An album with such a heavy influence in classical music is always going to be taken seriously, which Muse have demonstrated very well in 'Origin of Symmetry' and 'Absolution', but unlike those albums 'The Resistance' falls short, and I repeat, VERY short.
'Uprising' is the lead single from 'The Resistance' and unlike most lead singles from Muse, this one here sounds a very half hearted attempt at what Matt Bellamy described as 'A hard rock take on Goldfrapp'... Hmm I don't think so Matt, this sounds more like a repetitive chorus repeated once to much which gives us the thought of 'Shut the fuck up' after the first two minutes, never mind a dragged out five minutes of it. After 'Uprising' we are taken into a slightly beautiful song called 'Resistance' which does have it's moments of brilliance, especially with the jittery piano intro and the hard hitting chorus which is Muse at their best, but, they could have done without the almost cheesy moments of 'We Could Be Wrong, Could Be Wrong' and that part alone is bound to give you a love/hate relationship with this song.
Moving on to 'United States of Eurasia (+Collateral Damage)' and this is a sorry and foolish attempt at Queen, which you get a 'Bohemian Rhapsody' feel from it, before entering a groovy and hard hitting piano bridge which takes references from Middle Eastern culture. After all that has passed, we enter a very nice calming and soothing piano solo with the added orchestra of violins and strings in places, which doesn't save the scare of the first four minutes of terrible attempts at Queen, but it does gave you a relief of some sort. 'Guiding Light' is definitely one of the albums high points, Matt Bellamy's vocals are beautiful and reassuring as he sings 'You're My Guiding Light, When There's No Guiding Light Left', even though the solo again rings out more Queen-esque styles but Matt's vocals alone in this song is a complete saviour.
We find ourselves indulged in 'Unnatural Selection' which is another hard hitting heavy Muse at their best, but here comes the snag, the main riff sounds HEAVILY like the dominating and boulder crushing riff that's in 'New Born', now there's nothing wrong with that if your just wanting heavy and catchy riffs to dance to or whatever, but for music enthusiasts and hardcore Muse fans, this is sure to annoy them and along with that seven minutes of mediocrity we don't want more Queen, and we got more of them at the vocal crescendo at the end which takes it's sorrows from 'Bohemian Rhapsody' yet again.
To the high points of the album, which lack few and far between, one of them however would be 'MK Ultra' which has a driving bass line leading the horde just like the songs of 'Origin of Symmetry' did. 'MK Ultra' proves itself in many forms, it's again, Muse at their best, has the calming start and somehow, out of no where comes to the blasting fire power the band has severely lacked on 'The Resistance' with a gracious nod again to 'New Born' but not as heavily replicated as 'Unnatural Selection'.
The final point in the album to be made is in 'Exogenesis', which is something Matt said he has been working on, on a long time. 'Exogenesis' runs for a total of thirteen minutes plus. The 'Symphony' is divided into three parts with part one being 'Overture' and this is swallowed in the darkness of an orchestrated chill of violins and more strings and Matt's restrained guitar pulling out a gentle but grinding solo and sings melodically but quietly to the gruesomely exceptional music behind him. Part two 'Cross-Pollination' starts of with a fast paced piano intro, but slows down to Matt's low and fierce vocal lines, but we somehow find ourselves racing in tempo with a guitar riff building intensity, and flickering the sharp solo before the whirlwind come down of the piano riff that the song started out with. Finally, part three enters into something that's a little more upbeat in comparison to 'Cross-Pollination'. 'Redemption' is probably the most beautiful piano ballad Matt Bellamy has came up with, it's slow but uniquely uplifting. Again, the violin's come in again and add it's bit of genius to Matt's unique ballad and just to complete this Symphony, Matt's hurried and low vocals just bring up the mood a little more before the outro consisting of the piano riff that was used as the intro and the slow in and out use of the violins.
Muse's fifth album has not raised any eyebrows, mainly around music critics and am sure hardcore Muse fans would be slightly disappointed with this effort. 'The Resistance' does have it's high points in 'MK Ultra' and the entire Symphony of 'Exogenesis' which would definitely be considered a masterpiece amongst the more classical sides of Muse fans. Although at to many parts in the album, they have uplifted roots from Queen and failed to pull it of and used riffs from their previous songs that have just been meddled around with to achieve some effect that's just not happened. 'The Resistance' is not a serious disaster overall, but very mediocre for a band with the heavy, heavy amount of talent that Muse has and let's hope that the next time, is a little less Queen and a lot more Muse hopefully.
