Muse - 'Resistance'
Ages ago, I wrote a thing about Lady GaGa's 'Poker Face', in which I was thinking about how deftly she pinches ideas from those areas of pop music's past which whiff distinctly of cheese. And, more importantly, how she transformed those ideas into something fresh and new and brilliant because, under the crust of cultural disapproval, they're still good ideas.
Muse are the rock equivalent. They seem to be capable of awakening the ghosts and clichés of daft old pomp rock - this song, for example, could serve as a kind of sequel to an '80s frill 'n' spandex thing like 'The Final Countdown' by Europe - and, magically, NOT BEING RUBBISH.
(Here's the video. It's computery.)
Forgive the shouting, but it's important in these Glee-ful times to point out that cheese and greatness can exist happily together. As happily as a moustache and Chris the bass player from Muse's face. In fact, what could be better than a song which, in its po-faced seriousness and howling dread, conjures up something as healthy as an attack of uncontrollable giggles? What better garnish for some hot rocking?
And which of us, Muse fan or not, can honestly say that they have NEVER reacted in this way to one of their more preposterous musical moments? Especially if you've been swept up in their grandiose, y'know, grandeur.
There's a bit in every good Muse song where the high street you are walking along suddenly becomes an arid plain. And then you find you are straddling a mighty steed, and you're holding a huge shiny broadsword aloft, and the clouds part and the sun comes out, and your rippling hairy torso (boys) or rippling hairy hair (girls) shines under its golden glow like a mirrorball. You are magic. You are light. You are INVINCIBLE!
Yesyesyes, that's another song entirely, but the point still stands. How could this not make you laugh? Oh sure, the BAND can't act like it's funny, or it wouldn't work. They have to play it totally straight. That's where the real hilarity is.
Which means it all comes down to having a good poker face after all. SEEITOLDYOUSO!
Download: Out now
CD Released: February 22nd
muse.mu
BBC Music page
(Fraser McAlpine)
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~15~RS~)
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To quote MUSE drummer Dom Howard "Not everyone gets the Monty Python aspect to our music, but it's there...We like to have an over-the-top bit in each album where we will laugh our heads off each time we hear it." The band said that they had more fun making this album than any previous albums. Any song that can pull off U2, Queen and claustrophobic Orwellian nightmares is good in my books.
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I had a little rant about how Muse have released the worst three individual tracks from the album somewhere else. I cba having it again.
They are all 4/5 star tracks however.
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So d'you reccomend buying the album Liam?
I probably should, give it a go before I go to Glastonbury, and if the singles are the worst songs I will buy it. What do people reckon, is it worth my hard-earned??
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Oh God yes. But then Muse are my Oasis.. so I would always recomend it.
Like any concept type album it works much better as a whole than as a collection of singles.
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Muse are always worth a buy, they just don't seem to do bad songs (although some songs aren't always as good as others)
This song was one of my favourites from the album and was really good when i saw them live. Definately one to not take too seriously though
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Does Catman only comment now when Muse release a single ?
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Oh he likes Jamie T too , oh... and Radiohead.
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Basically making him my soul mate.
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I wonder if Catman likes Glee ? That will be the clincher right ?
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That and Dixie Chicks yes.
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And if the Cat confesses to being entranced by the magnificence of Arcade Fire , we can book the village church for a June wedding , and all think about buying new hats !
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Ooh, I need a new hat! Who am I matching with?
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Great review! I completely agree and believe that it is one of Muse's great advantages that they don't mind being epic and yes, slightly cheesy. However it is important to take into account that in actual fact a lot of what is sung about and brought to light on The Resistance is actually deadly serious and therefore requires a certain amount of humour to make it palatable. It is the only way that songs such as United States Of Eurasia could possibly work, I mean it's as funny as globalisation, a completely scary and deadly serious issue can get. It is the only way anyone could possibly have listened to American Idiot a seriously dangerous and scary subject matter made fun in the spirit of rock 'n' roll. It may seem a funny comparison Muse and Green Day but what I am getting at is that humour is almost crucial to many a rock band's, (especially political ones) success. I Agree with your score keep up the good work!
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Thats all well and good George but we have a wedding to plan...;)
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Not sure if you understood everything correctly Jonesy..
To save some time. Arcade Fire? Dixie Chicks?
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Oh yes. The worst part is we don't know when the catman will strike again (well, comment) :(
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5/5 from me, but then that isn't really a surprise is it?
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I give the blog a rudimentary browse occasionally, but as I've pretty much stopped listening to radio 1 there are very few songs that I can actually comment on. Oh, and there are very few songs that I actually like
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Ha ha ! The Cat is back !
ME - OW !
The cat will return for the new JAMIE T single , Emily's Heart !
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If it gets a review, I doubt it will. It's the third (?) single from a long released album. Not heard it on the radio yet either. Shame really, as it's of course brilliant.
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Actually Emily's Heart is the fourth single from Kings and Queens, the third being The Man's Machine which sadly didn't chart, and is as you've correctly stated brilliant.
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I wrote this the day before Greg James made it his record of the week. Are you reading Greg?!?!
Its just a simply phenomenal album.
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