The Muse Thread - Hate This & I'll Hate You

[Violet]

^ You might want to put that in the multimedia section instead. Links aren't allowed in this part of the forum.

[harrisonrules]

 

 

My track by track review

 

Supremacy: I think the more I listen to this the better it gets and upon first listen I knew it would ultimately end up as one of my favorites

 

Madness: I dont get the hate for this song. Yes its different from the old Muse but I love the build up to that wonderful ending

 

Panic Station: I love the overall feeling of this song and it's upbeat style. Really a bummer that it leads into Survival.

 

Survival: Gotta agree above it's the worst song off the album.

 

Follow Me: I think this song comes and goes. I expect one day ill love it then the next ill hate it.

 

Animals: Right there with Supremacy as an instant favorite

 

Explorers: My favorite track on the album! Reminds me of faster version of Invincible!

 

Big Freeze: Has the same upbeat feeling as PS but cant get into this one but probably will some day. I see the U2 vibe too!

 

Save Me: Was really looking forward to this song and felt somewhat disappointed. I think it could grow on me.

 

Liquid State: One of the worst songs off the album and my biggest disappointment. I was so looking forward to this.

 

Unsustainable: I love the bit from 2:00 - 2:50 but the rest is garbage

 

Isolated System: So boring and disappointing as the closer

I wish Explorers ended up being the closer!

 

My top 5 tracks

1. Explorers

2. Animals

3. Supremacy

4. Panic Station

5. Madness

 

Overall grade

6.5/10

 

I was looking forward to this album and Battle Born (The Killers) and The Killers won this round IMO!

 

 

[Alien Radio]

Panic Station sounds so RHCP

[R23]

Why does everybody hate Survival that much? I freakin' love that track, especially with Prelude as intro!

 

My other favs on the album:

 

- Supremacy: My god Matt, can you sing any higher?! :lol: Great track with awesome orchestral parts combined with the band (great drum track and a Brian May like solo in the middle).

 

- Panic Station: My first reaction was: FLEA/RHCP! But when Matt comes in this track becomes one of the best of The 2nd Law. Really like the part 'You've arrived at Panic Station!'. Awesome.

 

- Prelude + Survival: As stated, I love this track. The orchestral part in Prelude is building the right setting for Survival. Ok, the lyrics aren't that great, but listen to the music! It explodes!

 

- Follow Me: I heart an ultrasound heartbeat in the beginning, followed by the disco like beat and thought to myself 'what is this?!' Now it kinda reminds me of a mix between Butterflies & Hurricanes and Take A Bow. Awesome track!

 

- Animals: Has a little Radiohead vibe over it, which I really like.

 

- Explorers: That piano! Reminded me a bit of Don't Stop Me Now sometimes.

 

- Big Freeze: Nice guitar work and great vocals.

 

I was disappointed with Chris' songs, he's just not that singer that Matt is. The 2nd Law: Unsustainable is an experiment and they did a good job on that. Isolated System was the wrong choice for closing the album. I was also a bit disappointed that Matt almost has no lyrics more after Big Freeze. Still thinks it's a better album than The Resistance.

 

Grade: 8/10

[shred]

And here I thought The Resistance was bad... :-\

 

After a couple of listens, I think my fav are Supremacy, Madness and Animals (the bass in the beginning is lovely). Still undecided on songs like Explorers and Follow Me. Everything else I'm not a fan of - mostly because I didn't listen to them fully and have forgotten how they sound like. I guess that means I don't like them?

 

Isolated System is actually pretty cool but it just needs some vocals. Proper vocals not some random sayings/repeat of the title/put in some random lady/etc vocals.

 

This album doesn't sound like Muse at all. Supremacy is probably the only song that sounds remotely like Muse. At least on The Resistance, there were some resemblance of Muse through all the songs and the album actually grew on me after a few listens.

 

I'm torn on buying this album. I don't want to waste my money on it but then again, I feel like I should buy it out of loyalty. And also because my Muse collection will look weird without this album...

[Brent]

Panic Station sounds so RHCP

 

They did have a song last year called Police Station.

 

That's kind of ironic.

[Mark]

The big problem with this album is that they haven't enlisted a producer. Again.

 

It's easy to overlook, but John Leckie and Rich Costey were both brilliant producers, and though the big trilogy of Origin, Absolution and Black Holes wasn't perfect, it certainly didn't include stinkers like Big Freeze, Isolated System, Unnatural Selection, Guiding Light...

 

They really needed cohesion with this. They needed someone like Marcus Dravs, Nigel Godrich or even Brian Eno to keep them in check. None of this is original, none of it excites me.

 

A song like Survival has been released simply because the band don't mind being a laughing stock. Sorry, they're one of the biggest three bands in the world. That has to change.

[Mark]

For now, I'm just gonna say I'm shocked by the negativity on "Big Freeze". It's the proper U2 tribute that "Madness" tried and failed horribly to be. Most unfairly hated thing since "Soldier's Poem". There are 8 or 9 worse songs on the album.

