Muse “The Resistance” Review
The over the top, prog-rock histrionics of Devonshire, England’s Muse certainly aren’t for everybody, and there seems to be a definite line drawn firmly in the sand between the band’s detractors and their supporters. That line is only bound to get more defined with the release of the trio’s relentlessly theatrical new record, The Resistance, which expands and augments the dramatic, grandiose soundscapes of their previous album, 2006′s hugely successful but equally divisive Black Holes And Revelations.
Muse have never shied away from ambitious (some would say overly so) songwriting, and in doing so the band has crafted a challenging career arc that saw them going from being called Radiohead knockoffs early on to being accused of aping Queen on their new record. While there are certainly hints within their music to support these accusations, Muse are far too inventive and experimental to get bogged down by platitudinous comparisons, and have usually been two steps ahead of their critics throughout their nearly 15 year career. It seems like their only real goal with each successive album is to find more creative ways to get their sound louder and more massive, which certainly can be a challenge for a three-piece band (they tour with an additional keyboardist to broaden their live sound), but their scope and subject matter has always gravitated towards the celestial, and their sonic boundaries, for better or for worse, are often without limits.
The Resistance starts out with the most straight ahead rock song found on the album, the arena ready anthem “Uprising,” which has a futuristic dance beat created by bassist Chris Wolstenholme layered underneath front man Matt Bellamy’s frenetic guitar work and paranoid call-to-arms vocals. There has been a definite us vs. them mentality that has built up over the course of Muse’s last few records, and The Resistance is no exception, with lyrics demanding that sides be chosen, for wars are being waged and we need to take up the fight before everything we know is taken from us. What specifically Bellamy is referring to is anybody’s guess, but with the volatile state of the world today, just pick a conflict or crusade and there is probably an allusion to it found within the lines on this record. But whatever the fight, Bellamy makes it abundantly clear on “Resistance” that, ultimately, “Love is our resistance.” The song is inspired by the romance between Winston and Julia from Orwell’s 1984, and the lyrics reflect that suspicious mindset as well as echoing Orwell’s belief that making love is the ultimate form of rebellion, at least while Big Brother is watching. Again, the song seems primed for a large scale live performance (which is true of just about all of Muse’s output in the last six years), and is an epic and soaring track about the defiance that comes from falling in love.
The record takes its first true stylistic shift on “Undisclosed Desires,” which features a robotic R&B beat on top of synthetic, orchestral keyboards. The song is a perfect example of the band being willing to try anything and taking chances musically, even if at times it falls a bit flat, like it does here. Even if you can’t appreciate the song itself, you can at least recognize the band’s ambition and audacity in trying something outside of their comfort zone. “Desires” ends up being a bit of an oblique mess, but it remains sonically arresting, and the production, handled exclusively by the band for the first time in their career, is impressive throughout the record. “United States Of Eurasia/Collateral Damage” was the first song released by the band prior to the album’s release, being made available as a free download via their website after an online treasure hunt. Upon first hearing the track I wasn’t sold on the direction they were taking on the new album, with obvious nods to both the musical hi-jinks of Queen and the subdued melancholy of Ravel within the song’s two parts. I still don’t like the “Eurasia” part of the track at all, but the spare, ruminative classical half of the song is a nice break from the aural gymnastics found on the rest of the record.
“Guiding Light” is all cheese, starting with its soap opera-ish title (even if the band might not fully be aware of the show) straight through to the out-of-the-80′s guitar solo. The band chose to completely indulge in their stadium rock sound on this track and show no shame in recycling riffs that have long since disappeared from modern music. Again, it’s audacious, but it doesn’t necessarily work for me. The song is just trying desperately to be anthemic, but its reach far exceeds its grasp, and it falls flat. “Unnatural Selection” gets things going back in the right direction, but so brazenly recycles Bellamy’s own riff from “New Born,” off of 2001′s Origin Of Symmetry, that some of the ferocity of the track is lost simply because I’ve heard it from them before. I get the cunning evolutionary tie-in lyrically between “New Born” and “Unnatural Selection,” but it’s hard to hear the band simply running in place while purloining their own sound. The two minute noodling at the end of the track also could be done away with as well, causing any momentum built up in the song to come to an abrupt end.
