopez finally catering to nobody’s creative needs but his own. If The Bedlam in Goliath, Volta’s latest (released in January 2008) was a new start for the band after the self-indulgent and not-so-well-received Amputechture, Old Money is the Empire Strikes Back to Bedlam’s New Hope. It is darker and moodier – maybe not as flashy, but it ultimately has more meat on its bones. (Before fans jump on me, I know this isn’t a proper Mars Volta album, but it might as well be, considering its sonic similarities and involved personnel.)

There is a sad truth that has seemed to happen to The Mars Volta, though, and one that inevitably has carried over to Rodriguez-Lopez’s solo outings, as well. For the first time, we, as listeners, finally have come to know what to expect from the music. Scramble the brain enough times with the same mad-scientist riffs, and it eventually turns to mush.

Luckily, Rodriguez-Lopez seems to be conscious of this to some extent: for starters, like on Bedlam, the music is broken up into bite-sized four- and five-minute portions instead of the sprawling, 15-plus-minute epics of the past. But unlike Bedlam, this album is much more dynamic than Rodriguez-Lopez’s past work. Between the usual guitar and drum assaults are some true beauties of tension and mood. Ironically, they are presented more as short detours, like “1921” and “Vipers in the Bosom”, both under two minutes and both instrumentals, yet both incorporating some truly innovative new directions for the musician.

Unfortunately, none of the tricks that are still up the sleeves of Rodriguez-Lopez (or vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, or even studio guitarist John Frusciante) could ever result in another progressive bitch slap across the face of mainstream music like De-Loused was. The more he tries, the more it seems apparent that it simply is not possible. It’s not the worst thing that could happen. The music still is interesting, even if it is usually self-congratulatory. But for the first time, it’s usual to be unusual – all the effects and bombast can’t make it new again. In fact, maybe the only way for Rodriguez-Lopez to come out and surprise everyone again is to start playing lo-fi indie rock. Sure, this is a musician who has made his career off of unpredictability, but somehow I just can’t wrap my mind around that one.

– Andy Pareti