To what extent are Muse considered 'prog'?

I enjoy listening to Muse for about 5-10mins and then I just can't handle any more BOMBASTIC stuff and I long for something different so I've never bought any albums by them.  (However, that 5mins is fun while it lasts!!!)

Tony R wrote: akamaisondufromage wrote: I enjoy listening to Muse for about 5-10mins and then I just can't handle any more BOMBASTIC stuff and I long for something different so I've never bought any albums by them.  (However, that 5mins is fun while it lasts!!!)   They are a bit in-yer-face samey-samey.

I have been following Muse from their early days and imo their music has evolved - gone from strength to strength - with each new offering. As a band I think they are very talented and have found wide appeal. I never expected much from "The Resistance", however, it has proved to be a refreshing listen as compared to the rather "bland" offerings of some bands of late. Yes - there is some sameness about the style that can be found on earlier albums, but to me, they have progressed, whether they or any one else thinks so!

Dean wrote: With at least 5 different styles of music on The Resistance I can't see how they can be called samey.

Perhaps I should clarify myself and say that there can be no doubt that we are listening to a Muse album. I don't know whether that is to do with style, concept or what, but there are elements in The Resistance that hark back to Black Holes.. and Absolution. I agree that there are at least 5 different styles present which some critics would say makes this album ambiguous. But I think that the album comes together very well. I am not a Muse Fan Person, but I am impressed with this outing!

Watching the HAARP DVD now and many songs share a similar structure and intensity. Now you could say that of many bands but because Bellamy's voice is unique (and a little odd) this inevitably adds to the perception of the songs being "samey".

Well, I know what I mean, even if I can't convey it very well...

Blacksword wrote: Good band. I've yet to hear The Resistance, but I have 'Black Holes..' and 'Absolution' and from them, I think the 'prog related' tag fits ok. They can be a bit 'samey' and they could be carving out a signature sound that may be hard to 'progress' from. That said, Radiohead did it, so it all depends on whether or not they have the creative scope to evolve. As far as I'm aware the 'prog' tag is not something Muse recognise in themselves, but neither is it one they are horrified by.

Hi. I'm quite a Muse fan so I'll give my thoughts.

In a Prog interview it seemed to me that Chris and Dom were much more into traditional progressive music such as Floyd/Genesis and Dom is very fond of the Mars Volta. The band have also said that the 70s prog records in general were the best produced. I think they are influenced just as much by Radiohead and Nirvana though.

Matt is of course the member of the band where all the creativity comes from but I think he's into progressive/ambitious music in a much less obvious sense. He has a love of classical/romantic period music, particularly the piano stuff, and samples/is influenced by Chopin, Rachmaninoff and Beethoven regularly. And of course he loves Queen.

So combine the bombastic pop of Queen with the symphonic classical music he listens to and you get a very OTT, pretentious prog sounding guy even if it isn't intended.

IMO, if Muse are a specific kind of prog, as I said in another thread, it's the sub-genre that the media are starting to call New Prog. In that they are an alternative rock band with progressive features to their music. I'd categorise bands like Oceansize, Amplifier and Pure Reason Revolution here as well even though they're not a well known.

I'm quite young and New Prog is the sort of music that has gotten me into progressive music. I've sort of worked backwards from today.  Yes, they have poppier songs too (some of them very good, some of them cack) but they also push the envelope when it comes to what mainstream bands do. You could even put part of their new album in 'symphonic prog' but again, that's only a part of their music.

The day they do a big feck-off symphony/prog-tacular record is the day I'll be very happy.

Pekka wrote: Citizen Erased wrote:  In a Prog interview it seemed to me that Chris and Dom were much more into traditional progressive music such as Floyd/Genesis I read an interview which specifically dealt with their relationship with prog, and in it they pretty much said that their knowledge of vintage prog begins and ends with Dark Side of the Moon and Selling England by the Pound which Chris bought for his mother and listened to once

I read that too but there's another interview I read with some specific prog magazine, can't remember its name, and Chris and Dom both said they were very into Floyd and that Chris liked Lamb Lies Down. Although this was like Absolution era so they may have been lying/forgotten.

Still, Matt is absolutely clueless on prog.

"new prog" and been kicking around for a while now Andy, and seems to be applied to any band who makes albums that sound complicated or symphonic. Aside from the bands we've already got here, like The Mars Volta, Coheed and Cambria, Oceansize, Pure Reason Revolution, Dillenger Escape Plan, Mercury Rev and The Secret Machines I've also seen it applied to Mew, Doves, Elbow, The Flaming Lips and even Coldplay - so it's a broad term with no central core and perhaps just a touch of journalistic laziness.

Blacksword wrote: Late last night on BBC radio 4, they were talking about recent releases on some show, and they had a Russian music journalist as a guest. She said she loved the Muse album, saying it was powerful, imaginative, and that Russia had really taken to Muse. The BBC spod then said (and I paraphrase) 'lets be honest. I've been reading the lyrics, and this is just bombastic pretentious nonesense isn't it? It harks back to the days of awful prog rock in the 70's. Do we really want to go back there?' To which she replied 'If you're asking do we to see a return to innovative imaginative music in the mainstream, then yes. I cant think of a reason why we wouldn't' She had the last word, anyway, and made the presenter look like a complete d!ck..

Logan wrote: I've linked to this several times, but I find this quite useful for giving a feel for New Prog (also called Nu Prog and can be synonymous with "Post Prog" and commonly used for Alt. Prog....): http://rateyourmusic.com/list/WiiAreRabbid/new_prog__progressive_rock_with_a_modern_twist/ (with list): ...New Prog is not to be confused with 80s Neo-Prog, which is strongly influenced by Symphonic Rock. New Prog is a relatively new sub-genre of Progressive Rock, which combines elements of traditional Progressive Rock with more recent styles of music such as Alternative Rock, Post-Hardcore, and Post-Rock... And another from a user at rateyourmusic that has a list: http://rateyourmusic.com/list/SoundscapeMN/new_prog_umbrella EDIT: I find it quite good as a general descriptor, and those who would apply it to "any band who makes albums that sound complicated or symphonic" don't understand the term (not that I've found any that would apply it that way).

Ah yes. Some of my favourite artists are on there.

I know SoundscapeMN from the PT board but never knew he had a RYM account.