Got to go with De-Loused on this one…

de loused is my choice. i just prefer it and frances is good, but seing as its 5 tracks totalling 70 minutes, i sometimes found it hard to listen to. however i really like the beginning of miranda, that ghost isnt holy anymore.

i love them both, but....frances the mute for me.

3 of you people have said Frances but for some reason there is only one vote for it?

becuase they dont realize that its an actuall poll that they can vote on....

Oo haha FOOLS!

Where's the - "Neither; The Mars Volta are one of the worst things to ever happen to prog rock and aren't even classified as prog due to their mainstream qualities and lack of any musical talent, despite so many people thinking they're cool for listening to them; thinking they're prog when all they play is boring experimental music" - option?
Do I just not vote? Oh, sorry...

thats a pretty bold statement. "lack of any musical talent"...i think many would beg to differ. care to back that up?

Do I have to back it up? Just put on one of their cds, then after that put on any random real prog album on (see top20album thread), and enjoy the laughs.

EDIT (I decided to answer him properly): If we compare it to actual good prog rock then:
Their songs don't go anywhere. The singing is terrible in general (see Thom Yorke/Russel Allen/James LaBrie for actual singers). Basically, nothing exciting happens in any of their songs. There's no layering, and if there is it's just annoying experimental crap. The chords and progressions are simple and predictable. There is not one talented band member from what we hear, i.e no real guitar solos/keyboard solos or complex time signatures/key changes. Not to mention the appalling lyrics which I feel I could have written when I was 12.

again...i think that many (including myself) would still beg to differ with your opinion. but it is your opinion, and thats respectable. but thank you for explaining your statement.