Wiretap Scars

Amazon.com
When hirsute El Paso, Texas, emo gods At the Drive-In abruptly called it quits and split into two factions--unofficially, the afros and non-afros--dismayed fans feared that it spelled the end for their pummeling, tight-wire guitar rock. Not so. While hairy frontman Cedric Bixler and guitarist Omar Rodriguez did, indeed, venture into weirdo space jazz under the name the Mars Volta, guitarist Jim Ward, bassist Paul Hinojos, and drummer Tony Hajjar stay on course as Sparta. Wiretap Scars echoes the reckless beauty of the trio's former band. The album features raw punk fury on "Cut Your Ribbon," emotional dissonance in "Cataract," and an absurdly exuberant melody ("Glasshouse Tarot") or two ("Mye") scattered about. And it rocks like a bastard. --Aidin Vaziri

Wiretap Scars,Sparta,Dreamworks,Alternative Metal,Emo,Pop,Post-Hardcore,Punk Revival,Rock,Rock/Pop

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Wiretap Scars

Average customer rating: Forget At the Drive In The Veritable Archetype of Alt-Rock Solid Foundation for Sparta!!! SPARTA--force unstoppable. Great album.

Wiretap Scars Sparta Manufacturer: Dreamworks ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Emo | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Porcelain Threes Relationship of Command Austere This Station Is Non-Operational ASIN: B000069KO6 Release Date: 2002-08-13

Tracks:

1. Cut Your Ribbon
2. Air
3. Mye
4. Collapse
5. Sans Cosm
6. Light Burns Clear
7. Cataract
8. Red Alibi
9. RX Coup
10. Glasshouse Tarot
11. Echodyne Harmonic
12. Assemble The Empire

Amazon.com

When hirsute El Paso, Texas, emo gods At the Drive-In abruptly called it quits and split into two factions--unofficially, the afros and non-afros--dismayed fans feared that it spelled the end for their pummeling, tight-wire guitar rock. Not so. While hairy frontman Cedric Bixler and guitarist Omar Rodriguez did, indeed, venture into weirdo space jazz under the name the Mars Volta, guitarist Jim Ward, bassist Paul Hinojos, and drummer Tony Hajjar stay on course as Sparta. Wiretap Scars echoes the reckless beauty of the trio's former band. The album features raw punk fury on "Cut Your Ribbon," emotional dissonance in "Cataract," and an absurdly exuberant melody ("Glasshouse Tarot") or two ("Mye") scattered about. And it rocks like a bastard. --Aidin Vaziri

Customer Reviews:

Forget At the Drive In.......2007-02-02

I've seen too many reviews marginalizing this album because it's not At The Drive In or Mars Volta - they're right, it's not, and that's why it's brilliant. Independent of the comparisons, taken solely for what it is (rather than what's it's not), Wiretap Scars earns each of its five stars. The level of its energy and the sincerity of its emotion have made this album one of my all-time favorites, which is what led me to write this review some 4+ years after I first purchased it. I disagree that this album is just a disjointed collection of songs; personally, I think it's one of the most cohesive albums I've heard in the last decade - the pace and attack of the songs changes over the course of the album but the emotional tone stays the same: desperate and somewhat nostalgic. I've never tired of this album and it has scarcely left my CD player over the last several years.

The Veritable Archetype of Alt-Rock.......2006-12-12

I had been a fan of At The Drive-In, and when that band fractured into Sparta and the more popular The Mars Volta, I investigated both new bands. The Mars Volta have certainly become more well known; and their style of bizarre, experimental art-rock/psychedelia/fusion/whatever is interesting, but I seriously think that this album by their counterparts Sparta is one of the great underappreciated alt-rock albums of all time.

Pop-inflected, atmoshpheric, creative, otherworldy, artistic, catchy, gritty, expressive....these are all way I could describe this amazing and addictive album. Both more coherent and more well-written than anything The Mars Volta have ever done; it really is a shame that this album didn't receive more attention from the music-buying public. For me, this band and Sunny Day Real Estate are the veritable apogee of the alt-rock/emo sound, in different ways, without some of the annoying pretense and smug hipness of some of the other bands in the genre. I still can't get this one out of my CD player. A modern obscure classic!

Solid Foundation for Sparta!!!.......2006-12-02

This album is instantly palatable, and the grandeur of this work is awesome. Every track is instantly catchy, and the lyrics and music are well put together. This album features 3 out of the 5 ex-At the Drive In members from El Paso Texas: Jim Ward (vocals), Paul Hinojos (guitar), and Tony Hajjar (drums), and you can definitely see where At the Drive In got some of its influences from. Jim does an excellent job at taking the reins at vocals, and in my opinion, the break-up of At the Drive In has provided us with two excellent bands (the Mars Volta and Sparta) that can more than adequately hold their own apart from their previous band, if not even better. This album has a somewhat euphoric quality to the guitar work, and leaves you in a state of wonder, and the overall raw integrity to which lead singer Jim Ward lends his vocals is amazing. Standout tracks are abundant, but if I had to pick my favorites, they would be: "Air", "Collapse", "Light Burns Clear", and especially "Glasshouse Tarot", which in my opinion, is the best sounding song on the album. For harder tracks reminiscent of ATDI, check out "Cut Your Ribbon" and "Assemble the Empire". EL PASO ROCKS!!!

