Muse - v. Will of the People (rel Aug 26, 2022)

[Pettor]

Some of the songs I truly adore, some are a chore to listen to.

Oh yes. Brake it to Me and Something Human comes to mind. I haven't been able to go from start to finish without skipping to next song or jumping a bit.

Kinda like Dig Down (Gospel version). And there are some cool parts here and there. Not my kind of album but I guess a lot of people can enjoy the variation and 80s sound

[Ninjabait]

Yo this album's weird as hell I love it

Highlights: Propaganda, Break it to Me, Something Human, Thought Contagion, Algorithm (Alternate Reality Version), Get Up and Fight (in the minority on this one), Blockades, The Dark Side

Up there with OoS and 2nd Law as one of my favorite Muse albums, but imo it doesn't quite reach the levels of either. Much better than Drones tho! Probably in my running for aoty along with Charlie Puth, The Algorithm, and Gleb Kolyadin.

Not a bad song on the album imo, even Dig Down is listenable (even tho I don't love it). The Alternate Reality Version of Algorithm should've just been the regular version. It's miles better. Both versions of Pressure are good, but they feel like they're missing something. Propaganda and Break it to Me are Top 10 Muse songs for me easily.

Gonna spin it til I'm sick of it

[ariich]

Only listened once so far but I dig it. They've really gone out with the 80s synthpop vibe and they merge it with modern pop/rock stylings pretty well. Not as well as Gunship, but still some very cool stuff.

[KevShmev]

It was an odd first listen for me, since I already knew and had on mp3 the five songs released prior to yesterday. So I listened to a new album where I already knew nearly half of the album.  The new songs (to me) ranged from pretty good to kinda weak; that was my first impression.  More listens to come, but I didn't come away feeling excited about this record.  I love the 80's and nods to it are always welcome, but time will tell if they did a successful job of channeling 80's nostalgia in a good way from a total album standpoint.

[Fritzinger]

I am super pissed at the Muse online store.

I pre-ordered the thing over 1,5 months ago and now (2 days after the release date!) IT'S STILL NOT SHIPPED.

God I'm happy that most of my favourite bands are smaller bands because those bands somehow manage to get their shit together with these things. I have never received a late order from insideout. Plus, Muse have such a HUGE budget for everything they do.

[Mladen]

Pressure, Thought contagion and The Dark side are great songs.

I could honestly live without hearing any of the other stuff ever again. Stylistically, melodically and in terms of structure, these are some of their most underwhelming and unimaginative songs. Even the tunes that push some boundaries feature elements that are quite unpleasant to my ears, such as Break it to me. I also hate to single out Propaganda and Get up and fight are two of their most generic, mediocre tracks, musically and lyrically.

It's always a shame when one of your favorite bands drops what in your opinion is their worst album. It happened to me with Weezer last year and has already happened with The Decemberists this year. To be fair, it's astounding that the band maintained such a strong streak of albums from Showbiz to Drones, I honestly think that even my lesser favorites of those albums are still very good. This one, however, is way bellow any of those.

[KevShmev]

After a few more listens, I'll be surprised if the new album isn't my least favorite Muse record.  Maybe it'll overtake Showbiz (which is half really good/half forgettable), but so far it cannot touch any record since. Despite the haters, I love The 2nd Law and Drones.  I cannot call the new record bad, as it does have some songs I really like, but overall it just seems...lacking.

[nattmorker]

This is the first Muse album I listened from start to finish (I'm more of a casual fan), I really dig some songs, but I didn't like the run Propaganda-Something human. Maybe this is not the best album to start for me.

[KevShmev]

This is the first Muse album I listened from start to finish (I'm more of a casual fan), I really dig some songs, but I didn't like the run Propaganda-Something human. Maybe this is not the best album to start for me.

I would recommend starting with one of the earlier albums, but there is much to like about every Muse record.

The new one is slowly growing on me.  I doubt it will be a favorite, but it's a fun little record.

[Samsara]

Going to see Muse next year. The Mrs. got us tickets for our local show. I'm not a huge fan, but I like them. But I heard the show is spectacular, and the wife is a fan, so it should be a good time.

[KevShmev]

Yep, you'll have a blast.  Muse always puts on a great show, and so many of their songs just scream out for audience participation, so a good time is impossible to not have a Muse concert.

[KevShmev]

How is everyone liking the new album?  I spun it a couple times lately and still really like it.  It might not be their best, but it's a very fun album, with hooks everywhere.  Muse never disappoints.

[SoundscapeMN]

a lot of it is overproduced, but that is not unusual for Muse.

The best moments on this album are how they feel like a love-letter to the 80's. The singles are probably still my favorites.

[ariich]

I'm still digging the album plenty. Lots of fun, pretty different and an overall solid if unexceptional Muse album.

