The Mars Volta are less a band and more a force of nature, and nowhere is it more apparent than on their sprawling magnum opus, Frances the Mute. This is an incredibly busy record – every second of the album feels like it has a dozen different things going on at once all competing for your attention. To think that the (relatively) same group of musicians released Relationship of Command (by At the Drive-In) just five years before Frances is staggering. To this day, this album stands as the pinnacle of The Mars Volta discography and a masterpiece of modern progressive rock.
The album gives you about 50 seconds to prepare by starting with an acoustic guitar accompanied by Cedric’s swooning. The calm doesn’t last long, however, and before long your ears will be subject to a complete aural assault of dissonant guitars, latin rhythms, horns, and lyrics that switch on a dime between Spanish and English. Before long, Omar graces the audience with his always-breathtaking guitar skills by treating the listener to a lovely guitar solo that lasts for almost the entire mid-section of the song. Before long, the full band comes roaring back in before fading into an ambient/noise conclusion. All of this happens in less than 15 minutes, making the opener “Cygnus….Vismund Cygnus” an amazing song that’s filled with more ideas than many bands come up with their entire career.
The album continues in this schizophrenic fashion for the rest of the record. “The Widow” (the only sub-10 minute piece on the album) is a slow, soft number while “L’Via L’Viaquez” takes the latin tendencies of the band to its extreme. “Miranda That Ghost Just Isn’t Holy Anymore” is the most atmospheric piece of the album, acting as one, unbroken, tantalizing buildup to a very satisfying climax until at last fading into the final act of the album and the undeniable highlight.
“Cassandra Gemini” is essentially the best song The Mars Volta have ever released. Not because it’s absurdly long (which it is at over 30 minute), but because every second on the song is used to its greatest potential. The band manages to cover an enormous amount of ground throughout its course and touch on essentially all aspects of their sound. “Cassandra Gemini” is both the climax of Frances the Mute and arguably of their whole career. The only way to understand it is to experience it. The song ends with a reprise of the first 50 seconds of the album, giving the whole almost 80 minute album a real sense of continuity and a definite end.
All the musicians are really in top form here. Being progressive rock, there’s a lot of flashy songwriting and technique throughout, but it’s always done in a very fresh and interesting way without ever resorting to over-used cliches of the genre. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (guitar) and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals) are the two that stand out the most (which is true for all TMV records). Cedric’s lyrics are particularly fascinating. Don’t even attempt to understand what he’s singing about because it makes absolutely no sense, but the vivid imagery and unique word choices make them a joy to listen to.
In short, Frances the Mute is an incredible record that any progressive rock fan (or anyone interested in more “out-there” music) absolutely needs to listen to. While The Mars Volta have not reached the quality of this album since, they managed to craft a perfect snapshot of their interesting and unique sound within the confines of this album. Leave your pre-conceptions at the door, because this album will blow them away. And please, whatever you do, don’t read Pitchfork’s piece of shit review. It’s just not “trendy” enough for them.
Rating: 4.5/5
- Cygnus….Vismund Cygnus [13:02]
- The Widow [5:50]
- L’Via L’Viaquez [12:21]
- Miranda That Ghost Just Isn’t Holy Anymore [13:09]
- Cassandra Gemini I [4:45]
- Cassandra Gemini II [6:40]
- Cassandra Gemini III [2:55]
- Cassandra Gemini IV [7:41]
- Cassandra Gemini V [4:59]
- Cassandra Gemini VI [3:48]
- Cassandra Gemini VII [0:46]
- Cassandra Gemini VIII [0:53]
