Album Eight: Simulation Theory

[Bohemian-Cygnus-Running-Out]

Couple new Instagram posts. Matt's back at it with the acoustic says an acoustic track for real this time and he's still trying haha.

Also flipping through a book of VHS cover art so the album will probably have the same theme throughout aesthetically.

 

Honestly, I think this is a good idea. Muse have covered a lot of different bases in their career thus far, but I think two things they should be touching more on are acoustics (with pianos please) and pop electronics, even if it's an 80s vibe, which is cool by me anyway. Taking cues from 80s electronic and new wave artists (or just Depeche Mode) is how we got Map, which is a top 5 ever for me. Also, aside from the lyrics, TC is a legitimately fine Muse song, no complaints except that they "should" be doing better than average, but that doesn't make average bad.

 

What if Matt did an acoustic solo on a song?

[FabriPav]

"more 80s electro pop Muse, please!"

[Jobby]

Anyone else reckon “Strung out, falling from the big time” is in reference to all the online dialogue about them being past their best? Or am I reaching?

[Spectrum IV]

It means the political climate is fucked and we’re heading for WW3.

[MartianSpaghettiRider]

Anyone else reckon “Strung out, falling from the big time” is in reference to all the online dialogue about them being past their best? Or am I reaching?

 

It could be so.

If someone from Muse France FB page has submitted a question related to that for the band interview project, I'd be glad.

[serpentsatellite]

I really doubt it's a self-aware, self-deprecating statement about how they're chasing an ever more elusive mainstream...

 

More likely just something vague about how the world is changing, countries are falling out of their past (largely imagined) glory, or just something that sounded good in Matt's head like most of the lyrics.

[funkadelic]

I don't want you to think I personally disagree with something like this, but it does illustrate my point.

There are some things, no matter how ludicrous, that do need to be discussed from both viewpoints.

We need to figure out our gun situation, but we also need to address it by way of interpretation of the 2nd Amendment, because like it or not, it exists.

To shut down the conservative viewpoint would only cause the pro-gun people to accuse us of fascism and unconstitutionality.

Continuing to shut out the NRA would be a very good start. Happy to see they're already getting hit in the pocketbook.

 

The only stances I believe aren't deserving of air time are the ones that deal with taking away people's civil liberties based on things like sex, gender, skin color, etc.

 

Agree to disagree. It's not so much about completely shutting the conservative viewpoint out as the fact that the goal post keeps moving on what a conservative is. It's also worth noting that the left doesn't even get the same exposure. Like I said before, MSNBC is considered left-leaning, but it's full of neoliberals who wanted Clinton over Sanders. Idk, I just think of most political pundits on mainstream news as performers rather than people looking to create substantial debate.

 

As for Matt, I remember when he was really into the conspiracy stuff, he often couldn't get through an interview without laughing about it. In fairness to him, I feel like the 00s were a very weird time in general where people were naive about a lot of things. I'm not sure how to word this, so I hope it makes sense - One thing I appreciate about Matt is that he has an earnestness to him where he's tried to become more informed even though he's still ignorant and out of touch in several ways. He comes across to me as someone trying to better understand the world, whereas I've noticed other rock stars from his generation are more cocky or pretentious, as if they have all the answers.

[Jobby]

I really doubt it's a self-aware, self-deprecating statement about how they're chasing an ever more elusive mainstream...

 

More likely just something vague about how the world is changing, countries are falling out of their past (largely imagined) glory, or just something that sounded good in Matt's head like most of the lyrics.

 

I meant more just reiterating/quoting what he sees people say about them as an example of ‘thought contagion’ than owt that in depth tbh. You’re probs right though, I just like the idea of that alt. narrative. Now that I’ve thunk it, I’d actually be really interested in a song on that topic. Hell, maybe even more than one since there’s multiple angles you could tackle it from.

[MartianSpaghettiRider]

I meant more just reiterating/quoting what he sees people say about them as an example of ¡®thought contagion¡¯ than owt that in depth tbh. You¡¯re probs right though, I just like the idea of that alt. narrative. Now that I¡¯ve thunk it, I¡¯d actually be really interested in a song on that topic. Hell, maybe even more than one since there¡¯s multiple angles you could tackle it from.

 

Whoa, this so much. Lyrically wise, Matt may even conceive songs as intensely angsty as the ones on Showbiz or Origin.

But I think he currently feels "too" fine to tackle this issues. Provoking further conflict between the band and its own fanbase is probably the last thing he wants now. It's quite of a pity, though, because I like the idea of an artist that challenges their audience's ideas about their image and identity in a significantly creative fashion, no matter how famous they may be.

[Jobby]

Whoa, this so much. Lyrically wise, Matt may even conceive songs as intensely angsty as the ones on Showbiz or Origin.

