Origin Of Symmetry - Muse

...review.... back to Muse! Origin Of Symmetry is their second album, and has received mostly good reviews in the press (let's just ignore the Guardian reviewer who only gave the album 1 star). If you've seen them play live over the last year or so, then many of these songs will be familiar, especially Plug In Baby, which they seem to have been playing forever. But having heard so many songs live, it was interesting to see what the studio versions ...
...sound, which was one of the things Muse wanted for this album. So here's a track by track review... New Born: The second single from the second album, this starts off with mysterious-sounding keyboards, and then builds to become a loud, guitar-based song. For ages it was called 'New One', just because they hadn't thought of a title for it. And then, according to Matt: "our tour managers wife had a baby whilst were on tour and when he would print ...

carys 12.07.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Origin Of Symmetry - Muse

Origin of Symmetry is Muse's second effort, and by most Muse fans is declared to be the best one. Personally, it has superior hits to the other albums, but it's not as consistant as the other albums really and that brings it down for me. You see, the other albums generally have loud-quiet-loud-gentle-harsh-quiet-synth going on, but this album focuses more on getting all of the loudness out of the way in the first half of the album and then leaving ...
...My rating- 8/10. Overall, Origin is quite a mixed bag. However though, if you want to hear Muse at it's best (although not consistently, just for two/three tracks) then get this album. Highlights- Citizen Erased, Bliss, the riff in New Born Skippable- Screenager, Feeling Good, possibly another few songs depending on your own personal taste. That's really what it's about..Origin is more down to personal taste than any other Muse album. Still a ...

aether3089 13.06.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Origin Of Symmetry - Muse

Origin Of Symmetry was Muse's second album and came out in summer 2001, predated by two earlier singles Plug In Baby and New Born, both of which are pretty representative of the overall sound of this album. The CD came complete with a set of pictures by various artists all titled "Origin Of Symmetry", which I thought was a nice touch. God knows what the cover is supposed to represent but as an album cover it looks pretty good I reckon. For a three ...
...It's obvious to me that this is Matt Bellamy's band, and although bassist Chris Wolstenholme and drummer Dom Howard are not there just to make up the numbers, it's Bellamy's plaintive vocals and (occasionally overplayed) guitar that dominates. Whilst the lyrics are quite often incomprehensible, the arrangements and playing are excellent. Put them up against another modern three piece, ooooh lets say Feeder, and they will smash them into the dirt ...

pinkmatchstick 04.11.2006 · Read full review
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Review of Origin Of Symmetry - Muse

‘Origin Of Symmetry’ is the second album from UK rockers Muse, and in my opinion, better than their debut album ‘Showbiz’. Admittedly, I haven’t always been Muse’s biggest fan, and I hadn’t even heard of Muse until a few months ago when I first heard them on my friend’s mp3 player. But recently I ventured to purchase this CD (incidentally, with the ipoints earned from my Ciao Writings), and now it is ...
...Review (11 tracks). 01 New Born – The first Muse track I consciously heard (although I am pretty sure I heard Plug In Baby without knowing it was Muse), and still one of my favourites. The tension is built up superbly in the opening section of this song, and continues until it transforms into a loud guitar piece around 1and a half minutes into the song. After listening to this song, you will not get it out of your head for a long time. 02 ...

robsharpe 12.07.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Origin Of Symmetry - Muse

Muse have had a huge amount of pressure on them in the music business. Being compares to several top bands, most notably Radiohead and a superb debut 'Showbiz' meant that they have a lot to live up to in the future. 'Origins of Symmetry' received a lot of publicity, and if all the pressure could have cracked them, it really does not show. Still a great second attempt, if not up to the standards of the first, this is a great piece of music. 'Origins ...
...from pretty close to me down here in sunny Devon, they are South Devon bouys from Teignmouth. Matt Bellamy is the lead singer as well as pianist and guitarist, bass with Chris Wolstenhome and drummer Dominic Howard. Their first album Showbiz won them a lot of praise and are currently signed to Maverick Records. This is only their second album, thought their music is progressing well and winning them a lot of fans. Muse are very popular with live ...