“MK Ultra” finds Bellamy showing off his proficiency on the guitar, artfully changing speeds to fit the spirit of the song, while the excellent drumming of Dominic Howard keeps the track chugging right along (and the album for that matter, for Howard is one hell of a drummer). It’s the highlight of the second half of the album, and finds the band returning to more familiar ground musically while still maintaining their inventive tendencies. The jaunty piano of Bellamy guides the delicate framework of “I Belong to You/Mon S’ouvre À Ta Voix,” which finds the band again indulging their grandiose proclivities, this time only in French (at least for half of the song). But it works simply because the self-seriousness of the vocals are offset by truly catchy piano and bass lines that make this track sound like it’s emanating from the cloudy parlors of Montmartre.
The album ends with a symphony of sorts, the fifteen minute, three-part symphonic piece, “Exogenesis,” that Bellamy has been tinkering with since Muse’s last record, with Matt deeming the work “too progressive for Black Holes & Revelations.” It comfortably finds its place here, closing out the album with a sprawling, piano-driven trio of songs that find Bellamy completely indulging his inner-Rachmaninoff and doing away with the conventional song structure found at the start of the album in favor of a return to the “glory days” of Richard Strauss. Its self-indulgent and excessive, sure, but it’s also a wildly inventive change in direction for a band tired of giving fans what they’ve come to expect. Or maybe fans have come to expect this sort of thing from Muse, simply because they never know what the band is going to do next. Either way, some will find this to be a perfect example of the outrageous conceit and pompousness that turned them off of Muse in the first place, while others will find this a shining paragon of why they love the band. I tend to fall into the later camp, identifying with the experimental, orchestral side of the band while respecting the fact that they are taking a chance like this on a major release.
Their musical lives certainly don’t hang in the balance with The Resistance by any means (they will continue to sell out any arena they choose to play in Europe and most of the world), but an experiment like this one is certainly bound to cost them a fair amount of fans and airplay. But the band doesn’t appear to be too concerned with those capitalistic-minded affairs, instead they are bound by, and dedicated to, their artistic vision, no matter how overblown it may seem to be. And while some of their risks don’t necessarily work on The Resistance, at least they are taking chances and not replicating the sound that garnered them the spotlight in the first place. And for that they at least deserve our respect, for this is an album with plenty of pay off when things start to click, and only focusing on the band’s missteps discredits their bold attempt at trying to make something larger than themselves. Whether or not the record or the band’s ambition is too large is simply a matter of taste, and ultimately depends on which side of the line in the sand you are on.
Simply one of my favorite current bands. I need to buy a copy. Like NOW!
fair review, good job
That was a balanced review, great job. I also fall on the latter side of the line. I love their bombastic songs…however many of my friends do not. Plus, as the author stated, one has to give them credit for evolving and attempting to break the horrible cycle most pop music has fallen into.
I’m not sure what it is but when playing many of their guitar riffs I find them to be very well put together and truly fun to play. All three members are phenomenal musicians and work together very well.
I bought the deluxe edition of the album (including LPs) and I’m turning off the phone tonight, locking the door and enjoying it.
I have loved muse from my first listen onwards. But regarding this album, all I can say is this:
When you are quite done playing dress up and whipping up a revolution, can you make a decent album again? I thought the resistance might have been an elaborate joke at my expense.
I’ll be fair, its varied. And its not that I cant wrap my head around so many styles all at once- its just every song is not “pushing the boundaries of music” Its shamelessly stealing from someone or other- the thing I used to enjoy most about muse is its originality.
Im sorry if I sound unfair- but the whole album seems to be a self pompous and patronizing attempt at Anthemic rebellion. It reminds me of children playing guns- they’re getting themselves oh so excited, but I can’t relate to anything in the album.
