Music video analysis 2 Plug in Baby- Muse

Genre Muse incorporate many various styles into their music. They have been grouped as electronica, classical music, alternative rock, experimental rock and metal. They make use of various instruments in their music, including pianos, pipe organs, church organs, mellotrons, synthesisers, cellos, violas and violins The variety of instruments adds to the experimental genre they have been classified with. The singer, Matthew Bellamy, uses many different devices behind the lyrical and musical composition of the band. A few of these include Falsetto and Vibrato. H owever, many of these vocal styles discourages radio play of the songs from that album. Their unique music style is matched only by their extremely dynamic performance style. The performance takes place in a bedroom, which could have sexual connotations to the name of the song; “Plug in Baby”. The genre of the band can also be established through the heavy, distorted bass lines in the album, and also the well-known introduction riff.

Muse incorporate many various styles into their music. They have been grouped as electronica, classical music, alternative rock, experimental rock and metal.

They make use of various instruments in their music, including pianos, pipe organs, church organs, mellotrons, synthesisers, cellos, violas and violins The variety of instruments adds to the experimental genre they have been classified with.

The singer, Matthew Bellamy, uses many different devices behind the lyrical and musical composition of the band. A few of these include Falsetto and Vibrato. H owever, many of these vocal styles discourages radio play of the songs from that album.

Their unique music style is matched only by their extremely dynamic performance style.

The performance takes place in a bedroom, which could have sexual connotations to the name of the song; “Plug in Baby”.

The genre of the band can also be established through the heavy, distorted bass lines in the album, and also the well-known introduction riff.

Visual/ lyrics The meaning of the song is unknown, although it could be about the love for the electric guitar; the singer only has to ‘plug it in’ and play. This can be backed up by the statement made by Matthew Bellamy himself: “it’s about how we project our emotions from our innerselves into technologies around us.” Another more peculiar suggestion, also made by the singer himself, was that the song was about genetically modifying puppies to remain young and cute forever. The song seems to, however, have voyeuristic implication, as the video contains many young women. This can be confirmed by the line “my plug in baby/ in unbroken virgin realities/ is tired of giving”. The lyrics “I’ve exposed your lies, baby/ the underneath no big surprise…” could be a reference to the women in the video; they appear human, but their legs happen to be silvery, tentacle-shaped limbs. This might suggest that their “lies” about being human have been exposed. The strange aliens are soon followed by the lines “I’ve seen your loving/ mine is gone”, which could be depicting how the singer visualizes someone he does not love anymore- as aliens, or people he cannot relate to. The lyrics both amplify and illustrate the video, although the song meaning is still unclear.

The meaning of the song is unknown, although it could be about the love for the electric guitar; the singer only has to ‘plug it in’ and play. This can be backed up by the statement made by Matthew Bellamy himself: “it’s about how we project our emotions from our innerselves into technologies around us.”

Another more peculiar suggestion, also made by the singer himself, was that the song was about genetically modifying puppies to remain young and cute forever.

The song seems to, however, have voyeuristic implication, as the video contains many young women. This can be confirmed by the line “my plug in baby/ in unbroken virgin realities/ is tired of giving”.

The lyrics “I’ve exposed your lies, baby/ the underneath no big surprise…” could be a reference to the women in the video; they appear human, but their legs happen to be silvery, tentacle-shaped limbs. This might suggest that their “lies” about being human have been exposed.

The strange aliens are soon followed by the lines “I’ve seen your loving/ mine is gone”, which could be depicting how the singer visualizes someone he does not love anymore- as aliens, or people he cannot relate to.

The lyrics both amplify and illustrate the video, although the song meaning is still unclear.

Visuals/ music The fast-paced edit of the shots echoes the fast pace of the song. I t also emphasises the force of the band’s live performances. T he pitch shift of the guitar effect is reflect ed by the fragmentation and deformation of the photographs. The picture subsides to normality as the effect also dwindles. The chorus lines focus mainly on the band, along with the instrumental bridge. This creates an identity for the band. The music amplifies the visuals, as the shots show the band performance to be almost chaotic as the music progresses. In a sense, the action of the performance is followed by the camera. The close up shots on the members playing their instruments imply the talent they possess. The ending of the video is similar to the beginning; the singer/ guitarist is holding the instrument upside down and causing feedback, which is comparable to the distortion at the start.

