Very rarely does a second album improve this much from it's predecessor. Even rarer when the aforementioned 'debut' is an astounding piece of work in itself. Matt Bellamy has been blessed with both an incredible vocal range and multi-instrumental ability, and showcases it superbly here.
'New Born' is a multi-layered pounding masterpiece with an invincible bassline. This leads us into the dreamy angst of 'Bliss', another epic. The breathless start slows a little with 'Space dementia'; a flawless twisting and turning tune, with a masterfully dizzy chorus, ending with a thundering crescendo, where voice guitar, piano and rhythm section crash into a monstrous wall of sound that almost sounds like a computer screaming as it witnesses the apocalypse! Apparently, Matt's trouser zip was used as additional percussion, which illustrates a welcome bit of playground humour.
As the fuzz fades from that climax, we are treated to the noise and screaming of 'Hyper-music', a short, to the point song which mentions space races, stalking, and zombies!? Well, sounds like it anyway. Melted seamlessly in is the squealing guitar intro to 'Plug-in Baby', the album's most recognisable track, with a fantastically insane chorus and plenty of feedback.
The first five tracks are almost all loud, and at breakneck pace, which is why 'Citizen Erased' is perfectly placed at 6. Clocking in at over seven minutes long, it is a neo-prog wonder with an uplifting riff, and countless time changes within it's glowing core.
'Micro Cuts' is the most brutal and disturbing track here, a strange bassline leading into Matt, almost incoherently yelling at us as if he is bound and gagged. The lyrics tell you all you need to know, but it sounds like nothing else Muse have ever done before or after.
Just when you think everything is either dark or heavy, Muse trump you with 'Screenager', a brilliant atmospheric opening with windchimes leading into a gentle, yet melancholy trip into the unknown. 'Darkshines' is slightly more predictable, but has a great riff, and superb percussive work.
'Feeling Good', although not mentioned anywhere in the sleeve notes, is obviously a cover, brilliantly reworked to sound like Matt wrote it himself, with more prog twists lavished upon the thumping piano signature and bassline.
After all this, the album needs one hell of a finale to go out in style....and doesn't let you down at all with 'Megalomania', a stone-cold belter, kicking off with a slow percussive intro so familiar you feel you've heard it before. As Matt's almost-whispered verse ends, the chorus kicks in, with more familiar drums and bass leading into a dramatic chorus. As the second verse ends, the chorus is louder and even more dramatic, with Bellamy straining his vocal chords to go up the scales with each word. Each instrument tries to outdo the other, and, maybe with tongue-in-cheek, Matt throws a mighty church organ into the mix of guitar, bass, drums and keyboards with Bellamy also singing in two different keys as his own backing vocalist. As Matt's lungs sound like they're about to explode, the chorus ends, with the pomp of the organ hailing the end of a remarkable album. Treasure this!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
So this was your first review very good, loads better than my first ones. David
madhatter7880 31.07.2004 14:55
Welcome to Ciao. Great first review.
TheChocolateLady 31.07.2004 13:33
Really nicely done first review! You might want to fix the formatting so that there are blank lines between the paragraphs - makes it easier to read. Don't forget to add in the price of this and where it can be purchased - that's essential for a really helpful review. All the best and Welcome to Ciao!
very helpful by (64%):
helpful by (36%):
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