Muse — Black Holes and Revelations
Author: tracysigler | Posted: September 3rd, 2006 | | Tags: 2006, alternative, CD, hard rock, heavy metal, Muse, music, progressive | 4 Comments »
- Artist: Muse
- Title: Black Holes and Revelations
- Year: 2006
- Format: CD
- Rating (1-10): 10
- Owner: Mary/Tracy
- Acquired: 2006 – No place special, Target maybe.
This is post number 200 in the “record” collection category. I’m celebrating with something special, something new for you kids and grups out there — “Black Holes and Revelations” by Muse.
This band is so musically ambitious and perfectly weird I can think of few, if any, meaningful comparisons. Despite that, or possibly because of it, their last two records have been big commercial successes, even in the US. Their music is metallic, operatic, funky, melodic, pop and everything else you can think of, and somehow it never sounds diluted. Again, this stuff is ambitious, not the output of a few dudes getting together and just jamming out some verses and choruses. And their timing is impeccable. Just before things get too weird for too long they pull out some colossal riff, drop the hammer, and perform another hard rock burnout.
The last song, “Knights of Cydonia”, is probably my favorite. This piece has everything in it from an Ennio Morricone-sounding spaghetti western guitar, to space alien electronica, to anthemic choruses. Just after the four minute mark something extra special happens that on first hearing was so unexpected, and every time thereafter so anticipated, that I break out in goosebumps. More about Muse.
Way past my bedtime again, I’m eating salt & pepper Kettle Chips, listening to “Knights of Caledonia” — gotta love iTunes. I bought the album based on your rec.
[Not tryin’ to hate, just bringin’ love — the art on the vinyl is the best, and I still have a few hundred albums kickin’ around, but if you’re going to get a bunch of plastic at Target, you might as well just go digital. Okay, I’m done for now.]
The eclectic nature of digital music (and iTunes in particular) really yanks my crank. Just tonight I picked up Baby Gramps (since I can’t say no to a shanty singer with a National Steel Guitar), OK GO (since I can’t say ok no to treadmills), Bob Dylan’s “Modern Times” (since “Time Out Of Mind” and “Love and Theft” both rocked my twisted little mind), Muse (since my best man recommended it), and Kenny Rogers and The First Edition (since I Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Condition Was In).
Peace to you and the family,
OK GO!
Keith
p.s. I just noticed that I’ve passed the 5 gig mark for iTunes downloads — 953 “items” since it includes videos and such. Nevertheless, I think it’s fair to say that I’ve gone digital. I still have vinyl, 8-tracks, cassettes, and CDs, just in case. ;-)
What can I say? I like my artifacts, and once in a while even CDs have interesting packaging. I would stick with vinyl except that it’s gotten really expensive for new stuff. Even this new Muse record will be out in vinyl, but it will be hard to get.
I’ve been listening to this album a few more times today. I agree that Knights of Cydonia is sweet. In addition to the huge rock assault that you mentioned, I also really like the Dick Dale surf riff that they use near the beginning of the song.
Also, I somehow ended up with another track after that. It’s called “Glorious” and doesn’t show up on allmusic.com. Hurm. It’s a good track, but I wonder what the story is… UK vs. US releases?
An extra song?! Curses!