I'm not really sure how I missed out on Muse until this year. They are, after all, one of the most popular rock bands in Europe, if not the most popular. However, I can be a bit behind with the musical times (I'm still trying to figure out what this whole "Coldplay" business is about), so perhaps it's not that surprising that I never really listened to Muse until my friend Jacob introduced them to me in January. I'm still catching up on their back catalogue (I'm not that familiar with "Showbiz" or "The Origin of Symmetry" yet), but I absolutely love the marriage of technical ability and raw energy that is showcased on "Absolution" and "Black Holes and Revelations." With their latest album, "The Resistance," I was hoping for more of the marriage and more of the variety that keeps their other releases fresh and distinct.
I'm not entirely sure what I got, exactly.
I am sure that the album is flawed, but I'm also sure that the album is a great display of musicianship. I'm sure that the album is pretentiously epic, but I'm also quite positive that sometimes that works. Let me explain.
The first of the two most noticeable flaws in the album is the rather languid pace of almost every single song. It's almost a subconscious thing, but it's one that greatly affects the replay value. As I said before, "Absolution and "BHAR" both abounded with an unbridled verve that ripped through their fast-paced songs (see, for example, "Hysteria") and writhed just beneath the surface of their more laid back songs ("Starlight," "Supermassive Black Hole"). With "The Resistance," it seems like just the opposite. A musical haze seems to have settled over the arrangements this time around, with even the more energetic songs sounding like they could use a shot in the arm. A notable example of this is the first track and first single "Uprising," which, for all of its fight-the-power spirit and chunky guitar riffs, feels like it should pack a little bit more of a punch.
The other flaw that is immediately apparent is the attitude that the musical proceedings of the album's 54 minutes are big news. Every flourish seems to be an epic event to be accompanied by a choir and strings, many of the tracks have lyrics that vaguely suggest fighting the man (ironic considering the band's very in-the-mainstream status), and even the names of the songs suggest a bunch of pretentious art students dismissing the Philistines who dare to question their work. Seriously, "The United States of Eurasia," "Undisclosed Desires," "Unnatural Selection"? Tell me that doesn't sound like an abstract painting display, I dare you.
However, the album is not without its charm. Muse is still Muse, so you can expect quality arrangements and impressive musical chops. The album also gets better (and a bit more energetic) as it progresses, with the languor-free "MK Ultra" being a late highlight. The three part rock "symphony" is appropriately impressive, and I'm sure I will appreciate it even more with repeated listens (it purportedly features the talents of something like 40 different musicians). Is it in the range of greatness inhabited by the likes of "Absolution" and "BHAR"? No. Is it still worth a spin on the CD player once in a while? For sure.
In a way, there is a lone feature of the album that summarizes both its positive and negative aspects. That epic power ballads are the bread and butter of Muse is no question; indeed, some of the most over-the-top grandiose moments on the album (see the inner-Queen-coming-out "...Eurasia") are also the most fun. However, the complete abandonment of any sort of musical modesty on "The Resistance" makes for an album that almost wears you out and at times borders on self-parody. Muse has made good music many times before. This time, they've settled for good Muse-ic.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Thoughts on the future of Relient k
Relient k is an interesting band. The five-piece group, led by frontman Matt Thiessen, has shown marked musical progression since its mostly-bad-but-still-occasionally-charming eponymous debut album in 2000, and the band's commitment to release new music every year (a commitment that has only been broken once) means that there's always something new to listen to. The band's rise in proficiency is well documented, and Thiessen & Co.'s upward trending musical ability is matched by a simultaneous but gradual transition in the band's genre, progressing from garage punk to punk/pop to slick powerpop.
In short, Relient k has not been content with rehashing previous albums, and each release showcases a group that has grown more technical and production-savvy since the last outing. Thiessen's deft songwriting ability should put the icing on the cake of a band that has the chops to be successful without being dull and popular without being the lowest common denominator. And yet, their upcoming album, "Forget and Not Slow Down," may be the last RK album that I ever purchase.
There are a few reasons that my enthusiasm for the band has waned a bit. One reason might be as simple as the fact that it's not the same band that I went through high school with. The band's "classic lineup" began to disintegrate after their fourth (and best) album, 2004's "Mmhmm," with the departure of the original bassist, Brian Pittman. Longtime drummer Dave Douglas left after their next album, and the one-two departures (and the three replacements they spawned) have made the band seem like a revolving door of backups to Thiessen. Add that to the fact that the new members were already notable in the Christian music scene prior to their RK tenure, with resumes that include the likes of the Supertones, Audio Adrenaline, Ace Troubleshooter and others and sometimes it feels like a Christianized version of The All-Starr Band.