But I think he currently feels "too" fine to tackle this issues. Provoking further conflict between the band and its own fanbase is probably the last thing he wants now. It's quite of a pity, though, because I like the idea of an artist that challenges their audience's ideas about their image and identity in a significantly creative fashion, no matter how famous they may be.

 

You can write about that without creating friction w/ fans tbf, he doesn’t have to go full Forgot About Dre (as much as that would be fucking hilarious). There’s defo potential for some angst/frustration/exasperation there, or maybe a more self-conscious vibe if he feels that, or even take another perspective as he likes to do and write from a fan’s POV. I’d be fine with going down the more arrogant route but it has to be a damn good track to pull it off.

 

I guess it’d just be fresh more than anything, which’d be nice. It’s not a topic we’ve remotely heard them touch on, it’d feel genuine and it’s something tangible that people could connect to - as opposed to more vague half-baked conspiracy waffle. Be a good post-Drones topic as well, after finally going back for fan-service and now moving towards pop again.

 

Unless he just genuinely doesn’t care, but I’m pretty sure that’s not true. Doubt we’ll see it happen anywayyyy, shame.

Edited March 13, 2018 by Jobby

[serpentsatellite]

It's not so much about completely shutting the conservative viewpoint out as the fact that the goal post keeps moving on what a conservative is. It's also worth noting that the left doesn't even get the same exposure. Like I said before, MSNBC is considered left-leaning, but it's full of neoliberals who wanted Clinton over Sanders.

 

tbf, it seems like you just have, and most people probably do, a preconceived notion on what constitutes "left" and "right" to you, and that's what you're looking to see represented.

 

Democrats have pushed the centrist agenda for quite a long time because they've been struggling to win seats and consider it a compromise.

Sanders and a lot of progressives are a bit radical.

Having such a wide division in the party is one of the reasons it struggles, too; not having a solid system of beliefs/wedge issues creates voter apathy.

The same propaganda machines that aided Trump also targeted Sanders fans, too, remember. And it worked. That's part of this whole Russia meddling thing that's getting swept under the rug, and it's going to kill the party in the next elections, too, if people aren't willing to do some soul searching.

 

On the other hand, to prevent exactly that division, the Republicans have embraced a shift to the far-right because it plays well with the base, and keeps them in power.

It's a hell of a lot easier when you can do whatever you want as long as you're pro-gun, anti-abortion, backed by evangelical Christian leaders, etc.

You don't see a lot of moderate conservative viewpoints because there hardly are any loud voices in that camp; it would be bad for their career.

 

On a completely different note, there's some interesting studies about how people are orders of magnitude more likely to spread false stories on Twitter than true ones, and that's a rather interesting and concerning topic with no easy solution.... and telling everyone to shut off Twitter isn't a fair answer.

[kueller]

Democrat compromise had made them a party of nothing to the point where Sanders was considered a radical. There's also a difference between having a debate about actual debate worthy things and having debates on points that are clearly off.

[serpentsatellite]

The problem is when people have vastly different opinions on what's debate-worthy, and what to do when people aren't willing to compromise on things that comprise civil liberty violations.

I don't think it's easy, but it can be done. Unfortunately, there's "radicals" on both parties that aren't willing entertain dialogs on even the stuff that should be open to compromise.

"Fake news" and memes make easy prey of those people on both sides.

[funkadelic]

tbf, it seems like you just have, and most people probably do, a preconceived notion on what constitutes "left" and "right" to you, and that's what you're looking to see represented.

 

Democrats have pushed the centrist agenda for quite a long time because they've been struggling to win seats and consider it a compromise.

Sanders and a lot of progressives are a bit radical.

Having such a wide division in the party is one of the reasons it struggles, too; not having a solid system of beliefs/wedge issues creates voter apathy.

The same propaganda machines that aided Trump also targeted Sanders fans, too, remember. And it worked. That's part of this whole Russia meddling thing that's getting swept under the rug, and it's going to kill the party in the next elections, too, if people aren't willing to do some soul searching.

 

On the other hand, to prevent exactly that division, the Republicans have embraced a shift to the far-right because it plays well with the base, and keeps them in power.

It's a hell of a lot easier when you can do whatever you want as long as you're pro-gun, anti-abortion, backed by evangelical Christian leaders, etc.

You don't see a lot of moderate conservative viewpoints because there hardly are any loud voices in that camp; it would be bad for their career.

 

On a completely different note, there's some interesting studies about how people are orders of magnitude more likely to spread false stories on Twitter than true ones, and that's a rather interesting and concerning topic with no easy solution.... and telling everyone to shut off Twitter isn't a fair answer.

 

The fact that the Democrats are desperately trying to cling to centrism is what's going to hurt them because they aren't willing to take a strong stand on anything. They have nothing new to offer. Sanders being seen as radical says a lot.

