The Mars Volta - Francis the Mute REVIEW
This will be the one of the shortest reviews ever written by us about an album, because words do not do the music justice, if you haven't heard the "songs" off this album ... I mean, you can stop reading now, go and buy it, and thank me later. If the year ended now, this is definitely in the conversation for album of the year.
The Mars Volta - Frances the Mute REVIEW: A+
There are only 5 "songs" on this one ... I use the phrase song loosely as this album is a concept album that rivals the best from (you fill in the name), but strings together the absolute finest aspects of Led Zeppelin, progressive rock ala Rush, the lost art of the rock riff and solo, Latin music, awesome jazz-like arrangements, and epic Floyd-ish atmosphere ... really awesome rock banshee vocals, amazing flexibility in drumming, and great rock guitar work
I think that some reviews want to break up the album into "singles", and yes, there are "singles" cut for the radio for "The Widow" (Led Zep styled blues for the 2000s) and "L'Via L'Viaquez" (unreal melange of Latin music and hard rock) -- and the radio edits for these songs are awesome in their own right, and available on iT, if you want to go that route
I just think this one as an album is in that category that you darenotspeak ....
In other words, you need not meet me on the dark side of the moon anymore ... some have criticized it for not being tightly wound into focused and coherent singles, I would say that's missing the point .... A+, a simply brilliant rock music concept, it's almost too bad that it is way the heck under the radar
And if I may, this one is to be listened to on vinyl or off a CD, the digital music versions for this one just don't capture the audio qualities well