Anyone else eagerly awaiting the new Mars Volta album? Bring on next Monday! Their debut was awesome. Great live band too.

I thought they were really good when i saw them a couple of years ago at the electric ballroom...one of my first 'proper' gigs i think they're pretty unique. i love that song inertiatic esp. i think, can't quite remember...

'inertiatic esp' was their first 'single', but some of the album tracks were at least as good, like 'Drunkship of Lanterns' and 'Take the Veil...'. Deloused In the Comatorium was the kind of album which had to be listened to as an entire album, which makes a change, as I think too many bands put out albums which are basically a collection of singles, no cohesion.
An album in a similar vein is the new Secret Machines album, which Im really liking at the moment- it blends together really nicely.

yeah, i seem to remember the gig being more like a symphony with different movements rather than a series of songs. The album is a bit like that too, i've just unearthed it from the deep piles of crap in my room and had a relisten. can't say i've listened to the secret machines yet...reckon they'd be up my street?

Secret Machines are kind of in the BRMC style, their album is similar to BRMC'S first, a bit of a mixture of heavy bits and more delicate stuff. Try and listen to their singles 'Sad and Lonely' and 'Nowhere Again' on the web, they're damn fine tunes. Some of the songs are a little long though, but on the whole its a good solid album.

(Edited by Kezman at 8:31 am on Feb. 17, 2005)

I was very excited, but am not nearly as excited now. I've been told it is rather disappointing.

I have heard a few contrasting reviews, some say it's gonna be album of the year, while others say its a little disappointing. One review said there were quite a few parts on the album with not much going on, like the mid-section of Cicatriz esp on Deloused, which is a little disappointing. The Widow sounds promising though.

yeah, the advance word on Frances hasn't been all that favorable, but i'll still be running it down as soon as it's released. first single The Widow is pretty cool. i love the first record--it's brilliant, and, i'll concur, works best as a complete work. i haven't had the pleasure of seeing them live (one review i read said something along the lines of "cedric wails like a man waking in the middle of testicular surgery while the rest of the band stand there like they've never seen their instruments before", but i'm sure that either they were all cracked out or the reviewer simply wasn't amused by their eleven minute space prog rave ups), but i hope to in the near future.

(Edited by andrewjsmithson at 6:20 pm on Feb. 27, 2005)

I have to say this album has really grown on me. It took a few days to just work out which track number corresponded to which name, let alone get into the music.
Some of it is still difficult to sit through, like the first five minutes of track 4, in which practically nothing happens. There are sparks of genius, however, and every member of the band gets an opportunity to show off their talent. 'L'Via L'Viaquez' is riff-tastic, with a real latin flavour, probably my fave on the album- but 12 minutes long!
Buy this album, but don't expect to love it immediately. Id say if you're new to the band, 'De-loused in the comatorium' would be a better introduction, but 'Frances the Mute' is a worthy successor.

hmm. yes, well, it hasn't grown on me much. i don't find it to be listener-friendly in the least, so i haven't given it as many spins as perhaps i should--it hasn't had the chance to grow on me. i can easily tell it has its moments, but De-loused more than had its moments...it was a tour-de-force, an all-out assault of brilliance. i wonder if having rick rubin behind the desk on the first record may have been more beneficial in harnessing their raw power than, say, one of the crackheads in the band...just a thought. that said, i'm going to run off and listen to it again, exhausting as it is, and try to like it more.

(Edited by andrewjsmithson at 9:37 am on Mar. 18, 2005)

I just bought it not to long ago. I LOVE IT! I love "the widow" and "l'via" Cedrics voice is so cool and different

really want this album too!..*sigh*...i really do need to get a job!