Muse - Mercy

I haven't really been following Muse lately. I knew they had a new album coming, but I'm more of a casual fan. And looking at it casually, they seem to be the type of band that basically just releases the same album over and over again. Now, most artists are like this (including most of my favorites), so I'm certainly not judging. It's just that their style of pomp rock isn't always to my taste. I tend to enjoy their poppier side, especially when they go for a real anthemic melody. I haven't listened to the new album yet, but Mercy has me curious. I'm in love with that opening piano hook and the propulsive beat that builds as the track goes along. I'm sure it won't please fans of their harder material, but to me melody is always key. This is Muse at their most Queen-esque, from the Freddie Mercury belted notes to the multi-layered vocals in the chorus.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Top 20 Albums Of 2012: 16-15

16. Muse - The 2nd Law



Muse's most experimental album so far, and also one of their best. The 2nd Law is chock full of anthems, but they were at their best when they adopted new sounds, such as dubstep, funk and U2-style stadium rock. There's no way you can listen to a track like Follow Me and not be completely excited about their future prospects.

15. PSY - PSY 6 (Six Rules) Part One



Most in the West will remember PSY as the Gangnam Style one-hit-wonder of 2012. But he deserves more credit than that. For one, he's been releasing music for more than a decade in his native Korea. But even if you discount that history, his most recent EP is definitely something worth celebrating. Bouncing from genre to genre, from the party pop of Blue Frog to the operatic rock of Never Say Goodbye, it's a string of tracks that sound like hit singles, whatever language you may speak.

Top 50 Singles Of 2012: 40-36

40. Girls Aloud - Something New



A poptastic comeback from a poptastic band. They showed us yet again that there is no other group out there like Girls Aloud.

39. Carly Rae Jepsen - This Kiss



This was never going to be as big as her breakthrough, but kudos to her for going with such a kitschy 80's retro sound.

38. Muse - Survival



The most deliriously over the top single in a discography filled with them. Sure, it's silly and a bit stupid, but that's what makes it fun.

37. Reece Mastin - Shut Up And Kiss Me



A blitzkrieg of teen pop/punk with a surprisingly sticky hook. A great way to break the X-Factor mold.

36. Samantha Jade - What You've Done To me 



The best winner's single ever to be released from a singing competition (okay, I guess that doesn't mean all that much), expect this to smash even further in 2013.

Muse - Panic Station

"This chaos, it defies imagination"

With Muse, I've gone from loving them to not loving them and back again. Absolution continues to be my favorite of their albums, while the follow-ups have had their moments but failed to completely win me over from beginning to end. With this new one, they've finally gone and modified their sound, opting for a slightly more electronic--even dubstep--influence. It couldn't have happened soon enough. They sound reinvigorated, and even though I haven't had the time to delve in more seriously, on first listen the album sounds stronger than they've released in awhile. I love the record's big, theatrical moments (of which there are many), but it was this funky, surprisingly straightforward little song that got me right off the bat. It's really an example of what a simple melody and production can do if it's this awesome. It's like Muse mixed with Scissor Sisters! (And who would've ever expected that combination??)



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Preorder the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Muse - Madness

"Now I have finally seen the light"

Sometimes it seems like I'm the only one in the world that adored Muse's Olympics song, Survival. It was deliriously campy and over the top, something that I honestly didn't know the band had in them. For their next single, though, they've taken their sound in a much more subtle direction. Madness finds them embracing a slightly electro, downtempo side. It's a different step for them, and doesn't really come alive until the last minute and a half. I'm not sure if this is something that radio is going to jump on, but it's very pleasing regardless. It's deceptively melodic and the vocals are really perfect. I like that they're experimenting a bit, particularly with production. This, combined with the last single, makes me very eager to hear the album (which has unfortunately been pushed back to October 1st/2nd).