The fast-paced edit of the shots echoes the fast pace of the song. I t also emphasises the force of the band’s live performances.

T he pitch shift of the guitar effect is reflect ed by the fragmentation and deformation of the photographs. The picture subsides to normality as the effect also dwindles.

The chorus lines focus mainly on the band, along with the instrumental bridge. This creates an identity for the band.

The music amplifies the visuals, as the shots show the band performance to be almost chaotic as the music progresses. In a sense, the action of the performance is followed by the camera.

The close up shots on the members playing their instruments imply the talent they possess.

The ending of the video is similar to the beginning; the singer/ guitarist is holding the instrument upside down and causing feedback, which is comparable to the distortion at the start.

Selling the artist/ band The band are portrayed positively through their performance in the music video; they have a great quantity of energy and unique style that comes through in the clips. The same clips are often repeated in the video, to reiterate the band’s reputation as talented musicians. The repetition also conveys the repeated structure of the music. The main focus is on the frontman, as he wrote and sang the song. The centre focus on him can be suggested through the frequent use of close-ups. The deformation of the woman when she listens to the music implies the genre of the song; this particular effect is a conventional approach to rock music videos. The shots used range from long to close ups in the performance scene, which portrays the flamboyancy with which the band are playing; they seem to place every ounce of energy into their music.

The band are portrayed positively through their performance in the music video; they have a great quantity of energy and unique style that comes through in the clips.

The same clips are often repeated in the video, to reiterate the band’s reputation as talented musicians. The repetition also conveys the repeated structure of the music.

The main focus is on the frontman, as he wrote and sang the song. The centre focus on him can be suggested through the frequent use of close-ups.

The deformation of the woman when she listens to the music implies the genre of the song; this particular effect is a conventional approach to rock music videos.

The shots used range from long to close ups in the performance scene, which portrays the flamboyancy with which the band are playing; they seem to place every ounce of energy into their music.

Camera angles The variety of shots help viewers perceive the band “at their best”, thus selling the band and the music to the audience. The strange close-ups convey the uniqueness of the band. The camera focuses on the instrument emphasized at a particular point in the song. For example, the build up to the chorus concentrates on the guitarist and the drummer, as those two instruments are distinguishable through that scene. The shuddery effect of the camera also connotes loud rock music. Many of the shots are at low angles, indicating that inspirational status the band holds. As the fast paced chorus subsides into the verse again, the snappy shots are replaced by a shot of a woman's leg, unmoving; the shots seem to follow the pace of the music. Point of view shots personalize the video to the singer and/ or to the whole band. Along with fast clips, the ending contains some slow-motion shots as well, to exaggerate their musical ability. This creates a dramatic outlook to the ending of the video.

The variety of shots help viewers perceive the band “at their best”, thus selling the band and the music to the audience.

The strange close-ups convey the uniqueness of the band.

The camera focuses on the instrument emphasized at a particular point in the song. For example, the build up to the chorus concentrates on the guitarist and the drummer, as those two instruments are distinguishable through that scene.

The shuddery effect of the camera also connotes loud rock music.

Many of the shots are at low angles, indicating that inspirational status the band holds.

As the fast paced chorus subsides into the verse again, the snappy shots are replaced by a shot of a woman's leg, unmoving; the shots seem to follow the pace of the music.

Point of view shots personalize the video to the singer and/ or to the whole band.

Along with fast clips, the ending contains some slow-motion shots as well, to exaggerate their musical ability. This creates a dramatic outlook to the ending of the video.

Intertextuality The video contains voyeuristic shots, of women, which would appeal to the male audience. The camera focuses on main parts of the women, that indicate what is preferred about them- eyes, body, face, etc. Muse have stated their inspirations come from bands such as System of a Down, Pink Floyd, Depeche Mode, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, and Rage Against the Machine.

The video contains voyeuristic shots, of women, which would appeal to the male audience.

The camera focuses on main parts of the women, that indicate what is preferred about them- eyes, body, face, etc.

Muse have stated their inspirations come from bands such as System of a Down, Pink Floyd, Depeche Mode, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, and Rage Against the Machine.