Muse is a hard rock/punk band. Consistingof Matthew Bellamy (piano, vocals, guitar), Dominic Howard (drums and percussion) and Chris Wolstenholme (bass). They have a lot of potential, but are lacking in polish. Bellamy's voice is haunting and eerie, drawing the listener in to hear more. While slightly reminiscent of bands like Incubus, Muse has a sound all its own.Their newest album, Showbiz, with the mesmerizing "Sunburn." Bellamy's voice cries out about burning like the sun. This strong start sets the mood for the listener as they delve into the album, as this song stays in the front of one's mind. "Sunburn" is followed by the very different "Muscle Museum." Their musical diversity starts to show through at the beginning. "Muscle Museum" has mellower verses and then gets hardcore in the chorus. The synthesizer also takes the spotlight with a short solo.

"Fillip" plays up the drums and guitar more than the two opening songs. This song is more hardcore and sounds more like a radio single. It is a little peppier and made me want to get up and dance. On "Falling Down," the following song, the slowest song out of the first four, the haunting quality in Bellamy's voice really shows through. He switches back and forth between a deep, throaty voice and very high, almost shrill tone.
"Cave" begins with something of a sci-fi vibe, then transitions into one of Muse's hard rock beats featuring heavy drums and heavy guitar. Bellamy's voice on this song is much stronger than in previous songs, it sounds more grounded and a little angry. The title track starts with a soft percussive beat that gently builds but does not reach its peak. Bellamy starts off softly, eerily repeating the same lines. It's a slow buildup to a much more hard rock sound, which makes the beginning of the song a bit deceiving, but ultimately more powerful. This song could also be a radio single.

"Unintended" goes back to a calmer state. It seems that Muse wants to switch back and forth between softer and harder songs so that the listener does not get bored. "Unintended" sounds vaguely familiar, and once again Bellamy's voice is softer while playing a slow guitar. The quality of his voice makes the song sound mysterious in this heartfelt love song.

Next is "Uno," with a synthesizer sound that sounds like a wind tunnel or the sound of the wind rising and falling. "Uno" is slower, but at the end rises up into a louder, memorable ending. "Sober" begins with a familiar rock sound, the guitar sounds are similar to other popular songs. This is more run-of-the-mill hard rock.

The last three songs, "Escape," "Overdue" and "Hate This and I'll Love You," are somewhat similar. "Escape" and "Hate This and I'll Love You" are the slower songs of this trio. While "Overdue" is also slow in the verses, the choruses get a lot harder and Bellamy does a crescendo with his voice on certain words that give the song a very interesting and distinct quality. "Hate This and I'll Love You," the last song on the album, is an outcry of a love song that really sounds like Bellamy is baring his soul for all of us to hear.

Muse is an interesting band that distinguishes itself from the regular hard rock or alternative rock bands. Bellamy's voice is definitely part of what sets the band apart. His ability to draw in the listener and make or break a song is really remarkable. Muse has a lot of potential to go far. Don't forget about Muse the next time you go music shopping.