The Vinyl Brew: Muse - Black Holes & Revelations

 Shiny Day Brewers,

As this is the final weekend before the kids head back to school and they are enjoying that last bit of summer freedom, I am going to sit down by my player to enjoy some peace and quiet for the next hour. This week we are jumping on board the time machine to head back to 2006 to listen through to today’s artist’s fourth studio album. With a now iconic sound, we are sharing our cup of tea with Black Holes and Revelations by English rock band Muse.

Muse were formed in 2004 in Devon, England. Their first three albums saw the band build on their alt-rock sound with classical influences and had seen them gain quite the reputation as an energetic live act. ‘Black Holes and Revelations’ saw the band move in a new direction musically, incorporating more electronic and pop elements into their sound; a sound which would help them garner a wider fan base. Like all their previous albums the bands lyrics featured political and dystopian undertones but also some pure love songs.

I had listened to the previous albums, but it was not until ‘Black Holes and Revelations’ that Muse completely blew me away. If that means I prefer a more mainstream sound from the stadium rock group, well I’m ok with that. This exploration of sound would bring them to a wider audience and was still like nothing else out there at the time. It was a wall of sound that came at you but not to overwhelm you, no this sound came to move you. With tracks along the lines of “Super Massive Black Hole” and “Knights of Cydonia” this was a band producing their best work and creating on a scale their sound deserved.

If you ever get a chance to see Muse live, then I couldn’t urge you enough to grab the opportunity as they never disappoint. Obviously since its release Black Holes and Revelations has featured on a lot of best album lists and rightfully so. If you are new to Muse and are not sure what to expect then just head in with an open mind. They are big on sound and are undeniably a band that has mastered their art. I’m usually a big believer in listening to bands from their debut but if you’re going to add one Muse album to your collection I think Black Holes and Revelations should be the one, as I know it will only whet your appetite for more from this set of amazing musicians.

It's always amazing to discover new music and I hope that some of our weekly chats have introduced you to bands or artists that may not have been on your radar. As such we’d love to hear some bands you’re listening to that may not be on our radar. Head over to our Twitter, @Vinyl8Records, and tell us what we should have on rotation. As always we need something to play us out and after everything I’ve said we are going to go with the slowest and gentlest track on the album “Soldiers Poem’. I think it adds to the scope of what Muse are capable of and so it sits as a little gem for me on the album.

“Throw it all away
Let’s lose ourselves
Cause there's no one left for us to blame
It’s a shame we're all dying
And do you think you deserve your freedom"

Till next we Brew,
T

Next Sunday's brew is Supertramps's Breakfast In America. Why not add this gem to your collection so we can listen together next week!