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Preorder the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Muse - Survival

"I'll never lose"

When it comes to Muse, I like a big, dramatic, theatrical track. Hell, when it comes to any artist I like a big, dramatic, theatrical track. But especially Muse. This track, the first from their upcoming album as well as a special recording for the Olympics (see pic above), seems to be getting a lot of flack from critics. You know what, though? I actually really enjoy it. Sure, the melody's not all that memorable, and it's campy as hell, but I like how they don't seem to be taking themselves too seriously here. With Muse's musical output, I'm usually pretty hit and miss. I chalk that up to the fact that a lot of times they just don't sound very fun. Too much self-seriousness makes for music that can be a chore to listen to. With this, it's pretty clear that they're in it for a laugh (especially that insane final note), and I'm right there with them. From the ridiculous operatic background vocals to the constantly escalating rock thunder march, I really hope the new album contains more songs like this.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Preorder the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Pop Blitz 5/19/10

Katy Perry (ft. Snoop Dogg) - California Gurls
This should be horrible. It's got a lame title, some dubious lyrics, and a general Ke$ha-ness about it. Yet the summer beat washes all the shortcomings away and makes this one of Perry's strongest tracks. It's gonna be inescapable. B+

Muse - Neutron Star Collision
This Eclipse single is stronger than most of the stuff on Muse's last album. Sure, it's basically a Queen soundalike, but it's a very good one. And it only gets better as the beat speeds up. B+

Natasha Bedingfield - Touch
Unsurprisingly, she's gone the electropop route. The chorus, as with most of her songs, is slightly irritating and the song as a whole isn't particularly memorable. I'd rather have her brother back, honestly. C

Yeasayer - One
By far their danciest single to date, and one of their best. It comes off a very strong album, too, and has a great video. Very 80's, in the best possible way. A-

Christina Aguilera (ft. Nicki Minaj) - Woohoo
The worst thing I've heard her do (and that's including the last single). It's a thoroughly unsexy "sex" song and by far the most irritating thing in this week's blitz. In fact, it just may be the most obnoxious thing I've heard this year. It's that bad. What a fall from grace. F

Travis Garland - Believe
A budget-rate Jason Derulo/Jay Sean, who themselves are inferior versions of greater artists, this will be here and gone in the blink of an eye. The only thing that saves this song is Garland's voice, which could actually be spectacular given the right production. C

Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina - Stereo Love
A huge hit in mainland Europe, and now the UK, this is certainly an interesting club track. All swishy noises and exotic strings, without much of a melody. I really can't make my mind up about this one. I'll probably like it better the more I hear it, but for now it's a B-

Top 50 Singles of 2009: 40-36

40. La Roux - In For The Kill



Icy and dramatic, this proved to be the introduction to one of the more interesting looking popstars of the year. Too shrill at first, but after a few months resistance was futile.

39. Muse - Uprising



The furthest the band has ever ventured into straight-up glam rock, this had a beat to die for. Couple that with a slyly memorable hook and some football chants, and you’ve got yourself an anthem.

38. Jesse McCartney - How Do You Sleep



A surprise addition to the list, this kitschy pop/hip-hop single was inescapable this spring, and the chorus was one of the best of McCartney’s career.

37. Robbie Williams - Bodies



The big comeback single that didn’t seem to be so big at first. Like all the best songs, it became more and more impressive as the weeks went on.

36. Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me



She’s verging on the point of over saturation, but before that, this simple, lovelorn pop song hearkened back to the simple radio hits of the late nineties.

Some bits...

Sorry about the lack of a post yesterday. I was at the county fair watching Foreigner (still got it, btw) and eating crap fair food. Today's just going to be a little bit of everything:

Fab Swedish band Dyno have two new tracks on their myspace, the excellent Destroy! Destroy! and Too Close. These guys are like the new Daggers. I hope we actually get an album.

Speaking of great Scandinavian bands, Superfamily have a new track on their page from the third album out in about a week. Super excited about this record.

Another album I am drooling in anticipation for is Muse's new one. You can listen to samples on itunes worldwide and, judging from the clips, this may be the band's best album and candidate for album of the year. I cannot wait.

In the opposite musical direction, Miley Cyrus' new EP also has samples available. I am totally won over by her new single... one of the best she's released and certainly one of the best of the summer. This girl is going places. It always surprises me how much I like her voice.

In other pop news, Selena Gomez's new single is finally out (with her band The Scene). Happily, it sounds like something I would listen to outside of Disney. Quite good.