Chris_Padden 14.02.2002 · Read full review
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Review of Origin Of Symmetry - Muse

Muse are my definition of ‘brilliant Alternative Rock’. They have a great way of blending different songs from different styles of music in to one album, just like, the less popular, ‘Showbiz’. Here is my report on the rock album of the year (or possibly not… ‘Take off your pants and jacket’ ring a bell?). 1) New born – what can I say, sheer, utter, brilliance. An excellent song, which deserved more ...
...album became top of the ‘rock’ charts immediately after this song was put on sale!!! 2) Bliss is not an easy song to respect, so much like a Christmas backing tune, I’m surprised it wasn’t sold as the ‘Opening theme to the Queen’s speech’! 3) Space Dementia is an intriguing song with great dramatic singing and music, a definite contender for New Born’s understudy. In my top three for certain. 4) Hyper ...

steveMANUNITED 11.10.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Origin Of Symmetry - Muse

After the success of ‘Showbiz’, Muse’s first album which was released in 1999, I knew that the band had potential, and that the next album would show the band maturing and progressing. Matt Bellamy’s vocal range was shown on the previous album with his high vocals blending in with screeching guitars to the note on ‘Muscle Museum’, and on this album we hear the same. His ‘normal’ singing voice will ...
...the high pitch levels he can reach are tremendous. Both live and recorded, he performs solidly, and shows that the recording studio people do not have to alter his voice too much. I chose to not review this CD on a track to track basis, but prefer to talk more generally. The album does open with ‘New Born’, the bands second single released from the album, and can only be described as typical when compared to the rest of the album. The ...

danradders 30.08.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Origin Of Symmetry - Muse

In my opinion the first Muse album was a very mixed bag. Approximately half the album was great while half was a bit dull. Tracks like Cave, Sober and Uno were great but the others had something missing for me. However, having listened to the new album through several times now the overall quality seems to be higher. But I’m getting ahead of myself – just what do Muse sound like? Well, on the first album they sounded like something approaching ...
...not mean cheerful! This album has Muse in a rockier mood, there’s elements of Faith No More’s rock-with-keyboard sounds in there – but they mainly seem to be from just one Faith No More song! More on this later… * New Born * Opening with a piano arpeggio that almost, but doesn’t quiet, turn into the intro to As The Worm Turns by Faith No More (As it’s a piano we’re talking the Chuck Moseley era of the band). ...

yhwman 04.07.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Origin Of Symmetry - Muse

...best discovered with virgin ears. Origin Of Symmetry seems intent on delivering some great overblown opera but somehow manages never to go that far and be pompous. The single 'Newborn' is a prime example of what to expect with it's operatic high vocaled intro that scream into a fuxxy guitar riff and blistering arrangement. Matthew Bellamy's vocals hit some amazing highs at times and really show a range that beats Thom Yorke into the ground. A lot ...
...they are soom smasehe to pieces by a tight sound of low bass drums and wild sounding guiatar. At times the instruments don't sound like they are tuned correctly but it all adds to the multi-layered sound. On 'Micro Cuts' the song is a very distorted and twisted mix of wall to wall sound and indecipherable high pitched vocal which then with no warning breaks into a steely guitar riff. There are a few subdued moments on the likes of 'Screenager' but ...

utero 21.06.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Origin Of Symmetry - Muse

Upon hearing Muse's first album, 'Showbiz', I decided that I would purchase 'Origin of Symmetry', affectionately and cleverly nicknamed 'Orange in a Cemetery' by fans. Admittedly I believed that nothing was able to live up to the first album, but it was worth a try nonetheless. I must say now that I was wrong. 1. New Born The first song, suitably named 'New Born', begins with a simple but flowing piano piece with which Matt Bellamy's vocals mix ...
...leading to the rest of the song containing brilliant guitar work and a strange, accordion-like ending. This explosive start to the album is a promise of fantastic music to come. 'New Born' was released as a single from 'Origin of Symmetry'. 2. Bliss 'Bliss' is the second piece on the CD, and is a well-chosen follow-up to 'New Born'. Piano and keyboard arpeggios lead to a chorus with gut-wrenching vocals and brilliant use of chord progression. The ...

