Quite where the Mars Volta lynchpin finds the time to churn out his solo output as well, only he could say – but not only does Omar Rodriguez-Lopez know his way round a rock band, he also knows how to craft instrumental tracks of real stature. Some of these are far out on a jazzy tip, but that’s not as bad as it sounds – it just means an ‘anything goes’ approach to some of the guitar work. The odd sample or two is thrown in, as are a few references to hip hop, but this is a sound that will appeal particularly to lovers of the Heliocentrics, his labelmates. So you get to rock out now and then, with some strong riffing, or you can sit back and admire some improvised madness that somehow remains relatively easy to understand.
4 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood