Frances The Mute
by The Mars Volta
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 348 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 299 out of 348
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 348
  3. Negative: 37 out of 348

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  1. StevenM
    Feb 27, 2005
    6
    4 great songs, one good one (The Widow) but so much unlistenable, pointless filler too. I still believe their best is yet to come.
  2. ChrisC
    Mar 2, 2005
    6
    This album is one or two great songs -- stretched out over 70 minutes. They could write a really great album..if they got over themselves, diversified their sound, and started writing *songs*. If they did that they could be like Yes.
  3. Sjonge
    Nov 12, 2005
    6
    Not quite a patch on De-loused... which struck an excellent balance between powerful songs and unparalleled experimentalism. Those were some emotional pieces of music that literally took control of your mind. Now, Frances the Mute sounds much less consistent, gone are the strong hooks and structure, basically it feels like an extended jam session. That wouldn't be bad if the album Not quite a patch on De-loused... which struck an excellent balance between powerful songs and unparalleled experimentalism. Those were some emotional pieces of music that literally took control of your mind. Now, Frances the Mute sounds much less consistent, gone are the strong hooks and structure, basically it feels like an extended jam session. That wouldn't be bad if the album was good, but alas, it isn't. Failing to convey any recognisable emotion, sounding much less engaged and marred by completely pointless parts that are neither very adventurous nor entertaining, this one failed to draw me in even after repeated listens. Amidst the prog wankery, which I'm sure was fun to try, they forgot to write strong songs. A definate step back for the band, almost nothing here can touch the glory of De-loused. Although I'm afraid the band themselves might not think so and make album 3 even more of a pointless mess.… Expand
  4. CurranS
    Mar 14, 2005
    6
    Ok so I think that everyone can agree that the Mars Volta are all ridiculously talented. However, "Frances the Mute" essentially just brings the phrase "it has it's moments" new meaning. When listening to this I find myself being enchanted one minute and disgusted the next. It's a very inconsistant and messy album. When the Mars Volta are on, they are really on; the first half Ok so I think that everyone can agree that the Mars Volta are all ridiculously talented. However, "Frances the Mute" essentially just brings the phrase "it has it's moments" new meaning. When listening to this I find myself being enchanted one minute and disgusted the next. It's a very inconsistant and messy album. When the Mars Volta are on, they are really on; the first half of "L'Via L'Viaquez" is utterly an amazing listen. On the other hand, when the Mars Volta are off, they are really, really off; pseudo power-ballad, "The Widow" is three minutes of cheesy, melodramatic sludge followed by three minutes of pointless noise sludge. It is a terrible single and I find it kind of ironic that the shortest song, 5 times shorter than the longest is also 5 times the inferior to "Cassandra Gemini", a thirty three minute, seven part, four suite opus that was not only intended to be huge in length and much to my suprise, about half of it works. No one can deny the talent of Omar, Cedric and company but no one likes a showing off, which is what most of this album is.… Expand
  5. JonH.
    Mar 28, 2005
    6
    Takes some getting use to, but it's not that bad, i doubt it will last in my collection though. I would love for this band to actually write real songs, y'know, one's that don't take up 30 minutes of my time.
