HULLABALOO SOUNDTRACK

After Origin of Symmetry had been released, and the band was wrapping up it's world tour, Muse fans were growing restless. They wanted more material. Muse, had many songs to release, but did not feel that they had quite enough material to release a full length studio album. Thus, we have Hullabaloo, a two disc live and bsides collection. It is interesting that they released this only two albums into their career, but Muse music is always best experienced live. This album shows that.

Disc 1, is mainly bsides that had been previously released on singles. These songs range from mediocre, to fantastic. Some of Muse's best material is here, and I am suprised that some of these songs did not make it onto the albums. Nature_1, Yes Please, Recess, and Map of Your Head are fantastic songs which show off a more experimental and laid back Muse. These bsides are truly different than the material on their albums, and anyone with a deep interest in Muse MUST hear these.

Disc 2, is filled with live tracks recorded in 2001. Unfortunately, the entire performance from which these tracks were recorded, is not on this disc. These tracks are recorded and performed SUPERBLY, and this disc truly gives the feeling of being at a Muse show (I've seen them 4 times). Almost every song is superior to its studio counterpart, as the songs are somehow played with even more intensity than on the studio albums. However, this disc omits some of the best tracks from their albums, and none of their singles are on this disc. New Born, Hyper Music, Plug in Baby, Bliss, and Feeling Good are songs that SHOULD have been on here, and I will never understand why they are not featured. However, the entire gig is available on the excellent Hullabaloo dvd, which is also recommended.

If you are interested in Muse, but you're unfamiliar with their material, do not start here, and pick up the excellent Origin Of Symmetry or Absolution instead. If you've already spun all their studio discs, and need more, I recommend you purchase this.

CAUTION

On the first CD of this double packaged one, we'll get nothing than B-sides from Muse.

They can be divided into four categories :

1. The very poor ones (or even worse than that)

When you listen to "Forced In", you really wonder why such a crappy "song" is featured on an offical release. "Recess" is slightly better : a noisy ballad that is only worth being a B-side...ooooups ! It is a B-side ! Well I guess you have the point. "Yes Please" is a noisy and useless heavy-metal piece of music. Sounds as if Bellamy's voice has been computerized so that one can hardly understand anything form this "song". Very difficult to bear, even if I'm a Muse true fan.

2. The useless ones :

"Map Of Your Head" is a dull ballad. Nothing to do with "Unintended" of course. I just do not put it in the above category because it hurts no one to listen to this insipid track. "Ashamed" starts like a traditional Muse track (you know with those weird noises). The difference here is that this noise lasts for the whole song. Same vocal "effects" than on "Yes, Please". I would feel ashamed to offer this type of songs to my fans. "The Gallery" reminds me a bit "Tubular Bells", but this instrumental one is boring flat.

3. The average ones :

"Nature" is not per se a great piece of music. Just above average in this bunch of crap. Not essential for a penny but interesting for Muse maniacs. For the same reason, I would rank "Shine Acoustic" here. This very mellowish ballad is not that bad after all, but can hardly be considered as a jewel (but there are little B-side jewels in the rock history - although there are from time to time). Same applies to "Hyper Chondriac Music", a dull ballad all the way through. Same applies to "Hyper Chondriac Music", a boring acoustic version of "Hyper Music".

4. The good ONE (yes, only one)

"Shrinking Universe". It holds all the elements we like so much in Muse: a catchy melody and the so special (or irritating for the ones who do not like him) voice of Bellamy full of passion. This is a number that should have deserved to make an album appearance. But it is really the only one of these ten "songs"

As one could have anticipated (although Muse is so great at times) this first CD deserves only one star. What a waste of time to listen to this !

The second CD is the audio counterpart of the DVD "Live At The Zenith" (but shortened to eleven numbers). Since there is only one number that is featured here and not on the DVD ("Dark Shines") there is absolutely no reason to get hold of this double CD set. A waste of money, really. Get the DVD one and convert into audio if you want to listen to it in your car or when jogging. I will describe the DVD in the appropriate entry.

