Muse
unveil new album to the industry and competition winners at the Planetarium...
oooh woooooh yeah yeh yeah ye-ye-ah...
Last night, beneath the stars, Drowned in Sound heard the third studio
album from the most important band since Nirvana, at an exclusive
album playback of '(Sing for) Absolution'. It took place at the Planetarium,
Baker St, London. And guess what? It was ruddy marvellous.
Here's
a blow by blow, of what I can remember...
1. Intro
2. Apocalypse Please: What an opening! Rumbles in and then throws
a few pianos around for good measure. A call for the end of the world
or at least for folks to wake up before it's all over. Song stops
and there's a massive applause.
3. Time Is Running Out: The new single (promos of which were given
out on the door) is pretty representative of what was to follow. Huuuge
operatic spacescapes, buzzing electronics, dusty basement drums, odd
samples and Matt's vocals sounding more distinctive and resounding
than ever before. Did I mention they're rocking the System of a Down
sonics a wee bit too?
4. Sing For Absolution: There's something oddly pop going on with
this one. Not quite the epiphany of 'Showbiz' on first listen, but
time will tell.
5. Stockholm syndrome: The mp3 single. If you've not heard it, get
it for £1/£1.50 here.
6. Falling Away With You: A typically Muse ballad and a strange transition
from the rock blasts that came before it. It's naked sounding, all
peaches and pinks. A Sunday morning fumbling anthem?
7. Interlude
8. Hysteria: A mammoth. Some filthy guitars. Queen and Pink Floyd
spring to mind.
9. Blackout: Big evil orchestral number.
10. Butterflies and Hurricanes: This is the song that'll make you
cry. About 4 minutes in it breaks down into Matt thumping the piano
keys making this exactly what I was waiting for. Lyrically it's got
a Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club) vibe of 'what do you really wanna do
with your life?'. This song finishes to a huge response from the 400
or so gathered.
11. Endlessly: Bit of a breather and a bit progier than the rest with
lots more electronics than elsewhere, if I remember rightly.
12. Thoughts of a Dying Atheist: (have a feeling that might be a hoax
title). Stopped taking mental notes about now.
13. TSP (The Small Print): They've played this one live a few times
on recent tours. It's a rock monster.
14. Rule By Secrecy: A chilling, thumping ending with special projections
on the ceiling of ghosts and ghouls. The audience is transported via
tunnels and loops down into the pits of the grave, where we were flung
through the jaws of a skull and out the other end, breathless and
silent until the lights came up and it was time to applaud.
And that was that. People cheering. Nearly everyone I spoke to afterwards
loved it. A definite step forwards and the sound of the band really
and truly coming into their own, pulling together things they love.
Perhaps still lingering elements of asking the world to inspire them
that bit more and maybe a few confusingly complex (on first lissen)
bits and bobs but they have totally set themselves head and shoulders
above the pack with an album thats going to blow people away,
especially live.
Bring
on September...