  6. piesore
    Feb 27, 2005
    5
    I was disappointed w/ Deloused, mostly in terms of the production. I thought they'd fleshed out their ideas and taken the next logical step from ATDi, and really loved the Alex Newport produced demos. But Rubin's final made me feel like I was listening to a piece of plastic, with the guitar and coals pushed too high in the mix. Cedric's voice was more feminine, yet more I was disappointed w/ Deloused, mostly in terms of the production. I thought they'd fleshed out their ideas and taken the next logical step from ATDi, and really loved the Alex Newport produced demos. But Rubin's final made me feel like I was listening to a piece of plastic, with the guitar and coals pushed too high in the mix. Cedric's voice was more feminine, yet more abrasive than on the demos; it annoyed me. So, there was a whole album of ideas I liked, but just not their execution. I got excited for the new album once I started to hear the vision behind it, and some of the new live jams. I thought both Caught in the Sun, and A Plague Upon Your Hissing Children were both awesome (neither made the album though). The soft progression in the Middle of Cygnus sounded great live too. And it was supposed to be about the unspeakable visions of Hell, so I was imagining a dark and disturbing soundtrack to compliment the imagery found in Dante's Inferno. Finally, the production was supposed to be a step closer to the rawness of Tremulant, and I was really expecting something as aching and moving as Concertina on FTM. But instead of one step back to the stellar heights of the Tremulant Ep, they've further moved away from the ATDi sound, completely abandoning it, which is bad news for me, an ATDi fan. I think that's why this album is creating much more of a polarized reaction among fans than Deloused, because it's like a totally different group. It's a lot closer to a classic/prog rock album, a lot more upbeat than something inspired by the unspeakable visions of hell you'd expect, with shitloads of wanking, stadium sized drums and Cedric's voice adopting a slight drawl. All the songs feel bloated, with long interludes, intros and outros, needlessly tacked on, which dilute the more powerful moments on the album. The production itself is overdone too, it's not raw at all, but now there are string sections, saxes and flutes, which come off more cheesy than overwhelming like they're supposed to. A lot of the vocals are overharmonized, which again, comes off as prog rock cheesiness. I don't dig the "OMFG! WE'RE LATIN!!!" vibe they keep trying to push more and more with each record. I can understand it's a part of who they are, but they try to make it seems like it's more of a part of them than it is. They grew up in the US and are completely whitewashed, native speakers tell me their spanish is pretty off whenever they try to use it in interviews. So, the third track makes me laugh. Half of it sounds like the Matchbox 20 and Sanata collaboration. On Concertina, the spanish verse was great, but maybe it's the way the vocals are, it just comes off as grating. To its credit, the structure of the album does fit the longer songs better than on deloused, the interludes don't sap away the energy from the song as much as they did on Deloused, like on Cicatriz and Take the Veil. It's more like a chaotic live jam with a simple riff repeated over and over, and progressions and improve based on top of that. But a lot of it, especially the last song is too much like a live jam, half of it feels like the instrumentals were made up on the spot, with random pick srapings and pianos wandering in and out of the mix. That being said, it's not really a difficult album to listen to, it's pretty much all melody, and there are verses and choruses and all the stuff you're familiar with, there are just a lot more of them, and they're a lot more long winded. The biggest disappointment with the album, is that at TMV's start, Omar said he wanted to bring some virtuosity back to punk rock, something like that. He can play better than ever now, but instead of using that skill to write more expansive and fully developed ideas, the basic structure of this album are fairly simple riffs, but with him shredding on top of everything. The more the band says it tries to distance itself from the cliches of prog rock, the more they seem to fall right into them. So, I'd say anyone aching for the ATDi sound, stay far, far away, but prog and classic rock fans will probably dig this.… Expand
  7. AshG
    Mar 1, 2005
    4
    I quote one guy who feels the exact same way as I do. "I really wanted to like this album. I defended [I] De-loused in the Comatorium [/I] throughout 2003 against my anti-prog friends. Unfortunately, [I] Frances the Mute [/I] is terrible. Without Rick Rubin at the helm, the band lacks focus, doesn't develop melodies, and can't transition between different parts of their songs. I quote one guy who feels the exact same way as I do. "I really wanted to like this album. I defended [I] De-loused in the Comatorium [/I] throughout 2003 against my anti-prog friends. Unfortunately, [I] Frances the Mute [/I] is terrible. Without Rick Rubin at the helm, the band lacks focus, doesn't develop melodies, and can't transition between different parts of their songs. Omar Rodriguez's soloing is hackneyed and goes against the flow of their earlier songs on the album. The latter half of the album is just an inconsequential jam that is utterly boring and stilted." -- Exactly how I feel!… Expand
  8. Mick
    Feb 5, 2006
    4
