MAD FOR IT

Muse: from Radiohead wannabes to lunatic prog rockers with attitude

The Scotsman 
Friday 15th June 2001

Bonkers but brilliant, Muse break out of their shell with a wild, demented musical ride

Muse: Origin Of Symmetry (Mushroom - four stars)

A PSYCHIATRIST writes although it is unclear exactly when skinny Devon trio Muse mutated from whingeing youths with a Radiohead complex, in need of a good slap, into Britain's most exhilaratingly demented indie boys, all that matters is that it happened in time to prevent them from making another album as pedestrian as their debut, Showbiz. 
 With Origin Of Symmetry, Muse have progressed from a storm in a teacup to a full-on sonic maelstrom. Singer Matt Bellamy still takes himself far too seriously, but this time he has the brute power of the music to match his permanent state of apoplexy.
 While Radiohead are reining in their pompous tendencies, Muse are giving full vent to theirs, shamelessly constructing a prog folly, with high-octane fretwork which would make Eddie Van Halen blush. 
 In Air's 10,000 Hz Legend is the acceptable, ambient face of 21st-century prog, then Origin Of Symmetry is the blistering rockface conducted at a hysterical pitch. 
 Consider the titles - Space Dementia, Hyper Music. Muse are made for it. The former makes Queen sound restrained, the latter is howling Hendrix rock'n'roll. 
 Their splendid cover of Feeling Good is Nina Simone in a Supertramp style, and possibly the closest Muse will ever come to sounding sexy, while their piece de resistance is the monumental gothic church organ on Megalomania. 
 But there are glimpses of what can happen When Musicians Go To Far surely - a potential Channel 5 series. Micro Cuts is close to the brink with Bellamy unleashing a ridiculous operatic wail worthy of Europroggers and Old Grey Whistle Test favourites Focus. Further falsetto punishment is meted out on Screenager. Warning: this track contains traces of Spanish guitar. 
 To conclude the diagnosis, Origin Of Symmetry is utterly bonkers and, in places, quite brilliant. 
(Fiona Shepherd)

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