[KevShmev]

I am a big fan of both Dead Inside and Uprising, but Algorithm is their most kick ass opening track on a studio album since Take a Bow.

[jakepriest]

Imo it's the worst Muse album by far. I can't stand the over the top cheese style they've chosen for this album, only the album closer is actually a decent track.

[RodrigoAltaf]

I am a completist of certain bands, and Muse is one of them. But I'm resisting to churn out almost 15 dollars for this garbage.

[Metro]

I get what they were going for on this album, but it's not for me. It takes all the things I dislike about modern Muse and cranks them up to 11. Some of these songs are downright awful. I think Propaganda is the worst song they've ever done. Worse than Execution Commentary. Dig Down is pretty bad too. This is absolutely their worst album.

I guess this is how Rush fans felt in the 80's when they went Synth. Oh well. I'm still looking forward to the next one. This doesn't sound anything like Drones and I don't suspect the next album will sound like this.

[Fritzinger]

I am a big fan of both Dead Inside and Uprising, but Algorithm is their most kick ass opening track on a studio album since Take a Bow.

I agree! Sets the mood perfectly.

I think their worst opening track is Dead Inside. Not that the song is bad, but this is a classic second song on an album for me. Drill Sergeant and Psycho would have made a better opener imo.

[KevShmev]

Psycho (despite those awful lyrics) would have been a more appropriate opener on a normal album, but given the concept of the album, Dead Inside works perfectly. 

Dig Down and Propaganda are the two iffy songs on the new album for me, but while I never seek either out on their own, neither makes me reach for the skip button.

[jakepriest]

Dead Inside is actually my favourite track off Drones. Psycho is terrible in every aspect, the main riff worked well live as an addon to Stockholm Syndrome, but it's way too repetitive for a standalone song imo.

[Mladen]

I remember being almost thrilled with Psycho when it first dropped. Nowadays, I find it cringey sometimes.

[Fritzinger]

I was very disappointed when Psycho was released (in 2014 I still listened to singles) and I still find the lyrics very cringeworthy. But it still would have made a better opener than Dead Inside. And while I'm complaining, Mercy is a huge Starlight ripoff and its main chord progression just doesn't work for me.
Drones gets better in the second half in my opinion. Revolt, Aftermath, The Globalist and Drones are awesome.

[Mladen]

The last three songs on Drones are where it's at for me. Some of the rockier bits are also pretty cool, though.

[KevShmev]

I'm a huge fan of Defector.  I always liked that song a lot, but it has become a major favorite of mine. 

Mercy is a big ball of cheese, but it's just so catchy and was a ton of fun live.  I can't help but like it.

[KevShmev]

Good to see that Take a Bow is a regular part of the set list on their current tour in Europe.

Still liking Simulation Theory a lot, despite a few average tunes. 

Now...can we get another U.S. tour with a St. Louis date, please?

[Implode]

I saw them when they were in Chicago. Was really pleased that they played Take a Bow. I never expected to hear that live.

[KevShmev]

I always have trouble deciding on a single song by Muse as my favorite, but there are a handful always in the conversation, and Take a Bow is one of those songs, along with Map of the Problematique, Apocalypse Please, Knights of Cydonia, Butterflies and Hurricanes, Stockholm Syndrome and New Born.

[Fritzinger]

I love Take A Bow, definitely their best album beginning for me. But it works perfectly as an opener only with Starlight. That apocalyptic, weird monster of a song, ending in that noise, followed by the upbeat song Starlight - just perfect.

[Pettor]

Take a Bow is the song that best stands the test of time for me. After the movie Watchman they did a orchestral version that I feel few have heard:

https://youtu.be/RhUPEpJN590

Goosebumps!

[KevShmev]

Take a Bow is the song that best stands the test of time for me. After the movie Watchman they did a orchestral version that I feel few have heard:

https://youtu.be/RhUPEpJN590

Goosebumps!

That was pretty cool.  A little overdone, and I would never listen to it over the original, but still pretty cool.

I love Take A Bow, definitely their best album beginning for me. But it works perfectly as an opener only with Starlight. That apocalyptic, weird monster of a song, ending in that noise, followed by the upbeat song Starlight - just perfect.

Agreed. That way it runs into the beginning of Starlight is so good.

[SoundscapeMN]

bump.

interesting little animated doc from Lies Likes Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPfHEZmJVPI&t=0s

[WildRanger]

In your opinion did Muse rip off the main riff in "Hyper Music" from RATM's "Snakecharmer"?

[Elite]

In my opinion, without having heard either song, they did not.

[Elite]

Just listened to both tracks and I have heard Hyper Music before.

The riffs are slightly similar (nice find, I guess!), but also too different from one another to be considered a 'rip off', which in essence is a stupid thing in music anyway.