Print
CD review: Muse’s ‘The 2nd Law’
Wed, Oct 10, 2012 (5:31 p.m.)
The Details
- Muse
- The 2nd Law
Muse’s insistence on pushing the boundaries of rock ’n’ roll is both frustrating and admirable. The trio’s ambition can lead to some incredible music (see: 2006’s Black Holes and Revelations). but the execution of its grandiose vision often comes at the expense of creative focus.
Exhibit A: Muse’s sixth album, The 2nd Law. Between its windswept strings, snarled riffs and electronic sparks, the record has a lot of great moments—futuristic, blippy anthem “Follow Me,” the piano-driven, minimalist “The 2nd Law: Isolated System,” the Viking-march dubstep of “The 2nd Law: Unsustainable” and funky, bass-heavy standout “Panic Station,” which sounds like a hybrid of Duran Duran and late-’80s Cure. Still, The 2nd Law never gains momentum or fully connects.
If anything, bassist Chris Wolstenholme provides the album’s clearest moments. His stoner-rock stampede “Liquid State” and delicate, Brit-poppy guitar ballad “Save Me,” at least, are affecting and concise.
digg
reddit
Newsvine
Fark
E-mail
Discussion:
In an effort to increase the dialogue on our stories, we will be requiring Facebook accounts to leave comments on lasvegasweekly.com stories. We believe that Weekly readers are likely to have Facebook accounts already and more apt to comment on this site with that account rather than have to create an account with us. If, however, you do not have a Facebook account, click here to sign up for one. If you have questions, comments or concerns about this new commenting policy, please let us know.
For any other questions related to commenting on Weekly stories, please read our full policy.