2½ / 5
Linus Broadbent.
Monday 28 September 2009
Sunday 27 September 2009
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
So, Yeah Yeah Yeahs have dropped their guitars and went for the synthesizers approach, any fan of the band would have been pretty scared by the prospect of such a thing and after the success of their previous albums, it would have probably been a smart idea to carry on in that format.
It's Blitz! opens up with a magnificent feel good song by the name of 'Zero'. Which has a heavy synthesizer beat floating around Karen O's sweet and romantic vocals which echo her punk influences like Chrissie Hynde from The Pretenders. Yeah Yeah Yeahs also prove their development in sound with 'Heads Will Roll' and this song again, has another heavy synthesizer beat dominating the track, further more it's another feel good song which the band captured on 'Zero' and just like 'Zero' it has that party feel and all the glitter to make you feel that you were back in the 70's listening to 'Heart Of Glass'.
Probably the most challenging effort the band has ever made would be in 'Skeletons', which is an epic, sad and notorious love song and no matter what mood you might be in, it will demonstrate some effect of romance and sadness on you. 'Skeletons' draws influences from Electronica and Celtic forms and when you feel the song couldn't hit a higher note of depression, a beautifully placed bagpipe solo rings out and draws the song to a winding close. After 'Skeletons' we are thrashed into 'Dull Life', now this song is what Yeah Yeah Yeahs do best, fast paced punk rock in a slick and furious tone with Nick Zinner's stylish swagger with the six stringed instrument that he earns his corn through.
Towards the rear end of the album, we are plunged into 'Dragon Queen' and in this song, Karen O' produces some flat vocal lines and somehow still sounds simply amazing, and the Synthesizer's still flicker around us and almost reminisces The Who's 'Baby O'Riley'. We move on to 'Hysteric' which further shows the development of Yeah Yeah Yeahs sound, it's basically another cheeky little love song, not to be taken to seriously however, but wonderful in many ways with Karen O's light vocal lines gliding along to Nick Zinner's soft guitar lines and Brian Chase's jazzy drumming. The final song on 'It's Blitz!', 'Little Shadow' is another beautiful ballad, apart from Karen O's fantastic vocals, but the drumming is a particular highlight here, it surges through you like a bullet in your gut and has the dramatic power drumming from 'Gold Lion' which he blasted apart in a million pieces in superb fashion.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs have demonstrated that after three albums, they are certainly a band that's here to stay, considering a lot of these so-called 'Alternative' and 'Indie' bands are fading away, Yeah Yeah Yeahs however, show they are rocking and they are dancing and on their third album 'It's Blitz!' they have evolved their sound from fast paced punk rock to new wave/synthesizer rock and how we cannot wait until their next album.
4½ / 5
Linus Broadbent.
It's Blitz! opens up with a magnificent feel good song by the name of 'Zero'. Which has a heavy synthesizer beat floating around Karen O's sweet and romantic vocals which echo her punk influences like Chrissie Hynde from The Pretenders. Yeah Yeah Yeahs also prove their development in sound with 'Heads Will Roll' and this song again, has another heavy synthesizer beat dominating the track, further more it's another feel good song which the band captured on 'Zero' and just like 'Zero' it has that party feel and all the glitter to make you feel that you were back in the 70's listening to 'Heart Of Glass'.
Probably the most challenging effort the band has ever made would be in 'Skeletons', which is an epic, sad and notorious love song and no matter what mood you might be in, it will demonstrate some effect of romance and sadness on you. 'Skeletons' draws influences from Electronica and Celtic forms and when you feel the song couldn't hit a higher note of depression, a beautifully placed bagpipe solo rings out and draws the song to a winding close. After 'Skeletons' we are thrashed into 'Dull Life', now this song is what Yeah Yeah Yeahs do best, fast paced punk rock in a slick and furious tone with Nick Zinner's stylish swagger with the six stringed instrument that he earns his corn through.
