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VOLTA
DO MAR reviews of At the Speed of Light or Day ACTIONMAN MAGAZINE (http://www.actionmanmagazine.com) Turn of the Sea is what the Portuguese term Volta Do Mar means via the English language. I couldn't have picked a more fitting name myself. Think of their music, if you will, as a boating excursion. The day begins as all good boating days do, 85 degrees, low humidity, sun shining heavily down on your pale-ass body. As soon as you arrive at your location gray fills the sky and the waves, while not present mere seconds ago, soon begin to ravage your vessel. The weather turns to mirror a shitty fall day; rain and wind ruin it all. Just as you begin to wonder if it will ever let up, it does, and just in time as you nearly toss your cookies one too many times. Enough of this abstract bullshit though. This is art music, intricately played jazzy prog-rock. Who do these guys think they are, King Crimson? But seriously, at least they do it well. Honestly it's unfair to label Volta Do Mar because At the Speed of Light or Day is far from anything you've heard or will ever hear. A perfect compliment to their debut EP, also on arborvitae, At the Speed of Light or Day follows their musical progression since said EP. Volta Do Mar is not for everyone however … that's too bad for those people. (Todd V.) ALTERNATIVE PRESS (http://www.alternativepress.com) The four serious young men of Volta Do Mar seem to think that post-rock needs a healthy dose of prog-rock drama and technique; fortunately, they have the chops and creativity to make a potentially disastrous approach sound wonderful. While many toiling in Tortoise's wake have misguidedly emulated the group's most soporific traits, Volta Do Mar keep listeners on the edge of their seats with bracingly abrupt dynamics and unconventional melodies that suggest more than a few King Crimson and Don Caballero LPs in the band members' collections. These dudes also wisely realize that singing is best left to the few gifted souls who can genuinely do it properly. (Dave Segal, Editor) AMPLIFIER (http://amplifiermagazine.com) The opening flamenco guitar flourish, which eventually morphs into a cacophonous noise festival tethered by dueling six- and five-string bass melodies uncovers Volta Do Mar as disciples of In A Silent Way-era Miles Davis with a dexterous use of sound, space and the ever-present element of surprise. Like the original “prince of darkness”, this four-part juggernaut fears no musical landscape with tracks such as “7/1000”, “Thoughts From the Assembly Line” and “Breaking Ribs For Tom Thayer”, which plunder bits and pieces of progressive rock, experimental jazz, classical, free form avant-garde and folk. There is no genre to properly pigeonhole Volta Do Mar but “Another Air Strike Called Love” is a must for folks who’ve burned through a half-dozen copies of Frank Zappa’s Hot Rats. Like Weather Report, Sun Ra Orchestra, the Mothers of Invention and the Chicago underground Mafia of Tortoise, Sea & Cake and numerous other Windy City hybrids, Volta Do Mar make the music and leave the name-calling up to the critics. File this one under art-rock for alternative jazzbos. (Tom Semioli) BETTA WRECKONIZE (http://bettawreckonize.com) Once upon a time, a great man I like to call Moses parted the Red Sea leading the Jews to safety while the tyrannical Egyptians were washed away. This tough Chicago quartet is a little like Moses. The indie/math rock scene is often filled with the tyranny of pretension, where songwriters would rather alienate listeners with avant crap than make a true connection. But, rather than churning out a boring instrumental album that is just good enough to pacify scowling scenesters, Volta Do Mar's debut delivers thirteen dynamic and atmospheric songs, and what is one hell of a compelling album. Though they have a complex jazz/math rock sensibility, akin to The Fucking Champs and Tortoise, this band doesn't sacrifice accessibility in their delivery. From the classical sounding build of "The Sound of Day," remarkable resolve in the final seconds of "7/1000," to the gut wrenching strings of "Warszawa Minor" these guys are equally captivating and liberating. The interplay between five and six string bass players is particularly remarkable. I could continue to shout the praises of this band for pages and pages, but the bottom line is that this band has truly lived up to their name (Portuguese for "Turn of The Sea") and delivered us safely from the able, but unfeeling hands of their would be contemporaries. (Tim Anderl) COPPER PRESS (http://www.copperpress.com) With an EP and a full-length CD under their expando-o-belts in under a year, have been making intelligent instrumental sounds for the Arborvitae label that recall Rodan without the fuss. (Steve Brydges, from Dot Dot Dot) CULTURE BURN (http://www.cultureburn.com) Rating: 6.0 Ya know those Spanish classical guitar wizards, with the long fingernails, who pluck their guitars as fast as their hyperactive fingers will allow? Ya know how at first it seems impressive and then after awhile it starts to get a little annoying? That's how this is. But here's the label I'm gonna toss upon Chicago's Volta Do Mar: PROG INDIE ROCK. I think that really sums it up well. Just get a load of the instrumentation these guys use: Five string bass, six string bass (!), guitar and drums. That's right... two bass guitars, and both with more than four strings! It's weird though, because I don't notice it at all. In fact, the guitar sounds like it's on crack. So aside from the occasional eyebrow-raising