January 26, 201114 yr That arguement doesn't even make any sense........ What exactly is your objection? That they're actually playing stadiums (in support of bands like Muse) and large European festivals....? It did make sense... he was saying that they set out to specifically write material for a purpose rather than just setting out with a few ideas and seeing where and how the song naturally progresses. As such it doesn't feel as though it is written from the heart but instead feels like it is made firmly from the (calculated) mind... and is hence contrived.
January 26, 201114 yr It did make sense... he was saying that they set out to specifically write material for a purpose rather than just setting out with a few ideas and seeing where and how the song naturally progresses. As such it doesn't feel as though it is written from the heart but instead feels like it is made firmly from the (calculated) mind... and is hence contrived. Some bands just write big, that's their style. Muse post-Showbiz are a classic example, do you think Origin of Symmetry sounds contrived?
January 26, 201114 yr I find the arrangements on Origin Of Symmetry to be more inventive and unusual than the typical tracks found on the White Lies albums to date. I do find a lot of Muse's music to be contrived in a way though, yes. BUT I tend to find that they fit more of a concept album styling than anything else, it's clearly designed to sound a certain way but as a whole doesn't remind me of countless other bands and hence doesn't come across as being as bland.
January 27, 201114 yr Some bands just write big, that's their style. Muse post-Showbiz are a classic example, do you think Origin of Symmetry sounds contrived? Precisely, I think it's a bit ridiculous to complain about White Lies being "contrived" because they think big and write big on the one hand, and then praise Muse, who are even more bombastic and "stadium", and frankly I would argue that several songs on Showbiz were pretty bombastic too, they've never exactly been shrinking violets..... Similarly, White Lies have dealt with weighty themes themselves, of love, death and the meaning of existence on the debut, in fact, what's the name of the first track on the debut? Errrr, "Death"..... Why do you think so many goths and metallers like them? Next we'll have people complaining about Iron Maiden writing long guitar solos.... lol
January 27, 201114 yr It did make sense... he was saying that they set out to specifically write material for a purpose rather than just setting out with a few ideas and seeing where and how the song naturally progresses. As such it doesn't feel as though it is written from the heart but instead feels like it is made firmly from the (calculated) mind... and is hence contrived. It could also just mean that they're actually merely focussed and have an idea where they want the band to be at... Nothing wrong with a band having a bit of focus surely.... Matt Bellamy certainly does, probably even more precise and refined as well due to the fact he's classically trained...
January 27, 201114 yr That arguement doesn't even make any sense........ What exactly is your objection? That they're actually playing stadiums (in support of bands like Muse) and large European festivals....? My point is that there isn't anything natural to them. Writing songs with the intention of being stadium fillers without naturally coming to that conclusion with time or through evolution. Their music suffers because it's so contrived and takes the Kings of Leon path to success. How can you be anything other than empty vessel when you're writing songs purely to be a MASSIVE SUCCESS? It's all meaningless.
January 27, 201114 yr Also there's a BIG difference between Muse and White Lies?! Muse have taken a natural and organic path in their evolution. By all means think big but when it takes over as your preliminary focus the lyrics suffer as the Pitchfork review noted. Grandiose, empty songs by a band trying too hard.
January 27, 201114 yr The only connection between Muse and White Lies as far as I can see is that Muse were always better when they were known as Queen, and White Lies were far more pleasant on the ears as Joy Division.....
January 28, 201114 yr The only connection between Muse and White Lies as far as I can see is that Muse were always better when they were known as Queen, and White Lies were far more pleasant on the ears as Joy Division..... Yeah, yeah, the lazy comparisons again, yes, we all know Muse are influenced by Queen (but there's a hell of a lot more to them than that which you choose to ignore), What's your next revelation, Herr Razinger's a Catholic? As for the White Lies/Joy Division comparisons, not only are those lazy, but woefully innaccurate. Joy Division were the very definition of sparseness, minimalism, etc, White Lies are bombastic, Stadium-friendly, Gloom Rock, with big, sing-along, lighters-in-the-air choruses. I simply do not see ANY connection to Joy Division anywhere. What, every bunch of grim looking young men who wear black shirts are to be automatically compared to Joy Division? Oh, come on...... If any comparison is to be made, I would suggest Teardrop Explodes or Echo and The Bunnymen, with the stadium pretentions of someone like Simple Minds, but absolutely never Joy Division...
January 28, 201114 yr Yeah, yeah, the lazy comparisons again, yes, we all know Muse are influenced by Queen (but there's a hell of a lot more to them than that which you choose to ignore), What's your next revelation, Herr Razinger's a Catholic? As for the White Lies/Joy Division comparisons, not only are those lazy, but woefully innaccurate. Joy Division were the very definition of sparseness, minimalism, etc, White Lies are bombastic, Stadium-friendly, Gloom Rock, with big, sing-along, lighters-in-the-air choruses. I simply do not see ANY connection to Joy Division anywhere. What, every bunch of grim looking young men who wear black shirts are to be automatically compared to Joy Division? Oh, come on...... If any comparison is to be made, I would suggest Teardrop Explodes or Echo and The Bunnymen, with the stadium pretentions of someone like Simple Minds, but absolutely never Joy Division... Agreed. There are plenty of bands who have obviously been influenced by their parents' Joy Division collection but I wouldn't put White Lies in that category. Simple Minds, Echo and the Bunnymen, yes, but not Joy Division. Teardrop Explodes? Certainly songs like Bigger Than Us can be said to owe something to Julian Cope but what's wrong with that?
