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Rating: Ever since I fell in love with Nirvana and Alice In Chains around the ages of 14-15, I have always tried to give my very personal interpretation of the word grunge. After various, convoluted musings, I finally concluded that grunge is something incorporeal and undefined, something that concerns not so much the sound of a song or an album but a specific emotional approach and lyrical writing: in a few words, grunge is an equation that doesn't add up, a shadow, a certain malaise expressed in music in a form that can be more or less rock, poetic, or aggressive depending on the author's interpretations. Following this reasoning, I have concluded that albums like "Awake" by Dream Theater or "Demolition" by Judas Priest, just to cite two very different examples in terms of sound and approach, are grunge albums to the core. Just as "2 A.M." by Iron Maiden is a beautiful grunge song.
One of the brightest examples of poetic and introspective grunge is "Showbiz," the 1999 album marking the debut of Muse (formerly Rocket Baby Dolls), presenting them in a form quite different from what we are used to since "Origin Of Symmetry." This album places the piano predominantly over keyboards and features the hard rock streak that would explode in all its magnificence from 2001 onwards, here expressed more distorted and seminally. Adding to the beauty and intrinsic value of "Showbiz" are, of course, the stunning voice and melodies, almost always perfectly conceived by the undisputed mind behind the Muse project, namely the singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist/keyboardist Matthew Bellamy, excellently backed up by a formidable bassist like Chris Wolstenholme and a great drummer like Dominic Howard.
SUNBURN: piano intro paves the way for Bellamy's magnetic voice, who perfectly delivers a text that clarifies right from the start his already mature writing ability for a debut artist. The track has a reflective and melancholic approach, and the guitars take off but don't explode as they do, for example, in "New Born."
MUSCLE MUSEUM: so, what can I say about this song? Certainly that it is one of the absolute masterpieces of contemporary rock: powerful, deep, pressing, psychedelic, and cathartic. It's impossible not to get lost in these mesmerizing melodic lines and not be seduced by the screeching solo and the passionate and desperate refrain. As if all this weren't enough, a superb music video was made for this song, one of the masterpieces of music-image combination, along with "Heart-Shaped Box" by Nirvana and "Galaxie" by Blind Melon.
FILLIP: title translatable as "push" or "impetus": fittingly, this song is one of the most lively on the album: the original bouncing riff as well as Bellamy's almost playful and childlike singing initially, which grows in intensity with the passion that only an extraordinary voice like his can provide. Midway through the track, the rhythm calms down and the piano takes over. Bellamy's singing becomes a psychedelic falsetto, then the guitars and bass return and the track closes as beautifully as it began.
FALLING DOWN: the most suitable title for this song would have been "Feeling High": simply dreamlike and hard to describe for the sensations it creates, of total peace and quiet. Even the singing is stellar and dreamy, envious of a lyrical singer, supported by very soft and discreet arrangements evocative of paradises, perhaps artificial, like the Neptune landscape depicted on the cover.
CAVE: hard rock guitars and pulsing bass for the album's second single, featuring the combination of piano with hard sounds dear to me. The screamed chorus gives the song a particular grit. Overall, the result is well-achieved, although inferior to almost all the other songs on the album.
SHOWBIZ: the darkest and most distressing track of the entire Muse career: a ride that starts almost quietly and gradually acquires an almost hypnotic power and momentum in an epic and dramatic crescendo, thanks to Bellamy's very flexible voice, which reaches goosebump-inducing high notes here, supported by a formidable Wolstenholme and his eternally distorted six-string. Absolutely unrepeatable and unsingable by anyone not named Matthew Bellamy.
UNINTENDED: after the storm of the title track, the atmosphere calms down and this wonderful and sweet ballad enters, where we soar high again as in "Falling Down." The atmosphere is ensured by a Spanish-style acoustic guitar and Bellamy displays an almost angelic falsetto. Goosebumps all around.
UNO: Muse's first single heralded by a hypnotic and increasing melody, with the usual Wolstenholme prominently featured, then Bellamy's almost listless singing comes in, which explodes and becomes desperate and abrasive in the chorus. Truly remarkable the display of creativity in blending so many different sounds so well in a song just three and a half minutes long. Once again, a stunning video.
SOBER: despite the title, this is undoubtedly the most drunk song on the album: the guitars are not particularly sharp, but the bass line accompanying the chorus is very interesting, though the singing is a bit too hysterical and over the top. Overall, a half-filler.
ESCAPE: very beautiful ballad-like beginning, then the guitars explode but the song maintains a very passionate and heartfelt tone, with great personality and emotional impact, thanks of course to Bellamy's magnificent interpretation.
