Search - Omar Rodriguez-Lopez :: Se Dice Bisonte No Buffalo

It's a Movie Soundtrack not a Mars Volta album

Shela Veillon | CA | 06/06/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Before you base your judgment of this CD soley in comparison to any of The Mars Volta albums you need to realize that it isn't a Mars Volta album. It is a Soundtrack for a film and Omar is even quoted by saying it is a reaction to the film. If you're a die-hard Omar fan then you'll love it. Rapid Fire Toll Booth is now one of my all time favorites and all the other songs sound great in my opinion.



I don't usually write reviews because it's so painful for me to read someone elses review especialy ones that contain the following examples. I only like their older stuff, they keep changing their style, the guitar player is too self induldgent,they should use the same producer as on their first album, there's too much ambience, there's too much guitar noodling, they've become snobs, they're not as good without the old drummer, they're progressive, they're experimental, they took a riff from some other band, I like them less with each album they put out,etc. That was in reference to all bands not just The Mars Volta.



That kinda review irritates me because it's a bunch of garbage. I wish those kinda people would just stick to their MTV lifestyles and leave the real music to those who are true fans and are more open minded. I don't know why it bugs me so much it's not like I'm defending them because I know them on some personal level it's just that some people just don't get it. I'm tired of everyone disecting the music and the musicians. All they want to do is entertain us, not create some sort of musical doctorine that should be discussed as though one was attending a seminar. As a musician I understand the need to experiment and branch out so the music making process doesn't become stale. Do you really want your favorite band to constantly repeat themselves and never evolve. People please I beg of you quit writing these cliche pointless reviews. As for me I'm through writting about this subject for as long as I live. Omar & Cedric have been making music for quite some time now. Let's allow the professionals to do their thing and the rest of you can either tune in or tune out."

Feels Like Half of an Album

Cale E. Reneau | Conroe, Texas United States | 05/31/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a fairly faithful Mars Volta fan since the band's first LP debuted back in 2003. However, to say that my admiration for the group has never wavered would be a lie. In fact, with each full-length album that the Mars Volta releases, my love for the band deteriorates just a little bit more. This downward trend is caused largely by the group's insistence on forgoing the largely prog-rock stylings of their debut in favor of more experimental paths. The "Hey, instead of a song, let's just play random crap for 8 minutes" approach was fresh on 2005's "Frances the Mute" but it felt unbelievably stale on their most recent album, "Amputechture." It should be of no surprise then that "Se Dice Bisconte, No Buffalo" is not my favorite of albums. In many ways this album is the embodiment of everything that I've grown to despise about the Mars Volta.



That's not to say that this is an unimpressive collection of songs, however. Quite the opposite! Despite my waning feelings for Omar and Cedric, I can still recognize talent when I hear it. It's just that the talent of these two individuals has been misplaced in recent years. "Buffalo" is just another example of that. For example, the first two tracks on the album "The Lukewarm" and "Luxury of Infancy" are utter throwaways. The first being a 26 second exercise in changing the pitch of your voice, while the second is just more of Omar's signature electric guitar "scribbling." These two tracks serve no purpose on the album whatsoever, as they're pretty much over before you realize it.



"Rapid Fire Tollbooth" may sound familiar to Mars Volta fans who have been to the band's live shows. Cedric Bixler-Zavala lends his vocals here, and as a result the song sounds very much like a Mars Volta song that couldn't find a home on "Amputechture." In fact, several of the songs on "Buffalo" that features Cedric's vocals sound like they were made during the production of that album, but just weren't good enough to make the cut ("Se Dice Bisonte, No Buffalo," and "Please Heat This Eventually" to be precise). "La Tirania De La Tradicion," on the other hand, is a fantastic song, and the highlight of the album. In this frantic 5-minute long song, Cedric's vocals are all over the place, and the end result is amazing!



In the end, the best moments on "Se Dice Bisconte, No Buffalo" are the ones where Omar and company play actual music as opposed to just random noise. Tracks like "The Lukewarm," "Luxury of Infancy," and "If Gravity Lulls, I Can Hear the World Pant" only serve as a reminder to how self-indulgent these musicians can be. However there are a few others that remind you why you fell in love with these guys in the first place. As a result, "Buffalo" feels more like half of an album than anything else. While some devoted fans may find it to be worthy of a purchase, I'd be much more inclined to download my favorite tracks and live out my life pretending that the others don't exist.



Recommended for fans of The Mars Volta and the Omar Rodriguez Lopez Quintet.



Key Tracks:

1. "Rapid Fire Tollbooth"

2. "Se Dice Bisonte, No Buffalo"

3. "Please Heat This Eventually"

4. "Lurking About In a Cold Sweat (Held Together By Venom)"

5. "La Tirania De La Tradicion"



5 out of 10 Stars"

This isnt a vent fest for the mars volta

Athena | Harlingen, Texas | 11/12/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I don't recall the cd saying "the Mars Volta" on it.

But if it did please tell me because this does not sound anything like the mars volta to me.

I must've been fooled!

This album is by far my favorite Omar solo album. It has this very latin, heated, quick paced theme to it. There's hardly time for you to stop and think about it. Songs like Please Heat This Eventually and Boiling Death Requests a Body to Rest It's Head On are straight examples of what i'm talking about. There so enthusiastic with there playing. Everything sounds perfectly in it's rightful place (even if it really is all over at any given time). You'll feel so appreciative of this album, you'll wish you could go back in time and listen to it for the very first time again.

I totally and completely wish i could.

So give it your full attention.

And dance! Because this album will make you want to dance!"