bass lick, this band would seem to be all about the guitar. I guess one of the bass players only plucks up high on the fret board, making it sound more like a guitar more than a bass. Yeah, that solves that mystery. With an improvisational feel, song-structures are just about non-existent. And I think I would've had to graduate from the Berkeley School of Music to figure out what time signature anything is played in. There are occasional vocals, mostly thrown out in a random fashion. The majority of this, however, is an instrumental fiasco. Angular, discordant, experimental, technical and difficult to play, it seems as though the band plays this stuff simply because they can. I sometimes enjoy it when the band gets into unpredictable jazzy territory ("Ransom Stoddard") or when they employ spastic sounds and paranoid dynamics ("Breaking Ribs for Tom Thayer"). But I don't find all that much to sink my teeth into with At the Speed of Light or Day. Sometimes it gets to be grating and I have to turn it off. Impressive and challenging, sure. Not something I'd want to play too often, though. The best thing I can say about this band is that I haven't heard anything quite like it before. (Joe) CUSTOM HEAVY (http://www.customheavy.com) After I listened to this disc the first time through the very first thing that popped in my head was "How in the fuck will I explain this to everyone?". And I still have no idea how to do it. . . Chicago's Volta Do Mar play music... Chicago's Volta Do Mar play some kind of jazzy, post-rock music... Chicago's Volta Do Mar play some music that is so unconventional that I can't fuckin' explain it for shit. There the last one is about right. Even though I can't really explain their sound I really like their music- it's music for people with a brain, which I still have most of, despite what some think about me. It's extremely progressive and contains very few vocal lines. Actually, the few vocals I remember hearing are just used as another instrument, so Volta Do Mar are an 'instrumental band'... Wow, I just described them, kind of. There's just a ton of shit going on on this disc that I have no idea how to put into words. The band consists of 4 dudes: Jeff Wojtysiak (Note: You're gonna be a rock star Jeff, make your last name easier to spell, like Jeff Woj, or Jeff Rokkit, or Jeff Foxx, or something) on 5 string bass, Phil Taylor on guitar, Mike Baldwin on 6 string bass, and Tony Ceraoulo on drums and percussion. I have no idea how long these guys have been playing their instruments ("playing their instruments" hehe) but they are fuckin' phenomenal at what they do. I have to interview these guys, maybe they can explain this shit better than I can. I'm a metalhead to the core... SSSLLLLAAAAYYYYEEEERRR!!!!!.... and I got into this disc so I'm going out on a limb and recommending this disc to EVERYONE WHO READS THIS! And especially for people who are a little more adventurous and want something that is definitely different than everything in your collection. At the Speed of Light or Day is going to be in my top 10 list for the year. (Scott Myers) DAILY ILLINI BUZZ (http://www.illinimedia.com/buzz) When most people see the term "rock group" they arrive at preconceptions of four-note songs, distorted music and generic setups—singer, guitarist, bass player and drummer. Volta Do Mar is a little different. The band's makeup sets them apart from other rock groups: They are an instrumental band with two bass players. The two-bassist lineup has the capability to create music with an overpowering bottom end. However, the two bass players seem to have defined each of their roles quite well. They find a way to fill the space of each song without crowding, and by weaving within each other's melodies they build complex yet catchy songs. The result might be the creation of a lab experiment involving bands like Braid, Tortoise, Ghosts and Vodka and Dianogah. Also, quite a few rock groups make their greatest impressions by riding one area of the genre. For example, certain bands find their strengths in writing only songs that take on a hard rock edge, or only a soft approach. At the Speed of Light or Day shows that Volta Do Mar (which is Portuguese for "turn of the sea") is not a band that is held to this expected cliché. During the opener, "The Sound of Day," a softly plucked guitar gives the listener a false notion that the rest of the album will be light. Only seconds after the song ends, the upbeat and catchy "7/1000" explodes with emotion to exhibit a tonal contrast of soft and heavy that will endure the rest of the record. At times songs are profound and deliberately unhurried, with bass riffs taking the song to emotional valleys while guitar flutterings set the background. "Warszawa Minor" is a track that exhibits the lighter side of the album with a violin/fiddle and cello contributing with the rest of the musicians in a potential funeral march. Portions of other songs like "Lengua Pivo" and "Ransom Stoddard" show the group's mastery of transitioning. These songs start out in a slower, more held back style before they gradually take off into a heavy, distorted style where the guitar and drums play the primary role in directing the music. With this, their first full length release, Volta Do Mar breaks many conventional ideas about rock bands, and shows why they should be heard as well. (Josh Zanger) DAILY VIDETTE (http://www.dailyvidette.com) Rating: B Volta Do Mar combines Pele-style, jazzy indie rock with dashes of the Vandermark 5, John Zorn, Don Caballero and various other obscure artists for their sophomore