Muse Band Review

Band Review: Muse

The English Rock group Muse was formed in 1994 with members Matthew Bellamy, Christopher Wolstenhome, and Dominic Howard. Their debut album, Showbiz, was released in 1999 and the group has been growing in popularity ever since. Their following skyrocketed after the release of their fourth album, Black Holes and Revelations, in 2006. They are known for their extravagant live performances and the mix of many different genres such as space rock, progressive rock, alternative rock, symphonic rock, and electronica.

Muse is a modern rock band that brings a very different vibe to the table than the last band I reviewed, The Arctic Monkeys. Muse uses a lot of electronic music to back up their space-funk style. This really shows the change in music technology from the days of classic rock to today. I definitely love the way that Muse incorporates the electronica genre, and I think that their use of it really brings out the best in Bellamy's vocals. 

Their new album, The 2nd Law, features even more of their electronic style and space feel. The jist of the album is humanity coping with a crumbling society due to the over-use and depletion of natural resources. Personally I love the deep bass wubs and the different manipulations that they can do with their sound, but they still feature awesome guitar riffs and solos that still bring out the rock and roll sound. Their second song on the album, 'Madness', really shows off their style, as it is easy to see the build in sound from simple beats in the beginning to complex chords towards the middle of the song. 

Overall I think Muse is definitely a great example of what a modern rock band can be, and I recommend them to anyone that enjoys rock but also electronic music and even symphonic rock. They are really quite a diverse group that catches your attention and keeps you on-edge.

Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muse_(band)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6w5KCf8hXvo

Reaction to Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons 'Rock is finally dead...' Reaction

10 days ago KISS bassist Gene Simmons had an interview with Esquire magazine in which he said 'Rock is Finally Dead. It Was Murdered.' He goes on to say that file sharing and programs like Pandora and Spotify have ruined the music business and how no one values music 'enough to pay for it.'

This interview is a really big deal to people interested in the rock genre. Since Simmons is such a well known musical figure, his saying really has taken off and inspired many reactions among music fans. He really trails off into some interesting topics such as patriotism in America but I won't get bogged down with all of that. I will just focus on the main portion in which he talks about how in the 60s-80s, any group of kids with a electric guitar, amp, drums, and mics had a shot at making it big on the rock stage. All they had to do was perform at a few gigs and be good enough for a major record label to hear about them. He says that nowadays those kinds of record labels, the ones that tried to 'help the next Beatles, Stones, Prince, Hendrix,' don't exist anymore. He states that its all due to file sharing and illegally downloading music and listening to music on Pandora or Spotify.

In my opinion, I think the rock genre is no where close to being dead. Just the fact that my blog exists shows that it isn't dead. The rock genre is not the same I know, and it never will be, but there is still that style of music out there. Most importantly, however, there are still fans of that style of music, and that is what keeps the genre alive. The fans that love to rock out when they hear a sweet bass line or that air guitar their favorite guitar solo keep new modern rock bands afloat. I understand that the new age of technology has brought about illegally downloaded music and internet radio where you can listen to artists for free, but people still buy music when they can and when they think its worth it. I myself, when buying music, usually listen to an artist on Spotify for a while and then if I like it I will buy it on iTunes. My point is that Simmons has a point with the file sharing madness, but he exaggerates it too much. Rock is definitely not dead, and I don't think it will be for a very long time. 

Links:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/gene-simmons-rock-is-finally-dead-20140907
http://www.esquire.com/blogs/culture/gene-simmons-future-of-rock

Arctic Monkeys Band Review

Band Review: Arctic Monkeys

The British rock band the Arctic Monkeys started out in 2005 with their first set of singles 'Five Minutes with the Arctic Monkeys.' But they became popular with their hit single 'I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor,' and their first album 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not.' Their newest album, 'AM,' released in 2013, has received great reviews.

Ever since then they have been creating original, fresh rock and roll that brings back the feelings of the popular garage punk era from the mid-late 1970s. I love their Indie Rock style and funky bass riffs that they display very well in their latest album, 'AM.' Their lead singer, Alex Turner, has a very laid-back vocal sound, which really compliments the style of instrumentals backing him. Their newest album is a compilation of what seems to be interesting love songs that are very different from the ones you hear in mainstream pop. The lyrics that Turner creates are very complex, and once you understand what they mean you love the song even more. This band is a very good representation of the Modern Rock genre, as they incorporate many elements from the bands of the late-70s and 80s. I would recommend the Arctic Monkeys' to anyone interested in either garage-punk rock or even classic rock.

Their newest album has taken a turn from their past style. Turner and his band mates have undertaken a more slow-and-sexy style and sounding more like an American band than ever before. I think this new sound can definitely appeal to a larger audience than their uptight teenage-sounding early albums.

Overall, I think the Arctic Monkeys are one of if not the best band out there today in the modern rock genre. From Turner's genius lyrics to bassist Nick O'Malley's amazing riffs, I think this band can appeal to anyone with a taste for raw, indie-style rock.

Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_Monkeys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN7gSMPQFss