W/e 03/07/26 - Beth Orton, Exploring Birdsong, Muse, The Pretty Reckless, Kraftwerk

Muse take Album of the Week with an average of 6.45, just ahead of The Pretty Reckless on 6.39. Not the most vintage of weeks for new releases it has to be said — Exploring Birdsong prop up the table on a miserable 5.04, a score that might have been even lower had Sam not taken a shine to them.

Tune of the Week: Cryogen by Muse — and it wasn't close, picking up votes from Sam, Jim, and Erol, with several others circling around different Muse tracks.

Erol claims the 😊 this week, averaging 7.10 across the new releases — a fine week for him. Andy takes the ☹️ and it's not particularly close either; a 3.62 average tells its own story. Between Muse scoring a 2, Beth Orton a 3, and Exploring Birdsong a 3.5, Andy had a fairly grim time of it. Sometimes the selections just don't land.

Andy

Exploring Birdsong - Crunching thrash guitars and drums mixed with power pop and you end up with Evanescence doing Eurovision which isn’t a good thing. Pretty ridiculous stuff 3.5

Muse - I refer the honourable gentlemen to my previous answers. Jokes 2

Beth Orton - I’m all for a bit of miserablism but this is just dreary. Not for me 3

The Pretty Reckless - Taylor Momsen has a solid rock voice and there’s some decent riffage at times but apart from when they fully embrace her Lita Fordness on About You it’s pretty forgettable. Have to dock half a mark for putting the parts of Life Evermore all in the wrong order. Compared to the rest of the week it’s a masterpiece mind you 6

TotW - About You by The Pretty Reckless

Kraftwerk - I generally like Kraftwerk but maybe in smaller doses. A whole album gets a bit too bleep bloop but then that’s their thing so hard to criticise too much 6.5

Mark KE

Exploring Birdsong - 3.5 - I voted for this solely on the band name, was expecting some quirky sensitive indie but jeez this was bad, really bad.

Muse - 6 - more silly over the top space rock form an act that I've never really taken to, this time with added attempts at funk, even if they can be good live.

Beth Orton - 8 - beautiful atmospheric modern folk, every bit the equal of that terrific Liz Lawrence album we did the other week.

Pretty Reckless - 5.5 - average Foos lite rawk, couple of decent riffs but no real standout track and I didn't go a bundle on the vocals.

TOTW - Waiting, by Beth Orton

Guy

Exploring Birdsong - Nothing particularly amazing here but I didn’t take as much offence to it as my fellow reviewers. Tuneful, if unremarkable, pop with some guitar action - 6

Muse - Overblown and self-indulgent. Whilst I appreciate this band live, they are really no more than a poor man’s Queen. The dancier tunes (Be With You) are better but the others feel like they could be written by Andrew Lloyd Webber - 5.5

Beth Orton - I thought this was good. Bit maudlin but strong voice and some solid tunes - 7

The Pretty Reckless - Decent bit of rock with some nice guitar in places. Touch of the Joan Jetts about her. That said, unlikely to get a repeat listen. - 6.5

TOTW- About You by The Pretty Reckless

Kraftwerk - What Andy said. You have to admire Kraftwerk for the ground they broke and the unique sound they created but it’s a bit dated now and a bit of a tough listen in such volume! - 6.2

Justin

Exploring Birdsong - Very strange. Quietly hypnotic, but not enough for repeat listens. 6.2

Muse - Overblown rock opera. Brilliant. 8.5

Beth Orton - Bleak voice for bleak songs albeit I found all the gloom and downbeat music quite listenable. 6.9

The Pretty Reckless - Ultimately pretty MOR rock. Not a painful listen, but I won't be back 6.5

TOTW Be With You - Muse

Kraftwerk - I've always liked Kraftwerk songs, but until recently the only album I had listened to was Trans Europe Express. I've been listening to a lot recently and this is a great album. Ahead of their time with all the electronic sounds and Computer Love is a total classic. 8.5

Phil (New)

Exploring Birdsong 5.2

Once I had it in my head that the leads voice sounded like the singer of the Frozen song 'let it go' I couldn't concentrate. The mix of styles didn't work for me.

