Muse Reviews

By Philip Cummins

The wave of anti- Americanism which has swept Europe and the rest of the world have provoked a series of albums from American artists who have spent the last number of years redefining the American psyche. First it was Green Day's defeatist American Idiot, then The Killers' Springsteen meets U2 Sam's Town which packed a big punch had tunes to boot, but neither album genuinely nor sincerely gave voice to America's youth which make up the vote and what was going on in America other than televised talent contests, celebrity gossip and debates on the war on terror.

Step forward Craig Finn, the latest lyrical genius to find his voice amongst the wilderness of war reports and national addresses to the American people. Finn's vision of America's youth is never condescending or allegorical- it is a portrayal of what the perfect experience of adolesance could be, in the vein of The O.C and Dawson's Creek in the chaos which governs America today. The opening track and lead single 'Stuck between Stations' is a song about being in limbo between who to listen to and Finn cleverly uses the American poet John Berryman as a reference point for the lost American youth that Kerouac's protagonist Sal Paradise projects.

Kerouac's words grace both the album title and also the opening track: "There are night's when I think that Sal Paradise was right/ Boys and Girls in America/ They have such a sad time together", which is met with the crashing guitar of Tad Kubler and the E- Street piano of Franz Nicolay. Of course, Finn's humour is rife throughout and this manifests itself on 'Citrus', where Finn deadpans "I've had kisses that make Judas seem sincere". In between the humour 'Citrus' is the debauchery of 'Hot Soft Light' - "We started recreational/ It ended kinda medical/ It came on hot and soft/ And then it tightened up its tentacles". The cool of 'Waitin' For the Man' is forgotten about, as Finn has accurately described the experiences of every recreational drug user across the US.

Many might view the retreat into The Last Waltz genre of music as a compromise and- in some cases- not cool to play what is essentially classic rock. But with Finn's lyrical vision and the proficiency of this great, great band, it is refreshing to hear that there is at least one American band flying in the face of Emo and celebrating young and beautiful days, regardless of their age.

9.5/ 10