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Frances the Mute | 
 enlarge | Artist: The Mars Volta
Label: Umvd Labels
Category: Music
List Price: $13.98
Buy New: $12.99
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New (48) Used (51) from $2.80
Rating:  413 reviews
Sales Rank: 8942
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 000412902
UPC: 075021039773
EAN: 0075021039773
ASIN: B0007GAEW6
Release Date: March 1, 2005
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
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| Tracks:
| • | Cygnus...Vismund Cygnus: Sarcophagi/Umbilical Syllables/Facilis ... | | • | The Widow | | • | L' Via l'Viaquez | | • | Miranda That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore: Vade Mecum | | • | Miranda That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore: Pour Another Icepick | | • | Miranda That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore: Pisacis (Phra-Men-Ma) | | • | Miranda That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore: Con Safo | | • | Cassandra Geminni: Tarantism | | • | Cassandra Geminni: Plant a Nail in the Navel Stream | | • | Cassandra Geminni: Faminepulse | | • | Cassandra Geminni: Multiple Spouse Wounds | | • | Cassandra Geminni: Sarcophagi |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
If one needed further proof of the contemporary revival/reassessment of the ambitiously overwrought sensibilities once so reviled in '70s rock, this aggressively mindbending second album by the Mars Volta offers it up in spades. Band mainstays Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala insist that labels like "prog" don't interest them, and that this is emphatically not a "sequel" to 2003's De-Loused in the Comatorium. What it is was thematically inspired by a stranger's diary allegedly found by late bandmate Jeremy Ward, the basis for an expansive, often amorphous musical head-trip that brews psychedelia, trance, hard-rock and free-jazz into a daunting new whole. The dozen tracks here represent but five "songs" proper, though the band's disdain for conventional track banding inspire it to sound more like a stream-of-consciousness soundscape from Can--or a dark, lyrically inventive, if decidedly troubled corner of their ids. On the "Umbilical Syllables" portion of "Cygnus.." and "The Widow" Bixler-Zavala invokes the wailing, Led Zeppelin II & III spirit of Robert Plant set against a feverish, swirling melange that's anything but the blues. The vocalist coaxes "L' Via l'Viaquez" en Espanol, while his band indulges its space-mambo conceits with an evocative spirit that recalls Latin Playboys at their most mischievous. It's an album that loops back on itself in a haunting ellipse--and one whose boundless ambition makes Pink Floyd sound like three-chord bar punters by comparison. --Jerry McCulley
Album Description
Japanese only SHM-CD (Super High Material CD - playable on all CD players) pressing. Universal. 2008.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 408 more reviews...
 Review Number 500-0000-45 July 15, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
the mars volta walked to my house and sat on my porch. the mars volta started smoking something. the mars volta knocked on my door but didn't stand up. I opened the door and then closed the door and then sat on the porch next to the mars volta. we didn't say anything for a while. the mars volta exclaimed, "e-e-e-eyes!" it was OK. I knew that the mars volta was OK.
--http://alicia-pernell.blogspot.com/
TMV's best to date April 10, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This album demolishes the expectations laid down by both their previous album and their live show. This album is magnificent from start to finish, working as a complete cycle. Cassandra Gemini gives a close approximation of their live show, yet drags a little in the middle. They should have replaced some of the noodling with the missing title track. That being said, this disc definitely functions as a true "album", and has the most psychedelic feel to it. Not for the faint of heart, but the most rewarding in my opinion.
...hmm...(philisophical grunt)...um...who's miranda? March 20, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
...De-Loused was an epic and proggy psycadelic album...if somewhat a little too acessible...now after this what would Omar and Cedric and co. think of next? Well now we have Frances the Mute...an album with only 5 real songs inside it (they've been divided very awkwardly but the tracks are very obvious)...now the differences in this album are quite obvious...do you remember the instrumental part in cicitraz esp? (you know...bird noises) well lets just say there are ALOT more of these and significantly longer to the point that most people would be able to leave the room and come back and it would still be going...there is also alot more of noticable latin influence with Cedric at times speaking in Spanish...but of course...like most of Mars Voltas work it has to be heard to understand...hypocritically speaking here's a track listing...