Muse 6.5

I have listened to this a couple of times and still can't make up my mind what I think of it. Yes it's theatrical, but that is what Muse do. It seems too slickly produced, a couple of the tracks sounded almost like Harry Styles. I'm sure it will work well in a huge stadium, but really lacked some of their lively stuff to make it an album I'd return to.

Beth Orton 5

Her voice has lost the softness that made her sound unique and distinguishable. All a bit harsh and miserable. Did make me go back and listen to Trailer Park again though which is a great album I'd forgotten about.

The Pretty Reckless 6.7

For I am death and Love me were decent. Enjoyable enough listen, but won't be played again.

TotW Muse - The Dark Forest

Kraftwerk 8

This was great. I had no idea coldplay had sampled them.

Carlo

Exploring Birdsong – 5.4

Musically, this has some nice tuneful moments with plenty of potential. Unfortunately, I found her voice a little annoying and, at times, quite tedious.

Muse – 6

Very dramatic, with octave changing vocals, deep guitars and orchestral flourishes. I’m not the biggest Muse fan, but this was better than expected.

Beth Orton – 6.9

I quite like the quirkiness of her voice, although it felt a little forced at times. All in all, this wasn’t a bad listen.

The Pretty Reckless – 6.9

A really well put together album. A little too rocky for me, but I can definitely see the attraction.

TOTW: Muse – Hexagons

Classic – Kraftwerk – 8.2

What a joy to listen to… pure synth, neatly crafted. And, as Phil said, I was surprised to discover Computer Liebe had seemingly been stolen by Coldplay!

Phil (OG)

Exploring Birdsong 6

Nouveau prog. Liked the opening track but after that the synthy backdrops took over.

Muse 5

Not so much “wow” as “good grief!”

Beth Orton 6

I still own Beth’s first album proper. It sounds like she’s been smoking 40 Gitanes a day since then, such is the state of her voice now. The material she chooses to croak doesn’t help matters either.

The Pretty Reckless 7.4

Oddly old-fashioned rock noise, sounding a bit like an overlooked album from the early 70s, before Heavy Metal became a thing. By some distance the best album of the week.

TOTW – The Pretty Reckless – Dear God

Classic

Kraftwerk 6

As a committed electro-pop naysayer, you’d expect me not get on with Kratfwerk and I don’t. All the same, it’s instructive to hear synthetic music before it got fancied up – and yes, I know the process had already started when this album came out. What saves this from being consigned to Goatee Phil’s Chasm of Oblivion is the handful of pretty tunes, like Computer World 2 and Computer Love. In my world it’s called Computer Tolerance.

Simon

Exploring Birdsong 2.5

Hammy '80s style power rock with Muse-levels of silly, over the top-ness. Truly naff in places.

Muse 2

Exactly the sort of ludicrous, bombastic nonsense I was expecting - trying to sound like the Weeknd isn't going to help you here, chaps. £200 a ticket at the O2 for this? You're having a giraffe.

Beth Orton 7.5

I'm with MKE, thought this was excellent - slightly maudlin perhaps but also very atmospheric and beautifully arranged.

The Pretty Reckless 5

Run of the mill heavy rock - best I can say about this is that I've heard worse.

TotW: Beth Orton - The Ground Above

Kraftwerk 8

For some reason I've never got round to listening to a Kraftwerk album even though my record collection is full of artists they've influenced - this may be 45 years old but it still sounds like the music of the future to me.

Mark D

Exploring Birdsong 6.25

Liked the opener and was ready to embrace but descended into mediocre pop meets Emo. Best when just vocals and piano.

Muse 8.25

Return to form here. Overblown but why shouldn't a band do this with their music. Hexagons through Hush back-to-back is up there with their best and multiple irresistible riffs throughout.

Beth Orton 6.5

Sad / slow songs are often ones I enjoy but something about the slightly-strained vocals and jazz sound-scape-feel meant I didnt feel much connection here.

Pretty Reckless 6.75

Straight hard rock and done well but never really upped itself. e.g. Dragonfire, which started with promise, reverted to the norm.

