MUSE: Simulation Theory
When it comes to rock and roll, I try not to let the larger critical consensus color my own opinion of an artist. But sometimes, that snooty consensus is so baffling or frustrating that I can’t help but react to it in my own critical evaluation. I’ll never understand, for example, how a band as mild and unchallenging as The Strokes became so critically beloved. Along those lines, I’m not quite sure when it became fashionable to dismiss a band as adventurous as Muse.
Their eighth album Simulation Theory has already been called “clunky” and “derivative” by one of the writers over at Rolling Stone. (One could argue that Rolling Stone has always been slow to recognize great bands with their clunky, derivative music reviews, but that’s a different column.) I will say this for the unbiased readers out there: If you’re already a Muse fan, you’ll be impressed. Simulation Theory is one of their strongest albums.
Sure, the larger themes have not changed: technology, oppression, paranoia and dehumanization still haunt the lyrics. But come on, you’re not really listening for Matt Bellamy’s socio-political warnings. You’re listening for the huge technicolor pop-rock hooks. And there are few bands left in modern rock who embrace the hooks with such shameless, skillful glee.
Granted, most Muse albums are top-heavy with anthems, and tend to fall off in the second half. Their 2009 smash The Resistance was a textbook example of how to start huge, only to lose steam one track at a time. Simulation Theory may not be their best or their breakthrough, but it might actually be the most consistent record they’ve ever made.
Album opener Algorithm sets the table with a great big Blade Runner-sized synth beat. The Dark Side is a nice smooth extension of that beat, which is in turn followed by the muscular yet danceable Pressure. There’s a groovy progression to these songs that rewards a complete listen, even in places where the lyrics are a little predictable or samey. Tenth track Dig Down has been around for a while- first hitting radio over a year and a half ago. But the track makes more sense here as an album wind-down than it did as a preview.
And for anybody who dismisses Muse just because their latter-day singles might not be as raw and aggressive as, say, Stockholm Syndrome, I would encourage you to tune out reviews- even this one- and start fresh. You’ll probably love some of the deep cuts- Stand Up And Fight could have been written for the Absolution era. Sure, the vibe is irony-drenched-new-wave-cyberpunk, but the songwriting is still damn good rock and roll.
B+