effort, At the Speed of Light or Day. The band shows off a variety of indie rock styles on the record, sometimes in the course of one song. On "Lengua Pivo," they start with some Godspeed You Black Emperor guitar vaulting, then shift into stop-start Midwest vocal dynamics a la Farewell Bend or Friction, and end with a little Chicago post-math arpeggiating in the vein of Sweep the Leg Johnny. All in a four and a half-minute song. In a roundabout way, Volta's speedy instrumental breakdowns recall mid-'70s fusion jazz along the lines of Mahavishnu Orchestra or Return to Forever. More than anything, Volta Do Mar recalls the less-funky side of Chicago post luminaries 5ive Style. The high-speed guitar playing and expert musicianship all smacks of the instrumental fusion on 1999's "Miniature Portraits." With Volta Do Mar, DMS, Mt. St. Helens and several others, Arbor Vitae is turning into one of Illinois' premier indie labels in the vein of Divot or Polyvinyl records. At the Speed of Light or Day, like Mt. St. Helens' release last year, also has a choppy five-minute video on the CD, which is most notable for including a Lewis Black look alike. The album also benefits from the expert production of Mike Lust, who has apparently taken a shine to producing. Notable for leading Lustre King, a band that could be described as rap-rock without really sounding like any other band described as rap-rock, Lust gives the album an expert finish. The lack of lyrics or pop structure in much of their music makes the album easy to listen to repeatedly – the songs seem new each time. By the same token, they aren't exactly memorable or catchy, with the exception of a few instrumentals. At the Speed of Light or Day is a worthwhile jazz album for people who don't like jazz, a good rock album for people who don't like rock or a nice holdover for anyone who can't wait for the next 5ive Style album. (Erick Bieritz) DEVIL IN THE WOODS (http://www.devilinthewoods.com) Rating: 6 Pitchforks (Amazing) At the Speed of Light or Day is full of improvised jazz and rock and is powered by bullet-fast drumming and the intertwining notes of the dual basses. The guitars and drums occasionally seem to be at odds with one another, yet they eventually come together in a fantastic and passionate embrace. This album is sometimes difficult to listen to, but it's impossible to walk away from. (Jeff Julian) DELUSIONS OF ADEQUACY (http://www.adequacy.net) LIVE REVIEW Who: Volta Do Mar Where: Gala South Loft, Buffalo, NY When: May 4, 2002 ...But Volta Do Mar rocked the loft hard. You could tell these guys loved every minute of their show, and the fans ate it up. If you told me an instrumental band (primarily, anyway) could get the crowd as involved as at this show, I would have told you you were nuts. But these guys did it. The crowd gathered in tight, almost completely around the four members of the band. And the guys went through most of their latest album as well as a few new tracks. What set their show apart, however, was the introduction of vocals as a more important element. The louder songs when the singer/guitarist tried to use the mic were foiled by a bad sound system that rendered his words inaudible, but often the band members would just shout the vocals together, sometimes pausing to shout them out, and that's when it worked best. They got the crowd to shout along, they blasted away with their double-bass assault as the singer and drummer shouted along, and they all shouted together. At one point, the guitarist picked up an acoustic, walked into the thick of the crowd, and went into a full acoustic song, just singing into the air and perfectly audible. Now that's playing to the crowd. Volta Do Mar were good when I saw them last, but in their element with a crowd that knows and loves them, they were downright awesome. Not necessarily their best show, I imagine, due to sound issues (and alcohol, I'm guessing), this was still a very fun show. And with the band singing more often, the crowd was even more involved. I envy Chicagoans for being able to see the band play in their element all the time. (Jeff Marsh) DELUSIONS OF ADEQUACY (http://www.adequacy.net) Quite possibly the definitive math-rock album, Volta Do Mar have, on their second release and first full-length, crafted a work of genius. And I don't use that word lightly. The four members of this Chicago-based primarily instrumental band are incredibly talented musicians, as is evident on any one of these songs here. And, as on their first EP, the brilliance here is how well these tracks flow together, providing one complete listen instead of fragmented songs. But the question you're probably asking is what makes this special. Volta Do Mar (roughly translated as turn of the sea) uses a guitar, a five-string bass, a six-string bass, and drums, and they play a style that has been termed, unfortunately, as math-rock. That can best be defined as complicated, very intricate rock that uses more notes than chords and generally has a fast pace and few vocals. A lot of bands have been attempting that style recently, but none have done it as well as Volta Do Mar on their first album. Defining the songs on this release is difficult if not impossible. Each song has a number of progressions, changing pace, changing rhythms, even stopping and starting again. But that's not to say it's a difficult listen. Rather, these songs are easy on the ears, with a wonderful, jazzy flowing style and an incredibly rich sound brought on by the double-bass assault. "7/1000" is a great example of the jazzy feel, from the rich guitar work to the