Old Money

by Omar Rodriguez Lopez

I didn't really know what to expect when buying this album - once I know that a Stones Throw cd isn't by James Pants or Baron Zen, I'll usually buy it based on reviews alone. I'm not all that familiar with Mars Volta, but I thought it was worth a try, mostly because I was in the mood for something different.

The first few tracks don't do much for me, but starting around the fourth ('Private Fortunes'), the album becomes more melodic and enjoyable. The last track, 'Old Money' is over ten minutes long, and is a very nice way to end out the album.

These pieces, to judge from the track titles ('How to Bill the Bilderberg Group', 'Trilateral Commission as Dinner Guests', 'I Like the Rockefellers' First Two Records, But After That....') and the album title, are concerned with shadowy industrialists and the real power brokers in American society, but I'm not sure I'm smart enough to be able to pick up on what the music is actually saying.

This album really is a departure for Stones Throw, but ultimately an enjoyable one.