Tired of listening to the same songs over and over again on the radio? Are you looking for some brand new music to listen to? Then the new Muse album, The 2nd Law, is the perfect solution to your musical conundrum!
Founded in 1994 in Teignmouth, England, by Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme, and Dominic Howard, Muse is not a newcomer to the music scene. Despite previously releasing the albums Showbiz, Origin of Symmetry, Absolution, and Black Holes and Revelations, Muse didn’t gain the U.S. listener’s full attention until the release of their album The Resistance, containing their popular single “Uprising,” which reached #1 on the Billboard Alternative Rock Chart.
Muse followed this success with their sixth studio album, The 2nd Law. Style wise, this album is a far cry from their previous heavy-rock/alternative style, but they pulled off this change with ease. The 2nd Law varies from slower, dreamy songs like “Save Me” and “Explorers” to intense, energetic songs such as “Liquid State” and “Supremacy.” Muse also makes a drastic style change by incorporating a more electronic influence into songs like “Unsustainable” and “Follow Me.”
But did The 2nd Law live up to expectations? The album reached #1 on the UK Charts and #2 on The Billboard Top 200, the Rock Chart, and the Alternative Chart. It is also one of Muse’s highest charting albums.
What do Southern Lehigh’s students think of “The 2nd Law”?
“One thing I’ve noticed about music today is that it’s techno-y,” junior Tessa Brennan said. “I’ve noticed Muse has brought that into their music, but they keep their alternative rock style instead of turning to pop.”
Although Brennan liked the new album, some people missed Muse’s previous style.
“I think that this was the most important album in their career and it lived up to most of the hype that people had,” junior Eric Scott said. “Personally, I prefer some of the earlier albums such as Absolution and Black Holes and Revelations because those albums were heavier rock music than Muse is now.”
Overall, The 2nd Law is a successful and an interesting change in Muse’s career. Although it’s not perfect, and some may miss the older Muse, the album lived up to expectations. By incorporating popular music aspects into hard rock music, Muse has changed the standard for alternative bands in the future.
With The 2nd Law setting the bar for Muse’s unpredictable style, one can only wonder what they will do next.