Cygnus Vismond Cygnus 10/10: Starts off with an accoustic guitar and a quiet cedric singing in the background then suddenly the drum and pounding bass comes crashing in with Cedric sounding like a banshee (unsure what language) and then a quick guitar solo vocal break followed by the sound again...after this is repeated a few times there is then a gradual and rather long instrumental part until the vocals come back in with the chorus...then it breaks down into very awkward noises...for quite a long time...
Widow 7/10: Yes...the single...never liked it that much...verse chorus combo...a trumpet solo then a guitar solo...not the best song really...a load of noise leads to the next song...
L'viaquez (forgotten how to spell it) 9/10: Starts with a light thudding of the drum until appearing with an amazing intro solo followed by a light hearted salsa vibe from Cedrics spanish lyrics...which is usually not my kind of music but it compliments it very well...the chorus is alot more quieter and sinister and follows a simple pattern of exploding back into full blast when the verse comes back with a guitar solo...after this is repeated a few times there is then a part which doesn't follow the old structure...slightly interesting but nothing new...feels kind of rushed...and then ends with a slowed down version of Cedrics vocals into...
Miranda that ghost just isn't holy anymore 10/10: Now if I was to also mark it for the large blank sound at the beginning...I would probably have to deduct a mark because no one should have to be this patient voluntarily (or just fast forward who knows) but what follows is so fragile and beautiful...cedric really does sing falsetto at this point and to such a point it could make you cry (in a good way)...and the chorus...sends shivers down the spine...it is so beautifully eerie...trumpets are also good...
Cassandra Gemini 10/10: I really don't care what people say about this song being pointlessly long...I love it...it starts off very active and insane...with loads of sound flying everywhere...and then they get more structured...then there's a very long part where there's just a drone of instrumentation until they come back again...it then ends as the album started with the accoustic guitars and cedric sounding slightly more insane then he did to begin...
...if you liked Mars Volta for De-Loused...this may take some getting used to...but trust me once it grows on you...you will reap the reward from the muted unenlightened (aka anyone who hasn't heard this)...
"Frances The Mute" / "Cassandra Gemini" tracklisting decoded February 6, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
For those of you wondering which movement is which in "Cassandra Gemini," this is how the CD tracks are divided:
1. "Cygnus....Vismund Cygnus" - 13:02
2. "The Widow" - 5:51
3. "L'Via L'Viaquez" - 12:22
4. "Miranda That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore" - 13:10
5. "Cassandra Gemini - A. Tarantism [1]" - 4:46
6. "Cassandra Gemini - A. Tarantism [2]" - 6:40
7. "Cassandra Gemini - B. Plant a Nail in the Navel Stream [1]" - 2:56
8. "Cassandra Gemini - B. Plant a Nail in the Navel Stream [2]" - 7:41
9. "Cassandra Gemini - C. Faminepulse [1]" - 5:00
10. "Cassandra Gemini - C. Faminepulse [2]/D. Multiple Spouse Wounds [1]" - 3:48
11. "Cassandra Gemini - D. Multiple Spouse Wounds [2]" - 0:47
12. "Cassandra Gemini - E. Sarcophagi" - 0:54
I figured this out by following the lyrics while listening to the album. I hope the band seriously considers releasing a "Director's Cut" of this record in the future including the missing opening title track (eventually released on the CD single of "The Widow") and presenting the album as 6 whole CD tracks like it was originally intended. Although it would have to be a 2-CD set to accomodate the 90-minute running time (the title track is 15 minutes alone), it will make the album sound more complete. In the meantime, find yourself a copy of "The Widow" single, rip the track "Frances The Mute" onto your computer along with the official 'Frances' CD and arrange the tracklisting as such:
1. "Frances The Mute"
2. "Cygnus....Vismund Cygnus"
3. "The Widow"
4. "L'Via L'Viaquez"
5. "Miranda That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore"
6. "Cassandra Gemini"
Thank goodness for playlists!
