OMAR RODRIGUEZ-LOPEZ & LYDIA LUNCH

I don't think there is an artist in the world right now that is making and releasing more albums than Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. The man is clearly on creativity overload as this is his 4th album, with many more releases spanning 2007 and 2008. The main difference with this album compared to the rest of his albums is that the lyrics on this album are spoken rather than sang. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez collaborates with Lydia Lunch on this album who is a spoken word artist. The lyrics are so controversial that you would probably expect them to be on rap albums rather than a progressive rock album. But somehow this just works.

The album kicks off as it means to go on with opening track 'Welcome to my church' throwing the album straight into a prog, jazz fusion style; mixing Omar's frantic electric guitar with saxophone performed by Adrian Terrazas-Gonzalez, keyboards performed by Money Mark, bass performed by Juan Alderete and drums performed by Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez. This sound is consistent through the whole album as Omar delves into his own world. But it is the collaboration with Lydia Lunch who delivers the vocals which is really the focal point of the album which says a lot considering the exquisite musical backdrop.

Although the album is only 5 tracks and 24 minutes in length, because the theme is the same all the way through, I feel Omar has done enough without over doing it. It is more of a concept album about god, women and war with the tracks having equal weighting than any particular song standing out. Opening track 'Welcome to My church' kicks off the controversial lyrics with Lunch displaying her dark humour with lyrics like, 'No women has never started a world war, No women has ever stopped a world war either'. In the second track 'Getting Rid of God', it is the saxophone which takes centre stage for the first half of the track till it is back to Lunch's rants.

Third and fourth track, 'Back to the Goddess' and 'The end of a white man's revelation' continue in the same vein setting the scene nicely for album closer 'Woman (In the beginning)' where Omar lets himself loose on the guitar with in my opinion his best work of the whole album. The controversial lyrics continue with 'We should have bombed the women of Afghanistan and Iraq'. If you think these lyrics are controversial or are offended by them this album is probably worth a miss as it does get more extreme. For me though Lydia Lunch offers a different way of looking at things, I don't agree with most of the things she says but at the same time her voice does fit with the music and the vocals are delivered in a tongue and cheek style.

Overall this is a very good album. Some of the statements made may shock you. But I think the point of the album was to make an impact on this listener and to make them think in a different way. Some may be offended, others may agree with what Lydia Lunch says. However one thing is for sure the frenzied music on display is once again of very high standard and kudos for Omar for experimenting his music with the spoken word.