 

The Muse fandom seems to have more U2 haters than any other fandom on the planet, though. Which confuses the hell out of me. I fucking love U2. Doubt I would've gotten into Muse without them.

 

Most bands who try and do the stadium album draw influence from 80s U2. Coldplay on X&Y, Killers on Battle Born, Kings of Leon on Only By the Night.

 

Muse are supposed to be one of the most original and refreshing bands of the last decade though. The three I mentioned are all revered, but Muse always had a huge cult following, and if fans are anything like me, they're sad that a band, who once released something as incredible as Hullabaloo, are now resorting to writing tribute-act-style songs just to shift more records and sell out more stadia.

 

There's nothing wrong with U2. But U2 should be U2, and Muse should be Muse. They should follow their own paths, rather than saying "Oh let's do a song like Numb" or "This song sounds a bit like Queen, so let's make it sound more like Queen".

[Corkus]

I'm much harder on the Queen knock-offs (Survival, Madness, parts of Explorers) than the U2 ones, though, because Muse already Queen'd a whole album up when they wrote The Resistance. Queen is great and all, but their influence in Muse has overstayed its welcome. But of course, stuff like "Animals" that's actually MUSE is most preferred. I might be less forgiving to U2 influences if we have a similar trend on Album 7.

 

(nah, fuck it, Album 7 will probably be an electro country album at this rate)

[Violet]

(nah, fuck it, Album 7 will probably be an electro country album at this rate)

 

:bigcry:

 

Yeah, I haven't listened to T2L yet. I'm trying really really hard to hold off until the official release. It's tempting, though, to take a gander when I see so many opinions plastered on Facebook and in here.

 

I just gotta keep telling myself...one more week...just one more week...

[Alien Radio]

They did have a song last year called Police Station.

 

That's kind of ironic.

 

Yeah I thought about that too! :P

[Imke]

I can't make my mind up about this album ... or about a single song ... and I don't even know if that's a good sign or a bad one. :blank:

 

Yup, that's pretty much what I feel or not feel.

[Hysteria]

Granted I've only listened to the album twice, but I think it's decent. My opinion can, and probably will, change though.

[Prospector]

Ok, let's talk about The 2nd Law:

 

Muse does sound more pop than before, but this is not their Mylo Xyloto, there's still Muse all over it. I like The Resitance, but I can see its low points, with that mind I can affirm that The 2nd Law is better than the previous record. The band sound much more unpretentious, this is just a collection of great songs, probably the album is not as cohesive as Resistance, but who cares, almost all tracks are great! The only song that I guess will let fans really disappointed is Follow Me, but I loved the eletro pop arrangement along with a pretty much classic Muse melody. My favourite tracks are Panic Station, really fun song, and Madness. The band seems relaxed, just doing their thing, well at least on 10 tracks.

Don't get me wrong but this album would sound so much better if it was not for Survival and the first part of the title track. This is Muse's album more fun to listen, but those 2 songs (3 tracks because of the "Prelude") are even more megalomaniacal than The Resistance, they are just overblown and don't fit with the rest of it at all. Going over the top is not new for them, they did it on other records, but songs like United States Of Eurasia sounded great with the epic performance, those sound embarassing. This songs are Muse doing what people expect than to do, epic over the top music, it seems that even with the dubstep spice those songs are their safety net.

OK, I'm beign too harsh, the album is really good, but it could have been great. It's quite nice to hear a different voice singing, Chris is really nice on his songs, specially on Liquid State.

 

Edit: I like Explorers, but don't you think it sounds a bit like Don't Stop Me Now sometimes?

[James.]

Actually from what I've seen the majority of fans seem to really like Follow Me.

[Prospector]

^ Really :stunned:, thought it would have the Madness reception.

[Mojo Pin]

Queen all over the album and too electronic at times... i don't really dislike it but i don't know if i like it much =/

 

I miss the OOS era :disappointed:

[James.]

^ Really :stunned:, thought it would have the Madness reception.

 

That's what I was expecting, based on the reviews. Maybe people are too afraid to admit they don't like it, because of it being such a personal song to Matt :laugh3:

[para-para-parrotdies]

This is the worst album I have heard in the last 5 years.

 

:sick2:

[Mark]

I'm much harder on the Queen knock-offs (Survival, Madness, parts of Explorers) than the U2 ones, though, because Muse already Queen'd a whole album up when they wrote The Resistance. Queen is great and all, but their influence in Muse has overstayed its welcome. But of course, stuff like "Animals" that's actually MUSE is most preferred. I might be less forgiving to U2 influences if we have a similar trend on Album 7.

 

(nah, fuck it, Album 7 will probably be an electro country album at this rate)

 

What I'm about to say may offend you as a U2 fan, but read on.

 

It's easier to rip off U2 than Queen.

