Frances The Mute (studio album)
by The Mars Volta

Frances The Mute by The Mars Volta
Year: 2005
Release date: 2005-02-21
Overall rank: 781st   Overall chart historyOverall chart history
Average Rating: 
78/100 (from 452 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution   Average rating historyAverage rating history
Accolades:
Award Top 20 albums of 2005 (13th)
Award Top albums of the 2000s (127th)
Award Top 1,000 albums of all time (781st)

Listen on Spotify Spotify
Product Details
Availability

eBay
eBay
The Mars Volta - Frances The Mute [Glow In The Dark Vinyl]
Condition: New


eBay
eBay
THE MARS VOLTA 12” PICTURE DISC FRANCES THE MUTE / THE WIDOW 2005 Numbered EXC+
Condition: Used


eBay
eBay
The Mars Volta Frances The Mute CD 2005 Universal Records Pop/Rock
Condition: Very Good


  My favourite store:  

The Mars Volta bestography

Frances The Mute is ranked 2nd best out of 11 albums by The Mars Volta on BestEverAlbums.com.

The best album by The Mars Volta is De-Loused In The Comatorium which is ranked number 485 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 3,578.

The Mars Volta album bestography « Higher ranked (485th)
De-Loused In The Comatorium
This album (781st)
Frances The Mute
Lower ranked (4,564th) »
Amputechture

(N.B. Bestographies include all albums by an artist (and their variations), but do not include albums ranked outside the top 100,000).

Upcoming concerts

Nov
07
Fri
19:30
The Mars Volta
State Theatre, Portland, United States. United States
Tickets from Ticketmaster Get tickets
 
Nov
08
Sat
19:00
The Mars Volta
Citizens House of Blues Boston, Boston, United States. United States
Tickets from Ticketmaster Get tickets
 
Nov
09
Sun
19:00
The Mars Volta
Brooklyn Paramount, Brooklyn, United States. United States
Tickets from Ticketmaster Get tickets
 
Discover more upcoming concerts

Listen to Frances The Mute on YouTube

Loading content from YouTube...

Frances The Mute track list

  Track ratingsTrack ratings The tracks on this album have an average rating of 84 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).

Sort by

Track pick Top-rated track as rated by BestEverAlbums.com members.

Frances The Mute rankings

Sort by

Latest 20 charts that this album appears in:

Sort by
YearSourceChartRankRank Score
2025 RockyRaccoonTop 70 Music Albums of 200538/702
2025 DommeDamianScaruffi Best Albums of 20053/81 -
2025 wennyTop 100 Greatest Music Albums9/10090
2025pinkfreud1981Top 100 Music Albums of the 2000s6/10019
2025bonnequestionTop 35 Music Albums of 200524/352
2025matterhornriderTop 33 Music Albums of 200529/331
2025MaxStorm98Top 60 Music Albums of 200525/603
2025fabm0Top 100 Music Albums of the 2000s84/1003
2025 DommeDamianFavorite album covers82/84 -
2025 FischmanTop 100 Music Albums of 200589/1001
2025 DommeDamianTop 99 Music Albums of the 2000s62/998
2025pinkfreud1981Top 13 Music Albums of 20051/135
2025AlienCinemaTop 90 Music Albums of the 2000s84/902
2025 Patman360Top 100 Music Albums of 200580/1001
2025pinkfreud1981Best 100 albums ever. ( 1 per artist)58/100 -
2025JohnnyoProg Rock albums of all time by Ultimate Classic Rock26/50 -
2025 LedZepTop 100 Music Albums of the 2000s49/10010
2025HyggevinylTop 57 Music Albums of 200534/572
2025 AvalancheGripsTop 100 Greatest Music Albums66/10033
2025 pawelzietekTop 98 Greatest Music Albums6/9894
Total Charts: The total number of charts that this album has appeared in. 308
Total Rank Score: The total rank score. 2,219

You can include this album in your own chart from the My Charts page!

Frances The Mute collection

Frances The Mute ratings

Average Rating: 
78/100 (from 452 votes)
  Ratings distributionRatings distribution Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.

Showing latest 5 ratings for this album. | Show all 452 ratings for this album.

