Newspaper Page Text
10 I Thursday, July 13, 2006 | The Red & Black
SPORTS & VARIETY
Muse meanders, fails listeners
By ALEC WOODEN
awooden@randb.com
Since 1998, Brit-rock trio
Muse has drawn rave reviews
for stark originality and
clever songwriting.
After their highly success
ful 2003 release, “Absolution,”
fans have been waiting
patiently for the group’s next
hit record. Unfortunately,
the wait will continue.
Despite previous success
and popularity, Muse’s new
release, “Black Holes and
Revelations,” is an unexpect
ed shot of mediocrity.
The album wanders and
drifts aimlessly from dimen
sion to dimension of its
sound, and it’s this identity
crisis that proves to be the
album’s biggest downfall.
There are shades of every
past Muse release on “Black
Holes and Revelations,”
almost as if the holes of this
album were plugged with dis
carded tracks from the
group’s past.
The album wanders from
electronica to acoustic to
rock in a fashion of unwel
come and disruptive transi
tions.
Perhaps Muse is trying to
display its wide array of
sounds from across its
discography to attract new
fans.
More than likely, however,
they draw on proven and
popular sounds in an apolo
getic and gutless attempt to
pad any potential criticism
from fans that may not enjoy
the newer material.
Sadly, the two most disap
pointing tracks are the two
that most people will hear.
“Supermassive Black
Hole,” the first single from
the album, amounts to little
more than over-produced
pop noise.
“Take a Bow,” the album’s
lead track, stands alone as a
fine piece of music but fits
horribly as the first track.
The vibe set by this experi
mental song could easily
leave listeners with a bad
taste in their mouths right
from the start.
To say that the album
MUSE
MUSE
Album: “Black Holes and
Revelations”
Grade: C
Verdict: A very average effort
from an above average band.
meanders does not mean
that it does not occasionally
drift to high points.
“Starlight” will be slow to
gain attention, but could eas
ily end up being the album’s
flagbearing track, as simplici
ty surrounded by superb
melodies makes the song
stand out from the rest.
“Assassin” and “Exo-
Politics” have slightly more
rock-based roots that will
please fans both new and old.
As expected, singer
Matthew Bellamy delivers
flawless and inspiring vocals,
and the harmony work on
the album provides a wall of
sound that is often breath
taking.
Creativity is always a plus,
and Muse should be com
mended for the tracks on the
album in which it attempts
to make a departure from its
previous stylings.
“Map of the
Problematique,” “City of
Delusion” and “Knights of
Cydonia” all fit this bill and
leave us wishing for more.
Overall, the album feels
more like a mix tape of Muse
B-sides than a complete and
solid album.
Despite its bright spots,
“Black Holes and
Revelations” is void of a cen
ter of gravity for listeners to
orient themselves to the
band’s vibe.
Walker tries on a new ‘hat,’ glam-rock
BUTCH WALKER
Album: “The Rise and Fall of Butch
Walker and the Let's-Go-Out-
Tonites”
Grade: A-
Verdict: Walker tries a new, glam-
style - and it works.
By AMY FARLEY
afarley@randb.com
Fans of Butch Walker,
whether from his days in a
handful of bands such as
Marvelous 3 or from his solo
work, can never quite know
what to expect from a new
Walker album.
His latest offering, “The
Rise and Fall of Butch Walker
and the Let’s-Go-Out-
Tonites,” is no exception, and
rightfully so, as the album is
a big step away from 2004’s
“Letters” and an even greater
departure from 2002’s “Left
of Self-Centered.”
Walker likes to try on new
musical personalities like
hats, and this new one seems
to fit him pretty well.
The album features 13
tracks, most of which are
catchy, fun and evocative of
summer.
There are a few slower,
more ballad-like songs
thrown into the mix, but they
seem just that — thrown in.
Some listeners might wish
Walker had plowed through
with an entire album of
upbeat songs.
Others will see the softer
songs as an upside. Variety is
certainly not something the
album lacks.
Walker transitions with
relative ease between ‘80s-
laced tracks like “Hot Girls in
Good Moods” to the plain
tively sad “Dominoes” to the
twangy “Rich People Die
Unhappy,” which sounds like
it could be heard coming out
of the jukebox at a hip yet
gritty country bar.
It’s worth noting that the
album’s title is formatted
after David Bowie’s 1972
album “The Rise and Fall of
Ziggy Stardust and the
Spiders from Mars,” since
Bowie’s trademark glam-rock
style is a thread that runs
throughout many of Walker’s
new songs.
The album’s lyrics give
sharp insight into what
Walker has to say about the
music industry, politics and
the wealthy Los Angeles
crowd.
Walker berates people who
are fake and apathetic on
“Too Famous To Get Fully
Dressed” with lyrics like, “It
makes you look better when
you look like you got nothing
better to do.”