As for the review, very fair and honest. After listening, Im not capable of more than a hissy fit at Matt, but you seem to have kept your head level
I concur. I was very disappointed with The Resistance. I did give it a few chances before making up my mind but none of the songs stood out. It was a boring experience with stale melodies and styles.
yes indeed fair review, i unfortunately have fallen into the trap of worshipping muse and justifying anything matt bellamy and the band come up with but…. there are a few moments on this album that just dont wash with me right now (maybe the 21 listens isnt enough just yet) i kinda hoped for a little more anger and aggression and a bit more stolkholm syndrome riffage. not dissapointed with it by any means just wanted to be kicked in the face rather than massaged.
can i just add and elaborate on some of the things that dont wash with me and some of the parodies from the album.
track 1 uprising: i love doctor who!!! therefor i love this
track 4 united states: anybody ever see the highlander? “there can be only one” i pissed my pants when i heard matt bellamy orchestrated by a folly of queen 3rd and fifth harmonies shouting there can be only one just before the chorus (queen who also wrote music for the highlander films.)
track 6 unnatural selection: one of my favs on album but the droplets in the ocean chorus line is pure abba “spend all your love on me” or some junk like that. love the song tho.
track 7 mk ultra. remember treasure hunt with annika rice?
all this said i love all the afore mentioned tracks
It does sound like a Queen album. It wouldn’t suprise us if Matt Bellamy recorded this with a BIG moustache while wearing a tight vest.
This album is AMAZING. I listened to it this morning and it’s electric. It gave me goosebumps!! I think Muse is going to be around for a long time and that they are going to go down as one of the most influential bands of this generation.
Sure some of the songs on these albums do sound similar to other band’s music, but what you must keep in mind is that most other bands got their “sound” from other muses (no pun intended… ok maybe). When I first heard “United States of Eurasia“ it made me think of Persia NOT Queen, and when you think about it, it suits Muse’s song better seeing as how its ABOUT Asia/Europe.
I was suprised when I first listened to this album. I was expecting a more Absolution meets BH&R kind of mix. Absolution is my favorite c.d. by MUSE. But, I absolutely love how beautiful this album is. They already did the rampage and loud guitar, I am very pleased that they went in a different direction then any other band would have gone. Some say that they are being pompous, however, I say they are musical genious and truly talented. There is no problem with writing an album that shows that off.
Come on now, all art is derivative in one form or another, whether intentionally or by chance. In fact, any human creation is an extension of what comes beforehand, including literature, film, even technology. What matters is whether something expands on past efforts. And most popular music today does not contribute anything new; but this album (and band) does, and for this reason it’s a success, and definately worth listening to. To the critics, I imagine you would be happiest with a rehash of Black Holes?
I love this album. I’m not so enthralled with the symphonies at the end but thats because its not my personal taste, but I still don’ take away the fact that Muse are musical geniuses, especially Matt.
I love that there are sounds of Glam Rock, Yazoo/depeche Mode (undisclosed desires), Queen amongst it but you can’t take away the fact that they’ve surrounded it with their own musical style and brilliance.
Uprising should have charted better, and I hope Undisclosed Desires will also.
I usually avoid too bold statements when an album has just come out. But after 30 or so listenings in the 1st week I am sure… this is the best album of all time. It is indeed possible to argue for hours over it (which is a forst hint of the above), but never before has any band succeeded in melting styles together, experimenting and still sound so coherent (basically, what Radiohead failed to do – although I never agreed to the comparison). Muse sets new standards in music and the resistance is unbelievably good. If you own but 1 album for the rest of your life… this is it!
THIS ALBUM IS THE BEST ALBUM IN THE HISTORY OF ALBUMS, I CAN’T BELIEVE MY EYES, NOSE, AND EARS.