    You gotta hope these guys didnt set out to record some kind of latin jazz rock "masterpiece" that no one would "get" but it seems like a lot of people are buying into that and Im sure the bands not going to complain and neither would I. L'via is a good tune although overproduced like everything else on the album. Frances The Mute is flashy and trippy but not very good musically in my You gotta hope these guys didnt set out to record some kind of latin jazz rock "masterpiece" that no one would "get" but it seems like a lot of people are buying into that and Im sure the bands not going to complain and neither would I. L'via is a good tune although overproduced like everything else on the album. Frances The Mute is flashy and trippy but not very good musically in my opinion and Im not talking about playing fast or in different time signatures. I think these guys tried to skip a couple steps in their musical evolution. Hopefully theyll take a step back because God knows theyre talented and could create something that really does warrant being compared to Zeppelin IV.… Expand
  9. Spencer
    Apr 22, 2005
    4
    where as De-loused was tight, exciting, and enjoyable, Frances The Mute is pretensious, drawn out, and all around a drag to listen to. Even Rodriguez's playing is nothing special on this album. The album seems to be entirely improv, and not very good improv at that (3 notes of a diminished scale over and over again isn't interesting, which is proven in one of his solo's). where as De-loused was tight, exciting, and enjoyable, Frances The Mute is pretensious, drawn out, and all around a drag to listen to. Even Rodriguez's playing is nothing special on this album. The album seems to be entirely improv, and not very good improv at that (3 notes of a diminished scale over and over again isn't interesting, which is proven in one of his solo's). EXTREMELY dissapointing… Expand
  10. AshG
    Feb 28, 2005
    3
    I quote one guy who feels the exact same way as I do. "I really wanted to like this album. I defended [I] De-loused in the Comatorium [/I] throughout 2003 against my anti-prog friends. Unfortunately, [I] Frances the Mute [/I] is terrible. Without Rick Rubin at the helm, the band lacks focus, doesn't develop melodies, and can't transition between different parts of their songs. I quote one guy who feels the exact same way as I do. "I really wanted to like this album. I defended [I] De-loused in the Comatorium [/I] throughout 2003 against my anti-prog friends. Unfortunately, [I] Frances the Mute [/I] is terrible. Without Rick Rubin at the helm, the band lacks focus, doesn't develop melodies, and can't transition between different parts of their songs. Omar Rodriguez's soloing is hackneyed and goes against the flow of their earlier songs on the album. The latter half of the album is just an inconsequential jam that is utterly boring and stilted." -- Exactly how I feel!… Expand
  11. JasperB
    Nov 13, 2005
    3
    It will give you an absolutly terrible headache. The Widow is its only redeaming song.
  12. SeamusS
    Jan 23, 2006
    3
    I can honestly say I gave this album a chance. There was even one point when I thought I liked it. Then I had a sort of epiphany realizing the true terror that this album is. It's a mess. The songs slur together like something a Pinkfloyd/radiohead hybrid would make on speed. The vocals are limited, whiney and often incoherent and I dont want someone preaching to me about some deeper I can honestly say I gave this album a chance. There was even one point when I thought I liked it. Then I had a sort of epiphany realizing the true terror that this album is. It's a mess. The songs slur together like something a Pinkfloyd/radiohead hybrid would make on speed. The vocals are limited, whiney and often incoherent and I dont want someone preaching to me about some deeper meaning of them. There's apparently a concept stringing the album together like some failed rock opera. The only thing I could find remotly conceptual about it was the often confusing song titles and (as always) the annoying vocals. The other thing about the album was how totally inacessable. There is little to nothing that's even remotly possible to relate to. Pretentious trash and pseudo hip Sure it might make you think It made me think I think it sucks… Expand
  13. Meat
    Apr 11, 2005
    3
    Shudder to Think put out the same type of music back in the mid 90s... arty, technical, challenging prog rock. And they got trashed for it... Its funny how now its "cool" to like this album. The only difference is that Shudder actually rocked while this is just a complete mess. You have to have a huge ego to put out this type of crap. This is proportional to Travolta putting out that Shudder to Think put out the same type of music back in the mid 90s... arty, technical, challenging prog rock. And they got trashed for it... Its funny how now its "cool" to like this album. The only difference is that Shudder actually rocked while this is just a complete mess. You have to have a huge ego to put out this type of crap. This is proportional to Travolta putting out that sci-fi bomb Battlefield Earth! That takes guts...… Expand
  14. VladislawW
    Mar 10, 2005
    2
    Progressive rock was progressive 30 years ago. It seems that these guys don't understand it. If Mars Volta are one of the best young rock it actually is dying.
  15. GreatGatsby
    Mar 5, 2005
    2
    Now seriously, what's the fuss about? ATDI was alright, but this one over here completely sucks. It's as fresh and progressive as Dream Theater are.
  16. johnk
    Mar 1, 2005
    2
    track 4 is good. the rest is sadly bad. i like the ep the best out of the 3 releases.... i miss at the drive-in. do you guys remember at the drive-in?
  17. colina
    Mar 7, 2005
    2
    this band was better 30 years ago when it was called Yes. anyone who thinks this record is mind blowing is woefully inexperienced with modern progressive music.