OVERDUE: if they hadn't included it, the album's quality would have only improved: it lasts only two and a half minutes but feels random and too howling for my taste. Filler.
HATE THIS & I'LL LOVE YOU: a ballad with almost fairy-tale-like and very soft arrangements, it doesn't reach the intensity of "Falling Down" and "Unintended," but is overall very relaxing and serves as an excellent closing track for this album.
"Showbiz" is undoubtedly an album I would recommend to everyone, magnificent lyrics and atmospheres, it may not have the impact and virulence of "Origin Of Symmetry" or "Absolution," but it is capable of seducing and offering an incredibly original rock that is absolutely unparalleled in the current desolate mainstream rock landscape.
LISTEN TO MUSE
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Sunburn (03:54)
Come waste your millions here
Secretly she sneers
Another corporate show
A guilty conscience grows
And I'll feel a guilty conscience grow
And I'll feel a guilty conscience grow
She burns like the sun
and I can't look away
And she'll burn our horizons
make no mistakes
Come let the truth be shared
No-one ever dared to break
These endless lies
Secretly she cries
She burns like the sun
And I can't look away
And she'll burn our horizons
Make no mistakes
And I'll hide from the world
Behind a broken frame
And I'll run forever
I can't face the shame
And I'll hide from the world
Behind a broken frame
And I'll run forever
I can't face the shame
02 Muscle Museum (04:22)
She had something to confess to
But you don’t have the time so
Look the other way
You will wait until it’s over
To reveal what you’d never shown her
Too little much too late
Too long trying to resist it
You’ve just gone and missed it
It’s escaped your world
Can you see that I am needing
Begging for so much more
Than you could ever give
And I don’t want you to adore me
Don’t want you to ignore me
When it pleases you
And I’ll do it on my own
I have played in every toilet
But you still want to spoil it
To prove I’ve made a big mistake
Too long trying to resist it
You’ve just gone and missed it
It’s escaped your world
Can you see that I am needing
Begging for so much more
Than you could ever give
And I don’t want you to adore me
Don’t want you to ignore me
When it pleases you
And I’ll do it on my own
I’ll do it all by myself
You will never make it
03 Fillip (04:01)
It's happening soon
It's happening soon
It's scent has been blowing in my direction
To me it is new
To me it is new
And it's not gonna change for anybody
And it's gonna be
Our last memory
And it's led me on
And on to you
It's got to be here
It's got to be there
It's got to be now
Or I'll lose forever
To me it is strange
This feeling is strange
But it's not gonna change for anybody
And it's gonna be
Our last memory
And it's led me on
And on to you
Accuse me
Trust me
I never knew
That you were the one
You were the one
And it's gonna be
Our last memory
And it's led me on
And on to you
And it's gonna be
Our last memory
And it's led me on
And on to you
05 Cave (04:45)
Leave me alone, it's nothing serious
I'll do it myself, it's got nought to do with you
And there's nothing you could do
You can see it and you can almost hear it too
You can almost taste it, it's nought to do with you
And there's still nothing that you could do
So come in my cave
And I'll burn your heart away
Come in my cave
And I'll burn your heart away
Please close your ears and try to look away
So you'll never hear a single word I say
And don't ever come my way
Leave me alone, it's nothing serious
I'll do it myself, it's got nought to do with you
And there's still nothing you could do
So come in my cave
And I'll burn your heart away
Come in my cave
And arrest me for my mistakes, yeah
06 Showbiz (05:17)
Controlling my feelings for too long
Controlling my feelings for too long
Controlling my feelings for too long
Controlling my feelings for too long
Forcing our darkest souls to unfold
And forcing our darkest souls to unfold
And pushing us into self destruction
Pushing us into self destruction
They make me
Make me dream your dreams
They make me
Make me scream your screams
Trying to please you for too long
Trying to please you for too long
In visions of greed you wallow
Visions of greed you wallow
Visions of greed you wallow
Visions of greed you wallow
They make me
Make me dream your dreams
They make me
Make me scream your screams
Controlling my feelings for too long
Controlling my feelings for too long
And forcing my darkest soul to unfold
And forcing our darkest souls to unfold
And pushing us into self destruction
And pushing us into self destruction
They make me
Make me dream your dreams
They make me
Make me scream your screams
07 Unintended (03:57)
You could be my unintended choice to live my life extended
You could be the one I’ll always love
You could be the one who listens to my deepest inquisitions
You could be the one I’ll always love
I’ll be there as soon as I can
But I’m busy mending broken Pieces of the life I had before
First there was the one who challenged all my dreams and all my balance
She could never be as good as you
You could be my unintended choice to live my life extended
You should be the one I’ll always love
I’ll be there as soon as I can
