Muse has been around for quite a while now. They released their very first album, Showbiz, in 1999. Since then, they have become one of the biggest and most well known rock bands in the world, putting on shows all over and making a name for themselves as innovative and incredible entertainers. Every album has channeled their energy and desire to push themselves into new territories, from the saga-elements of The Resistance and the experimental and concept-aspect of The 2nd Law. Their latest album, Drones, is no exception to their constant pushing of the envelope. However, it might have not been a push in the right direction.
The main concept of this album had to do with the idea of drones, both in the literal sense relating to the U.S. Drone program and the metaphorical idea of people being drones that are controlled and guided by society. It is heavily reflected in the lyrics of the album, with many references to drones, individuality, and corruption in society and governing bodies. While Muse has always leaned towards the political side, they have managed to consistently approach it in an original and creative way. With this album, however, it didn't work as much. The message being put out throughout the album was extremely similar from song to song, with some of the lyrics sounding so much alike that they failed to help differentiate one song from another. The topic they were focusing on is a subject that should be discussed in the world today, but the way they did so could have been handled much better. Matt Bellamy has always been one of my favorite musicians; his talent is undeniable as a vocalist and guitarist. But his lyrics this time around were mediocre. If you listen to the quality of political songs they have done in the past, (such as "United States of Eurasia" and "Uprising"), he managed to write in a way that was informative and inspiring while being original. However, the lyrics of Drones lacked the same creative spark that previous albums contained.
For some fans, musically this album took steps in the right direction. Many complained about the heavy use of electronics on the last album, (which I have my own opinions about, but we'll stick to this album), and welcomed the returning focus to heavy guitars and the more "Muse" oriented rock sound. However, this return came at a price. They revisited the vibe that pushed them into the spotlight early in their career, but perhaps too much. While it definitely sounded like the Muse of Absolution and Black Holes & Revelations, that was the problem; it sounded exactly like their old material. While they incorporated some of the more recent electronic elements, it sounded very similar to Muse songs that I grew up listening to. Not only that, but by stripping away the electronic elements, they took away the epic sound that listeners have come to expect from Muse. There were some moments when they did achieve a more full sound, but lyrics took away from the musicality. The album finisher, for example, is simple vocals layered on top of each other, which comes together to create a Gregorian Chant inspired piece that is beautiful. However, the constant repetition of "killed by drones" takes away from what the song could do.
There's one song in particular that sums up the faults in this album; the lead single, "Psycho". Not only is it unnecessarily long, it repeats itself often and doesn't do anything particularly surprising. The use of swearing is another issue with the song. While I'm not against swearing in music, I think it should follow the same guidelines I use when putting swearing into my writing; it has to be effective and necessary. They wanted to emphasize their lyrics and the severity of what they were singing about. That's a great thing to do, but screaming about "I'm gonna make you, a fucking psycho" and "your ass belongs to me now" doesn't prove the point that they want. In terms of sound, this song sounds incredibly similar to the layout and sound of "Uprising". Another new song that sounds similar to previous work they've done is "Mercy", which has uncanny resemblance to "Starlight". And while I enjoy the opener "Dead Inside", it feels quite similar to "Undisclosed Desires".
Now, I'm not saying the whole album is bad. There are songs and elements that I genuinely enjoy. "Reapers" has almost a Van Halen feel to it, with the guitar part in the introduction, and the rest of the song is well done, between the aggressive nature of the instrumental and Bellamy utilizing his falsetto that he does so well. "Defector" has these wonderful moments where Bellamy's vocals are layered and he harmonizes with himself. Each of those moments are vary powerful in the way they hit the listener. The monster of a track "The Globalist", is easily a highlight of the album, capturing many elements of the band that fans love. It has the western-space element similar to "Knights of Cydonia", but overall it builds beautifully into huge, epic sounds that are what I had been looking for throughout the album.
But as a whole, I think the album has some serious issues and dissapointments that cannot be ignored. This isn't a "I was a huge fan for a while but now they've changed so R.I.P. Muse thing" (I cannot stand that sort of comment. Maybe an opinion piece will appear in the near future...). This is a fan who listened to the progression of the sound of a band he still loves, but felt his heart break a little with this release. Perhaps with time it will grow more on me. But for now, I am not satisfied with this latest album from Muse. They're better than this.
Rating: 2.5/5
Recommended: Dead Inside, Reapers, Defectors
Monday, June 15, 2015
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
The Story So Far - The Story So Far
For a band that is at the fore-front of "pop-punk", The Story So Far has done a lot more growing up than most of the other bands in the scene. They have continually matured and tightened up their sound with every release, and their latest self-titled album is no exception. While a portion of the young boys they were with their first album still remain, the band has begun moving into heavier and darker sounds as well as shifting away from the high school nature of their lyrics and more into the 20-somethings era the band members have entered.