TOTW Muse - Sickness in You and I

Kraftwerk 7.5

Never tried before and really enjoyed the beats and synth with just enough being added through the songs to keep them fresh. My only complaint is some dodgy sample / vocal choices which upset the hypnotic state I found myself in..

Sam

Exploring Birdsong: as Andy said I definitely wasn’t expecting them to sound like Evanesence ! Still I liked most of it : 7

Muse : what a masterpiece. 30 years after their debut . Blistering stuff . 9

Beth Orton : dullsville ! I did not like this . 3

Pretty Reckless : a proper rock album . Several potential TOTW . I’m a fan for sure . 8.3

TOTW : Cryogen by Muse . Blew my socks off

Kraftwerk : I liked this! Fun and bright and bouncy . Good choice . 8

Erol

Exploring Birdsong - their sound is a bit too Euro rock/pop even though they’re from Liverpool. Still it was listenable. 6

Muse - overblown and perfectly pompous. A riot of dramatic rock. Magnificent. 8.9

Beth Orton - beautiful at times and her voice is captivating but, my word, the longer it went on the more depressing it became. 6

The Pretty Reckless - a decent rock album that evokes a drunken night in a smoky, sweaty bar somewhere in the US. I love her gravelly, 20 Marlboro a day voice, even though I suspect she doesn’t smoke!7.5

TOTW - nearly anything from Muse, but let’s go for Cryogen.

Kraftwerk - pure synth but all a bit basic. Sorry to say this hasn’t aged too well. 6

Jim

Exploring Birdsong 4

Yeesch I thought this was dull . Amazed to remember it was a debut. Sounded like aging pop rockers going through the motions .

Muse 8

Bosh. The first half is up with their best. The 2nd is a little hit and miss but overall still great fun with some mahoosive tunes . Cryogen had plenty of Plug In Baby about it, and Shimmering Scars is also ace.

Beth Orton 6.5

Not my bag however I can see it’s nicely done and kept me interested.

The Pretty Reckless 3

Double Yeesch. This a painful rock ballad cheesefest, and her over exaggerated vocals got on my wick. Very glad when it ended

TOTW: Muse - Cryogen .

Kraftwerk 8

The OOGs although I never really invested time in their stuff. Extra point for respect on top of the enjoyable tunes. Still remember well seeing them at tribal gathering in 199x, before Tony DeVit ripped the roof of the festival tent

Paul

Exploring Birdsong (3.5)

Didn’t get on with this all. Odd pop/rock combo just didn’t work for me.

Muse (7.8)

I’m in the pro-Muse camp and you get exactly the overblown space rock nonsense you’d expect. This is a decent effort if not up to their past offerings.

Beth Orton (7)

Liked this, not the cheeriest of albums but really liked her voice so made for a nice listen.

The Pretty Reckless (5)

Some decent rock tunes but didn’t like the vocals. Sounded quite dated to me.

TOTW - Beth Orton, Waiting

Kraftwork (8.5)

Long time admirer, 1st time listener (to a full album). Excellent, really works as a coherent single piece of work.

Annette

Exploring Songbird: 4

Muse: 7

Beth Orton: 6

The Pretty Reckless: 6

TOTW: Huah by Muse

Classic: Kraftwerk - 6.5

Adam

Exploring Birdsong 6

Definitely went a bit Evanescene/Nightwish in places. Not a bad thing in my books. Thought there were some tuneful bits in places.

Muse 6

Used to love Muse but just don’t seem to get on with it so much these days. Big, bold tracks. Just not clicking for me.

Beth Orton 5

Some beautiful songs, just all a bit too dreary. Think you can nail sadness and captivate. This didn’t quite.

The Pretty Reckless 7

Good rocking tracks, best of the week.

TOTW Pretty Reckless - Love Me

Classic 8

Enjoyed listening to this with my AI. Compact mix of electronic, fun and upbeat sounds.

Matt

Exploring Songbird - 5

Muse - 4.8

Beth Orton - 6

The Pretty Reckless 6.7

TOTW : About You, The Pretty Reckless