amazingly intricate drumming. A clever, almost Western-sounding guitar line starts off in the short "Rock for Nations" and picks up as a main theme to "Music for Countries" near the end of the CD, helping maintain the flow throughout the album, also shown by the closer, "Sound After Day," that picks up where the opening track started. The band proves they can get more melodic and soft on the quite lovely and flowing "Lengua Pivo," but it picks up quickly with some downright jaw-dropping guitar work and flows nicely into the more abstract "Thoughts from the Assembly Line." "Breaking Ribs for Tom Thayer" shows off their faster, more rocking side, as this song just blazes away for the most part, but in the same way the slower songs speed up, this one slows down and has its more subtle, melodic moments contrasted by sheer crashing, anthemic rock. There's even some vocals at the end of the lengthy and changing "Ransom Stoddard," which is a nice change of pace. The rhythm takes the lead on "5:09 a.m.," a more subtle and restrained track at times with a more jazzy feel. It's so difficult to describe the style of music that Volta Do Mar don't just play but seem to have perfected. Their unique instrumentation adds a richer texture than almost any other similar style of band I can think of. And this is only their first full-length. File Under: Intricate, jazzy, mathy rock. RIYL: Tortoise on speed, Trans Am, Fucking Champs, Tristeza on twice as much speed. (Jeff) DIGITAL NOISE (http://www.digital-noise.net) Rarely does the prog rock scene meet a facelift so vivaciously original and vastly intricate as Volta Do Mar's debut full-length, At the Speed of Light or Day. As their foreign name is roughly translated from Portuguese to mean 'turn of the sea,' ironically, that is an extremely succinct and accurate synopsis of the gushing soundscapes that ooze the ensuing album. Volta Do Mar's debut plunders through raucous tidal waves of twin bass reverberations, experimental percussion and tangled guitar twists that aim to reconfigure the frequency of your brain. Rupturing the norm with a vivid palette of musical conjunctions, this four-man mainstream music wrecking machine features unbalanced emphasis on the low end of the guitar spectrum while the other eccentric noise generating devices function as reactionaries. The dual bass instrumentation - one five string and the other six - rivals the stringy guitar layers and spacious altercations of multicultural percussion as somehow these contrasting elements turn from being opposing antagonists into partners of brooding intensity. This abstract concoction is certainly destined to detonate any compromised conscious and excite any radio prone enthusiast. Through all the ins and outs of the album, this triple headed guitar monster plucks and prods forward before giving birth to frenzied slathers of jazz influenced distortion eruptions that exuviate energy and perspire conformity breaching on each of the thirteen sound sculptures captured on this disc. Redefining the already indefinable, the track 'Breaking Ribs for Tom Thayer' rushes over you like a waterfall of exasperated hyperactive droplets. This song is clearly a standout from the pack of other precarious tunes that constitute At the Speed of Light or Day. This record compacts enough turbulence to rock any ship and teeter any airplane as the originality factor and determinant of fascination continues to become heightened after each previously mandated musical endeavor is conquered. Whether it is the manic acoustic plucks that consolidate 'The Sound or Day' or the chord progressions on '7/1000' that insinuate insanity, it soon becomes apparent that these vortexes of pulsating sound swell with enough reckless energy to force alertness from even the most severe cases of attention deficit disorder. For these tracks race through your brain like surging adrenaline as the feathery touch of a soft bristled paintbrush shellacs the disc in a shimmering tone of art rock lacquer, which pleasantly appeals to the pensive minded fan. This quartet opens the doors for instrumental prog to become unassociated with terms such as drab and uneventful and progress to be properly aligned with such adjectives as energetic and exciting. Although unfortunately much too different to be liked by all, Volta Do Mar is sure to meet fans of King Crimson and Tortoise and proceed to carry them away in their very own views of 21st Century audio radicalism. This Chicago grounded quartet will be manufacturing riotous waves of nail biting intensity for years to come. Witness the inception of an outfit creating a category all their own, thankfully light-years away from the typical and dispensable rock that litters the contemporary money-fueled media. (Ryan Potts) JOHN FOSTER (A fan and supporter) I have to thank you. Brillant. Your truly have earned my respect. Finally someone who realize that music does not have to be 4/4 timing all of the time. I despise most "music" on the scene today and have been waiting for a refreshing taste of art and talent. I have to admit that the way I found out about you is from listening to King Crimson, one of the greatest improvisational bands/artists of the century. You resemble them a lot. While I have a hard time listening to Crimson and keeping my sanity, you have led me to reason that it is possible. Isn't it great making something that is not based on what other people want to here. Its 10:36pm, i'm in New York, and I am listening to "Breaking Ribs for Tom Thayer." It's just so beautiful and thought provoking. Thank you for keeping the real point of