The Mars Volta - Francis the Mute

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http://pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/m/mars-volta/frances-the-mute.shtml

they kick about a third as much ass as a Dream Theater side project.

ouch!

― Don't Ever Antagonize The Horny (AaronHz), Tuesday, 1 March 2005 23:55 (nineteen years ago) link

-oh yah hurts so good! btw the spelling in the thread title is wrong its FRANCES

― charleston charge (chaki), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 00:00 (nineteen years ago) link

Frances the Mute - 5 or 12 tracks?
_______________________
Everyone's reporting that the album is five tracks long, including every review, so I picked it up today, only to find that my copy is 12 tracks. Now I know that it's a bunch of "suites", but everything has been said that the final track clocks in at 31 minutes, while it's all split up on mine.
-- Chris Roberts (silveras...), March 1st, 2005 1:54 PM. (link)
Answers
_________________________
I heard that the reason they couldnt make it a 5 track album was because legally they'd still owe the record company another album, as a 5 track cd would be an EP. Still i dont know why they chose 12 tracks. If they had split it into all the suites it would have been 18 tracks, but as it stands the tracklisting looks like this.
1. Cygnus...Vismund Cygnus
2. The Widow
3. L'Via L'Viaquez
4. Miranda that ghost just isn't holy anymore
5-12 Cassandra Gemini
It is very difficult to see where the suites change over especially on Cassandra Gemini, and i think its just a rushed poorly thought out final tracklist.

-- dmun (a_s_fishe...), March 1st, 2005 3:00 PM. (link)

That's fucking retarded if it's true. "Close to the Edge" has three tracks on the CD, though you could split it into suites if you went by the liner notes. "Thick As A Brick" has 2 (technically would be one track if that was possible back in '72). Is Universal gonna tell us that those are EPs?

― Don't Ever Antagonize The Horny (AaronHz), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 00:10 (nineteen years ago) link

If you liked De-Loused (or thought so, at least) but often found yourself biting your tongue in the company of others, you were probably in the majority.

wtf? writers be stupid!

― charleston charge (chaki), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 00:12 (nineteen years ago) link

I loved that Pitchfork review. I could imagine that kid not waiting to go put on real music like The Arcade Fire.

― A hurtling cone of blue Cherenkov light, Wednesday, 2 March 2005 00:13 (nineteen years ago) link

By the way that's totally gonna fuck up that last track when you rip it to mp3, maybe that was Universal's intention? If so, you can get the full 30 min. as one track off itunes if you buy the full album there last I checked.

― Don't Ever Antagonize The Horny (AaronHz), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 00:13 (nineteen years ago) link

I have a feeling this album's gonna be lots of fun for stoned 14 year olds playing Halo 2 after school. I mean that in the nicest way possible.

― from the scarp, Wednesday, 2 March 2005 00:20 (nineteen years ago) link

I wasn't going to buy this album but then i read the Pdork review.

Anything they hate this much HAS to be good.

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 00:27 (nineteen years ago) link

kinda funny that they're making fun of The Mars Volta's lyrics when they just gave Bright Eyes an 8.7...

― Don't Ever Antagonize The Horny (AaronHz), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 00:29 (nineteen years ago) link

Did Storm Thorgerson change his name to Storm:Thorgerson or is that just a typo? If not, I like it!

― skin pocked like cantaloupe rind, Wednesday, 2 March 2005 00:32 (nineteen years ago) link

first song like whoa! 'eavy shit

― JaXoN Hole (JasonD), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 02:48 (nineteen years ago) link

and to answer Rockist Scientist's question way upthread: Is it salsa?

yes, L'Via L'Viaquez has a few latin/salsa/psych/prog moments.

― JaXoN Hole (JasonD), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 02:57 (nineteen years ago) link

the vocals are too high in the mix

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 09:07 (nineteen years ago) link

"the vocals are too high in the mix"

I'm guessing thats deliberate, Cedrics lyrics on Deloused were pretty much nonsensical gibberish, whereas on Frances hes trying to tell a story and Omar overcompensates by sticking the vocals real high in the mix.

― dmun, Wednesday, 2 March 2005 09:12 (nineteen years ago) link

I certainly wouldn't want completely submurged vocals either...

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 09:19 (nineteen years ago) link

btw the spelling in the thread title is wrong its FRANCES

Also, the last song is called "Cassandra Geminni", not "...Gemini". Don't ask me about the conceptual significance of that particular spelling.

