Late to the Party: Muse

Building my musical foundation on the likes of Pink Floyd, Led Zepplin, The Beatles, and Radiohead it’s amazing that a band like Muse could slip entirely under my radar until recently. Filled with all of the depth and fortitude, drama and excitement, creativity and precision of these others, the English trio brings with them a sound that, while bearing similarities, also brings an incredible amount of originality.

Looking to pinhole Muse into one specific category would prove to be a nearly impossible task. They certainly don’t span every genre, but they do touch enough that labeling them with one would be a disservice. Undoubtedly a rock base, they weave their way in and out of alternative (watch: “Knights of Cydonia“), drama (watch: “Time Is Running Out“) and space rock, metal (watch: “Stockholm Syndrome“), electronica, and classical, and amazingly enough there isn’t one moment in any of these when it seems like they’re not in the right place.

School friends Matthew Bellamy (lead vocals, guitars, piano, keyboards, keytar), Dominic Howard (drums, percussion, synthesisers, sampling, harmtar) and Christopher Wolstenholme (bass, backing vocals, keyboards, guitars, harmonica) are able to produce a sound much fuller than their numbers would suggest. Yes, they unabashedly take advantage of multi-tracking in the studio, but even live (often joined by multi-instrumentalist Morgan Nicholls), they are able to fill the venue with an intense and energetic aura that is truly amazing.

Looking for the closest similarities, Radiohead and Queen instantly come to mind. Bellamy exudes some of the same vocal characteristics as Thom Yorke, and the band’s frequent use of multi-part harmonies along with emotional composition and emphatic climaxes will definitely take you back to the days of A Night at the Opera. But that’s not all. Bellamy’s vocals could easily just be compared to those of Rufus Wainwright, and, as a band, there are definitely tones of Keane, Coldplay, The Killers, a even a tad of Weezer, among many others.

Since 1999, the band has put out five studio albums, all of which are exemplary. The most recent, however, Black Holes and Revelations, easily takes the cake. From the opening track (watch: “Take a Bow“) they are right in your face and don’t ease up for even a second. It’s not surprising that it’s this same album that earned them a Mercury Prize nomination as well as ranking of third in the NME Albums of the Year list for 2006. They are hoping to release their sixth album in the fall of 2012.

Most of the people I’ve talked to either have never heard of Muse or know a song or two from the radio but have never really explored them with any purpose. The packed stadiums clearly indicate I have not spoken with the masses, but to those who fall into the categories above, do yourself a favor and give them a(nother) chance. There is far too much good in what they do to be ignored.