Falling Down: A Muse Study

It’s official. Advertising works - well, kind of. Way back in the murky, darkening winter nights of 2002, this writer received his introduction to the epic wall of sound that is, Muse. Whilst stumbling through late night television, I landed upon a trailer for Channel 5’s showing of The Matrix. Interspersed with a collection of clips from the ultra cool movie was the British rock band’s cover of Nina Simone’s Feeling Good, which was quite possibly the most fitting track to accompany such an array of images. The advert had tremendous effect; not only enticing me to watch the movie again, but also to delve deep into the wonder of Muse. Following this experience, I acquired the band’s second studio album, Origin of Symmetry, and fell in love.

From here, I became a fan and subsequently owned every album of theirs upon release, right up to the band’s most recent offering, The Resistance. Naturally, as the years have passed, Muse’s sound and attitude towards their song writing has shifted and altered, as have my perceptions and appreciation of their sound. The true extent of this shift can be heard clearly in The Resistance, which has a more epic and arguably over-the-top and over-produced quality to it. Being a fan of the band’s more unique and genuine beginnings, I instantly fell out of love with the new album, and therefore with the band, after all those years. It appeared to me that as I had grown older, expanded and evolved my music tastes, Muse perhaps didn’t, and had instead resorted to churning out cheesy over-blown music catering only for a mainstream audience. Had I outgrown Muse, or was it simply that having experienced what other music was out there, I had abandoned an otherwise credible and truly versatile band? Should I return to the comfort of the Muse dream world, or should I unplug and see the world for what it truly is? To answer all this, I ventured back through Muse’s vast back catalogue to decide once and for all if my new found assumptions were correct, or whether I was missing the point. So, I began at the beginning, and listened to Muse’s first record, Showbiz, not only to claw back a piece of my innocent youth, but also to chart exactly where it all started to go wrong.

From the shimmering piano lead intro of ‘Sunburn’, it is clear that Muse’s vast scope towards music was present as early as Showbiz. As the track unravels, the strong wall of sound bursts into life, cementing the general tone of the album. This signature sound was crafted over many years, since the band’s formation in 1994, following several tester EP’s and numerous, and eventful, battle of the band competitions. Upon signing to Taste Media in 1998, the band released Showbiz; a collection of tracks charting the band’s struggle and eventual success within the music scene of Teignmouth, where they formed. This level of angst and adversity screams out of the entire collection, appearing at its most prominent in ‘Muscle Museum’ where front man, and all round talented musician Matt Bellamy pleads “I don’t want you to adore me, don’t want you to ignore me” over the chorus, signalling the band’s struggle with earning true respect in the music industry. Other key moments on the album where this quality can be heard include the Radiohead -esque ‘Overdue’, the pain stained title track ‘Showbiz’, and most notably, ‘Falling Down’; a slow blues gem which encapsulates the sheer drain of alienation. Despite the track’s obvious alternate connotations of heartbreak, the lyrics, “I was calling your name, but you would never hear me sing, you wouldn’t let me begin, So I’m crawling away”, clearly suggest Bellamy’s rejection from a small town audience. With the splattering of love ballads, ‘Uno’ and ‘Unintended’, Showbiz shows huge potential and distinctly points the direction that Muse eventually travel in, albeit at a minimal level. In many ways, Showbiz highlights Muse at their most raw, intense, natural and most importantly, honest. Traits that tend to waver as the albums continue.

At this point it is hard to establish whether or not one’s attitude towards the band has altered, having heard their later work. However, it is safe to say that upon returning to Showbiz, I have been able to understand the album to a better degree, and I can now fully appreciate the raw honesty present throughout. It is comforting to learn that what Muse have become in recent years originally stemmed from something greater. The only weakness to Showbiz is that it lacks a certain sense of confidence and power needed to instil itself within the listener’s memory. Such a characteristic would feature heavily on Muse’s follow up record, Origin Of Symmetry.

