Pitchfork

"Een ode aan Ed van der Elsken", the opening track from Omar Rodriguez's self-titled album, is an experiment in minimal percussion that belies the prog-jazz onslaught that follows. Recorded in Amsterdam last June, these songs are an extension of the Omar Rodriguez Quintet side project, and along for the ride are various musicians on horns, keys, and percussion, including several ATDI and Mars Volta cohorts. The results are extended, improv-style jams that mix wailing guitar solos, spasmodic drumming, and computer and tape effects with more traditional jazz elements.

The two longest tracks here are "Regenbogen stelen van prostituees" and "Jacob van Lennepkade", which transition seamlessly to create a 27-minute opus and provide the real meat of the album. Adrian Terrazas-Gonzales' saxophone work stands out on "Regenbogen", but the back and forth between sax and wah-wah-pedaled guitar is what give the song its backbone. "Jacob" is slightly more subdued, using the shuffling drums and bouncing bass guitar to set the tone while Omar's guitar squeals atonally.

Things change considerably for "Vondelpark bij nacht", a dark piece that never really takes off. Sitar, chimes, and computer blips swirl through the background while the sax takes the lead. The middle- eastern flair is a nice change of pace, but the lack of percussion or any discernable structure causes it to fade into the background quickly. The pace is picked up again with album closer "Spoorkrijden op het fietspad", the most rock oriented of the bunch, adding a small dose of funk and disco to the formula.

Although this album was recorded during downtime on the Mars Volta's recent European tour, to dismiss it as a throwaway vanity project would be a mistake. Even though two of these tracks fall a little short of the mark, the length and power of the remaining three more than pick up the slack. While it's more jazz-oriented than the Mars Volta, Rodriguez uses the freedom of breaking away from his main gig here to create something that is just as unique and exciting.