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Madness reviews

Magnolia86

By Magnolia86
in Muse In the Media

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Citizen_Eraser Guiding Light

Citizen_Eraser

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If music reviewers don't even have the remotest knowledge of what dubstep is, they shouldn't be music reviewers.

 

Other than that, good to see they're positive.

 

Yeah I laugh when I hear people claiming this song has a dubstep influence. The synthy bass sound has been around decades before dubstep was even a phrase. Hell look at sunburn live for example. Same tone just used differently.

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jude doherty Escapee

jude doherty

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So is this the much-touted new dubstep sound then? It begins with a “wub wub wub” sound, so it must be, but this isn’t the kind of wub-machine gun employed by Skrillex and co, it’s more “Wubbin’ you, is easy ‘cos you’re beautiful.” That’s right, Muse have taken the defining noise of ‘base music’ and used it to create slinky, soft rock sex music.

 

To say Muse sound a bit like Queen is neither new nor clever. But listen, this one sounds like late-period Queen: the Queen of the late-‘80s ‘Invisible Man’, when people didn’t like them as much as they used to. The melody also sounds weirdly like George Michael’s ‘Faith’.

 

Whether it’s in spite of or because of the above, ‘Madness’ is, nonetheless, a brilliant single. Propelled by a crisp beat, coloured by a great Matt Bellamy vocal it even packs in a squealing, Brian May-style guitar solo.

 

With the release of their Olympic theme, NME declared Muse had jumped the shark. With this one, they’ve tamed the shark, slapped a pair of wraparound shades on it and ridden it bareback to shore.

 

http://www.nme.com/reviews/muse/13603

 

amen

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dekza Escapee

dekza

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http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3160166/muses-new-song-madness-kinda-sucks-a-lot/

 

Muse’s New Song “Madness” Kinda Sucks. A Lot.

 

Muse has released a lyric video (with a lot of the lyrics missing) for their newest single “Madness”, which comes off their upcoming album The 2nd Law, out Oct. 2nd (iTunes pre-order). The song is a mellow electronic piece that has definite elements and influence from Prince and even some gospel touches. The video can be seen below.

 

The problem is that it’s just not a good song. I’m not saying that by thinking of all the awesome songs that Muse has released over the past several years. Even if this were not a Muse song, it would still be pretty boring and uneventful. I’ve forced myself to listen to the song several times and nothing special or unique jumps out at me.

 

One of my big problems is that Muse is comprised of three unbelievably talented musicians and their skills are basically going to waste here. Matt Bellamy is a wizard when it comes to the guitar, creating unreal tones and sounds. Christopher Wolstenholme is a beast on the bass and is known for his incredible presence. And Dominic Howard is a fantastic drummer that makes perfect use of dynamics.

 

So what happened here? Where is all that talent? Where is all that skill? I understand that the band wanted to dive into new waters and test new avenues. But that doesn’t mean you have to throw away what makes you such a solid band! Use the skills you have to make those new avenues something unique and incredible, not old hat.

 

What do you think readers? Are you hearing something that I’m not? Or am I right? Let me know in the comments below!

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Rich0 Escapee

Rich0

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Why is it there shit song get good reviews?!!? I remember years ago seeing the likes od smbh, KOC and hysteria get worse reviews than these...and they are miles better. Is just the case a band gets better reviews when they are more mainstream...

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Jobby Defector

Jobby

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Why is it there shit song get good reviews?!!? I remember years ago seeing the likes od smbh, KOC and hysteria get worse reviews than these...and they are miles better. Is just the case a band gets better reviews when they are more mainstream...

 

So Muse weren't mainstream back in the Absolution/BH&R days so they got bad reviews? Alrighty then.

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Gareeh Escapee

Gareeh

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Why is it there shit song get good reviews?!!? I remember years ago seeing the likes od smbh, KOC and hysteria get worse reviews than these...and they are miles better. Is just the case a band gets better reviews when they are more mainstream...