The two year gap between Showbiz and Origin Of Symmetry gave Muse the opportunity to expand their sound, experiment with an array of instruments, and ultimately achieve a new found confidence. It is highly noticeable from the opening three tracks that subtle changes have been made in the band’s musicality; like the more atmospheric, and yet powerful strength to the overall sound. This in many cases is down to the use of a heavier and distorted bass line which drives the album, and adds a depth to the general tone of the album. The introductory track ‘New Born’ displays this technique perfectly when Chris Wolstenholme’s aggressive bass leaps into action, automatically heightening the feel of the tune. In terms of song writing, Origin Of Symmetry differs slightly from earlier material in the sense that an angst ridden alienation has been replaced by a new urge to let go, and distance oneself from the pain and obstacles that restrict. In the hugely accessible live favourite ‘Bliss’, Bellamy sings of a desire to be better and to strive to attach himself to a happiness that he now requires; “Give me all the peace and joy in your mind”. There is also the hint in this track that the only true happiness can be reached outside of the self. In the lyric, “Everything about you is so easy to love, they’re watching you from above”, the suggestion that Bellamy, and the band as a whole, are moving on from the youthful anger and onto an otherworldly venture, taking their music beyond the stars. This visionary outlook that begins here is a quality that ascends further, and becomes a distinctive feature in later Muse albums. Other key tracks that showcase Muse’s more cosmic standpoint include ‘Space Dementia’, ‘Micro Cuts’, ‘Hyper Music’ and the hauntingly crippling ‘Megalomania’ which closes the collection. Yet, the stand out gem on the album by far has to be ‘Citizen Erased’; a seven minute drift through harsh victimisation one minute and ethereal revelation the next. The enchanting effect to the track is mainly down to the elegance of Dominic Howard’s drumming throughout, along with Bellamy’s dreamy falsetto vocals towards the end. ‘Citizen Erased’ truly marks the shift in Muse’s attitude towards their trade, as it holds evidence of the epic sounds cape they were travelling in, as well as a more technical approach to their song writing, ultimately showing confidence. Origin Of Symmetry is a great testament to what Muse can achieve, being just as accessible as their later work, but without the bells and whistles. This album always was my preferred work by the band, and after listening to it again now I stand by my original assertion. This opinion can also be attributed to the release of Hullabaloo, the double album soundtrack to the band’s 2001 European tour; an album I shall return to later. Muse really are a great band, and the confidence that seeps through Origin Of Symmetry currently shows just how the band have lost their way in more recent endeavours.

At this point in my study, I hold, as I always have, that this period in Muse’s career marks the calm before the storm. But before the band set their coordinates for the moon, Absolution was to cement them as the biggest band on earth.

One very important factor to consider at this point is the manner in which Muse’s song writing alters from being based on escapism (from this life towards an alternate existence), to being very much grounded in the real world, and all the gritty issues that come with it. The group’s 2003 release Absolution arrived amidst great political and international turmoil, with the onset of war and the prospect of terrorism, which in turn is reflected in the nature of the album. The over arching theme to this interesting concept album is obviously one of forgiveness, but also a cry for help from the end of the world. The opening track, ‘Apocalypse Please’ encapsulates this idea perfectly, as it’s regimental stomp is laced with Bellamy’s chanting, pleading for a sharp shift in perspective, “It’s time we saw a miracle, come on it’s time for something biblical”, which implies that in order for a change to be implemented, action of epic proportions needs to be enforced. This pessimism is present throughout the collection in tracks such as the incredibly anthemic ‘Sing For Absolution’, ‘Thoughts Of A Dying Atheist’ and the beautiful bittersweet lullaby of ‘Blackout’. Aside from the intense song writing here, the band’s musicality appears to have once again improved since Origin Of Symmetry in terms of experimentation. For example, the strong unity of bass and drums remains, but appears tighter, and in some cases more ambitious. In the album’s flagship single ‘Time Is Running Out’, both verse and chorus are driven by a very well polished, yet minimal dance groove, adding a slightly satirical slant to the themes within. This powerful use of rhythm also enforces ‘Endlessly’; an off centre love poem to guide the listener through the sound of falling bombs. The true testament to the album, the musicality, the themes and Muse’s progression exists around the centre of the collection, in ‘Butterflies And Hurricanes’. This harsh warning of cause and affect is set against a glorious soundtrack of orchestration, pounding bass, and forceful drums, completely driving home the message that Muse are screaming at the world. The track also stands apart from the entire collection due its unique orchestral interlude, straight from the fingers of Matt Bellamy. This gem, along with the powerhouse of sound and vision exerted from this hugely influential album, marks the moment where Muse are at their most accessible, yet still retaining the charm they’ve held since their origin. The hint of what they would mould into lies in their embracing of outside influences and concepts, and finding the exact sound to fit it.

