Better late then never.
I'm a friend of Raman's from Cincinnati. I'm a counselor and professor (of counseling) and currently figuring out what to do with the rest of my life now that I've got the career thing figured out. I'm a lover of music but have found that I'm out of touch with what is "cool" these days and am not sure if I want to be listening to what the kids like these days. Damn kids *fist shake*
I believe it was Raman who first introduced me to Muse. I fell in love with the 2003 album Absolution, but was unimpressed with their earlier work. I happened to be out to dinner with a friend and he had the this 2013 album and realized how fun it is to fall back in love with a band you once loved.
The English band formed in the mid-nineties and “got serious” about music (e.g., quitting school and jobs) in the late nineties. According to Wikipedia, they battled Celine Dion over the name Muse and Nestle for using a song without permission and won both so who can’t get behind that? You probably shouldn’t answer that.. you might get sued.
The 2nd Law is their sixth studio album. I find the new album reminiscent of my favorite, Absolution, that seems like it could be a cohesive soundtrack to a movie. The songs fit together so well, I find it hard for me to tell them apart. The 2nd Law is not quite that cohesive, but does have a similar level of intensity.
Apparently, a new album should be coming out this year so hopefully this will whet your appetite.
Check it out: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zgb8m4zqq3wtjsg/Zo59LMfXYj
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meh. 2.5. normally i'd give a 2, but Muse is pretty great (so gets an extra +0.5), even when they're phoning it in (like they were on this album)
ReplyDeletewith the exception of a few early tracks, it doesn't feel as epic/original (VS when they first came onto the scene and were an angry man's Queen).
waitaminute - was the first track "Supremacy" a James Bond theme? a quick Googling reveals that while it IS pretty dope when set to a James Bond trailer: http://youtu.be/x0qvrD3Qdgg
it was NOT an official theme (despite audible similarities)...the contemporary honor that year went to that hussy Adele:
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and no need to tell everyone how you know me in the klub (though it does make me feel special). this is about you guys. so tell us about what's going on with you! for EX, bc of a snowstorm in Michigan, i'm stuck a day early in Chicago listening to Muse in a swanky hotel lobby making faces at hipsters.
I came to this album having heard of Muse but never having heard any of their music. I'm quite impressed with this album, it's got some interesting musical variety. The opening track "Supremacy" made me think I was listening to a rock opera soundtrack ("Predule" [#4] also feels like this). I really enjoyed the feel of "Survival" [#5], there are some great lead guitar riffs that are begging to be played at full volume. This track is also a bit reminiscent of System of a Down.
ReplyDeleteIs it just me or did tubular bells make a guest appearance in "The 2nd Law Isolated System" [#13]?
Raman says this one isn't as epic/original as the others so I think it's time I chased some of those down! I'm giving this album 4, I really enjoyed it and will definitely be keeping this one.
Ben, start with 'Absolution', which was their first breakout. Then step back for the previous album, 'Origins of Symmetry', and finally 'Black holes and Revelations'... A more recent album preceeding Susannah's recommendation. All good stuff.
DeleteBut you know a band is mainstream when their music is featured in games like RockBand and Guitar Hero :)
And now I can't get "Knights of Cydonia" out of my head. I played too many video games while drinking in my 20s...
DeleteLike Ben, I was in the heard of 'em, never heard 'em camp regarding Muse. I liked it. Not something I'll run to relisten to, but it did make me a lot more interested in seeing them live. (Or trying earlier work, per Raman's suggestion.)
ReplyDeleteI have been listening several times to this album. I knew Absolution, but had not listened to it for some time. And, the more I have been listening to it, the more I enjoyed it. I am not too much into heavy rock, and at the beginning some tracks were too heavy for me. But, I got used to it.
ReplyDeleteSome songs reminded me Queen (Can't stop me now), some others Mika and globally I think they are doing good music.
a 3.5 for me
I agree with Laurent - the first listen turned me off a little bit, but the second listen got me more interested in the album. Sounds like they are experimenting with a few different sounds.
ReplyDeleteGiving this one a 3.5 as well.
Start with a good dose of Queen (as Lolo mentioned), add in some Dream Theater and Rush and you have Muse. I dig this kind of music and like Muse. This album has some nice tracks on it but some of the more experimental stuff that they did (particularly later parts of the album) were not as good as other material from them. This was a 4* thru the first half of the album and dropped down to a 3.5* by the end.
ReplyDeleteI heard the second single "Madness" from this album on the radio earlier this year for the first time on KISS. I was thinking, "I have not heard this George Michael song before, is this old or new?" Quick internet search after SC's post to see it was nominated for a Grammy in 2013, and is the longest running track on the top of the Billboard Alternative Chart with 19 weeks at Number 1. I must have been living under a rock.
ReplyDeleteRaman's "angry man's Queen" is pretty accurate. In addition to the George Michael song, they put out more than their share of arena anthems. Not quite "Another One Bites the Dust" or "We Are the Champions" but even "Madness" was used in promos for 2013 March Madness. I missed it there too because I was in the middle of my 11 year streak without cable. I did see them on the Olympics in 2012; I just didn't realize it was promotion for this album coming out later that month.
So yeah, I liked this album. As a Chemical Engineer, I'll give them an extra 0.5 points for dedicating an entire album to the second most important law of Thermodynamics. 4.
Muse is like what Queen would have been if Freddie had been straight. Always very impressed with Muse albums, although I have to say they don't stay on rotation very long. Not sure why. This one was great, I really enjoyed the first three or four songs, but it faded quickly for me.
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