Music alive; for the artist to express himself through Melody. GEEK AMERICA (http://www.geekamerica.com) Grade: A Volta Do Mar have an impressive track record. They have graced the stage with such indie rock greats as the Oxes, American Analog Set, Dianogah and Tarajane Oneil among others. According to their press kit they have shared the stage, but never been upstaged and I can see why. This CD starts out with a math rock masterpiece that quickly falls into an almost classical sounding acoustic piece. This entire record is surreal as far as the amount and complexity of music that 4 individuals can make together, all the while maintaining such a level of emotion and intensity. Volta Do Mar sound like they have been influenced by bands like Trans Am and Don Caballero while still maintaining a sound that is all their own. This full length CD is made up of 13 pieces that all sound different from each other, but are held together cohesively with a style that is completely unique to this band. I highly recommend At the Speed of Light or Day for anyone into technical and intense music. (CS) IMPACT PRESS (http://www.impactpress.com) TOP PICK After hearing their self-titled debut EP, I was blown away by Volta Do Mar, and could not wait to hear more. My long wait has ended, with the release of their first full-length CD. Guitar, drums and two bass players (one five strings, the other, six) whirl away at their instruments in a flurry of art rock riffs and jazz-like percussion. Mostly instrumental, except for the sporadic lyric here and there. For fans of Dianogah, Tristeza and Pele. (AL) INDEPENDENT MIND (http://independentmind.com) Right off it has a very controlled, prog-rock even, musicality. Complex drumming, guitaring, bass (one five- and one six-string), quick changing measures and movements that mostly flow, not jagged but still unexpected. Rock anthem runs into echo lament, avalanche guitar finger picking becomes full band broken chord war. My only concern with this approach is its tendency to undo itself intensity-wise. Sure they must mean it, how else could they fit that tom roll in there so perfect and all stop on the same beat and what about those synchronized in a mathematical fashion harmonics; but it gets to be too much and sort of insulting. I understand laying out a chord for an atmosphere but why articulate that chord so minutely and densely that the hint is gone? And the articulation is homogenous, the same pattern (incredibly fast you understand) repeated in the same band structure over and over. Variety on a large scale, these songs have many little changes and the structures take detours always (take that medieval ‘life is a journey’) but is it all filler and fills? That’s unfair, there are songs here. But what’s music without a little stumbling, noise and (please) space to converse with. (Jeff Shannon) LIGHT UP THE SKY (http://www.lightupthesky.com/) Often times you come across a band that has such amazing music but lead to only have it thrown off course with a poor vocalist. It ruins the listening experience as a whole and leaves you wondering why they didn't just let the poor sod screaming know he blows. Well Chicago's Volta Do Mar steer clear of that route by eliminating vocals as a whole (except the occasional low volume rants and hollars in the background). They're a four piece instrumental rock band with completely eclectic, and unpredictable songs. This is all VERY good, it offers up a side of originality in an often dehydrated music scene. Some of the songs come off as "prog"-esque with endless guitar interludes, others come off as, dare-i-say, "emo." The opening track 'The sound of day' makes me immediately think of something Simon and Garfunkel would've come up with, but everything is put into perspective when track two kicks in with an amazing rock punch. This is really something very original, so comparisons are kind of hard, but let's say if you like Tristeza, Roots of Orchis, Satisfact, Cap n'Jazz or Braid, you'll probably dig this. Oh, and in case you were wondering, their name means "Turn of the Sea" in Portuguese! Clever fellas! Clever! It's arty, it's funky, it's melodic and it's all its own! (Mehran) LOST AT SEA (http://www.lostatsea.net) It is a very rare occurrence when a primarily instrumental band can literally grab you buy the throat, increase in pressure continuously throughout the coarse of a record, never allow a single grasp of air, and have these said constraints feel wonderful and right. Such is the case with the virtuosos in Volta Do Mar. Representing the technical prowess like a motherfucker, At the Speed of Light or Day puts a jetpack on the back of Tortoise-esque grooves, and aims for the sky. Unlike most bands, Volta Do Mar arrive with an ambitious first record that somehow mixes progressive jazz and rock with an almost Slayer-like heaviness, rounded out by a few poppy hooks here and there, and the occasional classical guitar nuance. Think Steely Dan digging on the Fucking Champs, and you are close. On At the Speed of Light or Day, songs run together and time signatures are changed more often than the diapers on a baby with diarrhea, all at an intense and building rate of speed. Moments during songs such as “Breaking Ribs for Tom Thayer” and “Ransom Stoddard” can only be likened to that of a frantic after school masturbation session, before your parents come home. More often than not, things start off slowly and surely, but as the action becomes a blur, the motion and emotion increase at immeasurable velocity, as if mom and dad are just pulling into the driveway. However, like