The Mars Volta Is Trying To Behave

The Mars Volta are a love or hate band. Some people absolutely adore the band for their unconventional songs, crazy structures, weird timing and insane vocals. Others go nuts listening to just ten seconds of their music. I belong to the first group. It took me some time to get past the wall of noise and hyperactive music but now I can really enjoy it. So I was well prepared when I sat down to listen to their new album Noctourniquet.

The Mars Volta - Noctourniquet (Ronald Says 7 out of 10)
I was ready to suck in those crazy structures, timing and vocals. Only to be disappointed after playing the album. Where was the experiment, Omar Rodríguez-López' guitar spinning out of control, the insane squeaks by singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala? They were hard to be found and this sounded pretty boring on The Mars Volta scale. But as with any of their records I should give it a few more spins before making up my mind.

And fortunately it isn't all that bad. The first song 'The Whip Hand' is still showing some of the usual The Mars Volta timing tricks but then things get more "normal". First single 'The Malkin Jewel' is a great rock song that could have easily been on an album by Nick Cave's Grinderman. And that's not a bad reference at all. 'Trinkets Pale Of Moon' sounds like a conventional ballad with a trip hop break beat. 'Molochwalker' and 'In Absentia' sound like normal rock songs at first listen, but do have their own little twists and turns that reveal themselves after hearing them a couple of times.

When compared to the earlier albums this album sounds more like the period after a huge storm. It's still windy but things certainly have gotten more quiet. So you brace yourself for those big blows only to find they are not going to happen. But like any The Mars Volta album it needs a few listens and concentration to grasp the full picture. And it's a relieve to find out that they stay true to their roots but keep everything more in control than usual. Personally I like the big storm better. That's why Noctourniquet is not up there with the likes of Frances the Mute or De-Loused in the Comatorium.

Listen to 'Noctourniquet' on Spotify.

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Case Mayfield Gets Paradiso To Be Quiet

About a year ago I watched a singer songwriter as a support act. A shy guy took the stage and in a soft voice introduced himself. Then he started strumming his guitar and when he opened his mouth I was blown away. Now almost a year later Case Mayfield was in Paradiso to present his first full album 'The Many Colored Beast'.

Case Mayfield at Paradiso Amsterdam, March 23 2012 (Ronald Says 9 out of 10)



A big problem nowadays is people talking loudly during concerts. Not a problem with rock concerts, but for this show I was a little worried. Case Mayfield uses silence in his songs to make a point and to cause an effect. But as he starts playing the first song, people are hardly breathing. It is as if the whole crowd is holding its breath. It's the perfect atmosphere for Mayfield's dark and emotional songs, filling the room with tension. When he finishes the song, the room explodes. This seems a bit overwhelming for him as well.



Nowadays he's playing with a band. And that works really well. They lay down soundscapes for the songs, without draining their power. 'Tomorrow Is My Slavename' uses such a soundscape in a smart way and it works very well live. Centre of attention is Mayfield with his guitar and his music, who looks more comfortable surrounded by other musicians. His songs cut straight through your soul and send shivers down your spine.

It's songs like 'You Sure Lost A Lot Of Weight' and my personal favourite 'Alright Louise' that are the most impressive. Every word is well chosen and hits you with such an impact that you get sucked into the music completely. The crowd is more than willing to let this happen, turning this night into an unforgettable one. A glorious album presentation and a well deserved critical acclaim. Mayfield is a skilled and very talented songwriter that we are going to hear a lot more from in the future.

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The Presidents Bring The Good Times

I didn't hear from this happy bunch for quite a while and suddenly they announced a European club tour. There's no album coming up, so I guess they just felt like playing. And of course with The Presidents of the USA that's a guaranteed fun night. Let the good times begin!

The Presidents of the United States of America at Paradiso Amsterdam, March 13 2012 (Ronald Says 7 out of 10)
Just some time after that a Dutch band, called Hit Me TV, announced that they were going to play in Paradiso as well, to present their brand new album on that same night. That was a bit unfortunate, since I would have loved to see them play as well. They were starting 30 minutes earlier on the small stage so in the end I got to see them play a few songs. It was barely enough but I liked it a lot and hope to see a full show soon.



Time for The Presidents to hit the stage. They start off with a few of their hit songs to get us in the mood. Then front man Chris Ballew announces that they will play their whole first self titled album. He puts the needle on the record and off they go. The atmosphere is great, people are dancing, jumping, stage diving and crowd surfing. And most of all every one is having a good time.



Of course there's nothing new. No new songs, we've heard all of their songs a million times before and a lot of us probably have seen them play those songs quite a few times as well. But there's still that contagious pleasure and energy that this band is showing, that makes their gigs so much fun. Ballew is the always cheerful and charming host while drummer Jason Finn and guitarist Andrew McKeag are just all smiles the whole evening. They allow people to climb the stage, share some peaches from a can (they were put there by a man) and have girls walk a fashion show. There's just no bad vibe in the room when this band is playing.



After playing the first album they treat us to some more hits and an encore. After twenty eight (!) songs it's the end of the night. Maybe they are not the hippest band, or not playing the most creative or complicated music, and you know what you're gonna get. But that's why it's so damned good. Can't wait for the next time.

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Setlist
1. Love Everybody
2. Volcano
3. Lady Bug
4. Some Postman
5. Jennifer’s Jacket
6. Kitty
7. Feather Pluckn
8. Baby You’re A Rich Man (The Beatles cover)
9. Lump
10. Stranger
11. Boll Weevil
12. Peaches
13. Dune Buggy
14. We Are Not Going to Make It
15. Kick Out the Jams
16. Body
17. Back Porch
18. Candy
19. Naked and Famous
20. Mach 5
21. Video Killed The Radio Star (The Bugles cover)
Encore:
22. Froggie
23. More Bad Times
24. Supermodel
25. Finished off More Bad Times
26. Tiki God
27. Kick Out The Jams reprise
28. Ace Of Spades (Motorhead cover)
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