Album Reviews: Frances The Mute by Mars Volta

Released in 2005 on Universal records.

Mars Volta 2nd album is pretty much the same kind of affair as their first album.

Crazy psychedelic guitars. Wailing, soaring vocals. The music ranges from uber prog rock heights to creepy ambient interludes. Trumpet, some drums that sound like pots and pans, a whole wide array of instruments are thrown into this mix.

This album is very dense, very psychological. The performers passion for their sound shines through in the music.

Lots to enjoy here for the guitar hero crowd. I used to be able to brush this off as pretentious drivel, but now I don't know. Maybe I was still at a butt hurt at The Drive In fan back then.

While there is lots of impressive production and composing on Frances the Mute, I still found it a little heavy handed on the more rocking parts, Omar's vocals sometimes are too over the top and some of the weird parts sounded like weird trying to be weird instead of the genuine article.

Still, the sheer scale of production and ambition heard on here is admirable.

A prog punk psychedelic opera ?

3.2/5




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Category:

Music

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• Mars
• Volta
• Frances
• The
• Mute
• Cygnus
• Widow
• Miranda
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• Cassandra
• Geminni

[tdscotland17]

I wish i was better at explaining things because this spam (which i apologise for!) doesnt convey how i feel about it very well, im just rubbish at it! But all im trying to say is i havent heard any valid reason why TMV are bad and im not saying everyone should like them, just give me a good reason and il accept it. Hope i dont piss too many people off!

[YoureWrongImRight]

You explained yourself a little too well. lol

[tdscotland17]

its CRAZY to not like something for being complex and elaborate. People just dont understand it or cant be bothered listening to it enough to try and get to grips with it, the proper music lovers are the people who like bands like TMV. This might sound harsh but its like people show some stupidity with some of the comments ive heard.If u were into reading you wouldnt read childrens books that are easy to understand and say The Lord of the Rings was rubbish because it was too elaborate would u?

[YoureWrongImRight]

Oh, man. I hate Lord Of The Rings. I never watched the last 2 until I went on a date to this LOR marathon pyjama party.

It was awful, thank god someone brought weed.

[tdscotland17]

To me, it is just ignorance. I had to listen to the album at least 5-6 times or more before i properly loved it but thats why the true fans of mars volta go on about it so much. Because theres so much in it and because its so dense it makes it 10 times more satisfying than anything else. Moreover, i cant understand the logic of people. Why should TMV's music be criticized for 'being too elaborate'. For me, it shows they have put a massive amount of effort into it and are extremely talented..

[YoureWrongImRight]

I guess not everyone enjoys dense musical tapestries. Some people like Ciara and Jonas Brothers.

Volta has a pretty fan base, so they must be doing something right. I guess they just go over some peoples heads or kids just hate having to put effort into trying to like something.

[rob5000x1]

you should do a review of amputechture, seems no one recognizes the genius of that album

[converguenza]

haha u2 cover band.... spot on



[dejohnette]

your review sucks, Frances The Mute it´s a Masterpiece.

[salmonphatshoes]

@rob5000x1 Yeah. That one is amazing. Deloused, Frances, and Amptutechture are the best Volta albums imo.

[salmonphatshoes]

@rob5000x1 Yeah. That one is amazing. Deloused, Frances, and Amptutechture are the best Volta album imo.

[sergiofutbol123]

Man I am not going to read all this comments but dude, The Mars Volta is like the best band I know its muscians all of them have different projects going on if you see Omars projects he cant stop making music! Well I love Mars Volta at an extreme I had to listen to them in depth before getting to how i feel about them now, but man theyre amazing and their music is sick just sick it makes go out of your mind i have gotten like high to this music and without even lighting a joint. Just amazing!

[napkinshower]

lol this guys goofy. i like him. why is he so shaky though?

[napkinshower]

@p5suckchode the fact that you mention tool..im giving you a thumbs up!

[napkinshower]

@ShocknTerror perfect words.

[ShocknTerror]

So Mars Volta fans don't condemn people for not liking them they don't understand it. That sounds pretentious as fuck but it's true. If you've never heard certain types of rhythms and scales it can be perceived as dissonance to you. The more and more you listen to something dissonant the more you become accustomed to it and the more pleasing it becomes. As for the people who bash this music why don't you open your mind and ears and give it a couple chances instead you may enjoy yourself.

[ShocknTerror]

Our whole idea of western music has revolved around major and minor scales for hundreds of years, which is why bands like The Mars Volta won't sound good to many people the first listen or two. The more you listen to it the more you become accustomed to different sounds and realize how it all melts together. It just doesn't make sense to our ears if we've never heard it before, but music like this holds it's value over time since you notice more and more with every listen