SPARTA--force unstoppable. .......2006-11-26

One of my favorite albums, Wiretap Scars, gives the listener such a wide range of Sparta's capability as coming out and making it as their own. Many of the songs are catchy and have the stick-in-your-head ability. I can't stop playing it in my car! Perfect for all moods.

Great album........2006-05-06

This album start to finish is simply awesome and rocking. Some people don't seem to like Jim's voice compared to Cedric's but personally I've always preferred Jim's. If you like rock in the vein of Fugazi, Radiohead, Foo Fighters, and older Jimmy Eat World you should definitely check this out.

Average customer rating: Wiretap Scars a Solid Foundation for Sparta Sparta cd Worst CD I Own A strong Comeback

Wiretap Scars Sparta Manufacturer: Universal/Dreamworks ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk Revival | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Emo | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post Hardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Alternative Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B000068W4G Release Date: 2002-08-12

Tracks:

1. Cut Your Ribbon
2. Air
3. Mye
4. Collapse
5. Sans Cosm
6. Light Burns Clear
7. Cataract
8. Red Alibi
9. Rx Coup
10. Glasshouse Tarot
11. Echodyne Harmonic
12. Assemble the Empire

Album Description

Japanese edition of 2002 debut with 2 bonus tracks from At The Drive-In band-mates Jim Ward, Paul Hinojos, Tony Hajjo and Belknap bassist Matt Miller. Bonus tracks, 'Vacant Skies' & 'Echodyne Harmonic' (De-Mix).

Album Details

Japanese Version featuring a Bonus Track

Customer Reviews:

Wiretap Scars a Solid Foundation for Sparta.......2006-12-02

This album is instantly palatable, and the grandeur of this work is awesome. Every track is instantly catchy, and the lyrics and music are well put together. This album features 3 out of the 5 ex-At the Drive In members from El Paso Texas: Jim Ward (vocals), Paul Hinojos (guitar), and Tony Hajjar (drums), and you can definitely see where At the Drive In got some of its influences from. Jim does an excellent job at taking the reins at vocals, and in my opinion, the break-up of At the Drive In has provided us with two excellent bands (the Mars Volta and Sparta) that can more than adequately hold their own apart from their previous band, if not even better. This album has a somewhat euphoric quality to the guitar work, and leaves you in a state of wonder, and the overall raw integrity to which lead singer Jim Ward lends his vocals is amazing. Standout tracks are abundant, but if I had to pick my favorites, they would be: "Air", "Collapse", "Light Burns Clear", and especially "Glasshouse Tarot", which in my opinion, is the best sounding song on the album. For harder tracks reminiscent of ATDI, check out "Cut Your Ribbon" and "Assemble the Empire". EL PASO ROCKS!!!

Sparta cd.......2004-07-10

This cd is awesome. i went to see them in toronto on july 6th with incubus and they were awesome. had a standing ovation.. ppl loved them as well i do.. there great. keep up the good work guys! .. hope to see u in toronto again!!!

Worst CD I Own.......2004-06-28

This is by far the most boring album I own...If the opening track "Cut Your Ribbon" is the heaviest they can get then there is no impressing me.

A strong Comeback.......2002-12-08

At the Drive-In is by far one of my favorite bands. When they broke up I didn't know how to fill the void. This cd is definitely not AtDI due to the fact that Cedric is missing but in many ways it is even better... They have matured a lot and prove it on this album. They are able to make incredible music without having to use fury and volume to get the message across. Anyone who loved AtDI will be pleasantly surprised by this tasty morsel.

Average customer rating: Don't Get Me Wrong...

Wiretap Scars Sparta Manufacturer: Universal/Polydor ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Punk Revival | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Emo | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post Hardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Alternative Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B00006I4CU Release Date: 2007-04-24

Tracks:

1. Cut Your Ribbon
2. Air
3. Mye
4. Collapse
5. Sans Cosm
6. Light Burns Clear
7. Cataract
8. Red Alibi
9. Rx Coup
10. Glasshouse Tarot
11. Echodyne Harmonic
12. Assemble the Empire

Album Details

Debut Full Length Release from this Band featuring Ex-members of at the Drive-in. Includes One Bonus Track Not on USA Version.

Customer Reviews:

Don't Get Me Wrong..........2002-08-28

...I was upset when At The Drive-In broke up and I am loving both The Mars Volta AND Sparta, but 31+ dollars for an extra song that you get on the Austere EP is a bit much. Just buy the regular Wiretap Scars and the Austere EP.

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