Sort by
RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
95/100
 Report rating
09/15/2025 09:19 Jun_Res  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 27085/100
 
80/100
 Report rating
09/14/2025 13:27 marcoserra1966  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 68857/100
 
80/100
 Report rating
07/13/2025 07:40 Milhaud  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 1,53169/100
 
90/100
 Report rating
07/04/2025 15:11 FrancK  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 47083/100
 
75/100
 Report rating
06/13/2025 12:58 SomethingSpecial  Ratings distributionRatings distribution 1,72882/100

Rating metrics: Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some albums can have several thousand ratings)

This album is rated in the top 2% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 78.2/100, a mean average of 76.3/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 78.3/100. The standard deviation for this album is 18.7.

Please log in or register if you want to be able to leave a rating

Frances The Mute comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 15 comments |
Most Helpful First | Newest First | Maximum Rated First | Longest Comments First
(Only showing comments with -2 votes or higher. You can alter this threshold from your profile page. Manage Profile)

Rating:  
95/100
From 10/06/2024 13:54
An incredibly written prog album throughout it's five core songs with some of the greatest moments in rock music I've ever heard present from the beginning all the way to the end of this record. The band at this point of it's existence knew how to weave together their enthralling hardcore style of songwriting with the abstract and experimental soundscapes that interjects every song along with present influences of latin music that elevates this album to greatness to my mind and ears. It's a feat what The Mars Volta have achieved with the making and release of Frances The Mute, it's a prog classic in my opinion.
#305556 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
65/100
From 06/15/2023 23:30
Long. Blend of Jazz rock, Prog rock, even Space rock, plus jamming. The multiple segments and passages throughout the tracks can make it a bit fragmented. Some parts brilliant, some just musical noise effects. One you gotta be in the mood for.
#297611 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 03/25/2021 18:56
Highlights: All of them.

and fume0dm, you're right.
#267752 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 08/24/2020 19:08
Fuck Pitchfork.Just fuck it.
#257395 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 11/27/2017 07:31
More difficult than the previous but much more ambitious.Every "track" is an album per se itself.Very technical musicians!
#202145 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 02/12/2017 09:08
I prefer Deloused in the Comatorium and Ampuchechture, but this is still one addicting and crazy Prog Rock record.
#185368 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
75/100
From 07/17/2016 04:17
Frances the Mute is a step back from their previous album, but is still one The Mars Volta's best albums. The albums meanders at times, but there is a lot of good content in these tracks.
#171424 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 04/09/2016 14:45
The Mars Volta has proven throughout the 2000s that they're one of the greatest bands ever, and this album is possibly their greatest achievement. The 13+ minute long songs are never boring for one moment because of their epic guitar solos, eerie experimental sounds, and rapid-fire drums. While it isn't the most accessible album (the last song is 30 minutes long!) it's a must listen for any audiophile.
#163536 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
95/100
From 04/25/2015 20:55
This album is fucking incredible. So full of ideas and almost every idea is fucking great and executed perfectly. Cassandra Gemini is a top 10 all time favorite for me. Cygnus Vismund Cygnus is a masterpiece aswell.

The widow and Lvia are both incredibly cheesy but in the most enjoyable way. Not in the cringeworthy way but in the awesome way. Miranda drags a bit so I cant give this album a 100 but its damn close.
#140189 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 08/30/2012 04:06
There's some great tracks on this album, especially L'Via and The Widow.
#49632 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)

Please log in or register if you want to be able to add a comment

Your feedback for Frances The Mute

Anonymous
Let us know what you think of this album by adding a comment or assigning a rating below!
Log in or register to assign a rating or leave a comment for this album.
Best Albums of 2005
1. Illinois by Sufjan Stevens
2. Demon Days by Gorillaz
3. Late Registration by Kanye West
4. Silent Alarm by Bloc Party
5. Takk... by Sigur Rós
6. I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning by Bright Eyes
7. Alligator by The National
8. X&Y by Coldplay
9. Feels by Animal Collective
10. Deadwing by Porcupine Tree
11. I Am A Bird Now by Antony & The Johnsons
12. Plans by Death Cab For Cutie
13. Frances The Mute by The Mars Volta
14. LCD Soundsystem by LCD Soundsystem
15. Z by My Morning Jacket
16. Mezmerize by System Of A Down
17. Aerial by Kate Bush
18. Picaresque by The Decemberists
19. Get Behind Me Satan by The White Stripes
20. The Woods by Sleater-Kinney
Back to Top