Another reason is that I'm not the same person who listened to Relient k in high school. While I would reject the notion that all of the band's music is targeted at the high school demographic, it's undeniable that most of their first three albums and much of their later work has appealed to that age group. I still appreciate Thiessen's inventive turns of phrase, but I don't always appreciate the subjects whose phrases he's turning. Likewise, as I progressed through college, my musical horizons continued to broaden. While I certainly recognize that the band is proficient at the mildly-fuzzy, radio friendly punk-lite of their early work, it's just not something that I'm that into anymore.
However, the primary reason that I'm contemplating leaving the RK fold after "Forget..." is that, though the band remains talented, it has not lived up to its potential.
The year is 2004. Relient k has released "Mmhmm" to much success, due in part to their decision to co-sign with Capitol Records in addition to their small Christian label, Gotee. The album is home to many current concert staples, including "Life After Death and Taxes," "I So Hate Consequences" and, of course, "Be My Escape." But it is more than just a commercial milestone for the group. It marks a transition in style and songwriting.
Thiessen had always been clever, but the lyrics on "Mmhmm" packed an emotional punch that was never reached in his prior work. With few exceptions, gone were the songs about 80s pop culture and... well, no, 80s pop culture about covered most of their silly songs, now that I think about it. In those songs' place were honest, insightful rockers covering the shortcomings that everyone faces. "Mmhmm" ended up being just what Relient k needed: it shot them to national prominence while establishing them as a band with musical chops and lyrical skill (for their genre, anyway). Their success allowed them more flexibility in the studio and more recognition from producers. That means better music, right?
Well, no, but it does mean better produced music. In 2007, the band released "Five Score and Seven Years Ago," which, while undeniably well executed, still seemed to come up short. The shortcomings of the album were only highlighted in the double album length "EP" of 2008, "The Bird and the Bee Sides" (attentive readers will note that this disc made my five best list of 2008. Subsequent listens have soured me on it to a certain extent).
The most obvious shortcoming is the fact that Thiessen often seems to undergo mental lapses in his writing. I'm not sure if I've ever come across another album that contains such a contrast between lyrical brilliance and lyrical dregs as "Five Score" does. Yet, as odd as it seems, "Deathbed," an 11 minute ballad that eloquently examines the life of a dying man, exists only seven tracks away from "Give Until There's Nothing Left," a sappy, simplistic throwaway that Thiessen had no business writing at all, let alone placing on an album.
The contrast remained on "The Bird...," with songs like "Curl Up and Die" and "The Stenographer" showcasing Thiessen's abilities while clunkers like "The Lining is Silver," "There Was Another Time in My Life" and "I Just Want You to Know" simultaneously undermined them. These tracks are repetitive and trite and seem like better produced songs from the band's infancy.
It's obvious that Thiessen is capable of consistently good songwriting. Perhaps he has become a little too self-confident in his talents, presuming that whatever flows from his pen is lyrical gold. I hope he wises up soon. I'm not too keen on albums where I consistently skip three tracks or more because of cruddy writing.
The other way that the band has failed to live up to its potential is its genre choice since "Mmhmm." While "Mmhmm" was their most energetic and riff-laden album yet, "Five Score" saw a foray into pop music that showed no signs of stopping when "The Bird..." came out. Now, there's nothing wrong with well-executed pop, and Relient k does execute it well, but their last two releases have sounded, as a general rule, just like any other band who can write well-executed pop. Their recent success has given them more musical flexibility, and they have responded by becoming more color-inside-the-lines commercial. They've reached a point where their popularity would survive and probably thrive in risk-taking, but instead they've taken no real risks. Their music sounds great, but there are fewer great sounds.
So, what does "Forget and Not Slow Down" need to do to hold my interest in Thiessen & Co.? Simple: it needs to showcase how talented the band is rather than how talented it could be. I want solid, creative lyrics and musical twists throughout. Maybe rock a little harder. They certainly are capable of it.
I'm cautiously hopeful that they will come through. The title track is up on Myspace, and it's not anything super-special, but the album blurb promises a more organic, rockier album than the past two efforts. Thiessen also advertises thoughtful lyrics, the result of sequestering himself in a backwoods lake house for over two months. The ingredients are there, but are the boys up to using them well?
We'll find out on October 6.
In short, Relient k has not been content with rehashing previous albums, and each release showcases a group that has grown more technical and production-savvy since the last outing. Thiessen's deft songwriting ability should put the icing on the cake of a band that has the chops to be successful without being dull and popular without being the lowest common denominator. And yet, their upcoming album, "Forget and Not Slow Down," may be the last RK album that I ever purchase.