  18. JohnD
    Aug 18, 2006
    2
    Great moments instead of hits? Translation: 87 seconds of awesomeness in a song that's 10+ minutes long. These guys have the ability to make some great music...but seeing as how they already did when they were called At The Drive-In, purchasing more of Cedric and Omar's output (and let's face it, those are the only two members of MV that you care about) is questionable. Great moments instead of hits? Translation: 87 seconds of awesomeness in a song that's 10+ minutes long. These guys have the ability to make some great music...but seeing as how they already did when they were called At The Drive-In, purchasing more of Cedric and Omar's output (and let's face it, those are the only two members of MV that you care about) is questionable. "Deloused" actually had a center to its madness; if you were willing to read the story that went with the album, most of the music made sense (and it also had 2 good songs that were 10 minutes when taken together, "Inertiatic ESP" and "This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed"). "Frances the Mute"...I thought I liked it for the longest time. But it's just smoke and mirrors. Investing time in it does not reward the listener. I've owned it for a year; trust me, there is no cohesive center to Frances's concept. Omar shreds, and Cedric strains his vocal chords, which is cool, since they're good at what they do. But they both need short leashes. Cedric's vocals are great, but too often, they're resting on lyrics that just flat-out suck (and occasionally disguising them with Spanish). Omar's a beast on guitar, filling each song with licks that would make the guys at Daddy's Junk Music shops around the US crap their pants, but Led Zep didn't rely on Plant doing a million and two licks a song; guitar solos need scrutinizing as much as any other part of the total package ("Outside of its awesomeness, WHAT DOES THIS CHORD ACCOMPLISH?"). In other words, Omar is an extremely talented guitarist, but a terrible musician. "L'Via "L'Viaquez" stands as the only song of note on here, but even L'Via doesn't know when to quit. Why not give it a zero, then? Well, three reasons. One: NO MUSIC DESERVES A ZERO, because every band gets at least one thing right on an album (why else would they release it?). Two: If you want to stay pissed off at someone and need some fuel, "Frances The Mute" will keep you pissed (that's a compliment. Really.). Three: "L'Via". Their new album is coming out soon, and I'm pretty sure my brother is going to buy it for the sole reason that he hasn't been to a music store in a while. The grapevine says that the Volta haven't changed their sound around at all, that "Amputexture" is going to get a million more idiots play awkward riffs on their guitars and attempt to pass it off as "avant-garde". Well, fuck.… Expand
  19. dakefu
    Mar 11, 2005
    2
    A user review previously gave this a 10, saying "This is the 21st century Mahavishnu Orchestra with a Zepplin influence." It's on that very argument that I give this a 2. It's pretense and crap held together by the band's cutting-edge reputation.
  20. DevinB
    Feb 28, 2005
    2
    Technical prowess alone does not a good album make.
  21. JohnS
    Mar 3, 2005
    1
    Arguably, one of the most disappointing CDs I've purchased ever!!!! 80% of it is mangled crap.... message to TMV, you're not Pink Floyd, never will be.
  22. Andy
    May 3, 2005
    1
    I've taken better shits than this.
  23. David
    Jan 23, 2007
    1
    The emperor has no clothes. Anyone that tells you they like this has NO musical taste or is flat out lying. Never ever listen to them again. In fact cut them out of your lives, you have no need for such lies/ignorance. To like this is to become a slave to your pretension.
  24. PretentiousKarp
    Feb 27, 2005
    1
    I give them a 1 for knowing how to play their instruments and have technical ability. Other than that, here is another overblown pretentious piece of let's outdue another sucky band in Rush karp. I mean really all you have to do is look at the song titles. The best thing about the album is the cover. Pretty pathetic. But what's more pathetic is the fact that all these MTV kiddie I give them a 1 for knowing how to play their instruments and have technical ability. Other than that, here is another overblown pretentious piece of let's outdue another sucky band in Rush karp. I mean really all you have to do is look at the song titles. The best thing about the album is the cover. Pretty pathetic. But what's more pathetic is the fact that all these MTV kiddie watchers are thinking this band is the God of Music just because they wank like no others........oh.......and they know how to technically play beyond 2 or 3 power chords and sing with the help of "How To Write Pretentious Lyrics 101 That Nobody But You Who Will Truly Understand". This kinda thing hasn't happened since the days of Dave Matthews. Boy their fans are dumb.… Expand
  25. jackl
    Mar 2, 2005
    1
    I never liked the MV, and this album doesn't change my mind. As a matter of fact, I dislike them even more.
  26. PatN
    Sep 15, 2005
    1
    Most of the album just sounded like aimless noisemaking interspersed with admittedly excellent drum and some fast riffing but atrociously bad guitar soloing that sounds like something my kid brother would pull off if I told him to play some jazz. The songs are muddled and non musical.
