‘The 2nd Law” proves Muse can make you dance. It just takes a while to learn the steps.
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At long last the new Muse album ‘The 2nd Law‘ is upon us. So how does it stack up against their back catalogue?
Part of a band’s staying power is keeping their inherent sound while expanding their sonic repertoire. Muse for the most part succeeds. But don’t expect all of it to sink in on the first listen. Give it time.
It starts with ‘Supremacy’, which is one of the strongest tracks. Imagine the unlikely fusion of a bottom heavy Black Sabbath riff with the James Bond theme (indeed they’re pushing for it to be the Bond theme for ‘Skyfall‘, I vote yes!). It’s rock melodrama at its finest.
Next up is “Madness” which sounds like a mashup of Queen’s “I Want To Break Free” and U2’s “Numb“. A subtle dubstep beat meshes nicely with pulsating 80’s synths, and Bellamy’s clear, high falsetto sounds big and bright. It’s catchy as hell.
“Panic Station” is a love it or hate it track. Upon first listen I balked. It has that bright brass laced Euro-funk that typified when prog legends like Genesis, Yes and Peter Gabriel shifted towards radio friendly pop in the 80’s. But damned if it doesn’t get lodged in your brain. You wind up liking it despite its inherent cheesiness.
The shifting tempos and tricky guitar figure from “Animals” sounds like vintage Radiohead, right down to its bleak humor ‘Why don’t you kill yourself and do us all a favor”.
Muse fans get annoyed with the Queen and Radiohead comparisons, but they’re still inevitable.
“Explorers” brings back the Queen though with a gorgeous melody (think “Love Of My Life” with an ecological theme).
Many fans are uneasy with their embracement of dub step, but they make it work. “Follow Me”, Bellamy’s ode to his son is tailor-made for the dance floor and ‘The 2nd Law: Unsustainable” is wicked fun, starting off with a disembodied female vocal spouting conspiracy theories over an orchestral churn ala “The Dark Knight”. Then it breaks into a stuttering squeaking breakbeat.
The Summer Olympics theme “Survival” is also included, and it remains one big awkward oddity. It has no chorus, making it feel like “We Are The Champions” minus full liftoff. Its super seriousness lyrics are unintentionally comedic “I will light the fuse! I will never lose!”
I recently reviewed the Darkness’s new album. They share much in common with Muse in that they love Queen, have crazy high falsettos and are unashamedly grandiose. But whereas they are intentionally comedic, Muse can be the inverse. Occasionally they’re burdened by pomposity.
Bassist Chris Wolstenholme sings 2 songs, and he proves a capable vocalist, even if he can’t match Bellamy’s pipes. “Save Me” and “Liquid State” chronicle his substance abuse, with the latter featuring a pummeling riff ala QOTSA. He adds a nice dimension for the band.
In the end, ‘The 2nd Law” may alienate old fans with its dance elements, but I always admire a band that tries something new. And I find it futile to resist a good groove.
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[amazon_image id=”B008G12EUY” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]2nd Law (Limited Edition CD/DVD)[/amazon_image]