― JoB (JoB), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 12:42 (nineteen years ago) link

Pretty much everything is too high in the mix. Just like on De-Loused they just said "This thing is way too complicated to mix. Fuck this! Let's just put every track at '9'."

― blawa (blawa), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 12:50 (nineteen years ago) link

Stylus gets it

http://www.stylusmagazine.com/review.php?ID=2789

― A hurtling cone of blue Cherenkov light, Wednesday, 2 March 2005 17:50 (nineteen years ago) link

Well, I just bought this today. You know what pisses me off more than CD's that have the huge FBI Anti-Piracy warning on the back? CD's that have a huge fucking Anti-Piracy warning written across the CD itself. Thanks, responsible people!

― Mickey (modestmickey), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 19:59 (nineteen years ago) link

I hate reviews that pay more attention to hype and how the reviewer feels about "haterz"....that stylus review contains one paragraph (out of 5) that actually discusses the album...weak!

― Space Is the Place (Space Is the Place), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 20:18 (nineteen years ago) link

agreed, but I do think all this bitching about the lyrics is bogus...I mean - IT'S PROG! If you start getting snooty about lyrics you're never going to be able to stomach the genre as a whole....

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 20:29 (nineteen years ago) link

To be fair, the Stylus review is defending an extremely dissable album, I don't mind the posture.

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 2 March 2005 20:49 (nineteen years ago) link

How does this one compare to the "Tremulant" EP? Never heard De-Loused, was put off, but am intrigued now with all the negative (well at least bitchdork) press.

― Theotormon, Thursday, 3 March 2005 03:18 (nineteen years ago) link

its the same shit except cedric is a better singer now

― charleston charge (chaki), Thursday, 3 March 2005 03:46 (nineteen years ago) link

IT'S PROG! If you start getting snooty about lyrics you're never going to be able to stomach the genre as a whole....

OTM! All the best prog bands have WORST fucking lyrics.
*cough* crimson *cough*

― Don't Ever Antagonize The Horny (AaronHz), Thursday, 3 March 2005 04:03 (nineteen years ago) link

Uh, I just noticed that this is the #3 album download on iTunes right now. I'm wondering what it's gonna do on Billboard...
I usually wouldn't care but I'm kind of rooting for this to be a huge hit for some reason (still haven't heard it yet).

― Don't Ever Antagonize The Horny (AaronHz), Saturday, 5 March 2005 00:55 (nineteen years ago) link

I really like a lot of parts of this. It's interesting to hear some sections that were inserted into older songs on the Live ep. I'm relieved that they split it into reasonable sized tracks too, it makes it much more approachable (and iPod-able) for me.

Drumming = classic
Swirly soundscapes = dud(e)

― deathlike technical blasting death metal with a soul of suicidal rationalis (Jor, Tuesday, 8 March 2005 18:33 (nineteen years ago) link

Just saw that this album is #4 on the Billboard 200 this week.

Who's buying this thing? I don't get it.

― Keith C (kcraw916), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 01:57 (nineteen years ago) link

I just saw that (it's placement on Billboard) today too, and was a bit shocked, not that I've heard their music, but just based on my impressions of where they fit in the scheme of things.

― RS £aRue (rockist_scientist), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 02:00 (nineteen years ago) link

I bought one. Just came in the mail. I'll let you know what I think after I listen to it a few times.

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 02:03 (nineteen years ago) link

This allbum is prog rock by and for people with ADD.

I thought that was Faust. (ducking)

― Joe (Joe), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 02:08 (nineteen years ago) link

and to answer Rockist Scientist's question way upthread: Is it salsa?

I was just trying to sound like the most annoying possible version of myself.

― RS £aRue (rockist_scientist), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 02:13 (nineteen years ago) link

Here's what the Mars Volta's new bass player was doing when Rites of Spring were still around:

ihttp://www.racerxband.com/pictures/80pix/images/racerx15.jpg

― Sordid Past, Tuesday, 15 March 2005 02:26 (nineteen years ago) link

Aaron H it is an out and out prog befuddler of the Van Der Graf stripe. It might take more than a few listens. I'm just getting into the FIRST one now after all this time.

― jazz-weary of years and drums and hawaiian guitars, Tuesday, 15 March 2005 02:33 (nineteen years ago) link

That's fucking retarded if it's true. "Close to the Edge" has three tracks on the CD, though you could split it into suites if you went by the liner notes.

"Tales From Topographic Oceans" is a double album with 4 tracks on it. EP? I think not.

