Album Eight: Simulation Theory

[odier]

Pressure drumming is so good imo. I'm glad that during the guitar riff dom not use boring ride/crash.

[OriginOfAbso]

Simple drums =/= bad. I’ve had my gripes with Dom’s drumming at times over the last couple of records but I don’t see owt wrong with Pressure at all tbh. The beat during the verses has been one of my favourite things about the song.

I know simple does not equal bad, I play drums. I just personally think they could've added a lot more to the past couple songs. And I hate the drum transition in Pressure from verse to chorus. It feels like it's about to do something heavy and big then just stops with a dum dum on the floor tom. But I think the transition from verses to choruses in Pressure in general are kinda bad.

[Clunge]

I’m a sucker for tambourine tbh.

[FabriPav]

Yeah, Fabri shouldn't be taken seriously. I mean he said St. Vincent doesn't write stale music while her last album was just shitty 2009 Lady Gaga impression

 

uh

[Jobby]

I know simple does not equal bad, I play drums. I just personally think they could've added a lot more to the past couple songs. And I hate the drum transition in Pressure from verse to chorus. It feels like it's about to do something heavy and big then just stops with a dum dum on the floor tom. But I think the transition from verses to choruses in Pressure in general are kinda bad.

 

I can see what you mean about the transition into the chorus, it does feel a smidge jarring. I’ve just gotten past it ‘cos I love the chorus anyway. As for adding stuff though, again, I don’t see what needs changing about the drums so far. Sure, they could make them more complex but that doesn’t mean they should, it’s the same for any instrument. It’s all there to serve the song so if it fits and creates the right groove/tempo, it’s good. No need to over-complicate simple 3 minute pop/electronic rock songs (though, even then, I really like what he did with TC’s verses).

 

The only time I’d critique drums is when they don’t feel right with the rest of the song. Something like Reapers’ verses sticks out to me as maybe the most clear example in recent years, they should be a lot more intense to fit what’s going on around them imo and, because they aren’t, it feels out of place and like it’s holding the song back.

Edited September 30, 2018 by Jobby

[smoledman]

Maybe it's just me and my unpopular opinions. But I feel the last 4 Muse LPs(TR, T2L, Drones, ST) have been very lazy & derivative. BH&R was already on the edge of that problem, but I feel it still exudes a confidence in the songwriting that is largely absent from what followed. Also notice another thing - no B-sides after 2006. Also look at artwork on BH&R(album, singles). All super classy and interesting. Artwork on everything 2009-present, not so much.

[Hat]

Maybe it's just me and my unpopular opinions. But I feel the last 4 Muse LPs(TR, T2L, Drones, ST) have been very lazy & derivative. BH&R was already on the edge of that problem, but I feel it still exudes a confidence in the songwriting that is largely absent from what followed. Also notice another thing - no B-sides after 2006. Also look at artwork on BH&R(album, singles). All super classy and interesting. Artwork on everything 2009-present, not so much.

How exactly do you think that artwork for an album is made?

[Jobby]

I think TR’s artwork is pretty nice tbh, arguably their best

 

Also notice another thing - no B-sides after 2006.

 

Prague, Popcorn + Who Knows Who

 

But I’m pretty sure the main reason for the drop off is the fact that they’ve expressed a few times over their career that they don’t like releasing songs they didn’t feel were good enough to make the album. Back when they were starting and physical singles (w/ 2 CDs) were still a big thing, they were probs forced to release a lot of b-sides. As soon as they started to get a bit of freedom they dropped off massively and, now they’ve got all the freedom they want, they’ve gone altogether. We know they still write plenty of material that doesn’t make it onto the album (were the T2L sessions something like 20-30 songs?) so it’s nothing to do with being lazy.

[Spectrum IV]

I mean he's not wrong. Artwork declined along with their music through T2L and TR eras. Then it became a bit of a fan-pleasing mess for Drones. Now both are pretty good again.

[kueller]

I'd imagine the artwork fell for the same reason that singles fell, in that it just wasn't something people cared about too much. This is a very visual album so far and they've found a good place doing single releases online with videos rather than CDs with b-sides.

[smoledman]

I'd imagine the artwork fell for the same reason that singles fell, in that it just wasn't something people cared about too much. This is a very visual album so far and they've found a good place doing single releases online with videos rather than CDs with b-sides.

 

Are you saying that nobody cared about the artwork on BH&R? I personally found it very engaging and part of the whole experience. To me the artwork on the BH&R singles gives an extra 'heft' to the songs that is missing in the TR/T2L era.

