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Muse: The 2nd Law

#3
I'm sorry to say this is the first Muse album I haven't liked. There is maybe one song on there that I like out of 13. Terribly disappointed. I've loved all of Muse's albums up to this point, especially Absolution and The Resistance. I wouldn't recommend The 2nd Law to anyone.
 
#5
Much better than The Resistance but it's no Origin of Simmetry or Absolution.
Very coherent album, there is a strong link between the songs and unity in the concept.
Not overly loud or compressed, there are hints of dynamics in the album which is something that tends to disappear from rock albums.
It's a sign of creativity when a lot of people debate wether you're good or not.

As a science geek, I feel brushed the wrong way about the lyrics and concept of 2nd Law.
Neither the Earth nor human societies are closed system, using the 2nd law to demonstrate that our system is doomed is plain wrong and moot.
 
#6
Jazz Ad said:
Much better than The Resistance but it's no Origin of Simmetry or Absolution.
Very coherent album, there is a strong link between the songs and unity in the concept.
Not overly loud or compressed, there are hints of dynamics in the album which is something that tends to disappear from rock albums.
It's a sign of creativity when a lot of people debate wether you're good or not.

As a science geek, I feel brushed the wrong way about the lyrics and concept of 2nd Law.
Neither the Earth nor human societies are closed system, using the 2nd law to demonstrate that our system is doomed is plain wrong and moot.
Click to expand...

Much better than The Resistance? I'm not hearing that. I almost like The Resistance as much as Absolution. Of course, I've only listened to the 2nd Law once. I'm hoping it will grow on me, but my initial reaction has been one of extreme disappointment. I've paid $20 for an album I don't much seem to like. So, if someone can help me appreciate it more, that would be fine with me.
 
#7
I've loved them since early high school and they'll always have a special place in my heart, but I'm ambivalent about some of the songs I've heard so far :\ I will say though I think I'm in the extreme minority that loved the Resistance..
 
#8
pacojas said:
i saw them on SNL,..

cool bass with the touch screen!!!:)
Click to expand...
If you saw Muse on Saturday Night Live playing the song, Madness, you may have noticed the bass player, Chris Wolstenholme, playing a very strange looking instrument that looked like a bass guitar with a back-lit touch screen which he used to play the notes. It was a combination Kitara (made by Misa Digital) on the top and Status Graphite S2-Classic headless bass guitar put together like a double neck guitar.

Misa (misadigital.com) even has the music video for Madness which shows Chris playing JUST the Misa Kitara (not the mashup with the Status bass). So we know for sure that Misa acknowledges the use of the Kitara on the song. And since Chris has a signature series bass with Status Graphite, we can be pretty darned sure his combo instrument on Saturday Night Live was, in fact, made up of a Kitara and Status Graphite S2.

Both Misa and Status Graphite are being very tight-lipped about the dual instrument used by Muse on SNL, probably either because the instrument combo was cobbled together after-market, or is otherwise not available for purchase.
Click to expand...

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#10
Rocker949 said:
Much better than The Resistance? I'm not hearing that. I almost like The Resistance as much as Absolution. Of course, I've only listened to the 2nd Law once. I'm hoping it will grow on me, but my initial reaction has been one of extreme disappointment. I've paid $20 for an album I don't much seem to like. So, if someone can help me appreciate it more, that would be fine with me.
Click to expand...
Most people look for things they know in rock albums, ie hits.
You can't get that in a brand new album.
What I look for is the opposite. Surprise, coherence, unity in a concept and tone rather than a single hit list.
The Resistance was a cliche album, pretty exactly what you could expect from Muse at the point, with most of the songs being rehashed hits from older bands.
 
#11
Jazz Ad said:
Most people look for things they know in rock albums, ie hits.
You can't get that in a brand new album.
What I look for is the opposite. Surprise, coherence, unity in a concept and tone rather than a single hit list.
The Resistance was a cliche album, pretty exactly what you could expect from Muse at the point, with most of the songs being rehashed hits from older bands.
Click to expand...

I do respect your opinion. Also, I might add that I have now listened to The 2nd Law three times. I am not even sure if I can bring myself to listen to it again. I have been an enthusiastic Muse fan since I bought the Absolution album in December 2004. I have loved every album they've done since then with the exception of the 2nd Law. However, I now dislike this album so much that I am almost speechless. I am so disappointed with this album and listening to it has had such a negative effect on me, that I can only hope and pray that I do not end up becoming catatonic.
 
#13
Jazz Ad said:
What is it that you dislike, when it sounds so much like any other Muse album?
Click to expand...

To me it sounds like they are just going through the motions, like they put no real effort into the album. It has no passion, no excitement, no interesting melodies, with the exception of "Explorers," the only song on the album that I like. A very bland album, in my opinion. In a word, it just isn't interesting. Maybe I'll like it better when I get to listen to it on my CD player which has way better speakers. Unlike a lot of people, I still use a CD player, which is pretty good, though. However, the Muse CD which I ordered is taking FOREVER to reach me in the mail. Usually, I can just go buy a CD, but I was unable to find this one in a store.
 
#14
I like it, but it's definitely not their best work (or even close to it). I really didn't like the singles at all, especially the one they made for the Olympics. But some the songs like Supremacy, Panic Station, and Follow Me are quite good.
 
#17
Rocker949 said:
........I am not even sure if I can bring myself to listen to it again.......
..... I now already dislike this album so much that I am becoming almost speechless. I am so disappointed with this album and listening to it has had such a negative effect on me, that I can only hope and pray that I do not end up becoming catatonic.
Click to expand...

So, if I'm reading correctly, you're saying it's just really not your thing?

: D
 
#18
I've only listened to the whole thing once, and am beginning my second listen. It definitely sounds a LOT like more recent Muse offerings, but I'm not totally convinced that's a bad thing. This is probably my least favourite album of theirs so far (definitely have an intense dislike for the title track suite so far!), but i don't think it's brutal. I've heard Madness a bunch, and while I really did hate it at first, it's been stuck in my head for several hours now... like a fungus or mould, it's starting to grow on me :hmm: Matt Bellamy's note selection and phrasing in his guitar solos has always impressed me
 

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