This is only for completionists. One star.

DOUBLE CAUTION

FYI, there is also a double CD sets called "Inspirations Part 1 & 2" with almost all the tracks present on the first CD, plus some live ones and alternative versions of better known Muse songs ("Muscle Museum" for instance featured ... three times. Do not fell in this trap, it is almost as crappy as this release. But at least it is not an official one, although the sound is pretty good. I wonder how they could get hold of these versions (maybe a technician during some rehearsals...).

Hullabaloo (The CD) is an album for fans and Musers (people who love muse very much) The album contains a LIVE CD with tracks from the Origin of Symmetry and Showbiz Era, the quality is nice, but if you're going to get this album for the Live tracks only, I suggest buying the DVD as well (It contaisn the songs plus documentaries and extras)

The seconds CD includes a setlist of Muse B-sides, from instrumentals to full-length songs. Be aware that some of the songs are rather rusty and were Muse's B-side songs that didn't make it to an album.

The Instrumentals are quite nice, Forced In and The Gallery are two completely experimental effect songs. The Rest are either really heavy like Yes Please and Ashamed to a more acoustic tune in songs like Map of Your Head and Nature 1

Hullabaloo soundtrack is for fans only, before you buy this album (or acquire it in some other way) Make sure you've bought the previous 2 CD's and know muse well, in addition the listener has to have an open mind, since some of the B-sides do not make much sense unless you can appreciate its musical value.

Hullabaloo gets a 2/5 (For Fans and collector only)

Muse's Hullabaloo is a 2CD set combining a good but not earthshaking live set on disc 2 with a collection of B-sides from the Showbiz and Origin of Symmetry eras on disc 1. The B-side collection, sadly, is pretty rubbish; some British bands of the era took pride in their B-sides, often crafting songs which outshone some of their album material and A-sides and turning each single of theirs into a sort of mini-EP. (Suede, in particular, put out so many excellent B-sides that the Sci-Fi Lullabies compilation is regarded by some fans as being their best album.)

Muse, it's safe to say, most likely were not one of those bands; the B-sides collected here are a pale imitation of Muse at best, with the occasional song which might have been interesting if they had put a bit more effort into it - but because they seemed to regard B-sides as a mildly absurd requirement put on them by the music industry, they didn't make the effort.

On the whole, the album combines a three star live disc with a one or two star B-sides collection. To be honest, there is absolutely no point owning this since you can get a DVD of the live performance and the HAARP set is a better live CD anyway.

Muse have come a long way since they met in Teignmouth (as most people try to), and this double CD is released in conjunction with the DVD/VHS of the same name that is reviewed later. Matthew Bellamy is one of the true characters of the age, and writes songs that are both compelling and hard to listen to. He combines dissonance and commerciality, going his own way and refusing to conform. This double album contains one disc of B sides and rarities from 1999 ? 2001 while the second disc is taken from two concerts in Paris towards the end of last year.

How can Muse's music be described to those who have not heard it before? Imagine Radiohead being led by someone with a penchant for hard rock guitar and a liberal use of vocal and guitar effects backed by an extremely tight rhythm section. They may be a trio but they certainly don't sound like it. They have still to make the premier league but moment certainly can't be far away.

There are just so many powerful songs on the first disc that it is hard to think that they were only deemed strong enough to be backing numbers. I would have liked to have had some information in the booklet about what was recorded/released when. But the first disc is just a taster, as the riffing guitar fades in and out of the speakers and the band blast into "Dead Star" at the beginning of the concert. This song epitomises the band, in that it goes from full-on hard rock to atmospheric with strange Bowie-esque vocals, and the band throwing their all into the music.

Muse may be an acquired taste but more and more people are finding out the joys.

Originally appeared in Feedback #69, Aug 02