Music I Want: Muse-The Resistance

As promised in the intro post, I will be talking about anything and everything on this blog. That includes music.

Who This Is:

Muse is one of the most severely underrated bands around today. I think they're big in the UK, where they're from, but they could certainly be bigger here in the States. One can only listen to "Kids" by MGMT so many times on the radio.

Muse, to quote a DJ on the same station that plays the above linked song at least four times a day, is one of the few bands that does the epic arena rock feel and consistently kicks your a$% doing it.

I couldn't agree more.

Their first album, Showbiz, was released near the end of 1999, to little critical acclaim or anything, really. They've since released 3 other albums, "Origin of Symmetry," "Absolution," and "Black Holes and Revelations." Their new album, "The Resistance," is set to come out September 14th.

And yes, those albums are indeed as weird as their titles suggest.

To accurately describe Muse's style would be like trying to describe Coldplay's serious shift in style from "X&Y" to "Viva La Vida." The same elements are always present, but from album to album, and even song to song, the style changes so dramatically that it's hard to categorize. In my iTunes, however, I simply have Muse categorized as Epic Rock. This video will explain that.

What I want:

That song was off their "Black Holes and Revelations" album. And they consistently sound that huge, epic, and heavy. And there's only three guys in the band.

Their new album, "The Resistance," certainly looks to be a lot more political than their previous albums, and even those were pretty strong at times. And I really want it.

Only two tracks are available yet, and I have gotten a hold of both of them.

Why I Want It:

The first to be released was "United States of Eurasia," and what a trip it was. It starts much the same as Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," with the lead singer, Matthew Bellamy, singing over a mellow piano and strings part. Bellamy, in addition to having an unnaturally large range, is also an accomplished classical pianist and incredible guitarist.

Then, in a very Queen-y moment, the band splits into three-part harmony and wailing guitar riffs with this line: "Why split these states, when there can be only one?"

Then, in true Muse-what-the-@#$#-are-they-doing, they break into some Arabic stuff, and then back to piano-themed, one-noted bass-line verse.

Bellamy then sings about the unification of something (the world maybe? it's very tongue-in-cheek about America and Britain trying to push its stuff on every one else), and just before a Chopin outro complete with children playing and bombs dropping, the band chants "Eurasia! -Sia! -Sia!"

Here's the video, and yes, it's as weird and eclectic as I described.

The other song that's coming up on the album is the first track, actually. "Uprising" starts with a weird synth intro that's strangely reminiscent of the opening theme of Doctor Who and a bass and drum part that's very Marylin Manson/Family Force 5.

The clapping fits in perfectly. You automatically start bobbing your head when you hear it.

And then come the lyrics. It's very political, and obviously very anti-status-quo, and as a conservative, I am expected to hate it. But given the political climate these days (Obama is the best!!!!!!! WOO!!! Barf.), I actually agree with it, so here are the full lyrics along with the YouTube embed.

The paranoia is in bloom, the PR
The transmissions will resume
They'll try to push drugs
Keep us all dumbed down and hope that
We will never see the truth around
(So come on!)

Another promise, another scene, another
A package not to keep us trapped in greed
With all the green belts wrapped around our minds
And endless red tape to keep the truth confined
(So come on!)

[Chorus]
They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
They will not control us
We will be victorious

Interchanging mind control
Come let the revolution take its toll if you could
Flick the switch and open your third eye, you'd see that
We should never be afraid to die
(So come on!)

Rise up and take the power back, it's time that
The fat cats had a heart attack, you know that
Their time is coming to an end
We have to unify and watch our flag ascend

[Chorus]
They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
They will not control us
We will be victorious

Hey .. hey ... hey .. hey!
(repeat)

[Chorus]
They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
They will not control us
We will be victorious

Hey .. hey ... hey .. hey!
(repeat)

I really cannot wait for this album. I'll do a full review when I get my hands on it.