Hullabaloo

A collection of b-sides and live tracks, Muse’s Hullabaloo is aimed fairly and squarely at those who have already found themselves attracted by the three piece’s lure. For sure, the studio portion of this two-disc set is something of an acquired taste, but not an unpleasant one. ‘Forced In’ is a spacey instrumental, while ‘Shrinking Universe’ and ‘Ashamed’ are prime examples of the big music with which they have made their name.

There are undoubtedly moments when it gets a little overblown, but these are tempered with a more subtle side – notably the acoustic groove of ‘Map Of Your Head’. Given that they were greeted on their arrival as a quintessential indie band, it’s quite a shock to discover that Muse rock quite so hard. What might have seemed unnecessarily complex and pompous on record obtains a staggering new dimension live, the trio brewing up a ferocious storm on stage. No wonder they inherited Rage Against The Machine’s road crew.