Didn’t think any album this year (or this decade for that matter) could top Mastodon’s ‘Crack the Skye’, but this comes damn close. To have two albums of that kind of unbelievable quality in the same year is pretty special, and I real feel bad for those who are put of by audacity/pompousness/whatever you want to call it. I just call it confidence and freedom of expression.
The thing is that songs are so much easier to compose and arrange to be massive in minor, but make the key major and it is a whole new ball game. The skill Queen mastered is evident here in songs US of E and Guiding Light, which are my absolute favorites in all their cheesiness. Without any warning stumbling into Chopin’s’ Nocturne just blew me away – how dare they? And almost the whole piece? Yet I find myself listening the track all the way to the end every time. Somehow listening to the first delicate piano notes knowing that the whole thing will blow up in Eurasia – sia – sia -sia is just tickling.
Guiding Light is straight from the Eurovision qualifiers from Bosnia Herzegovina, but smashing your stereos with the beat in the intro is just so much fun and gets you into the mood to take the song in fully.
Two great songs that shouldn’t be overlooked in my opinion.
Muse have moved that line in the sand to put me on the wrong side. It’s not that I can’t take the so-called experimentation, but being an oldie I find the album more of a rehashed mash-up of what has been before than an exploration into new territory. And as for the lyrics, please leave this sort of thing to experienced sci-fi writers. Such storylines can only ever come over as extremely shallow when used in rock albums.
i love muse, they are, in my opinion the best band of this generation but what the hell have they done with this album?? they seem to have lost their spark, even their live performances seem a bit lacking, its a terrible shame
bring back the “origin of symmetry” sound!!
I love the muse, I have introduced them to so many people. And then this album came out. I must admit my first response to it was laughter. i laughed so hard I cried. what the hell happened? i mean this album is like a compilation of artists. i heard depeche mode, marroon 5, queen, and pink floyd, all at their worst. Is it a mixture of too big of egos and drugs? Because if so, im willing to pitch in to send them to rehab. And Matthew’s voice? Its polished and i can definitely hear some voice lessons, which is good, but i feel he lost a big part of himself in it.
I think you need to do some research. Bellamy has played classical piano for a very, very long time (since a child). First becoming a fan of Muse in 2000, I can’t think of a single album that hasn’t had heavy classical influences with pure classical pieces threaded into songs or by themselves. So when you say about Exogenesis, “it’s also a wildly inventive change in direction for a band tired of giving fans what they’ve come to expect.”, no it’s not and fans have been waiting for Exogenesis for a very long time. You’re statement couldn’t be further from the truth.
Also your comparison of the New Born and Unnatural Selection riffs is… off. For starters, they aren’t even in the same key or ever hit the same notes. I think what’s confused you is that they both change up 3 times in the 8 bars they are played and roughly follow the same rythmn (which is purely hit a note on every 16th). So kind of like having two people that are proportionately identical, so they appear the same at a very far distance, but even just remotely closer you find out they’re not even the same gender or race. I didn’t notice it when I heard the song and it took this review for me to go back and compare the two, only to see how a non-musician could possibly, maybe, somehow come to your conclusion.
As far as USoE goes, Matt said the song was supposed to sound like Queen. Even before the release of the title of the song, let alone the song itself, Matt Bellamy had said it is a tribute to Queen who are one of their major influences – especially to him whose mother is obsessed with them.
Also “the fight” lyrics refer to how all throughout history, to today, and into the future, humans have progressively been more and more controlled by the empowered (e.g. corporate and political) to the point that it controls lives on an epic scale even though it has no right to – we are individuals and should be able to do what we want. This is no interpretation. Muse lyrics are Georgism/Humanism to the core.
Do you know anything about this band? I know it’s impossible to know everything about every band, but you’re reviewing an album ffs… learn a little.
Though not everyone will agree, this is a great album.
I’ve listened to all kinds of music probably longer than most Muse fans have been alive and I can say after a few listenings Resistance has moved to my top ten favorite
Some of the music I listened to when I grew up in the 70′s is being listened to by those who don’t like the current totally forgettable *&%t a lot of young people listen to now.