  27. EarlM
    Mar 2, 2005
    0
    This here album is the reason why I still listen primarily to hillybilly mountain music.
  28. bobby
    Feb 28, 2005
    0
    I think their previous record was waaay better. They took the easy way out.
  29. HunterThe
    Mar 1, 2005
    0
    This album is terrible and only gets worse with each listen. In fact, it is terrible to the point of arousing anger in the listener. Rollingstone gave it a good review so you know it sucks.
  30. K.O.
    Mar 3, 2005
    0
    "Tremulant," one of the better EPs of the past decade or so, gave me such high hopes for this band. Yet having now heard their first two attempts at a follow-up full length I'm left wondering what could have been. Exotic song structures are one thing, but when taken to this length, with no apparent rhyme or reason and a complete and utter dearth of melody, the listening experience is "Tremulant," one of the better EPs of the past decade or so, gave me such high hopes for this band. Yet having now heard their first two attempts at a follow-up full length I'm left wondering what could have been. Exotic song structures are one thing, but when taken to this length, with no apparent rhyme or reason and a complete and utter dearth of melody, the listening experience is infuriating. Do yourself a favor, listen to "Tremulant," and hold out hope that the band that created those three songs will get around to recording a follow-up, as there's no sign of them here. I'll be avoiding their next album like the bubonic plague.… Expand
  31. RoryC
    Feb 27, 2005
    0
    Yuck. The first song is great because it is the only one to have structure. Everything else is just disgusting. No form, no structure, no discipline, it's just all over the place. Not a fun listen, not entertaining, barely even musical. Avoid
  32. MartinMedeskiandWud
    Mar 17, 2005
    0
    Horrible, disgusting piece of drivel. If you want good modern music check out Boards of Canada
  33. JustinH.
    Jan 22, 2008
    0
    This album is absolute garbage. Picture the worst elements of both Rush and Santana and spread the heap out far enough to cover 77 minutes and you'll have a good idea of what you're getting into. Some of the tracks, like "L'Via L'Viaquez" are laugh out loud funny, while others (such as the allegedly homoerotic "The Widow) are just plain boring. If this sounds like This album is absolute garbage. Picture the worst elements of both Rush and Santana and spread the heap out far enough to cover 77 minutes and you'll have a good idea of what you're getting into. Some of the tracks, like "L'Via L'Viaquez" are laugh out loud funny, while others (such as the allegedly homoerotic "The Widow) are just plain boring. If this sounds like innovative new music to you, then welcome to the 70's.… Expand
  34. YuckYuck
    Feb 28, 2005
    0
    Yuck.
  35. AdamW
    Aug 17, 2005
    0
    I don't normally give 0's because I belive in an honest review and not just putting a 0 or a 10 because I want to kick the rating up for down, but I seriously think that Frances The Mute by The Mars Volta is the most over rated pile of trash in the past decade. jamming does not constitute a song and if I wanted to hear freaking bird and car sounds I would have just walked I don't normally give 0's because I belive in an honest review and not just putting a 0 or a 10 because I want to kick the rating up for down, but I seriously think that Frances The Mute by The Mars Volta is the most over rated pile of trash in the past decade. jamming does not constitute a song and if I wanted to hear freaking bird and car sounds I would have just walked outside and saved $13. TRASH!… Expand
  36. Tinuva
    Aug 26, 2006
    0
    Ow Mars Volta, heel fijn
  37. BobS
    Feb 28, 2005
    0
    Now this some crappy prog rock. Worst album ever.
  38. StevenJ
    Feb 28, 2005
    0
    I can't believe how bad this album is. Wanky wanky. Shredding is soooo cool. OHHHHH.....and lyrics that sometimes its own writer can't even figure out is sooo cool too. The Mars Volta is a traveling circus side freak show.
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Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Most Discussed Album of 2005
76
#76 Most Shared Album of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 31
  3. Negative: 3 out of 31
  1. Alternative Press
    100
    It's already the most riveting album of 2005--provided you're ready to carve a wide enough hole in your consciousness to accept it. [Mar 2005, p.130]
  2. Filter
    68
    Frances the Mute documents the Mars Volta as a passionate and explosive band that has grown capable of taking the music in a hundred different directions. [#14, p.96]
  3. Spin
    91
    Frances explores an explosive groove Comatorium only implied. [Mar 2005, p.83]
See all critic reviews »