any satisfying self love session, Volta Do Mar often leave time to contemplate and reflect on a job well done, as the guitars tend to meander, and the groove slightly slips onto a dreamier wave (the album closer, “Sound After Day” exemplifies the theory). However, the band most often shoots their load hard and quick. Some of the record stays on a very routine path, and like your favorite porno magazine (like that Playboy with Drew Barrymore… hell yeah bro!) can become boring and repetitive at times. There are, though, some clever treasures on the record, such as the breakdown and shout ending of “Another Air Strike Called Love,” or the fun filled mouthed percussion during “Ransom Stoddard,” and the outstanding production work by Mike Lust (who has also recorded Sweep the Leg Johnny and Atom Bomb Pocket Knife), that will keep attentive listeners coming back round after round. Oh, and did I mention these guys can play the living shit out of their instruments? The entire record is almost like a glorified wank-a-thon, but it’s done in the most endearing and excusable way. Where some bands wave their “Hey, I took guitar lessons for 17 years, man!” flags high in the sky, Volta Do Mar actually have enough charm, tact, and pure musicianship to pull it off without shame. And if their unbelievable playing on At the Speed of Light or Day doesn’t convince you that these guys like, totally shred, check out the multi-media feature, as members of Volta Do Mar offer to teach you some guitar lessons. Ring the bells, school’s in sucka! (Ryan Allen) MATAMORE (http://www.matamore.net) [This review, originally published in French, has been loosely translated. The original version can be found here] An instrumental quartet from Chicago featuring two bass players - formed by Phil Taylor (Guitar), Jeff Wojtysiak (Five String Bass), Mike Baldwin (Six String Bass) and Tony Ceraulo (Percussions) - bring us their first album (after an EP) on Arbovitae Records (home of DMS, Red Shirt Brigade). At the Speed of Light or Day was recorded during the summer of 2001 by Mike Lust (member of Lustreking and producer/sound engineer for Sweep the Leg Johnny, L'Altra, Sarge or Atom Bomb Pocket Knife). Composed of thirteen tracks spread out over 45 minutes, it is a massive disc. It is not very simple to describe the music of Volta Do Mar, because it is at the same time familiar and completely unusual, all while showing a very great cohesion At the Speed of Light or Day is like a crossed crystal stone species of nuances of colors and thin cables which give them various aspects and appearances according to the light to which it is presented. Volta Do Mar seems to have succeeded in developing a dynamic kind of math-rock and to have attained some share in the line of Tortoise and Tristeza. Their music is excessively rich in nuances and one cannot not disregard some similarities with the moments of diffusive intrumentals which deeply understand Karate or Blonde Redhead, or with the post-hardcore jazziness adulated by June of 44, Dianogah, Pelé or Rodan. One draws that there are also some temptations of prog rock'n'roll, even metal, but Volta Do Mar does not allow any heaviness nor never moves away really from the bosom of the rules from tension plenitude prior founded by Slint and developed since. The texture and the structure of their music not being obvious - Volta Do Mar shows dexterity and nuances not obvious to collect, first of all one is extremely well likely to be left out if one does not take time to acclimatize oneself to it, to gain marks to benefit from it fully. One can initially bring Volta Do Mar closer to the so famous English of Billy Mahonie for their diversity, but the music of the Americans seems more subtle quickly. At the Speed of Light or Day starts with "The Sound of Day" with the guitar folk - in the John Fahey vein - in intro and extro. Between the two, one is entitled to a singular acceleration in crescendo of rates/rhythms of guitar and low end. Transfer of acoustics towards an electricity tended, fractured and threatening which reaches its apex then sets out again as it had come. Then are the explosions of the first seconds from "7/1000", dominated by a rhythmic guitar in fury with the melody- fast tempo which crosses emanations of Blonde Redhead and June of 44 in a perfect osmosis. Three minutes without respite, to cut the breath. Volta Do Mar are a plane in a starry night sky on the sublime intro of "Lengua Pivo" which one could very well have found on an album by Tarentel, and couples on a worthy melody post-hardcore Boys Life or Farewell Bend. The quartet shows a perfect maitrise here with lines of melodic guitar which cross into two by their manner of managing the tension while always surfant in extreme cases extreme of vagueness. But Volta Do Mar can sometimes turn in round in its tangle of complexities, on "Thoughts from the Assembly Line" for example they tend to bite the tail without one being able to guess where they want to arrive from there. When the violin and the guitar are mixed some on "Warszawa Minor", there is on the other hand the impression to hear the top of the basket of the label Temporary Residence which more than certainly would not make the fine mouth to recover Volta Do Mar in its range of groups. On "Breaking Ribs for Tom Thayer", Volta Do Mar show that they do not have anything to envy of the jazzy drifts of Karate's The Bed is In the Ocean, not more than with the mathrock of June Of 44. Absolute technical control once more. One undoubtedly touches at the pinnacle of the disc with "Ransom Stoddard", where the quartet