The reviews I’ve read on “Resistance” generally are good with your typical detractors that will disagree with anything anyway.
Sales numbers will ultimately tell how Resistance will fare.
I’m predicting it’s going to do very well.
Good balaced review…though the comments of the review have been even more interesting to read! Thanks.
Decent album from a band that seems most comfortable when taking risks… A good attitude considering that they could sell albums making music without ever pushing the envelope again.
This is an incredible album, pure and simple. It is a delight to the true Muse fans out there. If you don’t like it, you just don’t get Muse.
In a world of cookie-cutter one hit wonders and sh!t-can music, this album is a breath of fresh air. Yes, at times it is cheesy but that is part of its charm. Having listened to the album many times now, I do not find any places where I want to skip.
Here’s a thought: Where there are no classical musicians in existence, where there are no original ‘classical’ compositions making their way into mainstream music, can this album NOT be considered anything less than ‘neo-classic’?
Any orchestral music that makes it into mainstream music is an afterthought. This album is a true classical album that should by rights go down in history as a rebirth. Even if it does incorporate parts of other classic pieces, it is a classical opera in its own right and we all should take influence from this music because it is beautiful, skilfully crafted, emotional, thoughtful and most importantly: ambitious. Who else would dare dream up an album such as this?
I’ve been a huge Muse fan since their first album. Yes, they sounded far too much like Radiohead (my favorite band), but they’ve progressed beyond that. Each album has been a marked improvement over the last. So understand that I expected to love this album. I wanted to.
And then I heard it. I’ve never laughed out loud at a CD before, but I did repeatedly on my first listen. This is just bad bad bad. They need someone to produce them in order to reign them in, because I don’t believe they have any ability to edit their own works. Bon Jovi wishes he wrote this album.
There are some standout songs, but overall, big miss. Big big miss.
Good album, for the most part the experiments were successful.
Fair review, but you were too harsh on Undisclosed Desires. It’s catchy once you get to know it… the chorus of that song wouldn’t get out of my head for an entire day after I heard it.
MK Ultra, Uprising, and Resistance are the best pieces on the album. The Queen-y part in Eurasia really doesn’t work in a Muse song though. I like them because they’re harmonic, dynamic, and a little bit diabolical. This album diverts from that quite a bit, but doesn’t ruin it until those parts.
This is an unicque album,each song owns it’s own character.Unnatural selection,Uprising,MK Ultra are the best tracks.Any similaryty with Qeen,Depeche,or someone else is in my opinion 100% on purpose.Matt is genious.
Your remark on the wide rift between those who love muse and hate them is certainly evident in the comments posted here.
I honestly couldn’t give you an informed opinion regarding the recycled riffs and overbearing styles. All I can say is that I very much enjoyed the new album.
Every song in fact. I’ve listened to it once, I might listen to it again tomorrow. I think if you listen to an album 21 times you’ll start to disconnect with your visceral reaction and seriously over think the whole thing.
And doesn’t that sort of invalidate the whole purpose?
I really couldn’t do without this new album, by Muse, Matt & co. So i celebrate another good album, few will understand! Cheers!!! Go on fans and have one too!!!
Seems like some people are too in love with their own intellect to truly appreciate this album. Many people can’t handle it when the sound they like in a band changes. I appreciate the fact that Muse has expanded on the Supermassive Blackhole sound. They do a great job every time they record. I can’t wait till they come to Seattle so I can scream like a high school girl when they play these songs. Especially Undisclosed Desires. Holy crap.
Their second best album, after BHAR.
A beautiful album!
First of all, great work with review.
Actually I would love to read 1984 again with such a great soundtrack. It has the tragedy and romance from the main love story but you still can feel the cries for freedom. Many people won´t like it, but I think it´s one of Muse´s masterpieces.
Firstly, I’d like to say this was an exellent and balanced review.
