Kid A was the best thing that could have happened to fast-rising Devon trio MUSE. Frontman Matt Bellamy still bears a startling vocal resemblance to Thom Yorke but this is savagely energetic enough to dispel those pesky Radiohead comparisons. Exhilaratingly fast and noisy with a kingsize chorus, it comes with a fistful of bonus tracks. CD1 offers Nature_1, a concoction of tribal drums and flamenco guitar, the ferocious nu-metal thrash of Execution Commentary and the impressive Plug In Baby video. CD2 adds the tense, gothic Spiral Static and Spanish guitar instrumental Bedroom Acoustics. On this evidence, their as yet unfinished second album should be suitably explosive.

Dorian Lynskey