At this point I remain in awe of Muse, and I believe that even though they begin to leak into the mainstream with Absolution, they still hold true to their growth, and acknowledge that basis. However, this new-found sound and vision was about to take Muse into orbit, and unfortunately, towards freefall.

On a personal note, during the three year hiatus between Muse’s third and fourth studio album, I naturally expanded my musical interests, and developed my own perspectives and opinions on what was good music. This involved exploring a vast range of genres and styles before eventually settling on a selection of band’s and artists that I truly admired and found influential. So, when Black Holes And Revelations was released in the summer of 2006, I was excited to hear new Muse material, but equally curious as to whether I would still appreciate the band after such a conversion. After a few complete listens, several tracks stood out as being suitable Muse tracks, and it was very clear immediately that this collection would be larger than Absolution in every way. For example, the gradual eruption of opening track ‘Take A Bow’ screams out aptly setting up the epic wall of sound, and ideology, that is Black Holes And Revelations. Despite being extremely affective and skilled, the musicality here is fully laden with heavy political and revolutionary context, which drowns any ounce of charm and finesse that was so fluid in Muse’s earlier work. With tracks like ‘Assassin’, ‘Map Of The Problematique’ and ‘Exo-Politics’, the collection reeks of political distain and angst against ‘the system’, which instead of being edgy just appears overdone and boring. Even the more heartfelt tracks on the album, such as the minimalist ‘A Soldier’s Poem’, the annoyingly anthemic ‘Starlight’, and ‘Invincible’ tend to loose their charm by being over-produced. The only gems that save the collection include ‘City Of Delusion’ (which harks back to the glory of ‘Butterflies And Hurricanes’), the haunting ‘Hoodoo’ and the action-packed live favourite ‘Knights Of Cydonia’; all of which dabble in new territory for the band, to great effect. But, the sparkling diamond in the rough here has to be ‘Supermassive Black Hole’; an excellent bass-heavy groove, backed up by Wolstenholme and Howard, turning a tale of raw abandonment whilst being drawn into a black hole, into something really sexy. It’s the track’s unique charm and quality that makes it stand out, not just on this album but from all other Muse tracks. In all, Black Holes And Revelations is impressive due to it’s general sound, but lacks integrity and the raw simplicity of perhaps Absolution, or even Origin Of Symmetry before that. Where Absolution held strong musicality and harsh social angst together tightly, the band’s 2006 release seems to only opt for easy themes and popular anthems, making Black Holes And Revelations epic, but somehow standard.

Perhaps I am correct in believing that it wasn’t me that abandoned Muse, but instead it was Muse that abandoned themselves, aiming for a more commercial and comfortable star. This unfortunately did not sway the band, and Muse would continue this charm-less voyage through space right through their most recent release, The Resistance.