Towards the rear end of the album, we are plunged into 'Dragon Queen' and in this song, Karen O' produces some flat vocal lines and somehow still sounds simply amazing, and the Synthesizer's still flicker around us and almost reminisces The Who's 'Baby O'Riley'. We move on to 'Hysteric' which further shows the development of Yeah Yeah Yeahs sound, it's basically another cheeky little love song, not to be taken to seriously however, but wonderful in many ways with Karen O's light vocal lines gliding along to Nick Zinner's soft guitar lines and Brian Chase's jazzy drumming. The final song on 'It's Blitz!', 'Little Shadow' is another beautiful ballad, apart from Karen O's fantastic vocals, but the drumming is a particular highlight here, it surges through you like a bullet in your gut and has the dramatic power drumming from 'Gold Lion' which he blasted apart in a million pieces in superb fashion.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs have demonstrated that after three albums, they are certainly a band that's here to stay, considering a lot of these so-called 'Alternative' and 'Indie' bands are fading away, Yeah Yeah Yeahs however, show they are rocking and they are dancing and on their third album 'It's Blitz!' they have evolved their sound from fast paced punk rock to new wave/synthesizer rock and how we cannot wait until their next album.
4½ / 5
Linus Broadbent.
Wednesday 16 September 2009
Arctic Monkeys - Humbug
It looks like these Sheffield boys have came back from the sweltering desert in Josh Homme land with some balls, as their third effort is a real shift in style and complexion from their past two albums which were definitely a little more acceptable in terms of the mass public's opinion on what proper music is, where this album, is a bit of a harder listen.
So the Monkeys open with 'My Propeller', a nice jaunting track, where the guitar lines actually reminiscent the sound of what we think a propeller would sound like when it's old and battered. Alex Turner doesn't disappoint with his lyrics either, as usual he comes up with quirky lines like 'Coax me out my low and have a spin of my propeller' which could sound sexually deviant when you think of it.
Track two, would come in the form of 'Crying Lightning', which is also the lead single from 'Humbug'. It's a grower, especially for a single, it doesn't have the impact most lead singles would have, but again, lyrically it delivers, may I suggest how lyrics these days are never as good as this 'And your pastimes consisted of the strange, the twisted and deranged and I hate that little game you had called 'Crying Lightning''. After 'Crying Lightning' we enter 'Pound' mode 'Dangerous Animals' which has a Black Sabbath aura to it, with the main riff is a hard pounder which is destined to enter your head along with the chorus which equally pounds itself to the back of your mind 'D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S A-N-I-M-A-L'.
As 'Humbug' progresses on it's dark and wonderful path, we soon encounter 'Potion Approaching' which is another thumper, it's another song you feel that Mr. Homme might have had a bit of an influence over, which is obvious, as he's produced most of the tracks, but you could argue that certain parts do sound very Homme-ish in terms of his guitar playing style and unique sound which the Monkeys seemed to have stole and made it their own. Despite all that, it's Arctic Monkeys at their best, music is solid and lyrics present as ever. When 'Potion Approaching' finishes, we are blessed with a song called 'Fire And The Thud' which has a very special guest on it, Miss. Alison Mosshart of The Kills/Dead Weather. Although her role in the song is just backing vocals and she only appears in the last minute and a bit. However, the song wouldn't work any other way, as Alex Turner and co, already add their dreary and murky label on it, Alison just applies the finishing touches with her echoing and haunting voice which simply pierces your heart like a nail through the eye.
Towards the end of the album, 'Cornerstone' gives us a nice little ballad about keeping your short-cuts to yourself and picking up the scent of your girlfriend on the seatbelt, despite that, 'Mardy Bum' fans would be happy with this effort for another genuine sing-a-long. 'Pretty Visitors' gives us a slight bit of comedy in the line 'What came first the chicken or the dickhead?' and another bit of Josh Homme pops up again with the dark echoing vocals in the background to a ferocious guitar riff and drum beat dominating proceedings. Now, something the Arctic Monkeys are very good at now comes into play and that's writing excellent closing songs for an album, and just to refresh your memory may I mention how good 'A Certain Romance' and '505' are? Well, here comes another one, 'The Jeweller's Hands'. They display many styles in this song, like Psychedelia, Rock and maybe some elements of Jazz (Probably in the drumming). The song is also basically, Arctic Monkeys on The Doors and my reference to this would be in the later half of the song where Alex Turner scarily brings Jim Morrison back from the dead as he isolates us and brings our defences down further as he sings 'If you've a lesson to teach me I'm listening, ready to learn. There's no here to police me I'm sinking in until the return. If you've a lesson to teach me don't deviate, don't be afraid. Without the last corner piece I can't calibrate, let's get it engraved'. Even the lyrics would resemble something Jim Morrison would write and if anything, that speaks volume for Alex Turner's song writing capabilities and the rest of the band also do their bit, by keeping a very tight rhythm that haunts us with it's mellow and black perceptions until the final note.
