The Mars Volta - Francis the Mute

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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

Rush I can understand, as they were in turn heavily influenced by Led Zep as well.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 20:07 (nineteen years ago) link

Yeah but the end result is pretty un-Rush-like. I think Sara was using "Rush or Yes" as a lazy shorthand for progressive music.

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 20:10 (nineteen years ago) link

Rush were always a lot more melodic, but I can hear similarities in the vocals.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 20:11 (nineteen years ago) link

Well yeah , Cedric's voice is pretty high up there like Geddy's and Jon Anderson's, and while I prefer JA's vocals to Cedric's there is one little harmony bit in track one that sounds vaguely Yes-like. Not a good overall comparison, because the melodic/rhythmic sensibilities really are closer to Led Zep or Santana or Crimson.

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

Mentioning Santana maybe for the Mex elements, although "Caravanserai" was quite out there too.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 20:16 (nineteen years ago) link

It's a Puerto Rican salsa thing, mostly. Omar was a salsa bassist as a kid, playing in his father's band.

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

so does anyone else's copy have very slight popping sounds in the last third of the "Cassandra Geminni" track?

Yeah man, I hear it too. Sounds like a little mastering fuck-up.

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 20:44 (nineteen years ago) link

"Never heard Rush or Yes make anything as good as Cassandra Geminni."
I can only guess you've only ever heard "Tom Sawyer" and "Owner of a Lonely Heart" then because fuck. . . .

― Grimal Scream Therapy, Tuesday, 15 March 2005 22:00 (nineteen years ago) link

I heard the popping staticky noises too. I thought it was some kind of anti-piracy technology that was fucking the tracks up after I imported them into my iPod. Glad I'm not alone.

― pdf (Phil Freeman), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 22:55 (nineteen years ago) link

Uh, well for starters, by implying that Le Tigre fans are a (mostly) buncha airheaded Barbies who can't worry their pretty little heads over the complexities of Wolf Eyes. Or something like that.

Getting involved with ILM threads is kind of like Daria sitting between Beavis and Butthead. Eventually, you have to tell them to oscillate their weiners and get up off the couch.

But what do I know? I'm just a Le Tigre fan who couldn't possibly like Wolf Eyes too. That never happens.

I really did like the art though. The images would have cracked me up if not for the captions. Are they more like Le Tigre's or Wolf Eyes' music?

Nevermind, I'm gonna go watch VH-1 now and wait for my head to explode.

-- Sara Sherr (sar...), June 24th, 2004.

― green uno skip card (ex machina), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 23:05 (nineteen years ago) link

Hey, you know what? The June 24th version of myself actually makes the most sense. Thanks Jonathan.

Aaron, I've listened to more prog and indie rock than any healthy person should. And I've seen math rock fans turn around and sneer at Yes and Rush, which is ridiculous.

But seriously, I wasn't exactly the first person to rain on the Mars Volta parade here, so why all the hostility directed towards little old me?

All I know is, that I heard that record for the first time at a record store where I work and it made my teeth hurt. But hey, to each his own.

Sorry, if I hurt your prog feelings, since prog is a pretty easy target for ridicule, as is most indie rock.

― Sara Sherr, Wednesday, 16 March 2005 02:29 (nineteen years ago) link

Jon "The Rectifier" Williams strikes again!

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 16 March 2005 02:32 (nineteen years ago) link

Because you're a huge fucking asshole, Sara?

― Dr. Eldon Tyrell (ex machina), Wednesday, 16 March 2005 02:34 (nineteen years ago) link

Sara, do you like Frank Zappa?

― I got the job because I was so mean, while somehow appearing so kind. (AaronHz), Wednesday, 16 March 2005 02:58 (nineteen years ago) link

I guess that would be Jon "The Rectum-caller" Williams

― The Obligatory Sourpuss (Begs2Differ), Wednesday, 16 March 2005 02:59 (nineteen years ago) link

three months pass...

It's quite a shame this album is so terrible. Their debut (and the Tremulant EP) it is a classic in my opinion, on this release they disappeared up their collective asses. Pity... squandered so much potential.

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Saturday, 18 June 2005 01:31 (eighteen years ago) link

this sounds exactly like the first one to me

― kyle (akmonday), Saturday, 18 June 2005 01:49 (eighteen years ago) link

three months pass...

I'm listening to it right now, and it's certainly interesting, but I wish the guitarist would have at least tried to make some of the solos better. There was one solo where if I played if for an unsuspecting music fan they would think some power house band got a 13 year old to guest on a track for some strange reason.

― James Morris (HorrayJames), Monday, 19 September 2005 01:02 (eighteen years ago) link

seven months pass...

Finally getting around to this. On first listen, Cedric's voice is slightly less annoying this time around, but I wish someone would write these guys a fucking melody so he didn't fall back on that fake bluesy/soulful vocal noodling all the time. If they had songs, they'd be the best band in the world.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Sunday, 7 May 2006 01:51 (seventeen years ago) link

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