Evidence of where Muse had planned on heading from Black Holes And Revelations began surfacing as early as 2007, with hints of a complete sea-change for the band’s sound. After various rumours and directions were scrapped, the bulk of what was to form The Resistance was decided upon. Given this selective precision, one would have hoped that the collection would offer an array of fresh musicality and concepts. Unfortunately, the resulting album is not only substandard but utterly charm-less. This is surprising as after a three year gap between records, a whole host of new ideas should have materialised. Instead, The Resistance appears to be a mix of signature moments from the past three Muse albums, but fused together in an over-produced, over-dressed mess. This, at times, makes it sound more like a parody album, as if a Muse tribute band is trying their luck at sounding professional. This aspect screams out from ‘United States Of Eurasia’; an embarrassing barrage of Queen like vocals, orchestral floundering, and annoying political undertones. This has to be Muse at their least creative, and most unlovable! Other tracks, such as dull leading single ‘Uprising’, the average sounding ‘Resistance’ and mid-album filler ‘MK Ultra’, all fall under this ghastly shadow as they too are steeped with the now boring, political and social ideologies and regimental rhythms. However, there are some saving graces in this collection, that only just manage to make the listener take it all seriously. For one, ‘Undisclosed Desires’, despite being very polished and mainstream-worthy, actually sounds good and shows Muse attempting something different: with it’s synth work and drum machine – like beat. The album’s closer, ‘Exogenesis’, a fifteen minute symphony split into three parts, represents Muse as they were six years previous; prolific and musically skilled. ‘Exogenesis’ clearly shows that the band could create a film score if they tried. With ‘Butterflies And Hurricanes’ and ‘City Of Delusion’ under their belts also, this would not be far out of reach. But, the flickering light in the collection is definitely ‘I Belong To You’ with it’s pounding swing piano verses, string infused bridges and operatic interlude, standing distinctly at odds with the rest of the album. This is simply one of Muse’s best moments, as it sounds like nothing they have ever attempted before, making it’s appearance on The Resistance all the more shameful. It’s not that the album is terrible, for as I’ve mentioned it has it’s golden moments. But as a whole, The Resistance is disappointing, and instead of leaving the listener wanting more, forces them to turn their backs and walk away.

After revising their entire past catalogue of albums, and rediscovering their evolving sound through the years, I can’t help but reach the conclusion that Muse have indeed fallen downwards from a prior grace, and have opted for larger soundscapes and smaller original ideas. Their musicality has adapted over the past decade to fit the ideologies and themes that they discuss, instead of mirroring their honest raw appeal. However, I would have to argue that in the current music industry climate, no other band could even attempt to produce the same level of sound and scope that Muse do. Between them, Bellamy, Wolstenholme and Howard possess a strong chemistry which generates planet sized rock- ballads, and at a superb standard. For me, Muse reached their peak musically and influentially circa Origin Of Symmetry, and have gradually lost the more organic and personal energy that they once held. In fact, I would argue that the album that best showcases just how incredible a band Muse truly are is their 2002 B –sides collection, Hullabaloo. A much understated album, Hullabaloo contains one live disc, of the band’s 2001 performance at Le Zenith in Paris, and one disc with ten excellent B –sides. Amongst these hidden gems are ‘Shrinking Universe’, ‘Nature_1’, the beautiful ‘Shine Acoustic’ and the achingly simplistic ‘Map Of Your Head’; all remarkable as Muse tracks, let alone Muse B- sides. The fact that these were fated as B –sides rather than album tracks only enforces the unique charm surrounding them. If Muse could afford to throw away such incredible tracks, then they must have been working at their most prolific and to their highest standard.

In response to my earlier questioning, I maintain that Muse have indeed had their finest hour. Even after returning to the band, after explorations into alternative genres and bands, my opinion holds just as strong as it did at the peak of my fandom. Although, I do also believe that the individual’s personal growth does affect one’s attitudes towards bands who evolve through time and sound. This also applies to the band themselves, as they to have grown in terms of perspectives and musical outlooks. In the case of Muse, it may just be that we have both changed and developed, but in opposite directions. I would also like to note at this point that having delved back into the group’s back catalogue, the wealth of revision gained from revisiting the albums has been of great benefit, not just in aiding this study, but also as a music lover. I strongly urge the reader to do the same with any band.

As for Muse, the voyage is only just beginning. Following years of resistance and struggle, they are finally ready to leave the broken world that they originally found themselves in, and escape to find salvation elsewhere in the universe. After all, that was Matt Bellamy’s plan all along, as suggested in the closing lyrics to the early track ‘Falling Down’, “Now the world is upside down, I’m heading straight for the clouds.”

Ben Hawling