My initial reaction to the album was pretty un-spectacular. Now, after several more listens, I’m stll not crazy about it, although I still think it is infinitely better than general pop music.
I love Muse and have always loved Muse. I just about died when I first heard their older tracks. I always loved the future-space-dictatorship-paranoia that seemed to run through many of the songs, and I will admit that some of their lyrics spoke to me. I wasn’t overly happy with ‘Blackholes’ when it came out but there were some tracks I could get behind. They seemed to have lost some of their unique jazz I couldn’t find anywhere else and seemed to sound more rock that they used to, but I just shrugged it off as me being old-fashioned. It did make me a little bitter that they only had three or so songs played on the radio that didn’t represent them fully but have people say that they were fans anyway. Still every band must evolve, and I understand this.
When I heard ‘Uprising’ for the first time, I was just so taken aback though. It’s not so much that it sounded different that turned me off, but that they were broadcasting a sort of teenage rebellion a couple of decades late. None of the lyrics I could really relate to, and though I’m no fan of The Man, I had nothing at all in common with this new stranger of a band. The acoustical part was catchy, but I just can’t hear the words without squirming in my seat. I almost didn’t want to finish listening to it. I wanted to keep an open mind, telling myself that if I could handle ‘Black Holes And Revelations’ I could handle this. I’ve listened to the album, and my opinion may change after a few listens, but so far I think it’s an awful use of their imagination and skill.
I do confess to wanting to laugh or burst out in tears after hearing it. I think that if someone who likes a lot of types of music, is open minded, and also is not a fan of Muse would like this album. If you have loved Muse for a long time and are a big fan of theirs, you most likely will either hate it, or learn to grudgingly accept it. I do hope that it’ll grow on me, even though I don’t like it, just because I don’t want to have to witness the untimely demise of genius again. I’ve gone through it before, and it’s never pleasant.
I may leave another comment if my opinion changes.
And that hint of Queen is not really a hint. It’s more of a baseball bat to the head in some of the songs.
Signed with love, and a bit of hope among the disappointment.
I waited a while to post my comments, I read many reviews even before I heard the album, which probably was’nt a good idea. However I have been listening to it for a couple of weeks now and have got past all the preconcieved notions that I previously had. Quite simply , I love it, why? Apart from the obvious sheer brilliance, it just grows on you. All the pompousness and ridiculous lyrical ideas become more beleiveable the more I listen. Even the initiall familiarity of some of the songs sounding simmilar to other artists has gone and now they just sound like great Muse songs. The thing with this album there are so many textures and sounds that are a pure joy to listen to.I loved all the previous albums but feel this one is more complete as a whole work, the only thing I wish it was longer and often I have to hit the repeat button when its finished just to get some more, which seems to work quite well as I find once Ive reached the end its like having gone in a circle back to the start.Fantastic for a band these days to be different, Muse always were and remind me of the bands of my youth, ie;Floyd ,Bowie, , Zeppelin, Supertramp,Jethro Tull etc, bands that made music that didnt fit the mold of commercial or popular music. Cant wait to see their new show, I feel this new material can only be bigger and better standing in the middle of a crowd of tens of thousands of like minded fellow humans. Hopping that they will release a new concert DVD, love the HARP one,and the ealier shows but they just get progresively better. When I first heard muse I thought they had that sort of thrashy, modern punk, Nirvana type energy and even though the Music has become more sophisticated and technical they havent lost it. Brilliant, hats off to the guys.
Muse is one of my favorite bands and I have to be honest, I was really dissapointed with this album. I mean it is true that they brought a different type of sound to the table but I mean when I talk about “Muse” the first thing that comes to mind is their album “Origin of Symmetry”. Their best album by far! I was really hoping they went back to their roots and brought back that dark side again while they are rocking the place but. Man, they are losing focus. For me, an OK album, I would give it a 7.5 out of 10 maybe, but not really thrilled with the band’s new approach.
