John Frusciante & Omar Rodríguez-López (FREE SHIT GUYS)

[alan nagsworth]

Last month two instrumental records were released on Omar's website under the "pay what you want, or just don't pay jack shit I guess, WHATEVER" initiative. The first, with just himself and Frusciante doing a pure, stripped-down two-electric-guitars effort, is really lovely stuff. Just finished listening and it's got me on a right Frusciante tip. It has distinct Omar influence too but veers more towards Frusciante's lo-fi stuff based solely on the fact that it isn't stupid Brazilian ten-minute fret-wanking.

The second is by the Omar Rodriguez Lopez Quartet which consists of himself, John Frusciante, Juan Alderete De La Peña and Marcel Rodriguez Lopez, entitled 'Sepulcros De Miel'. I've not listened yet but am told it has dub influences whilst still not being too frenetic or wacky which is a good thing in my opinion as I can't bloody stand The Mars Volta after their first album.

Anyway they can be obtained from this place right here:
http://omardigital.rodriguezlopezproductions.com/

Enjoy!

[purlieu]

I was about to say 'anything non-Chilis with Frusciante has got to be decent' before remembering his anonymous fret-wanking on Amputechture, but I might give these a listen anyway.

[alan nagsworth]

Yeah to be honest (with regards to the John/Omar duet album) it's more in the style of his lo-fi guitar work from 'To Record Only Water For Ten Days', but it definitely has that South Amereecan flare peeping through from Omar every now and again. It's not heavy-going at all, though, it's peaceful, introspective and pretty. There are a few little SFX you'd maybe expect to hear on a Mars Volta record, too, but again as I said, it's subtle and relaxed. Thank god.

I'm just about to listen to the Quartet record so have no comments as of yet but would highly recommend checking out the other one.

[alan nagsworth]

Just listened to the Omar Rodriguez-Lopex Quartet record and it's a bit crap. It's one big piece seperated into a bunch of tracks for, I dunno, indexing or some shit, and is very psych-noodling-with-dub-effects. I guess it's quite nice, and is nowhere near as bonkers as The Mars Volta's material (sorry I just fucking hate that band) but it's still a bit too masturbatorial for my tastes.