Everybody's Favorite Weapon

Isaiah "Ikey" Owens is familiar to many as the flamboyant, boisterous keyboard maestro in THE MARS VOLTA and their reggae-tinted alter ego, DE FACTO. (His track record speaks volumes, as he's also performed in SUBLIME and LONG BEACH DUB ALLSTARS, as well as done session work with Shuggie Otis, Blowfly, Barrington Levy, Wailing Souls, and Radioinactive.) Since 2002, he's been writing and recording under the moniker FREE MORAL AGENTS, releasing a vinyl-only EP on Pete Records, as well as a recent GSL split 12" with Subtitle. Between globe-hopping tours with The Mars Volta, Ikey has been applying the finishing touches to the collection of songs that constitute his first solo album. With the production skills of Jeff Harris and vocal contributions from rapper J and the golden-throated Mendee Ichikawa, "Everybody's Favorite Weapon" is a vibrant, colorful journey through the rainbow of sounds lurking in Ikey's brain. Jazzy piano interludes give way to throbbing beats and lush instrumentation, while the vocals range from Saul Williams-inspired political poetry to spacey, angelic harmonies. The CD also includes a QuickTime video for the track "Lay Down," directed by Simon Chan, shot on 16 mm film and featuring Ikey, Jeff, and Mendee.