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Muse

Muse

Date: Mar 29 2010

Themes: Alternative, Music

Grammar: Past Perfect Tense

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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Suddenly, your radio is taken over by an alien transmission. You hear strange beeping sounds and then the words, “They will not control us. We will be victorious.”

No, it’s not a message from outer space. It’s a British trio, Muse. This band has been popular in the UK for a long time, but their new song, “Uprising,” has an inspirational quality that is getting it played at sporting events, on TV and the radio, even if it’s a little weird.

Beren thinks Muse’s brand of weirdness is nothing new, just something new to the mainstream. Listen to her discuss it with Jason.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Jason

Jason

Beren

Beren

Jason:  You know what song I’ve been hearing just over and over and over on the radio?

Beren:  What song?

Jason:  “Uprising” by Muse.

Beren:  Yeah, man. It’s all over. I’m surprised. I remember when nobody knew who they were, like a year ago, even.

Jason:  I know. And now it’s, like, everywhere, you know. And it’s kind of unusual, quirkystuff to be that mainstream.

Beren:  Like the weird proggy, synth-heavy sound that you just don’t hear anymore. It’s like total throwback music I think to like ‘70s prog or late ‘60s.

Jason:  It sounds kind of scary to me almost. It’s like a sci-fi movie or something like that.

Beren:  Totally. And so, I remember when their first album came out I think in ‘99 and you couldn’t get it in the US.

Jason:  Really?

Beren:  It was an import only and it’s awesome.

Jason:  How did you know about them in ‘99?

Beren:  Um, that album came out in ‘99 and I was actually overseas in 2000 and that’s when I found out about them. I didn’t know who it was because it sounded old. I thought it was some old band I had never heard of. At that time…

Jason:  How do you think they did it? How did they get to be so popular, going from a pretty localized band in the UK to being worldwide?

Beren:  They stuck with it for 10 years. I don’t know another explanation. It doesn’t really make sense. And I think honestly I like their older stuff a little better.

Jason:  Oh do you?

Beren:  Yeah.

Jason:  Oh, I’ll have to check it out. Does it have a lot of the classical influences and stuff that their new…

Beren:  Not classical, like symphonic influences, more like classic Brittish, straight up rock and roll.

Jason:  So more classic influences than classical.

Beren:  Exactly.

 

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Jason has been hearing the song “Uprising” by Muse on the radio a lot. He likes it because it sounds weird to him, like something out of a sci-fi movie. The song is so unusual that he’s surprised how popular it is.

Beren is surprised too. She remembers when she first learned about the British trio in England in 2000. You couldn’t even buy their albums in the US at the time. She liked what she heard, though. The music reminded her of prog rock from ‘70s.

Since one of the main instruments Muse uses is a synthesizer, or a keyboard, some parts of their songs sound a bit like classical music. But Beren says their old songs sound more like classic rock bands such as Rush than classical music like Beethoven.

Have you heard “Uprising” on the radio yet? Which do you prefer, classical music or classic rock?

 

Comments

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mozhan

mozhan

France

the best band ever

01:04 PM Jan 25 2011 |

tiger_bagira

Greece

NICE

10:42 AM Nov 14 2010 |

Mim0§a

Mim0§a

Indonesia

I missed their show a couple years ago here in Jakarta, I have regretted that ‘mistake’ ever since :(

09:01 AM Jun 19 2010 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

I have never heard this band before…Including here on englishbaby I have known many different bands vary different from brazilian rythms ;)

I prefer both styles…I really like classic rock and classical music

08:37 PM Apr 27 2010 |

kpl

kpl

Taiwan

Become more growing up make people more like to come to the throwback of young age, because something used to be a mainstream could also be a mainstream in our mind still . It sings like a gorgeous symphoinc music with our growing up .  

03:50 PM Apr 17 2010 |

mickee85

mickee85

Philippines

Supermassive black is the best song I've ever heard from muse. They are simply amazing!

07:51 AM Apr 03 2010 |

ivyxie

ivyxie

China

No,I haven't heard 'Uprising",i'll hear it this evening.

I like another UK band called "Coldpay"

 

02:37 AM Apr 01 2010 |

rosendo

rosendo

Mexico

wow muse , really awesome band.

some of the song that i lke is new born , check it out

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhduQhDqtb4&feature=related

and even paul oakenfold took out a remix from this song.

saludos.

12:24 AM Mar 31 2010 |

spacedragon

Brazil

dammit !!!!!!!!!

05:05 PM Mar 30 2010 |

amyqin0317

amyqin0317

China

I like Muse. Supermassive Black Hole is one of my favorite song :)

04:12 PM Mar 30 2010 |

afufu

China

I just learned “Uprising” here.I listened it on Google,but I have to say that “Uprising” is not my thing.I am not into this kind of music.

03:22 PM Mar 30 2010 |

lunna25

lunna25

Mexico

Yeah muse It's quite good, I love them, they are going to come to Mexico City on april, it would be a great concert…I love MUSE !!!

08:38 PM Mar 29 2010 |

spacedragon

Brazil

who discovered the wheel ??

07:18 PM Mar 29 2010 |

juanlara

Mexico

this  is my firt time  in this site is great

07:08 PM Mar 29 2010 |

Thuraiya

Thuraiya

Oman

Hiiiiiiiii actually i like allLaughing the quite muse

i relax when i heard them

07:01 PM Mar 29 2010 |

Amadis

Poland

Aaaaw, MUSE! My favourite band for past two years :D I had never heard of them before I watched Twilight ;p Yeah, it sounds terrifying, but it's so true, that their popularity began to increase since their song Supermassive black hole appeared on this movie's soundtrack. And that's how began my adventure with this marvellous band :) Even though my favourite albums are Absolutnion and Black holes and revelations, I still can say that the Resistance is a piece of very good music :)

04:52 PM Mar 29 2010 |

cachimery

cachimery

Venezuela

I had not heard about them.

04:16 PM Mar 29 2010 |

machina

machina

Hungary

August 15, Sziget festival, Budapest, Hungary, Muse… I'll be there :D

04:11 PM Mar 29 2010 |

Miss Talant

Russian Federation

I like this song “Uprising” as well as the whole album :) But the best song there is Undisclosed Desires!

01:38 PM Mar 29 2010 |

luckkitten7

Russian Federation

I like Muse, they play good music Cool

12:28 PM Mar 29 2010 |

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