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Showbiz è il primo album in studio del gruppo musicale britannico Muse, pubblicato negli Stati Uniti il 28 settembre 1999 dalla Mushroom Records e il 4 ottobre dello stesso anno nel resto del mondo.
L'album ha venduto 600.000 copie nel Regno Unito, venendo certificato disco di platino, e circa 700.000 copie nel resto del mondo.
Nell'album sono presenti canzoni facenti già parte del repertorio del gruppo risalenti al 1996 al 1999, ovvero dalle pubblicazioni del demo Newton Abbot Demo e degli EP Muse e Muscle Museum EP. Il produttore John Leckie vide i Muse esibirsi in alcuni concerti nel Devon nella seconda metà del 1998. Leckie collaborava con lo studio di registrazione Sawmills Studio di Dennis Smith che aveva già messo a disposizione lo studio alla band per la realizzazione del loro primo EP. Nel 1998 comincia il rapporto tra Leckie e la band e questo sodalizio portò alla realizzazione del disco che venne registrato il 15 maggio 1999.
Nel Regno Unito e negli Stati Uniti il promo CD è stato realizzato con confezione in plexiglas con il logo del gruppo inciso mentre altri promo CD sono stati realizzati con una stampa in oro in copertina.
Nel 2006 l'album venne ristampato nel Regno Unito sotto l'etichetta East West Records. In occasione del decimo anniversario dell'uscita dell'album, il 18 agosto 2009 uscì nel formato 33 giri sotto l'etichetta Warner Music Group in Europa e in Nord America.
User Album Review
The majority of young bands are unsure of what they truly want their band to be, aside from famous. This would explain the glittering rayon shirts, the frosted tips lacquered with Dep, and the I- stuck- my- chin- in- a- bowl- of- graphite- powder goatees. At least Muse also know they want to be Radiohead, which would explain the enlisting of producer John Leckie from The Bends and Matthew Bellamy's falsetto- laden yelps, which sound so much like Thom Yorke they could pass as Andy Yorke. It was inevitable after OK Computer that legions of teens would attempt to emulate the irascible, uncomfortably serene, and canonized landmark. This isn't such a terrible ripple. Certainly copying genius is commendable compared to copying Urban Dance Squad.
Showbiz displays all the trademark "promising first album" pleasures and flaws. On one hand, you get the less jaded zeal and direct songwriting. On the other hand, you get the predictable one- word titles, lack of emotional depth, and A&R; fingerprints. 50% of Radiohead consists of adult resignation and deep emotional scarring that a 19- year- old in a shiny blouse just isn't going to have experienced. After all, Muse expertly boil down Radiohead into punkish radio nuggets. Of course, that's the sentence the label will pull from this review. Terse guitar bursts, twinkling keyboard scales, and awkward bass color by numbers. But then again, despite this promise, where can they go from here? Anyone remember Geneva? Muse has to wait and see where Radiohead goes before they can follow the footsteps. Unfortunately for Muse, Radiohead have been sluggishly crapping dozens of versions of new songs in frustration for months while they try to "approach it like Miles Davis." Perhaps Radiohead can start charitable donations of scrapped songs to creatively- starved bands like Muse.
It's both regrettable and ideal that Showbiz comes in such banal baggage. Muse humorously continues Britain's fascination with the monosyllabic monikers and logos. The overly Photoshopped (and terrible) artwork leaves a cold gloss. These flags will ward off stridently "indie" audiences from what is a pretty punchy, tight record. Coupled with Travis, Muse can satiate the rabid Radiohead junkie until LP #4. Yet once that record takes flight, all the Muses of the world will become studio musicians and schoolteachers. This is the circle of life. But does this matter for the music? Yes. Would you rather witness the impact or the wake?
https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/5519-showbiz/
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