ALARM’s 50 (+5) Favorite Songs of 2012

The Mars Volta: “The Malkin Jewel” from Noctourniquet (Warner Bros., 3/27/12)

The Mars Volta: “The Malkin Jewel”

Wild bits of ukelele break up the prog-slash-“future punk” of “The Malkin Jewel,” and Omar Rodriguez Lopez’s guitars duel beautifully with the soaring vocals of Cedric Bixler Zavala. Herein lies a snapshot of the gloriously diverse Mars Volta.