Markie Listens and Puzzles

The Mars Volta, Frances the Mute (Universal) Every once in awhile, when I listen to good noise lead guitar players like Blackbyrd McKnight (or good guitar players who inspired metal players, like Jimi Hendrix), I think, "I shouldn't be so closed-minded about metal. What might be good to listen to?" So given the other kinds of music I like, I think: how about Rage Against the Machine? Metallica? Living Colour? Queens of the Stone Age? Hell, I love Bad Brains and Soundgarden (up to a point). So reading about this album it sounded just nuts enough to be interesting--Dada poetry in English and Spanish inspired by the notebook their sound guy who ODed found someplace, 10+ minute songs, lots of guitar. And it's weird enough, angst-synth and musique concrete interludes, great guitar playing, nice breakbeat-influenced live drumming, and metal always sounds better to me in Spanish (or Portuguese). And then I run up against it: I am just not a metalhead. Too much high squalling, and the guitar pummeling turns from noise to foolproof virtuosity a little too easily. Give me noise over professionalism any day.