Something finally sticks

It is often said that there are two distinct types of creatives on this planet. The first is a supernova, an unstable, violent explosion that paints the world in vibrant colors, but is prone to either destroy the individual or be far too unedited, leaving the artist in question to release anything and everything that may populate their thoughts. The second type of creative is the perfectionist, one of the most notable examples of this is the late Leonard Cohen, who notoriously wrote and rewrote his famous “Hallelujah” over many years before finally settling on a satisfactory version. This type tends to have a far lower output but what does make it to the viewing public typically retains a high level of consistency. On Omar Rodriguez-Lopez’s most recent album Zapopan, he finally overcomes his nature of mass release and explosive creativity by creating a singularly focused and engaging album leagues ahead of his previous releases from earlier this year.

The first thing the listener will notice upon starting up Zapopan is its textbook blend of electronic bloops and whirrs overlaid on a blanket of more traditional post-hardcore guitar. Songs like “What’s Left in You” and “Tandem Happiness” call to mind memories of Omar Rodriguez-Lopez’s stint in The Mars Volta. This all stacks up very positively for Lopez, especially when compared to the scatterbrained albums he has been putting out as of late. The fairly consistent sonic pallet never wears on or confounds the listener, and by keeping a level of consistency throughout certain elements of the record it allows Lopez to play with the other elements, particularly his singing.

The singing on this album is among its most engaging qualities. Typically he washes it out beneath layers of distortion, creating a live music effect of reverberation that ensures the album will sound distinct and charmingly unnatural in most of its potential environments. Perhaps the most effective piece of experimentation with his vocals comes on the song “Spell Broken Hearts” where he calls out, “When hearts beat in time. Bah Bowm, Bah Bowm.” His onomatopoeia cartoonishly mimicking the sound of a beating heart, it almost brings a smile to the face of the listener, but as the song progresses his voice begins to drip with increasing malice, turning its campy nature into something far more horrific. This technique is again featured on “Hollow Change” as he maniacally repeats “Tick-Tock” over and over with increasing speed until his voice descends into the hoarse whisper of a patient in a mental ward.

It is extremely satisfying to listen to this album repeatedly. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and many of the bands he has played in over the years have passed on into legend, and to see his release quality drop so drastically in this past year has been truly disheartening. Fortunately, the year of great returns will not turn the calendar without one of its lesser known legends making a true return to form. Zapopan at once erases the memories of Lopez’s shoddy releases this year and reasserts his status as a creative mastermind and modern musical legend.