You will not be muting this... October 27, 2007
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
At first listen, it just sounds like a complete mess and is all over the place, though bit by bit it begins to make more sense........
After: 1st listen - Widow single (edit) clicks
2-5 listens - Cygnus apart from the last 2 mins clicks
6-10 listens - Miranda - (now I realise the true genius of it)
11-15 listens - L'Via L'viaquez -(brilliant)
15-20 listens - getting there with Cassandra Gemini but its still pretty tough
The bits such as the last 3 minutes of the widow and 2 mins of Cygnus along with various other parts of the album can only really be described as `awkward' listening. When the later minutes of Widow were playing my Mum actually thought the CD was jamming! To be fair it does sound that way. I do wonder what Omar and Cedric think of these parts, as they must have a reason why they are included. Obviously no one could understand their music more than them so they must see something in these parts which make them special enough to have included them on the album. In saying that, what I thought were 4 awkward minutes in the beginning of Miranda, I now realise that it really does act as a superb build up till the trumpets slowly come in. The uses of the trumpets are what makes Miranda such a cold and chilling track and adds to the atmosphere of the album as a whole.
Like any good album you really can't judge it until you've listened to it a lot. I really didn't like this album for starter especially as it is meant to be listened to in one sitting. At 76 minutes long, I think the sheer length of it played mind tricks on me and instead of properly listening to the music, I was thinking of how long it was. As you keep listening to it, time gradually becomes insignificant and when that stage is reached you can truly appreciate the album because it will start to make sense, so you're focusing less on the time and more on the music.
This album is to deloused as deloused is to relationship of command (At the Drive-in) because from relationship to de-loused, they really did take their music to another level and now they've managed one step further. Whether they make the next step with their next album remains to be seen, where that step is I don't think they even know! But one thing is for sure they have the talent to be timeless.
One thing I really like about this album is the concept that it is never ending, it can just loop forever because the end of the last track Cassandra, turns into the intro for Cygnus.
This album also shows how singer Cedric really has moved away from ATDI even further because there are virtually no `shouty' bits at all. In fact Frances shows what an amazing singer he really is. He hits notes which most people could only dream of reaching, for example the "oh yeah" s during Cygnus or the "bring me to my knees towards the beginning of Cassandra. Overall his pure and unique vocals add a great deal to the album.
However the key to this album which holds it together is not Cedric's unique vocals, Omar's exquisite guitar playing or John's mental drumming - but it's the infectious baselines which set the tone for the whole album. While Omar, Cedric, John along with the other contributors go off into their own little worlds in the album, the base line is the constant throughout each song and brings it all together. In particular Omar's guitar playing seems to dance round the baselines not knowing which way he's going to go next.
To explain what their album is like compared to other prog albums I'll put it in to context by using the analogy of running. First of all I'll explain how much music in general can be related to running. Anyone can run a mile, maybe at different times, but they can still run it. Just like pop music, its easy to understand. However longer runs require more training and you have to build up to it. This is like progressive music because you need to listen to it lots in order to understand it or to appreciate it to its full potential. To put this into context of this Mars Volta album is like a 3 hour long run. A 3 hour long run can take many shapes and forms. The MV album is like a mix of urban and rural landscapes. The urban bits are the straight forward road running bits, or the parts of the albums which are the easiest to understand. However they are still hilly sections in this part to keep it challenging. Then there is the rural parts which are the parts are the rough trails which take longer because it is more technical. This represent those `awkward' moments of the album.
To sum up Frances the mute is a never ending journey through a musical landscape. A tough 3 hour long run may sound completely unthinkable to some people, but if you do the training its nothing short of brilliance........................just like Frances the Mute!
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