Abit disappointed, although I truly appreciate their originality, especially trying to break through the horrible cycle of pop music. The only highlights are the exogenesis and undisclosed desires. I also like Guiding light
I went to art college with Dominic but didn’t really know him, I was just aware that he was in a band. A year or two later I heard Unintended and was blown away. I bought Showbiz and then couldn’t believe it when I saw a pic of Dom in the sleeve. To be honest with you even today I still can’t believe that he is partly responsible for the awesome music that that is Muse.
The thing with Muse is you have to realise you are on a musical journey with them, expect the unexpected, they are artists not just musicians. If you like the same old stuff album after album then listen to Coldplay, if you want to be amazed and surprised album after album then listen to Muse. The choice is yours…………..
Late as I may be, thought I’d listen relax and come back to it. Overall still hard for me to form an even opinion. I see a lot of “this isn’t origin of symetry” comments all over the shop and top marks, it isn’t. Musical evolution does require the sound to change. The thing that got me down about the whole affair was yes, liked the music, not all of it – I do feel like supergrass there’s a point where wearing your influences on your sleeve gets irritating – but most of it, however the lyrics (admittedly not Bellamys strongest feature ever across all teh albums) just struck me as laughable tripe. US of E is just lyrical balls, i really did laugh so hard it hurt. Boy did it hurt. I think great for getting out there and doing something different but a majority of the lyrics sound embarassing to me. I felt like someone had stolen a GCSE literature project. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying they must write the next great work of fiction to accompany their excellent soundscapes but after Black Holes…. hit the silly slope in that region I didn’t think it would get worse. Not bad music majoritively I just cannot take it seriously, so it definitely cheers me up. UI did say the opinion wasn’t even
Muse is ok…But I listened to black holes and absolution quite a bit but it didn’t last. Doesn’t seem timeless enough, good for short thrills but I have had no desire to listen to them again when you compare them to say Tool or deffinetly radiohead. They just don’t seem to be as developed or mature as them yet they have been in the business for a good amount of time..
wot are u on about Jordan? Just stick to wot you are good at like getting your overblown barrage balloons exposed
How about Exogenesis: Symphony Part 1 Overture?… It’s nostalgic, enchanting, romantic and melodramatic in the feelings it evokes. It starts with playful and teasing new planet like sound,with the intro of a dooming effect 45 secs in, not like “Mars Bringer of War” quite, but neither is it futuristic and yet the context it puts me in mind of is present… and of certain non ages. After 1.17 secs in,we reach the sentimental melody pattern which i feel corresponds to visuals of dark discovery or war. Not granduer… but a mature classical sound which carries a poetic message both universally and timelessly. A listener mulls over this sound with wonder of true meaning being at the same time consoled.
Depth in the piece comes within seconds with the drums adding beats leading up to Matt’s unforgettable operatic voice, slowly voicing; Aping my soul,”You stole my overture,Trapped in God’s program,Oh I can’t escape… the lyrics are delicate, as if subtle and subdued like “1984″ thoughts contemplated introspectively, but then untruth of reality dawns and questions of perspective and control are asked… Taking us to the “Five Ws” of childish innoccence confusion and vulnerability to what is a wiser questioning of certainty and fact… “Who are we? Where are we? When are we? Why are we? Who are we? Where are we? Why, why, why?”.
The track gets louder towards the end in rebellion of this deception, which is when the heavier sound of the guitars and group vocalising heightens this effect and… “I can’t forgive you… And I can’t forget” . The melody seems to get faster with the percussion at the end and Matt’s end of “Here” clinging, like the truth of presence accepted… but enivitably the sudden ending after is death and nothing beyond.
That Eurasia track actually ends with part of a Chopin nocturne. Might want to include that.
I may not be a music snob like some on here, but I know what I Like.
The first time I heard “Resistance”, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up! This still happens occasionally many listens later! Yes, there are a couple of weaker songs on the album, but nowhere near as many as you would find on any U2 album you could care to mention! And there’s nothing I’d want to skip through.. Some of the tracks are even better live (NIA B’ham) and complement their other stuff, to the point where I don’t think that they can get any better live – just different!
