The Master of Terror makes his mighty return. DBL's back too
Publisher: Warner Uk
Sat, 14 October 2006
by: Darth Bin Laden
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Well ladies and gentlemen, I have returned. While I swore I would not return until November, a number of wonderful things happened.
*I realised the HSC was practically useless, once I found out everyone I knew with money had failed it.
*My parents (yes, I live with my parents. I'm 18 and in year 12. It isn't creepy yet) have uninstalled almost all of my games. Only my GBA emulator remains. Tragic, I know.
So, through the magic of Windows Add or Remove programs, I am here. And it does me great pleasure to return to the section I began in, Music, with a new format, and a CD that is nothing short of brilliant.
Before my hiatus from Buttonhole, I had a habit of doing the play-by-play on CDs. Analysis of musical movements, song structure, a critical perspective privy to musicians. Then something clicked. It was this CD.
Black Holes and Revelations is the latest release by a fantastic band hailing from the UK called Muse. For those of you who don't know who Muse is, go and shoot yourselves in the foot, or alternatively, go and find out. For those of you who have been living under a rock for the last couple of months, and haven't heard anything from this CD, I recommend you go and buy it now. Nothing I could say would do it justice.
Muse, typically a unique band, (no genre classification. Genre classification is for posers) has made a move into pop-like territory. Gone are the 5-6 minute tracks (sans Knights of Cydonia).
 | | The auditions for Two-Face in the next Batman movie are going well |
In their stead, are 3-4 minute pieces oozing with addictiveness. No band has ever moved into pop territory this well. I even dare to say it re-defines two genres, except genre classification is for posers (I'm looking at you emo boy. That's right, you're a poser, you boy-kissing Goth wannabe.).
Muse has the Midas touch when it comes to music. Whether they are creating gold or taking classics and revamping them with style (not just covering them, like Michael Buble) Muse are truly masters of their craft. When any other band would have made a move into pop territory by completely ruining their sound, Muse have, unsurprisingly, made a brilliant 45 minutes of music.
Take A Bow, and the two singles off the album so far, Starlight and Supermassive Black Hole open the album, along with Map of the Problematique, with a bang. Whether it be with the drums in Map, the synth in Take a Bow or the guitars in the two singles, these songs pack a consistent drive which many of today's musical releases lack.
The CD slows down for about 7 mins with Soldiers Poem and Invincible. Both songs pack an emotion and sincerity that many song writers cannot communicate with decades of experience. Matt Bellamy connects with his audience in a way that makes even the most obscure lyrics relevant. He doesn't say a bunch of fancy words or use really confusing metaphors (Like The Used, or recent releases by AFI), unless they are worth using. The connection that the album makes with so many listeners it what makes it so brilliant. The album isn't mainstream because it's marketed mainstream. It's mainstream because a massive audience has picked it up and fallen in love with it.
The album then fires off its second shot. Right after Invincible finishes toning down the album into a sweet, slow melodic movement; Assassin comes in along with Exo-Politics. All three members drive the songs with their respective instruments, as Muse moves into an unexpected territory: political lyrics. As many long time fans were frightened by the possibility of Muse turning into The Sean Penn Experience, the band once again put the Muse touch into a theme that is becoming over-used in music and film alike.
(On that note, a little word of advice. If everyone was interested in politics, parliamentary discussions would have to be held at the Telstra Dome, or Rod Laver Arena. You don't get brownie points with anyone but boy-kissing Goth-wannabe's if you insult politicians for no other reason than to sell CDs. It just makes you look like a tool.)
 | | There's only one thing to do at a moment like this...Strut! |
And then the album keeps going. City of Delusion continues the high-octane brilliance, followed by the pseudo-epic and Hoodoo. The album closes with a classic Muse track, at 6 minutes long, Knights of Cydonia manages to last the full 6 minutes without becoming boring or losing any of its oomph.
No track-by-track analysis could do this album justice. It has been said that the race is over, there is no need to listen to any other CD, Black Holes and Revelations is the hands-down CD of the year. And I am in complete agreement with that statement. There is nothing that could top this album in terms of musical or lyrical brilliance.
If you buy one CD this year, make it this one. If you have it, buy it for a friend for Christmas. Don't buy them a puppy, or even a case of beer. Hell, don't even hire them a stripper for Christmas. Just buy them Black Holes and Revelations. It is, hands down, the best CD out right now.
Recommended Tracks:
All of them.
by: Darth Bin Laden
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I don't care if it's cause I'm a fan boy. I'm going the Full Monty. | |
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