 

People are always going to be vulnerable to fake information. That's why mainstream news needs to be better. The problems Americans are facing are too serious to waste time on someone like Tomi Lahren who obviously is only looking for attention, or some Trump goon who still won't acknowledge climate change is real. I don't see any point trying to placate to the right because they're not going to stop accusing the left of hating America. The Democrats have always given in to Republican demands, and it's gotten them nowhere. There are Republicans out there who are trying to bring some sense back into the party, but I stand by my opinion that the crazier ones are given a platform for the ratings they bring in.

 

I think fundamentally we disagree here because I'm a pretty far left person. I don't see it as an issue of both sides.

Edited March 13, 2018 by funkadelic

[serpentsatellite]

My beliefs are mainly far-left, but I also feel that the Dems have been trying to do the right thing and understand that lasting change needs to be made through compromise, instead of a pendulum swing from one extreme to the other.

We were making progress as a country, but the rise of populism and moreso nationalism destroyed that.

I love Sanders, for instance, but also have to face the fact that his sort of populism, similar to Trump's, opened the door for manipulation and divisiveness.

All those Sanders supporters who were persuaded not to compromise and vote for Hillary aided in fucking over our country, whether you like to admit it or not.

[funkadelic]

See I disagree with that. I think this has been a growing problem ever since the Tea Party, and it finally reached the boiling point with Trump. Democrats have taken their base for granted because the only other option is Republicans, so their base wasn't energised enough to turn out when they needed to. I see it as similar to how people lost faith in Labour and didn't end up turning out for Ed Miliband in the 2015 election. The energy around Sanders and Trump implied people were looking for a change, yet they insisted on pushing Clinton. I'm not defending those Sanders people, but there were plenty who did vote for Clinton, and her side wasn't exactly innocent either.

 

That said I am hoping the Dems pull through and win in 2018. But I also hope they don't mess it up to the point that next time around people flip back to the Republicans.

 

Anyway, I'm sorry to go down a politics rabbit hole. It's just really nice to have a proper discussion about it. It's not really possible on social media and reddit is...reddit.

Edited March 14, 2018 by funkadelic

[PlugInYorkie]

It's gonna be as bad as that Arctic Monkeys cover of Hold On, We're Going Home.

 

I’m just commenting to say I wholeheartedly disagree! That cover was amazing and absolutely destroys the shithouse original.

The Arctic Monkeys have fused hip hop elements with their own music and it’s worked well.

Turner and Co are leagues above Muse at present and I think their new album will be gamechanging whereas I’m not so optimistic for Muse

[PlugInYorkie]

I didn’t actually mind Thought Contagion, nowhere near as bad as the people on here said.

Not a huge fan of the 30STM style chanting but hearing it live the song definitely works. Matt’s vocals are solid and I like the darker vibe to this. Guitar and bass sounding alright. Where is Dom? I feel he’s going to get replaced by a machine on the new album at this rate.

 

New album is sounding like it’ll be a mish mash of random politically motivated songs and experimenting like 2nd Law. Surely they can’t make a worse album than that?

[lurkinglurkerlurksagain]

The Arctic Monkeys have fused hip hop elements with their own music and it’s worked well.

Turner and Co are leagues above Muse at present and I think their new album will be gamechanging whereas I’m not so optimistic for Muse

 

Agree new AM album has a good chance to be better than a new Muse album, disagree with AM being gamechanging. I don't think they are at all, or really have much of a potential to be even though I like their music.

[PlugInYorkie]

Agree new AM album has a good chance to be better than a new Muse album, disagree with AM being gamechanging. I don't think they are at all, or really have much of a potential to be even though I like their music.

 

I just have this feeling their new album will be a big one and will somehow top the previous one.

[FabriPav]

Game changer for humanity

[Jobby]

AM was a bit wanky but still >>>>> than T2L. Drones debatable. Muse still miles better live but don’t think either have ever been ‘gamechanging’ tbh. Hard to say who’s really on top of the other unless you’re going by strictly mainstream relevance + sales. One’s a younger indie rock/pop band while the other’s been an amalgamation of prop/pop/classical/rock/metal over the years though so a comparison is a bit redundant imo.

 

I think Thought Contagion’s verses are about as close as you’ll get to Muse doing hip hop anyway - other than getting a feature in like Who Knows Who. Bless him, but Matt’s lyrical construction is nowhere near the level it’d need to be to pull off something similar to what Alex Turner’s done in the past. His writing style for melodies naturally tends to revolve around extending short phrases into long notes as well. Not that that’s a bad thing - different strokes and shit - just means that route wouldn’t suit Matt.

Edited March 17, 2018 by Jobby

[FabriPav]

prop

 

interesting freudian slip

[Tim59]

Game changer for humanity

 

I'd forgotten about this

[FabriPav]

What ever happened to that crazy guy?