But I guess that, legally, those might count as EPs too then.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 02:34 (nineteen years ago) link

Just saw that this album is #4 on the Billboard 200 this week.
Who's buying this thing? I don't get it.

i think it might be due to the fact that when it first came out, it was super cheap, and the that the lead single is super catchy. i bet any normal MTV viewer is tricked into getting it after hearing The Widow

― The JaXoN 5 (JasonD), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 03:24 (nineteen years ago) link

They play it on MTV? I haven't seen it yet but I don't really watch that much...

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 03:52 (nineteen years ago) link

I saw "The Widow" on MTVEspanol! RAWK!

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 05:25 (nineteen years ago) link

Listening now.

Track 1 some heavy Crimson shit. I just watched a Crimson concert from '84 on DVD and this could have been one of the songs they were playing.
These guys are for real! I'm really excited that this is #4 on Billboard.

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 05:37 (nineteen years ago) link

ok I'm on track three, this fucking rules.
Fuck off Sam Ubl, seriously.
I even like "the widow" now that I hear it in the context of how intense the two songs it's sandwiched in between are (and that fucking weird keyboard shit at the end that wasn't in the single edit).

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 06:02 (nineteen years ago) link

The 30 min "Cassandra Geminni" was my favorite. "Miranda..." was the only song that didn't make an immediate impression, I'm sure it will grow on me.

Taking into account the very ugly and obnoxious FBI warning on the CD itself, I'm sure the splitting CG into 8 parts thing is just a fuck you to file traders on behalf of Universal. The tracks don't even correspond to the suites, it's just random sabotage as far as I can tell.
First impression : My favorite record of the year, so far.

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 06:59 (nineteen years ago) link

cedric's screaming, whiney voice is something i can't really get into.. it sounds very nu-metalish or something. but i like him on slower songs, especially the one in spanish. there's lots of cool stuff going on in the instrumentation of this album. i can tell i'll be saying, "whoa.. i didn't hear that before.. bad ass," each time i listen to it. i like what they're doing and am happy something like this has gained mainstream popularity. it helps prove my theory that people aren't stupid, and definitely do know what's good if you give it to them.

― tzatziki n pita (steph jam), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 08:25 (nineteen years ago) link

They are basically Rush or Yes with better haircuts and fewer tunes. Basically, for people who wouldn't buy those kinds of records or wouldn't remember those bands.

― Sara Sherr, Tuesday, 15 March 2005 11:00 (nineteen years ago) link

I never heard Rush or Yes make anything as good as Cassandra Geminni. Theres a huge, rose tinted spectacles mentality going on here.

― dmun, Tuesday, 15 March 2005 11:28 (nineteen years ago) link

I'm not sure I love this record yet, but I'm definitely gonna listen to it a few more times this week (and to answer a point above about its chart position, I bought it because it was $6.99 at Best Buy). I liked the first album for quite a while, but sorta got over it and eventually sold it (though it's still in my iPod). Also, I've got tickets to see them on May 5.

― pdf (Phil Freeman), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 12:03 (nineteen years ago) link

so does anyone else's copy have very slight popping sounds in the last third of the "Cassandra Geminni" track? i thought it was my headphones acting up on first listen, but i've since noticed them while in the car and at work. they are very subtle, but they don't sound like they were intentional. just wondered. and yes, its a store bought legal copy.

― jonviachicago, Tuesday, 15 March 2005 14:51 (nineteen years ago) link

the video for "The Widow" is just godawful

― Aerodynamic (Aerodynamic), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 15:27 (nineteen years ago) link

They are basically Rush or Yes with better haircuts and fewer tunes. Basically, for people who wouldn't buy those kinds of records or wouldn't remember those bands.

Seriously, fuck you. Rush and Yes are two of my favorite bands, and I love this record. Have fun with your stupid indie bullshit.

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 19:10 (nineteen years ago) link

I doubt The Mars Volta will ever make anything as good as "Close To The Edge".

Plus to me they sound more like a cross-in-between Led Zeppelin and Santana.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 20:02 (nineteen years ago) link

Geir OTM, but throw in a little herky jerky mid period King Crimson rhythms and it's a hell of a lot closer than Rush(!?!?!?) or Yes.
Also yeah, "Close to the Edge" (along with Selling England by Genesis) are pretty much untouchable for prog hopefuls, one could only ever hope to equal them.

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 20:06 (nineteen years ago) link

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