Muse: Black Holes and Revelations
Hot Damn. Thanks to Black Holes and Revelations, Muse has become my OFFICIAL FAVORITE BAND®.
Here’s a look at some of the songs that have conquered my iPod since I got an advance copy of the disc, which is out July 11.
- Take a Bow. The album begins with a 2:34 second crescendo in Take a Bow and rarely lets up.
The first five times I listed to this song, I wanted the song’s build-up to resolve in a massive, brain-jolting riff. It ends up with powerful but plodding guitar.
After listen number six or so, I’m willing to let this song be what it is — a dynamic beginning to a great album. - Starlight. This is what Billy Corgin wants the new Smashing Pumpkins to sound like. Seriously.
- Supermassive Black Hole. A quirky, crunchy single available on iTunes now.
- Map of the Problematique. Normally, when a song has a pretentious name, it’s a pompous mess. “Problematique” rises above its title — it’s the best song on the album.
“Problematique” is one part Depeche Mode, Blue Man Group and Radiohead’s “Where I end and you begin” - Assasin. Starts out like the Knight Rider theme, but without the Hasselhoff baggage. A Rocker ™. Dream Theater wishes they could write rock like this.
- Exo-Politics. Quotes exactly from Guns ‘N Roses’ “Sweet Child ‘O Mine” 1:05 minutes in: Sky … Sky … Sky. Oh, and Matt Bellamy belts it out of the park.
- City of Delusion. A jangley beginning gives way to prog-rock creamdom that — and this could be the Kool-Aid talking — manages to make the mariachi band that shows up 3:29 into the song bearable.
- Knights of Cydonia. I only mention this song because it was going to be the title of a Rush album, before those Canucks went with the more commercially viable “2112.” All kidding aside, this is another “Drink the Kool-Aid” song that you either love or roll your eyes at.
My ears perked up 3:45 into the song when they paraphrase Pink Floyd’s Echoes in a gigantic sonic swell.
Anyway you approach it, it’s a odd choice for the first single.
So, let’s review why this album has so much going on for it:
- Cover art by Storm Thorgerson? CHECK
- Pretentious songs and song titles? CHECK
- Quotes from Pink Floyd, King Crimson (I hear it on Hoodoo and elsewhere), Depeche Mode, Blue Man Group, Radiohead, Fourth Estate and other prog-rock music? CHECK
Do yourself a favor and buy the best rock album of 2006.
Categorized as music, reviews