Released: 17/12/21
Frances the Mute was no sequel to De-Loused. The band had changed deeply after the loss of founder and sound manipulator Jeremy Michael Ward, whose influence still lingered despite his absence. The album’s concept was inspired by a surreal diary Ward found during his job as a repo man, telling the story of an adopted man searching for his real parents—fueling the album’s strange, escapist vibe. Some tracks, like “The Widow” and “Miranda the Ghost Just Isn’t Holy Anymore,” originated in early demos Omar recorded before De-Loused. Cedric developed lyrics and melodies over these while touring. The album’s intense energy even pushed classical musicians to their limits—one broke his antique bow playing “Cassandra Gemini.” It also includes field recordings of Puerto Rican coquí frogs, a nod to the Grateful Dead’s practice of capturing natural sounds.