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Muse: The 2nd Law

#22
Rocker949 said:
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.
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Dude, where do you buy your music? $20 for a new mass released album is stupid. Most first week releases from Best Buy are $10 -$12. I think I paid 11.99 for my copy.....???

IntrepidCellist said:
Better than The Resistance...
Not as good as Absolution, but they're past that point musically.
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I totally agree.

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.
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Interesting perspective. I like it.

Emilym80 said:
What do you guys think? Sorry if there's a thread on this already.
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I like it a lot. I think I've heard it four or five times from front to back. I'm completely infatuated with Madness (It's been stuck in my head since I first heard it.) I'm not a huge fan of the opening track (the Olympics? Really?) but I really like "Madness", "Panic Station", "Big Freeze" and "Save Me."

Sonically, I dig the expressive nature of the record. It's not overly polished like the majority of the rock albums these days. It has a little grit to it that can be heard through higher quality versions of the recordings (I'm forever swearing off MP3's and such crap) that my ears really appreciate. You can still tell there are singles and fillers but IMO, the fillers really aren't bad at all. I actually kinda dig the rock-operaesque "Prelude/Survival" sequence, and I was pleasantly surprised by the dubstep inspired track "Follow Me," although if I was producing that song, I would have made the synth/bass WAY heavier (I'm waiting for a remix of this one, for sure.)
 
#23
By far my least favorite Muse album, but there are a few gems like Panic Station and Animals. I get the feeling that Bellamy went overboard and the remaining two were able to salvage some old-school Muse vibes on a couple songs. Above all, it's extremely inconsistant and the "flow" of the album seems really concerning, which is surprising for such a usually "big picture" act like Muse.

So far it's:

Origin of Symmetry > Absolution > Showbiz > Black Holes and Revelations > Resistance > 2nd Law
 
#25
@goldenglory--I ordered it at the place I usually get stuff from at a low price. I got frustrated and found another place that is always higher. I was tired of not being able to find the CD. Usually, I can just go to the mall, but this CD must have sold out the first day. The CD I have ordered is the one which includes the DVD, so it's going to cost more than the normal price. I realize $20 is too much, and I usually don't pay that much. But I was tired of waiting because my first order got cancelled.
 
#26
alecduncan said:
By far my least favorite Muse album, but there are a few gems like Panic Station and Animals. I get the feeling that Bellamy went overboard and the remaining two were able to salvage some old-school Muse vibes on a couple songs. Above all, it's extremely inconsistant and the "flow" of the album seems really concerning, which is surprising for such a usually "big picture" act like Muse.

So far it's:

Origin of Symmetry > Absolution > Showbiz > Black Holes and Revelations > Resistance > 2nd Law
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I think this is an excellent and accurate review. I don't completely agree with how you rate the albums, but that's a minor point and only a matter of opinion anyway. But this is how I would rate them:

Absolution>The Resistance>Origin of Symmetry>Black Holes and Revelations>Showbiz>2nd Law
 
#27
Well The 2nd Law is my least favorite by them, but it has grown on me since my first run-through. The songs I will say I definitely don't like are Follow Me because of the dance element and Explorers because it sounds just like another Queen song and I feel like Matt tried to write another Invincible. The stuff that Chris sang on was actually pretty brilliant. I played it for a friend and they were like "wow this is pretty good who is this?" to which I replied Muse lol I think this album was inconsistent, their most inconsistent ever. Not to say there was no effort put in cause the album does shine in places like Animals, Survival. And for me, now after a few run-throughs, it's not even the element of different genre's. They just seemed to be unfocused or something. I still enjoyed the album but I KNOW they are still capable of better stuff. Resistance I thought was better because every song was good, there was consistency in the song writing despite the Queen elements, and Exogenesis is quite beautiful/amazing.

Origin of Symmetry>Showbiz>Absolution>The Resistance>Black Holes and Revelations>The 2nd Law
 
#28
I've been a fan of Muse for a while (BH&R and Absolution are my favorite albums by them) so I was excited when I heard that they were going to do a foray into more electronic and dubstep-like music. That being said, I'm extremely disappointed with the album. I really respect bands for developing and trying new stuff; that being said this new material by Muse really isn't for me. I found it all kinda bland. I was picturing dubstep, but with some epic Muse style breakdowns and bridges instead of bass drops. I just didn't feel the same kinda energy that made me love Absolution and BH&R. I like the last minute of Animals, and that's about it.
 
