The Academy Road

The Academy Road

The Academy Road

Recent Recent Stories Stories

Get to Know Jenn Fredrickson Hutchins

January 6, 2024

For the last 25 years, Jenn Fredrickson Hutchins has been an integral part of The Albany Academies. Her tenure started with a paper copy of her resume sent to the address...

The Road to Success of our Middle School Robotics Teams

January 5, 2024

  Both of our middle school robotics teams competed this weekend at the FLL Masterpiece Challenge at Shenendehowa High School. “The Coding Turtles” and “The...

Throwback Thursday

January 4, 2024

Adam Penrose '02, played baseball for The Albany Academies under esteemed Coach Dorwardlt. Now, he follows in his mentor's footsteps as the Varsity baseball head coach, marking...

Snack Shack is Back!

January 3, 2024

Visit the Snack Shack and support the 9th grade's fundraising. Ms. Marchetti's Room (AAG 50-06) E Block Lunch H Block 3:00-3:30

Albany Academy Cadets Suffer Narrow 2-3 Loss to Voorheesville

Albany Academy Cadets Suffer Narrow 2-3 Loss to Voorheesville

September 29, 2023

*Albany, NY* – The Albany Academy Cadets soccer team faced a tough challenge against Voorheesville, resulting in a narrow 2-3 loss. Despite the setback, the team showed...

Muse: The 2nd Law

Perhaps the most controversial album release in 2012 so far was that of Muse’s sixth Studio Album, The 2nd Law. The Devon, England-based alternative rock band has always been known for a fusion of space rock, progressive rock, and classical music,  but upon the release of the single “Survival,” it was clear that the band was straying from its comfort zone. The band admits to having Skrillex influences in this new album, creating a more postmodern feel than ever before. While The 2nd Law appears quite incoherent at times, the intense diversity within the album keeps the listener surprised and on her toes.

The album opens with the track “Supremacy,” creating a rock/power ballad feel with its build from long, slow notes produced by a minimal number of instruments to an emotive chorus with choirs, drums, brass instruments, and long electric guitar notes. “Supremacy” at first seems similar to previous Muse tracks, but this sense of building familiarity shatters upon the commencement of “Madness.” From the first beat of the track to the last, it is evident that the group has taken on a more MGMT-Neon Indian feel. The replacement of traditional instruments with electronic beats is present until the guitar solo towards the end of the song, fading into another choir on top of the still-present beat. As if that does not confuse the listener enough, Muse throws in “Panic Station,” a track similar to their 2009 “Uprising” but with a more 90’s grunge twist. The angry, passionate atmosphere melts into the sweet melody of the prelude, which is softened by the use of classical instruments.

The first track after the prelude, “Survival,” contains a notable Queen influence. The background of the song sounds like the unknown pieces of an uncut “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and, paired with Matt Bellamy’s impeccable vocal range, works well with the hardness of the instrumentals and choir. Bellamy’s last note, an impressive high C6, finishes the song beautifully. The beginning of “Follow Me” can only be described as haunting thanks to Bellamy’s long, slow vocals. This Rescues’ “My Heart With You” feel is quickly disrupted with a sudden drop of the bass. The listener is appalled; Muse has gone dubstep. While there may be dubstep in the song, it can hardly be characterized by the sound of broken computer circuits typically associated with the genre. Still, the elements of this particular track are one reason why many Muse fans are dissatisfied with the album.

The listener is given a break from dubstep upon the beginning of “Animals” and the fade into the sticky-sweet ballad “Explorers,” both of which are very true to the original style of Muse. “Big Freeze” also sounds very similar to the songs of the 2001 Origin of Symmetry, with its U2-esque guitar and high vocals. However, just as the listener believes that the little experiment of electronica is over, “Liquid State” begins. Reminiscent of Radiohead’s 2004 “Where Bluebirds Fly,” “Liquid State” is very much an electronic song. However, while Radiohead was able to transition easily and smoothly in their 2004 album, the transition in this song from traditional analog instruments to electronic beats seems rushed and out of place. “Unsustainable” is very similar to the music featured in Radiohead’s Radio and Juliet ballet, with monotonous, computerized speech in the background. The sound then fades into the final track, “Isolated System,” which is quite similar in style. The speech in the background does add a unique element, yet distracts from the piano melody. The beat builds until it fizzles out in the end and fades into twenty seconds of silence.

The diversity in the styles of the songs is undoubtedly interesting, but the chronology of the tracks makes little sense. Instead of easing into the electronic style, Muse springs it abruptly upon the listener, takes it away, and ends with it. A simple rearranging would have made the album appear more coherent. That being said, whether you are a fan of electronic artists such as Bassnectar or a die-hard Muse fan searching for the familiarity of progressive rock undertones, there are songs for you on The 2nd Law. Whether you like the album as a whole, however, is more questionable.