Some of the songs sound fairly similar to records they have put out in the past ("Mock", "Scowl", "Stalemate"), but even then, these songs contain a new heaviness that was not at the forefront of their music. Other songs such as the opener "Smile", "Heavy Gloom", lead-single "Nerve", and "Distaste" are among the grittier songs on this record. It's not so much as there has been a dramatic change in their sound; it's the fact that they have more weight to them, and there's a bit more variety in the way that they approach each song. They utilize different ways of beginning songs and instrumentation. A notable example is the drum lead "How You Are", which includes guitar but is very much more influenced by the way in which the drum patterns (which also incorporate some new ideas the band hasn't really used before) vary. Another example of variation is the slow tune "Phantom", showing the influence their latest acoustic Songs Of - EP and their 2013 single "Clairvoyant". The haunting "it's hard to attract you" over the non-overdriven guitars and the lack of drums creates a very vulnerable sound that is rare for TSSF. It's easily one of the best and most powerful songs on the record, creating some great contrast and really demanding the listener's attention. "Heavy Gloom" is another song that attracts attention to the difference in sound and mood. It's got some of the aspects of TSSF's familiar sound, but it also feels different, in a way that's hard to explain. Especially the bass that is present in the introduction, that is something that is not common in their previous work.
The changes within this band are not obvious; they're deeper than the surface, they take time to pick up on and process. With the first few listens, this album feels considerably like their previous records. But after the initial listens, the sound starts to seem different, the tone has changed, the lyrics are not the same old drama. Sure, Parker still sings about girls and being cheated on and being away from home, but he has approached it differently. He doesn't talk about it like a 17 year old boy who is discovering love and girls and the trouble that follows. He talks about it like a 22 year old man who is trying to figure out what love is and who the right girl is for him and where home is and who he is. He has evolved his lyrics just as he has matured as a person. That is what sets this record apart from the previous records. That is what reveals the potential of this band.
Rating: 4/5
Recommended: "Smile", "Heavy Gloom", "Nerve", "Phantom"
Some of the songs sound fairly similar to records they have put out in the past ("Mock", "Scowl", "Stalemate"), but even then, these songs contain a new heaviness that was not at the forefront of their music. Other songs such as the opener "Smile", "Heavy Gloom", lead-single "Nerve", and "Distaste" are among the grittier songs on this record. It's not so much as there has been a dramatic change in their sound; it's the fact that they have more weight to them, and there's a bit more variety in the way that they approach each song. They utilize different ways of beginning songs and instrumentation. A notable example is the drum lead "How You Are", which includes guitar but is very much more influenced by the way in which the drum patterns (which also incorporate some new ideas the band hasn't really used before) vary. Another example of variation is the slow tune "Phantom", showing the influence their latest acoustic Songs Of - EP and their 2013 single "Clairvoyant". The haunting "it's hard to attract you" over the non-overdriven guitars and the lack of drums creates a very vulnerable sound that is rare for TSSF. It's easily one of the best and most powerful songs on the record, creating some great contrast and really demanding the listener's attention. "Heavy Gloom" is another song that attracts attention to the difference in sound and mood. It's got some of the aspects of TSSF's familiar sound, but it also feels different, in a way that's hard to explain. Especially the bass that is present in the introduction, that is something that is not common in their previous work.
The changes within this band are not obvious; they're deeper than the surface, they take time to pick up on and process. With the first few listens, this album feels considerably like their previous records. But after the initial listens, the sound starts to seem different, the tone has changed, the lyrics are not the same old drama. Sure, Parker still sings about girls and being cheated on and being away from home, but he has approached it differently. He doesn't talk about it like a 17 year old boy who is discovering love and girls and the trouble that follows. He talks about it like a 22 year old man who is trying to figure out what love is and who the right girl is for him and where home is and who he is. He has evolved his lyrics just as he has matured as a person. That is what sets this record apart from the previous records. That is what reveals the potential of this band.
Rating: 4/5
Recommended: "Smile", "Heavy Gloom", "Nerve", "Phantom"
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Blurryface - twenty one pilots
twenty one pilots rise to fame has been one of great interest to watch. Surprising in any way? Not particularly. This duo exploded in 2013 and 2014, due to their unique sound, endless energy, incredible humility, and commitment to their music and their fans. They combine genres and tackle topics and ideas not common for a majority of artists. Their label debut, Vessels, was an experience of its own. Jumping from heavy to soft, gritty to polished, Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun poured their heart and soul into this album. With the announcement of their second album for label Fueled By Ramen, it led to speculation about the sound and direction of the band for the future. The eyes of the world were now on the band; how would that impact the way that they wrote music?
It didn't. In any way, shape, or form.
Sure, you could say being in the spotlight changed them in some way. But at their core, they have stuck to the ideas and focus with which they have always tried to uphold in the band. And so, I present Blurryface.
If there's a song that encompasses the spirit of this album, it's the opening track "Heavydirtysoul". It kicks off with a combination of different genres, flowing from pop to hip-hop to a bit of EDM and some alternative thrown in. It spans the genres and is also not defined by any of them as well. That is exactly what this album is about. While most of the songs can be limited to one or two genres, it is hard to categorize the album as a whole. You have songs like "Stressed Out", "Fairly Local", and "Doubt" that are hip-hop oriented and "Tear In My Heart", "Ride", and "The Judge" that are alternative based. Even then, however, there are influences from other genres in all of these songs. Reggae can be found throughout the entire album, pop influences shine in moments here and there, even dance and EDM show up at points. "Lane Boy" is a combination of reggae and eventually drums and bass, as unlikely of a pairing as that is. It's ideas and aspects like this that show the creative and independent nature of the band is well alive, kicking, and not going anywhere soon.
