Frances the Mute
A mind-blowing maze of complex melodies, textures, and harmonies, *Frances the Mute* is almost impossibly precise in its orchestration and execution. There are no songs on the album, at least in the conventional sense, just an endless movement from one idea to another, some sublime, others unbearably intense and hopelessly fragmented. Polyrhythms and countless unexpected tempo changes abound, while extended guitar, trumpet, and sax solos scream from the mix, driven by possessed drumming throughout. There are also cinematic moments where street sounds and snippets of conversation slip into the soundscape and then into the studio murk. Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s voice soars, screeches, wails, howls, and moans, and his sinister non sequitur lyrics, sung in English and Spanish, are difficult to discern much less decipher. This is no casual listen and certainly not for everyone. But for those willing to commit to absorbing 77 minutes of challenging music, there is much to reflect upon in *Frances the Mute*.
A considerably more complex and ambitious album than its predecessor – four of its five tracks lasted over ten minutes in length – FRANCES THE MUTE wasn’t recorded “live” by an ensemble, but with the individual musicians recording the parts Omar had scripted for them separately. Being much more than just a ‘DE-LOUSED Part Two’, the album thrills with its lush sound, the depth of detail, breadth of instrumentation and its fevered intensity. 1. Cygnus....Vismund Cygnus 2. The Widow 3. L' Via L' Viaquez 4. Miranda That Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore 5. Cassandra Gemini
The Mars Volta's 2003 debut was a dense, experimental run-on sentence of science fiction and musical exploration.