With lyrics containing that
kind of message — presented
sarcastically in some songs
and openly in others — it’s
easy to overlook lines that
seem cheesy or uninspired
like “Can you tell me how to
not love a hot girl in a good
mood?”
Standout songs on the
album include “Paid To Get
Excited” and the anthemic
finale, “When Canyons Ruled
the City,” which personifies
the canyons near Hollywood
with lyrics like “Now she sits
alone with a hundred thou
sand architectural disasters
she calls homes.”
Its sing-along chorus gets
bigger each time it repeats,
and the song is an appropri
ate last track.
“The Rise and Fall of
Butch Walker and the
Let’s-Go-Out-Tonites” is dif
ferent from anything Walker
has ever put out, but
fans with open minds will
find the music interesting
and fun, if not instantly
catchy.
TENNIS: All-American
traveling, winning
>- From Page 1
this summer. He will travel
to Joplin, Mo., July 17 to
play in the Men’s $10,000
Millennium Tennis Club
Event. Isner then makes his
way to Lexington, Ky., July
24 to play in the Fifth
Third Bank Tennis
Championships.
“The competition is great
preparation for next sea
son,” Isner said.
Isner finished his junior
season with a singles record
of 45-3 and a doubles record
of 24-8.
The three-time All-
American defeated No. 1
ranked Lars Poerschke from
Baylor to win the
International Tennis
Association All-American
National Championship.
He finished in the semifi
nal of the National Indoor
Championship, where
Georgia won the overall
team title.
In 2006, Isner earned SEC
Player of the Year
honors and also finished as
the No. 2-ranked singles
player in the nation.
In Isner’s senior season,
he will return to a Georgia
tennis team that finished
the 2006 season with a
30-1 record.
The Bulldogs captured
the SEC Championship
and made it to the
finals of the NCAA
Tournament before losing to
Pepperdine.
EVENT: Brothers reunite
ex-players for charities
► From Page 1
process, fundraising classes
and help “literally function
ing again.”
“It’s (personal) for me,”
he added. “But unfortu
nately, it’s a universal cause
in that I don’t know anyone
who hasn’t known or loved
someone who would’ve or
can benefit from these char
ities”
The “Countdown to
Kickoff” event will include
moonwalks, inflatable
games, coaching drills,
autograph signings and face
painting. Georgia cheer
leaders and mascots includ
ing Uga VI will also attend.
Chick-Fil-A will provide
food.
Other former players in
attendance include
Garrison Hearst, Thomas
Davis, Randy McMichael,
Buck Belue, Greg Blue,
Sean Jones, Verron Hayes,
George Foster, Will
Witherspoon, Dennis
Roland and Cory Phillips.
“There are a lot of these
ex-players that are looking
for something to participate
in to give back to the
school,” he said.
Although Stinchcomb
hasn’t been able to attend a
Georgia game since being-
drafted 18th overall by the
Oakland Raiders in the 1999
NFL Draft, he tried to
watch as many games as he
could.
“It’s all players talk
about on Saturdays during
the season. You catch about
as many games as you can
so that you know whether
to hide or pound your
chest,” said Stinchcomb.
Luckily for Stinchcomb,
he’s done a lot of chest
pounding with Georgia win
ning every season since with
a record of 68-21.
Tickets are $30, or a $100
“family pack” of four tickets.
Tickets include a full-sized
white-panel autographing
football and food.
For information regard
ing "Countdown to Kickoff,"
visit www.ugakickoff.com or
www.gatransplant.org.
A cap of 1,500 tickets will
be sold and fewer than 500
still remain. Although tick
ets will be sold on Saturday,
they will be scarce.
“If people want to do it,
they better jump on board,”
Stinchcomb said.
V
m
- ■
TheCo/dsnap'tost-est Set Ever”Contest
comes to a close*, with thousands of dollars in prizes - including
full sets of ICE AGE ] Alliances", Coldsnap and Richard Garfield’s socks!!!
The US Nationals
where we will name the official team representin’ the good ol’
USofA! * The JSS Championship, with more than S10QK in
Scholarships and Free Magic" for a year! * Last Chance Opens -
grinders for US Nationals and JSS Championship berths
Pro Tour Kobe Qualifier Tournament - with
!, FREE!
airfare and fentrylo PT Kiltie for those ^ho qualify. Hi-YA!
Take on Magic Hall-of-Famers/WotC Wizards in a special
“Gunslinging" event. * PLAY BIG in Magics Game of the Year
the LARGEST game of Magic ever played! • Get yer
cards autographed by some of the finest Magic
artists in
IE WHOLE WIDE
WORLD, MAN!
Two, count ‘em, two days of explosive Side Events -
Limited % Constructed. PLUS - Compete in a Two-Headed Giant battle for
TWO matching iPods! • Grand Prix Trails for Grand Prix Sandy San Diego,
muchacho!
go to www.wizards.cofn/tournaments for more!
, ^.ArLANTj
CONVENTION
‘Go to www.wlzarils.CM/iiiagic tor official rules.