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The Mars Volta; rocking to a different beat
Newest release "Frances the Mute" provides new
experience for experimental listeners
Rasmi Gamble / Reviewer
In the 1960s, 70s and early 80s, rock music showed
versatility that hasn't been present since bands such as
Led Zeppelin, Steely Dan, Electric Light Orchestra and the
Talking Heads pushed the envelope by fusing rock with jazz,
blues and anything else they fathomed.
There are still some artists today that have continued this
trend, such as Radiohead, Beck and Jim O'Rourke. But
nowadays, versatility in rock is considered to be a bad rock
and rap fusion record. Enter The Mars Volta, who many have
compared to Led Zeppelin and Radiohead.
The Mars Volta was formed in 2001 by Cedric Bixler and Omar
Rodriguez, formerly of At the Drive-In.
There musical sound incorporates everything, from hardcore
psychedelic rock, to free jazz.
Their first album, "De-Loused in the Comatorium,"
from 2003 was fueled by the single, "Tremulant"
that featured John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers on
"Cicatriz ESP."
Their latest album, "Frances the Mute," is similar
to "De-Loused in the Comatorium" in the fact that
it is somewhat of a concept album, but differs because it is
more structured.
Bixler and Rodriguez worked once again with Frusciante and
fellow chili pepper Flea(he plays the trumpet on the album).
Frances the Mute features no track listing, but rather an
outline, and the songs have no breaks, making the album
continuous.
The album's first song, "Cygnus…Vismund
Cygnus: Sarcophagi," is an ambitious 13 minute
composition, filled with electric guitar solos, bizarre sound
effects, and not to mention Bixler's roaring voice
accompanied by thunderous drums.
"L' Via L' Viaquez" is a bilingual song,
with both Spanish and English and a classic hard rock sound.
This song also features a section where an afro-Cuban rhythm
is featured, which flows in nicely with the Spanish lyrics.
"Cassandra Gemini D" and "Cassandra Gemini
E" are the album's final and shortest songs,
clocking in at just under a minute. Both song's simple
acoustical sound and mellowness is the ideal way to end an
album such as this one.
"Frances the Mute" has its darker moments.
"Miranda Ghost Isn't Just Holy Anymore," has a
creepy and gloomy mood, while the title song, "Frances
the Mute," is chaotic and noisy. But it wouldn't be
surprising if that's what the artists intended to do.
After listening to "Frances the Mute," The Mars
Volta is more reminiscent of the jazz/rock fusion bands of
the 70s, such as Return to Forever and Mahavishnu Orchestra.
The Mars Volta's "Frances the Mute," is as far
off the scale of normality in today's music as you can
find, but that's what true musical versatility is all
about, beings as different and spontaneous as possible.
Contact Rasmi Gamble at pendulum@elon.edu or
278-7247.
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