extremely revisits all its strong points in transitions which sucitent enthusiasm. Five minutes perfect, to bring to their knees any fan of post-rock, post-Slint/Rodan, able to associate softness, energy and tension, boosted dynamics and moments of contemplation. "Calm Alley and Lonely Terrain" resembles Tortoise in large physical exaltation, groove under cafeine and adrenalin, undoubtedly the best conceivable Tortoise. When choruses are added in "Another Air Strike Called Love", one thinks that Volta Do Mar probably has unexplored avenues in front of them and that a live confrontation must certainly be more exciting, which one is confirmed with their quasi-purple passage, the universal "Music for Countries". The album finishes then, almost where it had started, with "Sound After Day". One remains with the feeling to have tasted with something new, however elaborate in pans which one believed to know. At the Speed of Light or Day remains thoughtful, that is not so much the album which one will listen to the evening at home, but rather a disc which one will enmènera with oneself, for the whole body. One will maintain consequently the ambiguous relationship with Volta Do Mar, a music which one almost likes in spite of oneself, energetic and intelligent, formidably open and amusing. (Didier) MUSIC EMISSIONS (http://musicemissions.com) Volta Do Mar is an instrumental band that follows the style of Billy Mahonie and Tortoise. This foursome creates a bit jazz styled instrumental rock that gets going pretty good at times. They also have no problems slowing it down and provide a cool jam. Volta Do Mar will get lumped into the math rock category but there is no problem with that. In fact VDM provide a hell of an intelligent rock ride. The 13 songs on here provide a broad insight into what Volta Do Mar do best, which is their instrumental rock. The key to this band is the intense bottom end that they get with a five string bass as well as a six string bass being played at the same time. Apparently their live show is something to see too. They have shared stages with American Analog Set, Oneida, Hey Mercedes, and Har Mar Superstar just to name a few. Try if you like – Billy Mahonie, Tortoise NORTH TEXAS DAILY (http://www.ntdaily.com) Band members’ abilities stretch from difficult guitar riffs to soft violin solos Nowadays, great music is so hard to find that when we do hear it, we sometimes don’t even recognize it. An even more rare gem is music that isn’t muddled by a sheepish lead singer’s cliché assertion, “I really miss my girlfriend.” On the new record “At the Speed of Light or Day,” Volta Do Mar has mastered the art of saying nothing and meaning everything. As opposed to paunchy vocals, the guitars speak for themselves through moody themes, jazzy prances and even a staunch, while condensed, requiem. The album opens with “The Sound of Day,” a number with a technically challenging guitar line that rides as smoothly as a Mercedes. Gradually, the red and blue of synthesized harmony transition swells into a crescendo of guitar rhythm. As soon as “The Sound of Day” reaches its emotional climax, it begins to die off as softly as it lived — peaceful and serene. The album progresses to more energy-oriented songs like “Rock for Nations,” which has all the drive of a vintage Nintendo sci-fi/action game. The only difference between the two is that Volta Do Mar uses instruments, whereas Nintendo used computer chips. Also falling into the “energy-oriented song” category is the savage be-bop and hard rock of “Breaking Ribs for Tom Thayer.” Don’t let the name frighten you; what’s really scary is the amount of time it took for guitarist Phil Taylor to play guitar with such ferocity. The album also has its share of mellow lows in songs like “Lengua Pivo” with its dramatic and somberly downcast guitar notes. “Warszawa Minor” harkens an army to be called to arms with a rolling snare behind delicate violin pathos. Before “At the Speed of Light or Day” closes, the band plays the charmingly optimistic and upbeat “Music for Countries,” which is laden with multicultural percussion. The song leads into the hysteria of “Sound After Day.” When the song’s dissonant haunt is over, the album is finished and we are supposed to go home, right? Exactly. Overall, the album has no stopping point and musically lacks nothing. Record lovers and critics of all genres alike will applaud Volta Do Mar for its bold statement through music. For the linguistically impaired, “Volta Do Mar” is a Portugese phrase that loosely translates to “turn of the sea.” The quartet hails from Chicago and At the Speed of Light or Day is the band’s freshman LP release. (Ryan Peterson) THE OCTOPUS (http://www.cuoctopus.com) Mostly-instrumental rock foursome Volta Do Mar... if you missed these guys... count yourself amongst the fools. Any fan of progressive-type guitar-based music-whether it be technical, angular, metal, post-punk, Dream Theatre or Dianogah-will dig Volta Do Mar. VDM combines a healthy dose of indie rock with the chops and musicianship of metal and a classical composition approach. It's all in good taste, and critics and fans alike are taking note. The group has been featured in several musician's magazines, and Alternative Press raved about the band in their March 2002 issue: "Volta Do Mar keep listeners on the edge of their seats with bracingly abrupt dynamics and unconventional melodies that suggest more than a few King Crimson and Don Caballero LPs in the band members' collections." By all means, if you like what you see, pick up their excellent CD At the Speed of Light