A Muse Aptly Named

     When I'd first heard about Muse via Stephenie Meyer's website, I got really curious.  Being the avid music fan, I wondered about this band that Stephenie kept gushing on about. Furthermore, it's got such a nice name, Muse, so surely must be amazing!

     I searched for their music videos on youtube but must have checked out an inappropriate one to tempt my musical tastebuds coz I must confess I wasn't too impressed.

     Then I got my own Twilight soundtrack and the song Supermassive Black Hole is on that.  What's more important to note is, it was the background to my favourite scene in the movie, the Cullens' baseball scene! 

     Naturally the song grew on me the more times I watched the movie and after watching running convos on TA about the band and its music, I decided to give it another try.   I must also confess that the music video for the song is very odd and I didn't quite know what to make of it. LOL

     The first song that managed to capture my attention thereafter was Knights of Cydonia. Again the available video on youtube was so bizarre, until now I'm still not sure if it is an official music video for the song.

      Then on a lark I dropped by Gramaphone to see if they have a Best of Album. They didn't but they had the next best thing, the H.A.A.R.P album, which was actually their live performance in Wembley Stadium, UK, on 16 June 2007. It came with a DVD special of the concert itself plus some behind-the-scenes footage. And wow was I blown away by the energy and vibes in that!

     The impressive list of songs that were performed at that concert, which is in the DVD:

1. "Intro" – 1:50
2. "Knights of Cydonia" – 6:29
3. "Hysteria" – 4:11
4. "Supermassive Black Hole" – 4:12
5. "Map of the Problematique" – 5:08
6. "Butterflies and Hurricanes" – 6:13
7. "Hoodoo" – 3:32
8. "Apocalypse Please" – 4:45
9. "Feeling Good" (Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley) – 3:46
10. "Invincible" – 5:49
11. "Starlight" – 4:14
12. "Improv." – 0:52
13. "Time Is Running Out" – 4:30
14. "New Born" – 9:16
15. "Soldier's Poem" – 2:19
16. "Unintended" – 4:42
17. "Blackout" – 5:02
18. "Plug In Baby" – 4:27
19. "Stockholm Syndrome" – 8:06
20. "Take a Bow" – 5:24
21. Closing credits ("Blackout" instrumental) – 4:36

     What I got on the music CD itself:

1. "Intro" ("Dance of the Knights", written by Sergei Prokofiev) – 1:44
2. "Knights of Cydonia"^[1] – 6:37
3. "Hysteria" – 4:19
4. "Supermassive Black Hole" – 4:01
5. "Map of the Problematique"^[2] – 5:22
6. "Butterflies and Hurricanes" – 5:56
7. "Invincible" – 6:15
8. "Starlight" – 4:13
9. "Time Is Running Out" – 4:23
10. "New Born"^[3] – 8:16
11. "Unintended" – 4:36
12. "Micro Cuts" – 3:47
13. "Stockholm Syndrome" – 7:37
14. "Take a Bow" – 4:42

     Okay, another confession; when I'd first listened to Unintended, I thought it sounded like an 80s Malay rock song but seeing it in the concert sure dispelled that from my mind! It's awesome!

     There are too many of their songs that I like now but Time is Running Out, Bliss, Newborn and Starlight are those that quickly come to mind.  Of course, Bliss and Newborn are two music videos that were done by Eclipse director, David Slade, as I'd mentioned before. They are very nice and were what gave me warm fuzzy feelings about the otherwise (seemingly) reticent chap!

     But here's another special one coz it was on Stephenie Meyer's playlist for Twilight. Don't the lyrics just remind us of Edward and Bella?! Stephenie sure thought so! =)

Time is Running Out

I think I'm drowning
asphyxiated
I wanna break this spell
that you've created

you're something beautiful
a contradiction
I wanna play the game
I want the friction

you will be the death of me
you will be the death of me

bury it
I won't let you bury it
I won't let you smother it
I won't let you murder it

our time is running out
our time is running out
you can't push it underground
you can't stop it screaming out

I wanted freedom
bound and restricted
I tried to give you up
but I'm addicted

now that you know I'm trapped sense of elation
you'd never dream of
breaking this fixation

you will squeeze the life out of me

bury it
I won't let you bury it
I won't let you smother it
I won't let you murder it

our time is running out
our time is running out
you can't push it underground
you can't stop it screaming out
how did it come to this?
ooooohh

you will suck the life out of me

bury it
I won't let you bury it
I won't let you smother it
I won't let you murder it

our time is running out
our time is running out
you can't push it underground
you can't stop it screaming out
How did it come to this?
ooooohh

     Reckon in my books, this is one Muse that has been aptly named! Brilliant band!