'Humbug' has been a very pleasant surprise, hopefully a departure from their previous work and they can enter a new world of mystery and deviant behaviour. It's hardly going to be winning any awards or going to be album of the year, but who gives a fuck? Arctic Monkeys are a band that's not going to fade away within a few years, they're here to stay and this album demonstrates that.
4/5
Linus Broadbent.
So the Monkeys open with 'My Propeller', a nice jaunting track, where the guitar lines actually reminiscent the sound of what we think a propeller would sound like when it's old and battered. Alex Turner doesn't disappoint with his lyrics either, as usual he comes up with quirky lines like 'Coax me out my low and have a spin of my propeller' which could sound sexually deviant when you think of it.
Track two, would come in the form of 'Crying Lightning', which is also the lead single from 'Humbug'. It's a grower, especially for a single, it doesn't have the impact most lead singles would have, but again, lyrically it delivers, may I suggest how lyrics these days are never as good as this 'And your pastimes consisted of the strange, the twisted and deranged and I hate that little game you had called 'Crying Lightning''. After 'Crying Lightning' we enter 'Pound' mode 'Dangerous Animals' which has a Black Sabbath aura to it, with the main riff is a hard pounder which is destined to enter your head along with the chorus which equally pounds itself to the back of your mind 'D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S A-N-I-M-A-L'.
As 'Humbug' progresses on it's dark and wonderful path, we soon encounter 'Potion Approaching' which is another thumper, it's another song you feel that Mr. Homme might have had a bit of an influence over, which is obvious, as he's produced most of the tracks, but you could argue that certain parts do sound very Homme-ish in terms of his guitar playing style and unique sound which the Monkeys seemed to have stole and made it their own. Despite all that, it's Arctic Monkeys at their best, music is solid and lyrics present as ever. When 'Potion Approaching' finishes, we are blessed with a song called 'Fire And The Thud' which has a very special guest on it, Miss. Alison Mosshart of The Kills/Dead Weather. Although her role in the song is just backing vocals and she only appears in the last minute and a bit. However, the song wouldn't work any other way, as Alex Turner and co, already add their dreary and murky label on it, Alison just applies the finishing touches with her echoing and haunting voice which simply pierces your heart like a nail through the eye.
Towards the end of the album, 'Cornerstone' gives us a nice little ballad about keeping your short-cuts to yourself and picking up the scent of your girlfriend on the seatbelt, despite that, 'Mardy Bum' fans would be happy with this effort for another genuine sing-a-long. 'Pretty Visitors' gives us a slight bit of comedy in the line 'What came first the chicken or the dickhead?' and another bit of Josh Homme pops up again with the dark echoing vocals in the background to a ferocious guitar riff and drum beat dominating proceedings. Now, something the Arctic Monkeys are very good at now comes into play and that's writing excellent closing songs for an album, and just to refresh your memory may I mention how good 'A Certain Romance' and '505' are? Well, here comes another one, 'The Jeweller's Hands'. They display many styles in this song, like Psychedelia, Rock and maybe some elements of Jazz (Probably in the drumming). The song is also basically, Arctic Monkeys on The Doors and my reference to this would be in the later half of the song where Alex Turner scarily brings Jim Morrison back from the dead as he isolates us and brings our defences down further as he sings 'If you've a lesson to teach me I'm listening, ready to learn. There's no here to police me I'm sinking in until the return. If you've a lesson to teach me don't deviate, don't be afraid. Without the last corner piece I can't calibrate, let's get it engraved'. Even the lyrics would resemble something Jim Morrison would write and if anything, that speaks volume for Alex Turner's song writing capabilities and the rest of the band also do their bit, by keeping a very tight rhythm that haunts us with it's mellow and black perceptions until the final note.
'Humbug' has been a very pleasant surprise, hopefully a departure from their previous work and they can enter a new world of mystery and deviant behaviour. It's hardly going to be winning any awards or going to be album of the year, but who gives a fuck? Arctic Monkeys are a band that's not going to fade away within a few years, they're here to stay and this album demonstrates that.
4/5
Linus Broadbent.
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