But I’m busy mending broken Pieces of the life I had before
I’ll be there as soon as I can
But I’m busy mending broken Pieces of the life I had before
Before you
08 Uno (03:38)
This means nothing to me
'cause you are nothing to me
And it means nothing to me
That you blew this away
'cause you could have been number one
If you only found the time
And you could have ruled the whole world
If you'd had the chance
You could have been number one
And you could have ruled the whole world
And we could have had so much fun
But you blew it away
You're still nothing to me
And this is nothing to me
And you don't know what you've done
But I'll give you a clue
You could have been number one
If you'd only had the chance
And you could have ruled the whole world
If you'd had the time
You could have been number one
And you could have ruled the whole world
And we could have had so much fun
But you blew it away
You could have been number one
And you could have ruled the whole world
And we could have had so much fun
But you blew it away
09 Sober (04:04)
Royal Canadian blended
the spicy aroma had mended me
Matured for years and imported
into my glass you poured it
And you're the only reason that I remain unfrozen
Suppose it stands to reason
That you would turn on me
You're so solid
You're so solid
It burns inside of me, 'cause you're so solid
It burns inside of me
Wild Turkey's been chosen
Its caramel nose can smell me
Arbourler, Jameson I love you
the single malts come burning
And you're the only reason that I remain unfrozen
Suppose it stands to reason
that you would turn on me
You're so solid
You're so solid
It burns inside of me, 'cause you're so solid
It burns inside of me
Royal Canadian blended
the spicy aroma had mended me
And you're the only reason that I remain unfrozen
Suppose it stands to reason
that you would turn on me
You're so solid
You're so solid
It burns inside of me, 'cause you're so solid
It burns inside me
10 Escape (03:31)
You would say anything
And you would try anything
To escape your meaningless
And your insignificance
You're uncontrollable
And we are unlovable
And I don't want you to think that I care
I never would, I never could again
Why can't you just love her?
Why be such a monster?
You bully from a distance
Your brain needs some assistance
But I'll still take all the blame
'cause you and me are both one and the same
And its driving me mad
And its driving me mad
I'll take back all the things that I said
I didn't realize I was talking to the living dead
And I don't want you to think that I care
I never would, I never could again
You would say anything
And you would try anything
To escape your meaningless
And your insignificance
11 Overdue (02:26)
You needed it when I was away
And no matter what I say
You’ll never forget when I wasn’t there so
Why should I care?
I’m young but I know that I’m aroused
You know that I care
You should have been there
You know that I care
You should have been there
It doesn’t matter where I have gone
I just can’t afford to
Pay for all the mistakes that you have made
It’s about time I was paid
I’m young but I know that I’m aroused
You know that I care
You should have been there
You know that I care
You should have been there
You know that I care
You should have been there
You know that I care
You should have been there
You know that I care
You should have been there
You know that I care
You should have been there
12 Hate This & I'll Love You (05:09)
Oh I am growing tired
Of allowing you to steal
Everything I have, you're making me feel
Like I was born to service you
But I am growing by the hour
You left us far behind
So we all discard our souls
And blaze through your skies
So afraid to die
'Cause I was born to destroy you
And I am growing by the hour
I'm getting strong in every way, yeah, yeah
You led me on, you led me on, you
Oh, and I'm getting strong in every way, yeah, yeah.
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Other reviews
By Mr_Iko
Showbiz is fresh and lively music, the album flows well between instinctive rock and traditional ballads.
Muse makes undemanding music, which is easy to listen to without issues, perhaps a bit too catchy, but in the end, it is a good work.
By _dafunk_
When Bellamy wrote 'Sunburn,' he must not have been more than 21 years old, and I am surprised by the maturity of this song which remains my favorite in their repertoire today.
'Muse were, I repeat were, a talented band... they managed to blend different influences into sophisticated music and, all in all, not devoid of creativity and originality.'
By B.L.A.C.K.
If you dedicate a minimum of attention... the first notes of 'Sunburn' will immediately start making you realize that... the album isn’t so bad.
Track number 8 is without a doubt my favorite. It starts with a 'uauuaauuuaaauu' that sounds like a motorcycle, the guitars kick in and then... Interestingly, the chorus is always done twice, one undistorted and the other not.
By mauromuse
The Muse was born, an English trio that achieved what many producers would dream of putting on the market: an almost perfect debut album.
"Showbiz" is probably among the best songs of the band’s entire career,... leading to an explosive chorus that concludes with an utterly powerful solo.