#29
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I do like "Explorers" a great deal. I feel that it's on the same level as songs on "Absolution." I also like Supremacy pretty well and Chris's songs. Now that I've had a chance to listen to the album on a good stereo system, I do like it better. However, I am inclined to agree with most of the comments being made here. I would rate this as their weakest album. It would strictly be my guess that developments behind the scenes may have acted to keep the band from being as focused as usual.
 
#30
I also agree with jazzAd, nowadays, when I listen to a rock album, I'm looking for something different than a couple of singles, a collection of good riffs and solos, and some ballads; That's what I like Muse since Origin of Simetry: they explore, change and grow in every album.
I have always said they,re are the "Music of the future", and The 2nd law already demonstrate this.
I wouldn't call it "bland"...I prefer "mature", Bellamy has become father recently, and Chris has given up (at least that's what he says) his addiction to alcohol... the album is quiet because they're in a turning point of their lives.

Definitively, I give it a chance!:bassist::bassist::bassist:

(Sorry for my english, people, I am spanish and new here!)
 
#31
I'm like the biggest Muse geek in the world, and I wasn't overly fond of the dub step on this album. I didn't really like the last album, it sounded to me, that they are trying to, erm, "appeal to a broader audience". Exogenesis was cool, and I liked the Resistance (the song). I dunno. I heard some people said that most of the album was pretty cool, minus the dubstep parts. I also liked Madness, and it's funny because I've seen that touch thingy before, and I thought that someone like Muse could really use it to it's full potential. There was another song on that album I liked, can't remember the title. I haven't listened to the whole thing through at once yet. I should probably do that.
 
#33
I also am not too fond of the dubstep parts. It feels like they jumping the shark.
Now these parts make 1 1/2 song in the whole album. Nothing to worry about.

The most interesting change to me is that Chris Wolstenhome got 2 complete songs at the end of the album, that he sung and composed, one of them (Liquid State) being a masterpiece of straight thrash rock a la Megadeth.
I'm surprised people didn't talk more about this, it is a significant artistic move and the guy is quite a good singer.
 
#34
Jazz Ad said:
The most interesting change to me is that Chris Wolstenhome got 2 complete songs at the end of the album, that he sung and composed, one of them (Liquid State) being a masterpiece of straight thrash rock a la Megadeth.
I'm surprised people didn't talk more about this, it is a significant artistic move and the guy is quite a good singer.
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It is definitely interesting that they put those two songs back-to-back, like a little mini suite. Perhaps they really wanted to emphasize the compositions as belonging to Chris, as opposed to trying to slide them in unnoticed in other parts of the album? And to end the album, no less. I say 'end' because I've given up on listening to the 2-part title track; don't have the time/patience for that sound
 
#35
Jazz Ad said:
I also am not too fond of the dubstep parts. It feels like they jumping the shark.
Now these parts make 1 1/2 song in the whole album. Nothing to worry about.

The most interesting change to me is that Chris Wolstenhome got 2 complete songs at the end of the album, that he sung and composed, one of them (Liquid State) being a masterpiece of straight thrash rock a la Megadeth.
I'm surprised people didn't talk more about this, it is a significant artistic move and the guy is quite a good singer.
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The Chris Wolstenholme songs are outstanding. If not for "Explorers," I'd say they're possibly the best songs on the entire album.
 
#36
Actually, I like the album a lot. It does seem commercially safer than anything they've released before. Their record label might see their appeal potential as having grown in the last two years and doesn't want them to blow it by releasing something completely out there. Or, maybe the guys are a little older and this is where their minds are at right now.

Pretty well recorded, the songs seem coherent as a group and the whole thing sounds really good loud. Dig.
 
#37
Rocker949 said:
The Chris Wolstenholme songs are outstanding. If not for "Explorers," I'd say they're possibly the best songs on the entire album.
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I agree. I do like the album, of course Oos and Absolution are hard to top for rocking out, but this is in no way less complicated. There is alot of work in the music.
But yes, the songs Chris did are probably the best ones on there.
 

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