It's an incredible experience to listen to from start to finish, not only musically but lyrically. "Stressed Out" is one of the more relatable songs I have heard in the recent past for 20-somethings. Lines like "between student loans and tree house homes, we all would take the latter" and "used to dream of outer space, but now they're laughing at our face, saying 'wake up, you need to make money'" hit home for those of us who are finishing up college and trying to figure out what to do with our lives and all the responsibilities that have begun to build up. "Tear In My Heart" combines the current state of radio and music with the idea of finding true love and being alive and unique. "We Don't Believe What's on TV" challenges the notion of what we're told in the media and what it means to pursue our dreams and be ourselves. "Fairly Local", "Polarize", and especially "Goner" wrestle with the evil we have within ourselves and becoming better people. "Goner" in particular is one of the most moving songs on the album, shifting from Tyler's almost-whispers and the piano to raw screams of "don't let me be gone" and crashing drums and guitars. "Lane Boy" tackles the music industry and the notion of a "perfect song" and the defining nature in which the people operate, while even admitting that some of the songs on here might be a bit too polished. It's a wide range of topics that are all attacked in generally unique ways
The album also varies in the moods it goes through, which is something that adds to the listening experience. You have heavier and darker songs ("Fairly Local", "Doubt", "Stressed Out"), but at the same time you have the lighthearted nature (captured in "Tear In My Heart", the piano and horns influenced "Not Today", and the ukulele driven "The Judge"). There is no stagnant aspect of this album. Nothing is the same, nothing settles for one thing that works. twenty one pilots pushed to remain unique in their sound and approach, and they very much succeeded in doing so. Cheers to overcoming the sophomore slump (even though this is technically your fourth album).
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended: "Stressed Out", "Ride", "Lane Boy", "Doubt"
It didn't. In any way, shape, or form.
Sure, you could say being in the spotlight changed them in some way. But at their core, they have stuck to the ideas and focus with which they have always tried to uphold in the band. And so, I present Blurryface.
If there's a song that encompasses the spirit of this album, it's the opening track "Heavydirtysoul". It kicks off with a combination of different genres, flowing from pop to hip-hop to a bit of EDM and some alternative thrown in. It spans the genres and is also not defined by any of them as well. That is exactly what this album is about. While most of the songs can be limited to one or two genres, it is hard to categorize the album as a whole. You have songs like "Stressed Out", "Fairly Local", and "Doubt" that are hip-hop oriented and "Tear In My Heart", "Ride", and "The Judge" that are alternative based. Even then, however, there are influences from other genres in all of these songs. Reggae can be found throughout the entire album, pop influences shine in moments here and there, even dance and EDM show up at points. "Lane Boy" is a combination of reggae and eventually drums and bass, as unlikely of a pairing as that is. It's ideas and aspects like this that show the creative and independent nature of the band is well alive, kicking, and not going anywhere soon.
It's an incredible experience to listen to from start to finish, not only musically but lyrically. "Stressed Out" is one of the more relatable songs I have heard in the recent past for 20-somethings. Lines like "between student loans and tree house homes, we all would take the latter" and "used to dream of outer space, but now they're laughing at our face, saying 'wake up, you need to make money'" hit home for those of us who are finishing up college and trying to figure out what to do with our lives and all the responsibilities that have begun to build up. "Tear In My Heart" combines the current state of radio and music with the idea of finding true love and being alive and unique. "We Don't Believe What's on TV" challenges the notion of what we're told in the media and what it means to pursue our dreams and be ourselves. "Fairly Local", "Polarize", and especially "Goner" wrestle with the evil we have within ourselves and becoming better people. "Goner" in particular is one of the most moving songs on the album, shifting from Tyler's almost-whispers and the piano to raw screams of "don't let me be gone" and crashing drums and guitars. "Lane Boy" tackles the music industry and the notion of a "perfect song" and the defining nature in which the people operate, while even admitting that some of the songs on here might be a bit too polished. It's a wide range of topics that are all attacked in generally unique ways
The album also varies in the moods it goes through, which is something that adds to the listening experience. You have heavier and darker songs ("Fairly Local", "Doubt", "Stressed Out"), but at the same time you have the lighthearted nature (captured in "Tear In My Heart", the piano and horns influenced "Not Today", and the ukulele driven "The Judge"). There is no stagnant aspect of this album. Nothing is the same, nothing settles for one thing that works. twenty one pilots pushed to remain unique in their sound and approach, and they very much succeeded in doing so. Cheers to overcoming the sophomore slump (even though this is technically your fourth album).
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended: "Stressed Out", "Ride", "Lane Boy", "Doubt"
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