The Mars Volta Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon LP

A few months after their self-titled seventh album announced the return of Omar Rodri´guez-Lo´pez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala as The Mars Volta, the group present a potent reimagining of that reunion opus. Much more than a simple "unplugged" reading of The Mars Volta's 14 songs, this acoustic rendition furthers the mission of the source music, which drew into sharper focus the traditional Latin influences that have always inspired their music. This is, says Rodri´guez-Lo´pez, The Mars Volta's version of a "folk record", tracing the melodies and rhythms of the parent album back to their traditional Caribbean roots and challenging listeners to hear the group in an entirely new light.

Though unplugged, it is after all a Mars Volta album and therefore not without a progressive bent and plenty of experimental flourishes. Filling the gaps between the primary palette of nylon-stringed guitar, piano, and double bass are dark-toned pump organs, vibraphones, flutes, and all manner of clattering percussion, delivered with the eccentric flair on which the band has built its reputation. One added benefit of going acoustic is more breathing room for vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, who eagerly fills up the space, sliding nimbly between English and Spanish over arrangements that only elevate his crisp, high tenor. The 'unplugged version' has become a common trope in rock music; more often than not, it appears as a listless bid to extend a parent album's commercial lifespan for another year or two. Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazón, while quite possibly achieving that aim, feels like something more fully realized and artful, and carries more weight than a mere catalog curiosity.