After the breakup of At The Drive-In and before The Mars Volta's first release (the Tremulant EP), Omar Rodriguez Lopez of The Mars Volta released a self-titled album with Jeremy Michael Ward (who is also most well-known for his collaborations with the band). Limited to 200 and released only on MiniDisc, Omar Rodriguez Lopez and Jeremy Michael Ward has been compared to the minimalism of Steve Reich (who, I'm happy to say, seems to be influencing countless artists lately), and since its release in 2001, quite a bit has happened: The Mars Volta released a bunch of albums and gained a sizable cult following; Ward passed away in 2003; and fans are now realizing they were either previously unaware of this collaboration or have been unable to find a copy.
Thankfully, Omar Rodriguez Lopez and Jeremy Michael Ward will now finally see wide release June 10 on Infrasonic Sound Recording Co. According to the press release, the album is a "playful, abstract concoction of manipulated sounds and processed, unrecognizable recordings of household objects, everyday activities, passing dialog, and similar ephemera." Sounds like a review written by P or Mangoon, don't it? No? What are you, the TMT cop?