[OriginOfAbso]

I can see what you mean about the transition into the chorus, it does feel a smidge jarring. I’ve just gotten past it ‘cos I love the chorus anyway. As for adding stuff though, again, I don’t see what needs changing about the drums so far. Sure, they could make them more complex but that doesn’t mean they should, it’s the same for any instrument. It’s all there to serve the song so if it fits and creates the right groove/tempo, it’s good. No need to over-complicate simple 3 minute pop/electronic rock songs (though, even then, I really like what he did with TC’s verses).

 

The only time I’d critique drums is when they don’t feel right with the rest of the song. Something like Reapers’ verses sticks out to me as maybe the most clear example in recent years, they should be a lot more intense to fit what’s going on around them imo and, because they aren’t, it feels out of place and like it’s holding the song back.

On Pressure it's mainly the lack of bass drum for me, especially in the chorus it just feels a bit empty. On The Dark Side it's just the final chorus that I felt could've had some added toms or something, just to set it apart from the other choruses.

[serpentsatellite]

Are you saying that nobody cared about the artwork on BH&R? I personally found it very engaging and part of the whole experience. To me the artwork on the BH&R singles gives an extra 'heft' to the songs that is missing in the TR/T2L era.

 

No one cares about album/single artwork anymore for the most part because everything's digital...

[Bohemian-Cygnus-Running-Out]

I think TR’s artwork is pretty nice tbh, arguably their best

 

 

 

Prague, Popcorn + Who Knows Who

 

But I’m pretty sure the main reason for the drop off is the fact that they’ve expressed a few times over their career that they don’t like releasing songs they didn’t feel were good enough to make the album. Back when they were starting and physical singles (w/ 2 CDs) were still a big thing, they were probs forced to release a lot of b-sides. As soon as they started to get a bit of freedom they dropped off massively and, now they’ve got all the freedom they want, they’ve gone altogether. We know they still write plenty of material that doesn’t make it onto the album (were the T2L sessions something like 20-30 songs?) so it’s nothing to do with being lazy.

 

I agree TR might be the best album cover. If the background weren't sliver/gray, it might be indisputable. Also T2L isn't a bad album cover. The color scheme and tone are very classy and digital without seeming too tacky...although that shape could look less like a brain. And I for one am on board with the ST artwork. Muse camp at its finest.

 

More B-sides would be cool, but would also cost me more money. Better to put more effort into the album cuts.

[Bohemian-Cygnus-Running-Out]

I'd imagine the artwork fell for the same reason that singles fell, in that it just wasn't something people cared about too much. This is a very visual album so far and they've found a good place doing single releases online with videos rather than CDs with b-sides.

 

Yeah, honestly I'm digging all of the videos. TC was just weird to me at first, but given the other clips it's all a lot more entertaining to me.

[OriginOfAbso]

I agree TR might be the best album cover. If the background weren't sliver/gray, it might be indisputable. Also T2L isn't a bad album cover. The color scheme and tone are very classy and digital without seeming too tacky...although that shape could look less like a brain. And I for one am on board with the ST artwork. Muse camp at its finest.

 

More B-sides would be cool, but would also cost me more money. Better to put more effort into the album cuts.

The T2L album cover is an actual neural image of a brain that already existed. They didn't make the cover.

[Bohemian-Cygnus-Running-Out]

The T2L album cover is an actual neural image of a brain that already existed. They didn't make the cover.

 

I did not know this!

 

 

I still think it looks nice. Very professional really. But that explains the brain look, lol.

[Asmodius]

Are we expecting anything new from Jools Holland tonight? Chris seen with a keytar bass and matt with an accoustic guitar

[Hat]

Are we expecting anything new from Jools Holland tonight? Chris seen with a keytar bass and matt with an accoustic guitar

Acoustic guitar: Something Human.

 

My bet is we'll see Pressure, Something Human and then either The Dark Side or Thought Contagion.

[Jobby]

Bet SH is ace live

[Asmodius]

Looks like Dig Down (Gospel version) is also being played tonight

[yoyonco10]

Pressure sounded pretty good with the live trumpets, picturing a dream scenario where they bring trumpets on tour for Pressure, KoC and make City of Delusion a staple for the tour 😍😍

[topo_musero]

Yeah, it was good, still they have work to do but it's a start I guess.

 

Who is this John Grant guy though? Loved the band

[Hat]

Pressure sounded pretty good with the live trumpets, picturing a dream scenario where they bring trumpets on tour for Pressure, KoC and make City of Delusion a staple for the tour 😍😍

Pretty sure there were no trumpets.

[yoyonco10]

Pretty sure there were no trumpets.

 

I just watched it lol