There are a few reasons that my enthusiasm for the band has waned a bit. One reason might be as simple as the fact that it's not the same band that I went through high school with. The band's "classic lineup" began to disintegrate after their fourth (and best) album, 2004's "Mmhmm," with the departure of the original bassist, Brian Pittman. Longtime drummer Dave Douglas left after their next album, and the one-two departures (and the three replacements they spawned) have made the band seem like a revolving door of backups to Thiessen. Add that to the fact that the new members were already notable in the Christian music scene prior to their RK tenure, with resumes that include the likes of the Supertones, Audio Adrenaline, Ace Troubleshooter and others and sometimes it feels like a Christianized version of The All-Starr Band.
Another reason is that I'm not the same person who listened to Relient k in high school. While I would reject the notion that all of the band's music is targeted at the high school demographic, it's undeniable that most of their first three albums and much of their later work has appealed to that age group. I still appreciate Thiessen's inventive turns of phrase, but I don't always appreciate the subjects whose phrases he's turning. Likewise, as I progressed through college, my musical horizons continued to broaden. While I certainly recognize that the band is proficient at the mildly-fuzzy, radio friendly punk-lite of their early work, it's just not something that I'm that into anymore.
However, the primary reason that I'm contemplating leaving the RK fold after "Forget..." is that, though the band remains talented, it has not lived up to its potential.
The year is 2004. Relient k has released "Mmhmm" to much success, due in part to their decision to co-sign with Capitol Records in addition to their small Christian label, Gotee. The album is home to many current concert staples, including "Life After Death and Taxes," "I So Hate Consequences" and, of course, "Be My Escape." But it is more than just a commercial milestone for the group. It marks a transition in style and songwriting.
Thiessen had always been clever, but the lyrics on "Mmhmm" packed an emotional punch that was never reached in his prior work. With few exceptions, gone were the songs about 80s pop culture and... well, no, 80s pop culture about covered most of their silly songs, now that I think about it. In those songs' place were honest, insightful rockers covering the shortcomings that everyone faces. "Mmhmm" ended up being just what Relient k needed: it shot them to national prominence while establishing them as a band with musical chops and lyrical skill (for their genre, anyway). Their success allowed them more flexibility in the studio and more recognition from producers. That means better music, right?
Well, no, but it does mean better produced music. In 2007, the band released "Five Score and Seven Years Ago," which, while undeniably well executed, still seemed to come up short. The shortcomings of the album were only highlighted in the double album length "EP" of 2008, "The Bird and the Bee Sides" (attentive readers will note that this disc made my five best list of 2008. Subsequent listens have soured me on it to a certain extent).
The most obvious shortcoming is the fact that Thiessen often seems to undergo mental lapses in his writing. I'm not sure if I've ever come across another album that contains such a contrast between lyrical brilliance and lyrical dregs as "Five Score" does. Yet, as odd as it seems, "Deathbed," an 11 minute ballad that eloquently examines the life of a dying man, exists only seven tracks away from "Give Until There's Nothing Left," a sappy, simplistic throwaway that Thiessen had no business writing at all, let alone placing on an album.
The contrast remained on "The Bird...," with songs like "Curl Up and Die" and "The Stenographer" showcasing Thiessen's abilities while clunkers like "The Lining is Silver," "There Was Another Time in My Life" and "I Just Want You to Know" simultaneously undermined them. These tracks are repetitive and trite and seem like better produced songs from the band's infancy.
It's obvious that Thiessen is capable of consistently good songwriting. Perhaps he has become a little too self-confident in his talents, presuming that whatever flows from his pen is lyrical gold. I hope he wises up soon. I'm not too keen on albums where I consistently skip three tracks or more because of cruddy writing.
The other way that the band has failed to live up to its potential is its genre choice since "Mmhmm." While "Mmhmm" was their most energetic and riff-laden album yet, "Five Score" saw a foray into pop music that showed no signs of stopping when "The Bird..." came out. Now, there's nothing wrong with well-executed pop, and Relient k does execute it well, but their last two releases have sounded, as a general rule, just like any other band who can write well-executed pop. Their recent success has given them more musical flexibility, and they have responded by becoming more color-inside-the-lines commercial. They've reached a point where their popularity would survive and probably thrive in risk-taking, but instead they've taken no real risks. Their music sounds great, but there are fewer great sounds.
So, what does "Forget and Not Slow Down" need to do to hold my interest in Thiessen & Co.? Simple: it needs to showcase how talented the band is rather than how talented it could be. I want solid, creative lyrics and musical twists throughout. Maybe rock a little harder. They certainly are capable of it.
I'm cautiously hopeful that they will come through. The title track is up on Myspace, and it's not anything super-special, but the album blurb promises a more organic, rockier album than the past two efforts. Thiessen also advertises thoughtful lyrics, the result of sequestering himself in a backwoods lake house for over two months. The ingredients are there, but are the boys up to using them well?
We'll find out on October 6.
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