January 28, 201114 yr Half of the last Muse album sounded like Queen b-sides.... and not great-era Queen, either. Muse are the band equivalent of Ministry of Sound - lots of smoke, flashy lights, bombast, pretension - but when you actually get in there - it's an empty space, devoid of anything real, original or meaningful. Hilariously overblown.... nothingness. I agree on Teardrop Explodes / White Lies, though - perhaps it's a shame the band were so keen to talk about Joy Divisio in their early inerviews, maybe......
January 28, 201114 yr As for the White Lies/Joy Division comparisons, not only are those lazy, but woefully innaccurate. Joy Division were the very definition of sparseness, minimalism, etc, White Lies are bombastic, Stadium-friendly, Gloom Rock, with big, sing-along, lighters-in-the-air choruses. I simply do not see ANY connection to Joy Division anywhere. What, every bunch of grim looking young men who wear black shirts are to be automatically compared to Joy Division? Oh, come on...... If any comparison is to be made, I would suggest Teardrop Explodes or Echo and The Bunnymen, with the stadium pretentions of someone like Simple Minds, but absolutely never Joy Division... I'm inclined to agree, I do find that the intro to "Bigger Than Us" reminds me a lot of Joy Division's "Transmission" though.
January 28, 201114 yr I'm inclined to agree, I do find that the intro to "Bigger Than Us" reminds me a lot of Joy Division's "Transmission" though. Well, Transmission starts with a bass intro, Bigger Than Us is a synth motif. I guess there's a similarity in as far as it's the same incessant note repeated, but, apart from that.... When I listen to the vocals though, I'm not thinking Ian Curtis, I'm thinking Julian Cope or Ian Mcculloch.... It's a tad strange for the band themselves want to talk about JD I'm early interviews, when the song "To Lose My Life", which is the fan favourite, clearly lifts a bass-line off Jesus and Mary Chain.. Oh well.... I actually find people's attempts on this thread to drive a wedge between Muse and White Lies funny... As artists, they are basically serving a similar function in a lot of wayside, and, personally, I love em both.... Lol....
January 30, 201114 yr Strangers is the next single. I'm personally quite pleased, what does everyone else think?
January 30, 201114 yr Strangers is the next single. I'm personally quite pleased, what does everyone else think? It's one of my favourite tracks from the album. However, as Bigger Than Us wasn't a hit, I'm not sure any other track will do any better :(
March 22, 201114 yr Half of the last Muse album sounded like Queen b-sides.... and not great-era Queen, either. Muse are the band equivalent of Ministry of Sound - lots of smoke, flashy lights, bombast, pretension - but when you actually get in there - it's an empty space, devoid of anything real, original or meaningful. Hilariously overblown.... nothingness. This is the best definition of Muse I've ever read. I do like them a bit though.
December 14, 201113 yr Thought I'd revive this as I saw them tonight. Setlist: Strangers To Lose My Life Is Love E.S.T. Holy Ghost Streetlights The Price of Love Farewell To The Fairground A Place To Hide Peace and Quiet From The Stars Come Down Taxidermy Death Unfinished Business The Power and the Glory Bigger Than Us I think. Some bits may be slightly jumbled. It's nice to see a band whose two albums are 10 tracks each to be able to throw eight from each in and it not to feel filler-ish. They did choose the four songs to drop very well (Fifty Our Foreheads, Nothing To Hide, Turn The Bells and Bad Love) but the stuff I've never been that fussed about from "Ritual" ("The Power and the Glory" in particular) really came alive live. Everything on the début is produced with such bluster that it was never going to sound flat, the only song where attention waned was "Come Down" because it's so minimalist. I would imagine that with future tours they'll shift "Bigger Than Us" to the front of the setlist, it couldn't help but feel a slight anticlimax given how amazing "Death" is live. It's the perfect set closer but if they have a single as good as BTU with each new album to close shows with I'm not going to complain. Listening to "Ritual" again, I've begun to notice more contrasts with "To Lose My Life". The lyrics are noticeably ropier but it was quite daring to strip back the production - in relative terms at least - for half of the album. It's a shame some tracks don't really bring the hooks so you're just left with a very cheesy line to carry the song ("Turn The Bells", I'm looking at you) but it's more encouraging in its way than the weaker stuff on "To Lose My Life" being coated in swathes of windswept production. More confident, certainly.
December 15, 201113 yr The only connection between Muse and White Lies as far as I can see is that Muse were always better when they were known as Queen, and White Lies were far more pleasant on the ears as Joy Division..... how is that a connection? Muse's whole career could be summed up in 6 minutes - it's called Innuendo. Love Muse though. Thoroughly entertaining at home and in the stadium. Edited December 15, 201113 yr by tonyttt31
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