![]() ![]() They can either continue down that path and refine what they’d originally come up with, perhaps even re-welcoming those who’d previously lost interest down the road, or make the flip to pop where the safe bet lies after all, The 2nd Law’s stock has only gone up over time, so what harm can it do? Well, judging by how telling the artwork juxtaposed with the sound of early singles is, it can do plenty, especially when the ‘80s aesthetic has been co-opted as a front for flimsy pop with none of the style or garish retro cool the cover clearly wants to convey. While Drones was an intriguing return to harder rock at first, time has not been kind to it, both musically and lyrically, and that’s led to Muse arriving at something of a crossroads. With bands of their size – as in legit stadium-fillers with all the money in the world at their disposal – going back to the sound that made them good in the first place without some hefty concessions is a total pipe dream, and that’s something this trio have typified with minimal hassle. Granted the bar was not set too high by Drones and the 2nd Law, Simulation Theory should appease both Muse fans of old as well as continue to grow their legions.It gets to a point with Muse where giving up seems like the only valid option. ![]() The track still works on some level unlike the Timbaland produced “Propaganda” which sounds somewhere in between Queen and Prince before some acoustic slide guitar completely breaks that vibe.ĭespite the failed experimentations and a few overly sweet chart-grabs, Simulation Theory has enough high points to vault it to “the best Muse record of this decade” status. Closing track, “The Void” sounds like 80’s video game music until a piano-ballad breaks out a minute before the song ends. ![]() There are a couple songs that really make you wonder what Muse are thinking. “Pressure” is similarly guitar-driven but a little poppier it should still appeals to fans of Muse’s earlier work. With greater commitment to guitar work and an 80s vibe that matches the album’s Stranger Things-esque cover, the song harkens back to Absolution-era Muse. On the other hand, “The Dark Side” shows restraint in not losing what has made Muse. The hand-clapped beat of the verses give way to a chorus that sounds more like Imagine Dragon than anything Muse has ever done it ends up feeling aspartame sweet which is saying something considering other tracks on the album are co-written by pop royalty like Timbaland and Shellback who most recently co-wrote nine songs on Taylor Swift‘s Reputation. “Thought Contagion,” the highest charting single from the album, is the band at their most poppy and least Muse-y. If you have paid attention to the parade of singles released leading up to the album, you have already heard the range of Muse pop songs and pure attempts at chart-topping. Their last album, Drones, maybe showcased Muse at their worst on their eighth album, Simulation Theory, the band attempts to correct that to varying success. ![]() What makes a Muse album good or bad is if they manage to incorporate their sci-fi themes without being cheesy, if they can contain their grandiosity so it sounds more like arena rock than Rush fan-fiction, and if they can write pop songs without sounding like they are pandering to the charts. It is a Muse album therefore it is inherently ridiculous. To read a record review that calls a Muse album “ridiculous” feels redundant. ![]()
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