The Mars Volta-Francis The Mute (2005)
Artist: The Mars Volta
Catalog Number: B0004129-02
Year of Release: 2005
Country and Year of Edition: US 2005
Sell Price: $3.38
Sell Date: 8/31/24
Condition: VG+/VG+
Discogs Last Sold 8/19/24 VG/VG $6.00
Low: $1.00
Median: $4.29
Average: $4.40
High: $9.05
Current low price: $2.00
Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 52
Have/Want: 2243/288
Where Sold: Los Angeles, CA
Time It Took To Sell: 12 years
Where and When Bought: used online the year it came out
Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: B-
Sad To See It Go: No
Like Xiu Xiu, which sold to the same buyer, the Mars Volta tread the path where talent merge with a level that borders on unlistenable. Some, even myself, would call it merely "difficult" listening that just requires more time. I didn't give it much if any time the year it came out, although I bought it in the year of release. In fact, I don't remember giving the album a single listen even though it was highly lauded. I had liked At The Drive In pretty much through their entire career, so it wasn't a stretch to like Mars Volta, the "new" band of Cedric Bixler and Omar Rodriguez. By this time they were established and on their second record. I ignored their first completely, as I did the other At The Drive In splinter band Sparta. This single album was my commitment to Mars Volta. The one chance before nearly 20 years would go by without another consideration to the band.
So let us break down the elements I do like. The long formatting, the Latin incorporation, the guitar and experimentation on the mainstream level. Unfortunately this 75 minute block of music also becomes a grating chore to listen to, mainly because the vocals occupy a territory that is shared with Jack White and Greta Van Fleet. You could argue Geddy Lee also occupied this territory and you would be right, but I could also argue that sometimes Rush can be grating even though I like them. Hell, when the strings kick in, you could call up Led Zeppelin. Fortunately there are long prog interludes and weirdo manipulation that would make the Residents proud. On the artistry spectrum, the Mars Volta share a modern prog vision with, I dunno Coheed and Cambria?
There isn't the "nerd" aspect to Francis The Mute, like Rush had a generation before, but those were different times. King Crimson love rears it's head which is always appreciated with some other stuff that is different. Half a million people in the US alone bought this throughout the aughts including me and their recent tour itinerary includes a mix of arenas, amphitheaters, festivals and large theaters twenty years after their lone Gold record. The "rock is dead" argument overlooks bands like this, but they don't have commercial radio to back them up.
When does a modern rock act become a nostalgia act?
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