ZECHS MARQUISE

The Rodríguez-López family line of music continually pours into the new decade as Mars Volta guru Omar Rodríguez-López passes the torch to his three brothers Marcel, Marfred and Rikardo, who all share a groovy spot in the El Paso based instrumental group ZechsMarquise. “Getting Paid,” the band’s second full-length album, proves to be a concrete epic that borders a variety of experimental sounds and psychotropic jamming fever. Compared to their debut “Our Delicate Stranded Nightmare,” this album strays away from the usual mindless noodling and brings forth a set of solid instrumental tracks, each of which have a unique vibe and feeling.

The album immediately lifts off as the title track brings in an enticing and tight groove accompanied by eerie synth harmonies. “Lock Jaw Night Vision” starts off with a haunting ambient aroma not long before guitars start jamming to dub stepped effects. Soon enough all hell breaks loose as the whole band thrashes an expansive progression of chords. “The Heat, The Drought, The Thirst and The Insanity” slows things down with a guest vocal spot by Sunnie Baker backed by psychedelically despaired riffs and evocative synth. “Time Masters” is another clever track with fast raging synth mixed in with bongo percussion that slowly leads to an intensive and wide ranging infusion of sound. The album continues on with the bongos as the band delivers a tight sentimental groove on“Guajira.” This song holds a strong similarity to a Mars Volta track in its structure but is unique in its essence.

“An Everlasting Beacon of Light” climaxes the album’s near end with Matt Embree on guest vocals. Marcel tears up a tight hip-hop beat as the song builds slowly into an epic jam off. Marcos Smith begins a whirling wah guitar solo as the whole band kicks in full speed into a ferocious ending. “Crushin It” and “Mega Slap” end the album fittingly without taking away the heavy psychedelic momentum of the album.

“Getting Paid” doesn’t waste a second of time and goes straight to the point while leaving enough space for each member to improvise and express their instruments. The band’s cooperative camaraderie really influences the result of this record. Zechs Marquise has developed so much musically and improved on how they sound. The album cover art, done by Zeque Peña, also adds a nice touch as each animal represents a member of the band. With not much to complain about, “Getting Paid” holds very strong for a band that deserves a lot more spotlight.

By Hovig Sarkissian, Staff Writer