The Mars Volta - Frances the Mute

For those who say rock music has grown stagnant and repetitive, I suggest buying this CD immediately. This is perhaps the boldest, most experimental mainstream release since Tool released Lateralus in 2001. Designed in the form of a rock opera, Frances the Mute is 5 songs spanning 12 tracks and a 76:55 running length. "Cygnus... Vismund Cygnus" (13 minutes) begins softly and acoustically then explodes into a relentless cacophony of noise in which the high-pitched, near Plant-esque singer freely alternates between surreal Spanish and English lyrics complimented by an army of shrill guitars, trumpets, violins, and the almighty keyboard. "The Widow," the conventionally structured single, follows and ends after a comparatively brief six minutes padded out by three minutes of heavily distorted organ. There are many exclusively instrumental moments (periods is probably a more accurate description) throughout the album that may test less patient listeners. But the payoff is ultimately worth it. Closer "Cassandra Geminni" is absolutely astounding at 30 minutes - also the only song that warranted splitting up into multiple tracks. However, the splits are transparent and clearly for convenience's sake. I liked one reviewer who deemed Frances the Mute the anti-IPod shuffle. It is a profound and extremely intense experience that absolutely must be taken as a whole.

Wow...no, I am not saying that because of the CD, I'm saying that because of how well you wrote that paragraph. Amazing...did you ever consider writing anything else, or did you get that paragarph from some media place?

But that CD does seem very cool, unique from any other. I might buy. Might.

Wow, coincidence! My friend made me listen to this today.

I agree, it was really great, and just...different.

ElectricBlueMonkey wrote:Wow...no, I am not saying that because of the CD, I'm saying that because of how well you wrote that paragraph. Amazing...did you ever consider writing anything else, or did you get that paragarph from some media place?

But that CD does seem very cool, unique from any other. I might buy. Might.

Heh, thanks. I did write it myself.
I posted a (commentless) story a couple weeks ago.

Damn, i just got an ipod shuffle. Well, i could just set it to 1st to last mode.
Frances the Mute is good. it tells a story (through a guys diary i think)
It's really good, the best prog rock i've heard in a long time but it just seems a little err too improvised. it's a work of art, but someone spilt a bit of coffee on it.

THE MARS VOLTA IS FREAKIN' AWESOME!!!

I haven't heard much of Francis, but Deloused in the Comatorium is AMAZING. It's about a man who falls into a coma, and has amazing dreams, and then, when he finally comes out of the coma, he dosen't want to wake up, stay in his dreams. There isn't a single track I don't like.

But, yeah Francis the Mute is about a diary of a man who is trying to find his real parents.

I'm glad I found someone who likes the Mars Volta, too.