Like I said, everyone does the U2 thing. Even Glasvegas. Not many bands would even dare try and top Freddie bombast, because he was the greatest performer of all time. How would you pull it off live? Well, regardless of your opinion of Survival or United States, you have to admit, Bellamy's an almost unrivalled performer in today's scene.

 

And now to redeem myself for the U2 comment; a lot of bands think that whacking the delay up and playing major chords is the way to sound like The Edge. Edge however, as you know, is perhaps the greatest guitarist ever when it comes to working with the effect. And Bono just happens to be one of the greatest songwriters ever. Would Bellamy/Martin/Followill ever write something as ingenious as "Every artist is a cannibal, every poet is a thief, all kill their inspiration, and sing about their grief"? No. No they wouldn't. They'd write "Race, it's a race, and I'm gonna win, yes I'm gonna win, and I'll light the fuse and I'll never lose and I choose to survive".

 

Despite anyone's opinions, U2 write the most uplifting, joyous music in the world. It's in the lyrics, it's in the music. It's a fact. No disputing it, it's just not everyone's cup of tea. Every two-bit, shit-bag arena act thinks they can pull it off and be likeable. No one can, not Coldplay, not Muse, not Kings of Leon, not Killers, not early Radiohead, not Glasvegas, not The Script, not anyone.

 

It's about time everyone started paying more respect to them as a band by not trying to shamelessly steal their sound.

[Mark]

That's what I was expecting, based on the reviews. Maybe people are too afraid to admit they don't like it, because of it being such a personal song to Matt :laugh3:

 

Or people like it because it's well-produced.

 

Well done Muse.

 

Well done.

 

You've produced a song well.

 

Oh.

 

Wait.

 

It was Nero, wasn't it?

[nouratan]

i LOVE "save me" and Chris sounds perfect.

Chris singing is more approachable and wonderful, to me Matt's singing is too perfect and expressionless

 

i have no idea if i make sense but i like Chris's singing

 

edit: and i love isolated system as the closer, its the calm after the storm

in my opinion the album progression is perfect

it starts with the feeling of being suppressed and basically shouting out about the unfairness of it (supremacy)

and the comes the human instinct of avoiding situations by being in love (madness)

and the realising its still horrible outside the bubble they're living in(Panic station)

 

then comes the instinct of survival and the struggle to live without giving up(Survival)

 

then comes (follow me and animals) basically talking about the uprisings and how man in general forgets that everyone in this world is struggling the same as they are and start acting superior and fighting amongst each other.

 

and when everything has basically become shittier then it was before wanting the life from before (explorers and Big Freeze)

 

and the begging to be save (save me) and then shouting out anyone who can heard to save them(Liquid State)

 

(unsustainable ) is basically realising that we are stuck now and can't get out and it is followed by the soft symphonic music (isolated system)basically is the time when everything feels like it's back to normal but its just another disaster waiting to happen

 

maybe over thought about it but lyrically it follows perfectly

:shrug:

[Plug_in_coldplaying]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36NMgTRjG38]Muse - Panic Station (Later with Jools Holland) - YouTube[/ame]

[Mark]

i LOVE "save me" and Chris sounds perfect.

Chris singing is more approachable and wonderful, to me Matt's singing is too perfect and expressionless

 

i have no idea if i make sense but i like Chris's singing

 

edit: and i love isolated system as the closer, its the calm after the storm

in my opinion the album progression is perfect

it starts with the feeling of being suppressed and basically shouting out about the unfairness of it (supremacy)

and the comes the human instinct of avoiding situations by being in love (madness)

and the realising its still horrible outside the bubble they're living in(Panic station)

 

then comes the instinct of survival and the struggle to live without giving up(Survival)

 

then comes (follow me and animals) basically talking about the uprisings and how man in general forgets that everyone in this world is struggling the same as they are and start acting superior and fighting amongst each other.

 

and when everything has basically become shittier then it was before wanting the life from before (explorers and Big Freeze)

 

and the begging to be save (save me) and then shouting out anyone who can heard to save them(Liquid State)

 

(unsustainable ) is basically realising that we are stuck now and can't get out and it is followed by the soft symphonic music (isolated system)basically is the time when everything feels like it's back to normal but its just another disaster waiting to happen

 

maybe over thought about it but lyrically it follows perfectly

:shrug:

 

"I'll light the fuse

And I'll never lose"

 

Whilst your theory's great, I really don't think Matt Bellamy bothers putting effort into lyrics anymore.

[watd]

I already knew Survival, Uns.. and Madness and decided to give it try, started with generally most revered songs. Panic Station was quite good in its own way, Animals decent, both better than the 3 aforementioed (which were from utterly shite to meh). Then Supremacy and here I stopped forever. This piece is just worse than Survival and thats something. I dont get this band and their fans who, from all better options just consider songs like this or Survival or Unsustainable as masterful.