At The Drive In

[version sound]

I loved Relationship of Command, but none of their other stuff really grabbed me. Mars Volta were a huge disappointment, but the first Sparta album was decent.

[jason powell]

I first heard the orange one with the stereo on the cover. It was alright. Relationship of Command was great, I really liked that one. I think some of Casino In/Out is decent, but it has some filler too.

[gregpolard]

Relationship is hands down their best, followed by Vaya (the EP with the radio on it)

Mars Volta were cool for what they are but not something I’d listen to.

I saw Sparta once when they only had the EP (I went to see Thursday). They were decent.

[FlexMyHead]

They were a great live band, kinda reminded me of NOU, well the singer at least. Just threw his body around with reckless abandon when they played. I saw them in various settings (big venues with great PA to shitty clubs) and they never disappointed. Mars Volta might have recorded the best music in the universe but everything about them screamed "hipster douche" so I never listened to them. While Sparta was more rock, I enjoyed them. I got a chance to see them in Denver at Red Rocks, they opened for Dashboard Confessional and Weezer. I was just stoked to be at Red Rocks cause ever since that U2 video I thought it was just about the coolest fucking place to see a band ever, and it was.

[patient_ot]

I got into the band early on, through their first album when it was fairly new. By the time they went for the harder, more slickly produced sound, I lost interest. The releases I like are the ones up to and including In/Casino/Out, but I don't put on their stuff too often these days.

[yourenotevil]

i would rather hear a lot of U2.

[JGJR]

I loved Relationship of Command, but none of their other stuff really grabbed me. Mars Volta were a huge disappointment, but the first Sparta album was decent.

All of that, exactly, except that I've never knowingly heard Sparta aside from a song or two when they first came out and it was unmemorable.

[version sound]

I haven't heard it in years, but that first Saprta full length was good. It sounded like a slightly more rock version of ROC.

[MXV]

I love Relationship of Command and I thought it was a shame they broke up right when they got really good. The other records, from what I heard, were just OK but nothing they did prior came anywhere close to how great they were on that last album. I didn't bother with the bands they did post-breakup. What I heard of either band didn't wow me at all.

[john stabb]

I remember a friend coming back from Cali seeing ATDI early on just in awe of their live show. He compared them to ROS in their chaotic stage performance. Then I listened to their records and saw them doing their thing on Letterman. I had to agree with crusty old Dave (after coming back from commercial when ATDI just played) "I don't think these young men should quit their studies anytime soon, Paul".

[gregpolard]

I remember a friend coming back from Cali seeing ATDI early on just in awe of their live show. He compared them to ROS in their chaotic stage performance. Then I listened to their records and saw them doing their thing on Letterman. I had to agree with crusty old Dave (after coming back from commercial when ATDI just played) "I don't think these young men should quit their studies anytime soon, Paul".

I wasn’t around to see ROS (I wish!) but I got that vibe too, at least how I imagined ROS to be. I saw ATDI a couple times in the late 90’s and it was always great. Chaos. But then I think that became their “thing” and it ruined it.