Omar Rodriguez Lopez: The Essential Album Guide

FRANCES THE MUTE (2005)
Key Tracks: "Cygnus...Vismund Cygnus," "The Widow"
Quick Take: The Mars Volta's second album is an exhilarating transgression: concussive, nonlinear rhythms; mad-dog guitar algebra; bloody-nightmare suites sung in bilingual free verse. In short, the beastly spawn of Radiohead's OK Computer and Rush's 2112. The only word singer-lyricist Cedric Bixler-Zavala and guitarist-producer Omar Rodriguez Lopez don't care to understand, in any tongue, is compromise. The album's excessive earphone theater and contrary mood jolts (like the Cuban-jazz languor in "L'Via L'Viaquez") may make you impatient. But in both the terse fire of "The Widow" and the thrilling eternity of "Cassandra Gemini," the Mars Volta show off an intensity of focus.

Frances the Mute (Universal)