storpey 26.05.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Origin Of Symmetry - Muse

I bought this album for around £13 and boy is it worth every penny. This is a musical work of genius from a great band. The thing that really spurred me on to buy this album was strangely enough watching them on SM:TV. You know that Saturday morning kids music program, they defiantly changed that. They were on to sing New Born, which I now know to be one of the best songs on the album. Well anyway the came on and it started calmly enough with Matt ...
...suddenly the song took off and just exploded with guitars and drums blaring out. Can this get any better I thought, well indeed it could. Nearing the end of the song they decided to give up on miming and proceeded to destroy the stage, musical madness at its best. Anyway enough about how I came to buy the album and down to why you should. The songs all have a slightly classical feeling to them with a piano or the hint of a violin about. Also all ...

big_roy_lwc 27.08.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Origin Of Symmetry - Muse

'I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself And falls on the other.' Muse should pay attention to the words of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, ambition on the scale displayed by this their second album can only lead to disaster. Well perhaps disaster is going a little far, and I’m not about to suggest that Matt Bellamy is in danger of having his head cut off by a mad Scotsman but one does ...
...too hard. This album is overlong, overambitious (sorry that word again), overblown and probably lots of other words that begin with ‘over’. This not to say ‘Origin of Symmetry’ is without merit, however, too many songs lurch into unintelligible histrionics, outstay their welcome by a good couple of minutes or generally reek of pomposity. Well that was a negative way to begin a review so I shall attempt to stay my criticism ...

dreamerz 19.06.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Origin Of Symmetry - Muse

Origin of symmetry is the Muse album that I feel represents "Muse"! Muse have produced 4 first class albums, 3 studio albums, and one b sides album, but Origin of Symmetry must be the best of Muse out there! The album has many amazing songs on it, and if you decided to purchase it, I promise, you wouldnt regret the decision! Matt Bellamy offers amazing song writing skills, and produces many fantastic songs, with fantastic lyrics, guitar solos, ...
...album "Newborn" is a great introduction to the album with it's wonderful melodies and anyone who doesn't sing along does well to stand not singing for several minutes! Matt Bellamy's falsetto voice is intrigueing and it is extremely impressive to listen to, and at least attempt to sing along with! The album also includes many of Muse fans favourites such as "Plug in Baby" and "Citizen Erased". Both songs have amazing introductions and the guitar ...

Museness 19.06.2005 (22.06.2005) · Read full review
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Review of Origin Of Symmetry - Muse

Origin of symmetry is the second studio album of musical hitmakers MUSE! The Devon born artists recorded the album through a number of recording studios from tracking in abbey road studios (where previous music superstars the beatles had famously recorded of course!) to mastering the album in sonys mastering studio! The album was finally released in June 2001 on mushroom records. The album did remain relatively close in style to their previous, and ...
...'black holes and revelations' which has quite a unique new sound for the band. The album quickly took off around the world and featured in the top 75 of Q magazines top 100 albums. One of the tracks on the album in particular is the only cover to feature on one if their released albums, the track 'feeling good' originally recorded by Nina Simone, and has since won many awards! 1) New Born Starts with a gentle piano melody accompanied with light vocals ...

winger15mk 21.10.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Origin Of Symmetry - Muse

I don't care if some people compare the vocals to Radiohead, I don't care if my dad says the synths sound very 70's, the fact remains that Muse are simply excellent! Sure, New Born and Plug in Baby are good, but I don't know that they are the best. They're fast paced and noisy, perhaps making them more suitable for release as singles, but the rest of the album has such depth and feeling that each track is an experience of it's own. Aside from being ...
...an ambience that really involves you in the music. The vocals are deep, although you are more likely to realise that if you read them from the enclosed booklet, as they are blended seamlessly into the fabric of the music, as if the human voices was just another, beautiful, instrument. It's very difficult to describe music through words. I've tried my hardest but it really doesn't come close to listening to the real thing. I suppose my real message ...

jonm2001 06.07.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Origin Of Symmetry - Muse