or Day. (Doug Hoepker, Music Editor) SPLENDID EZINE (http://www.splendidezine.com) For those of you out there who, like myself, are linguistically challenged, the phrase Volta Do Mar is a Portuguese term meaning "Turn of the Sea". While that might not mean much when discussing the merits of most bands, it seems strangely appropriate to this particular group's sound. While most bands of their nominal post-rock ilk will draw you in slowly, gently swabbing your face with damp percussion and honeyed guitars, Volta Do Mar are an altogether less predictable force. They'll lull you one minute, then turn on you like a mighty ocean, an undertow of crashing cymbals, vigorously strummed guitars and frenzied rhythmic shifts pulling you under the surface and slamming you headlong into the seawall. At the Speed of Light or Day's sheer tidal force is nearly immeasurable; song after song smacks against your unprotected head, leaving you gasping for air and grasping for solid ground in the cerulean expanse. Particularly devastating dirges include "Breaking Ribs for Tom Thayer" (named in honor of the former Chicago Bears lineman), with its skull-shattering time changes and schizophrenic guitar onslaught, and the aptly titled "Rock for Nations", which employs double-time rhythms and straightforward drumming to emphasize its impatient demeanor. Just when you think you've finally got the Chicago sound down to a science, Volta Do Mar comes crashing in, smashing up your lab and forcing you to reconsider everything you thought you knew about what's really going down in the Windy City. (Jason Jackowiak) SPONIC (http://www.sponiczine.com) The subgenre of indie rock I find hardest to wrap my head around is math rock, indie prog, post-rock, Ameri-Kraut or whatever the hell the nomenclature gnomes are calling it these days. Granted inaccessibility seems to be the point of many of these bands. There’s a feeling of wanky, super-cool superiority residing on many of these records. It’s supposed to be music that saturates the you, music that the listener must peel apart in order to really understand. And sometimes, that’s cool. I’m all for music powerful enough to make you want to luxuriate in it. That’s what all great music does. But the music itself is often so premeditated, so calculated, that it becomes about an intellectual response instead of a visceral or emotional one. It’s music in a vacuum, so constricted by patterns that feelings of fun and simple enjoyment never break through the hermetically sealed riffs. I can respect it, but don’t necessarily enjoy it. That said, the best bands who traffic in this style--I’m thinking of Don Caballero or Slint--create music that infects the limbs as well as the mind. All good rock music, like all good sex, is about a feeling that invades every limb of your body from your head to your hips to your legs. Volta Do Mar occasionally hit these peaks on <i>At the Speed of Light or Day</i>. The opener “The Sound of Day” builds on some lovely guitar strumming and escalates into an extended piece where jazz and rock rub shoulders, shake hands and buy each other drinks. It’s good stuff. And on “Ransom Stoddard” they create a lush, relaxed sound, building until it explodes in furious drumming and distant vocals. Yet, too often the record coils back into repetitive guitar parts and wacky, staggered drumming (“Thoughts from the Assembly Line”) that seems more a play for post-rock cred than genuine interest in exploring their sound. It’s difficult to review a record like this, simply because there is no denying the skills these guys possess. Those skills are in a lot of ways creating some new and adventurous music, which is always laudable. But frequently it goes on and on and on and on until it seems as if the entire record is one song, a long, drawn-out tune by guys talented enough to know better. (John Wenzel) TANGZINE (http://www.tangzine.com) Mix tape song: "Breaking Ribs for Tom Thayer" From the fast-picked acoustic guitar in the beginning of the disc, I knew this was going to be a great album. And as the other instruments joined in somewhat incoherently (but still tight), I just smiled and said, "Yes, there IS good instrumental rock music out there that doesn't get boring." Sporting a five string bass, a four string bass, a guitar, drums, and other random instruments, Volta Do Mar plays fast-paced, intricate jazz/math-rock that doesn't let up. Take Tortoise or Tristeza, if you will, and give them six cases of Jolt Cola right before it's time to perform, and you have created Chicago's Volta Do Mar. While it seems that the guitar fronts the band, it is more interesting to listen to the dueling basses and the frequently psycho percussion section. While I may be presenting this band completely out of control, they know how to slow it down to a Godspeed You Black Emperor!-like swirling and soaring track ("Lengua Pivo"), but kick it back to speed with some pulse-driving rock. One thing that I have read about Volta Do Mar is that their audience is quite diverse. Apparently it's not odd to see some kid in a tight Tortoise t-shirt with horn-rimmed glasses standing next to some long-haired metal-head in an old Iron Maiden t-shirt. "Breaking Ribs for Tom Thayer" proves to be the song that appeals to both ends of the spectrum with its tricky guitar and bass lines that explode into an excellently fast metal riff (a la Iron Maiden). What's wonderful for me is that I am both that geeky kid and that metal-head (maybe not in looks, but definitely in my tastes of music), so I can enjoy the indie-cool and still head bang. (Lars Gotrich) |