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The Bedlam In Goliath Image
Metascore
66

Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 153 Ratings

  • Summary: Band members claim their fourth studio album was influenced by people they contacted through a Ouija board.

Top Track

Goliath
That night I remember what you slipped in my glass We came rewinding when I foamed at the mouth while the lights winked at me And now my shape is... See the rest of the song lyrics
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 31
  2. Negative: 4 out of 31
  1. Alternative Press
    100
    The Mars Volta have created the first great record of 2008. [Mar 2008, p.145]
  2. Filter
    90
    Instead of eight people trying to make many noises as possible, this is the sound of a unified band trying to make the best noise possible. [Winter 2008, p.90]
  3. there is a great leap in the songwriting--closer to classic hard-rock force and melodic drama--that, in 'Goliath,' 'Cavaletta'" and the Holy City atmospheres of 'Soothsayer,' is even more jolting than the weirdness.
  4. On The Bedlam in Goliath, they don’t even let their affinity for wacky sprawling passages run away with them too much, though they are plagued by unwise decisions how to put their good ideas to execution.
  5. Under The Radar
    50
    The Bedlam In Goliath ultimately sounds like The Mars Volta, nothing more and nothing less. [Winter 2008, p.83]
  6. This is rut music and The Mars Volta are still stuck in it; even if they’ve managed to avoiding digging themselves any deeper with Goliath’s frenetic lateral slides into pseudo bedlam, momentum is only momentum if you’re going somewhere.
  7. Sadly, this album takes sound and fury, signifying nothing, to new depths.

See all 31 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 41 out of 52
  2. Negative: 3 out of 52
  1. JacobS.
    Apr 13, 2008
    10
    I dont even understand how anyone could be so hard against the volta. I think they are getting nothing but better as time goes by. Cedric and I dont even understand how anyone could be so hard against the volta. I think they are getting nothing but better as time goes by. Cedric and Omar really hit the mark, as far as what i was expecting of a new Volta CD. Some people just have a hard time getting into it, but once you look at the complexities, and layers upon layers of great instrumentals and vocal tracks, i dont see how you couldnt at least give them credit for doing what they do best; make music that has created a new genre of its own: THE MARS VOLTA. Expand
  2. DennisO
    Feb 1, 2008
    10
    By far the best album to date. I missed the drum-heaviness on bot Frances and Amputechture. Now it's back with an inhuman effort from By far the best album to date. I missed the drum-heaviness on bot Frances and Amputechture. Now it's back with an inhuman effort from Thomas Pridgen. Insanely chatchy. And when they sink into the trademark schizophrenic dissolvement of the music into fractured soundscapes, it actually works, which, in my opinion, it didn't on Amputechture. They toned down on the brass as well, I like that very much. I fail to see how the could have done any better. Expand
  3. Bob
    Feb 18, 2008
    10
    Amazing album. It started making sense after second listen. Don't judge it after only one listen. Every second is great and that
  4. Joe
    Feb 29, 2008
    9
    So much music. More than 1 listen required.
  5. Sense!
    Mar 24, 2008
    8
    Any mars volta album is an album to buy. Recently the only good stuff coming out is f*cking folk music and its soooo booooring! This cd tears Any mars volta album is an album to buy. Recently the only good stuff coming out is f*cking folk music and its soooo booooring! This cd tears apart everything you know about music and mashes it up - you need to repeat it several times -- only old people won't like this music - IT IS FANTASTIC! Expand
  6. AlexW.
    Feb 6, 2008
    8
    I think that this could have been the best album of the year! far better than any radiohead album.. but.. it sucked well, not sucked but it I think that this could have been the best album of the year! far better than any radiohead album.. but.. it sucked well, not sucked but it was the producing and that fucking drummer that let it down! and also this album they are really really out of time! the whole goliath lead guitar riff doesn't fit the time scale and not in a good way! I love TMV and I love this album too - but I always thought they were about brilliance not just raw power - some good tracks - but i always skip the first 3 and too all these morons saying frances was better than deloused O_O wtf are you smoking? jeez frances is their worst album! its got like two good parts in it - the widow is boring - and all the rest is filler! radiohead can pull off filler but not the tmv. Expand
  7. NoelS.
    Mar 28, 2008
    0
    They were cool when they first came out, now they're just kind of trying too hard.

See all 52 User Reviews