 

Ah you talk so much shit

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Magnolia86 Escapee

Magnolia86

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Muse – Madness (4/5)

 

Well Muse have been quiet for the last couple of years. 2009 saw the release of their last album, The Resistance, and since then? Not a lot. Not until now, because they’re back. The band first made an appearance at the London 2012 Olympic Games Closing Ceremony, which pre-empted a resurfacing from them, and now the British supergroup are releasing a single ahead of their sixth studio album, entitled The 2nd Law. Entitled Madness, this song is the medium through which Muse have chosen to rear their heads again, and it has to be said, it’s very different.

 

There was a bit of a scare a couple of months ago when listeners got a preview of the new Muse through YouTube and were worried. “Oh no!” came the cries, “Muse have gone dubstep!” Well, it looks like those claims have become a bit of a reality. Madness is slow, electronic, pulsing, thudding dance/dubstep. It does, however, have a lot of redeeming features. It is very, very progressive and yet somehow very classic Muse. It’s definitely catchy, it has a great, pulsating beat to it, and vocally it gets listeners singing along with the endlessly repeated “m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-mad, mad, mad” (it looks daft when it’s written down) even if they don’t like the song.

 

The best thing about it, though, is that Madness builds up in a very satisfying way. It sneaks up on a listener and manages to explode into an epic finale section at about three minutes in, without anyone listening actually noticing it’s coming until it happens. It’s clever, and from then on until the end, the song becomes fantastic.

 

It’s well titled too because it does seem to epitomise feelings of madness (especially if listened to through large headphones) in musical form. The drums pound very heavily on listeners ears, and there doesn’t seem to be any guitar work that isn’t smothered in chaotic-sounding effects so much it no longer sounds like a guitar, except for a brief (and well played) solo. As always with Muse, the bass work is phenomenal. Hats off to Chris Wolstenholme, again.

 

The vocal work sounds very familiar, very typical Muse, which obviously it would do. But, it also sounds suspiciously like a bit of an ode to Queen. This reviewer wonders if that’s deliberate. Do Muse fancy themselves a bit of a new Queen?

 

By releasing it ahead of, The 2nd Law, an album due for release on October 2nd 2012 (clever.), Muse are playing a dangerous game, because this is a very love/hate kind of song. Fans of the old Muse, where the main instrument was a guitar rather than a synthesizer (Origin of Symmetry) aren’t going to like this song. At all. But that’s not the point, is it? Muse are moving on, experimenting with new sounds, and expecting the true fans of their music to come along for the ride. As well they should. It’s different from the Devon rockers, but not necessarily bad. Muse are drawing a line under their older material and beginning a new phase of their musical career. And we as listeners should all watch with interest, these guys aren’t done yet.

 

http://www.bornmusiconline.com/muse-madness/

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Jobby Defector

Jobby

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Why the fuck do people keep saying 'Muse is back/have resurfaced/have been quiet for a long time' etc? They made an album and toured it, the only time they went quiet was after Leeds/Reading last year. The way people are going on about it, you'd think they'd been on hiatus or something.

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Seaking Escapee

Seaking

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Why the fuck do people keep saying 'Muse is back/have resurfaced/have been quiet for a long time' etc? They made an album and toured it, the only time they went quiet was after Leeds/Reading last year. The way people are going on about it, you'd think they'd been on hiatus or something.

 

To be honest, I was surprised The 2nd Law is coming out so soon.

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Gareeh Escapee

Gareeh

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To be honest, I was surprised The 2nd Law is coming out so soon.

 

word

 

They said they were going on a hiatus

 

Which lasted about a month

 

I'm quite surprised it's gotten quite positive reviews given it is a rather flat piece.

 

Well maybe people who aren't dim realise it's minimal and that's what minimal music should be like whereas this fucking forum think the production/vocals/synths have been recorded wrong.

 

Fuck-a-doodle-doo people

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