FRANCES THE MUTE

I've loved the mars volta from the start when i was given a copy of de-loused. it was one of the best things i had ever heard. people were saying they didnt like cedric's voice and they werent very good supporting the chillies but i stuck with what i thought because i knew that they were brilliant. i've been drumming for a while now and i was finding it hard to get bands i liked where the drumming was at the right level for me to play along. not the insanely fast drumming of dragonforce or slipknot but not the megasimple beats of nirvana and muse.TMV had the perfect level. so when the new album came out i was ready for a mega drumfest and it didnt dissapoint. funk drumming in cygnus, latin in L'via, epic power drumming in miranda and the widow and improv heaven in cassandra. the single frances the mute also has a jungle drumming and crazy off beat timings in there to confuse and amaze you. what i want to know is when the mars volta are going to bring out som official notation books so i can get the drumming perfect. in short this album can be listened to start to finish and all the time you will be amazed at the skill and variety of the sounds played. and, unlike alot of prog bands these days, its actually amazing to listen to without thinking about how dificult it is to play. a great album with great musicians but also great music.