TRACK REVIEW: Anywhere - Anywhere (ATP Recordings)

Discussing latest album Noctourniquet, The Mars Volta’s Omar Rodriguez-Lopez bemoaned the two year struggle he had endured whilst whilst trying to pin down Cedric Bixler-Zavala for vocal tracks. The results justifyied the wait, however, the frontman producing some of his best work yet, blending striking melodies with a newly concentrated - and consequently more powerful - strain of his cryptic lyricism.

Anywhere - the eponymous fruit of a collaboration between Bixler-Zavala and Triclops man Christian Beaulieu (with the help of fIREHOSE/Minutemen bassist Mike Watt and ex-Sleepy Sun vocalist Rachel Fannan) - sees more impressive work by the Mars Volta frontman, this time on drums as well as vocals. The collaboration was conceived as an acoustic, raga-based project, but musically this track has an urgent, rootsy thrust that evokes early 90’s alt-rock as much as it does eastern influences.

This may be surprising, but is no bad thing, providing a compelling palette with which to unify the urges of a group of musicians as eclectic and atypical as is assembled here. Already released as part of a limited edition vinyl set, the track is taken from an album - also called Anywhere - set to receive a wider release in June. If this track is anything to go by, the album should be as accomplished as it is memorable.

For Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, Anywhere might provide some answer as to why he had to wait so long on Bixler-Zavala, who fits as comfortably here as he has done on any of his previous projects - including The Mars Volta.

CD/Digital/Vinyl Released June 4 on ATP Recordings.