When this album is good it is outstandingly brilliant – 9 out of 10. There can be only One (now that Freddie’s gone)…
People need to get over themselves. Just because they don’t sound exactly the same as they have before doesn’t mean that the album isn’t honestly the best album I’ve ever heard!!! EVER! Im laying in my bed when I first hear the first Exogenesis and I must admit that I almost cried it was so beautiful. And I Belong to You had to be the crown of the album. The 1 and a half minuet french interlude was amazingly powerful. Guiding light was a little dull and cheesy but it wasnt as bad as people made it out to be. But I swear. This album has revolutionized how I look at modern music.
Its seriously an amazing album, and they are not doing something bigger than theirself…they are this big. And no one else can do what Muse does, as well as Muse does!
first of all, i love this album…. i can listen to Showbiz then pop in The Resistance and i’m equally in love with both of them. Also, people should realize that the boys of Muse are not pompous arses. They have fun when making albums and do what they want… they don’t sell out to whats popular. What you hear on a Muse album is what they want you to hear. Also on the album, the transition from USoE into Guiding light is so gorgeous and i blow my voice out every time i listen and sing along.
I love this new album, just as much as showbiz, OoS, Absolution and BH&R, and respect every album in a different way. I absolutely love matt’s vocals in The Resistance (they give me chills) and being a lover of all types of music (from rock to pop to rap to classical) I will say with complete conviction that Muse is my all-time favorite. peace
Fantastic album in my opinion..Muse are the best band ever and they are incapible of lettin u down. However, as good as this album is, i have to admitt i did enjoy “Black Holes and Revelations” a bit more. This is still unreal though!
Wel i’m quite late
But I’ve been running away from this album since the first time I heared
Because like many other people, I was expecting something different and I was laughing out loud when I first heared this new album.
As for the review, it’s a very good one, it made me look at the album in a different way. I can see their intention of being innovative and I like the fact that they didn’t care what people expected them to do next.
Still I’m not able to enjoy this album except maybe as a whole. I agree with people saying that they’ve lost the spark they had before. Like one stated here, if they had worked with a producer this album might have been even better (’cause don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a product of quality and geniallity). They might have forgotten what they were doing while they were doing it, that’s where the producer would have come in.
To me this album sounds a little bit dull(especially compared to their other work). It’s not that I expected them to do the same they’ve done before, it’s just that they went to classical IMHO. Before Muse was a great convergence of pop rock and classical music. To me this sounds more like pop with a classic edge to it.
I’ve noticed people who didn’t like them before now tend to like the new songs, which is in my opinion because the songs seem to fit airplay better.
Looking at it that way, they have become what they never wanted to be.
Still I love Muse so I hate the fact that I’m dissapointed about this.
Like some here also stated,
I’ll just have to overcome this, though never being able to accept.
I admit that I don’t like this new direction they went into, but IMO they have to grow in it more, than maybe, the next album will make me happy again.
I feel somewhat guilty now haha. I am a big Muse fan and listened to Resistance and thought it was their best yet – but now I’m seeing all this negativity it makes me doubt my own opinion which I don’t think is fair. This is my favourite Muse album maybe because of its over the top ridiculousness and colourfulness. I love seeing a band evolve – I hate an album to sound identical to its predecessor. Look at The Beatles, no band in history evolved as much and as quickly as they did, Im not saying the Resistance is the Sgt Pepper of our time though. I prefer a band who can move on and progress in a new direction rather than a band who wallows in its own successes releasing the same ol’ shit every year.
Although “Absolution” shines for me personally as one of the greatest albums by any band (I also like “Origin of Symmetry”) “The Resistance” isn’t bad at all. Is IS ridiculous and I’m sure in some tracks it was meant to be. Just read some interviews in which the band members say how they laughed a lot in studio while making this record. They Do have an awesome talent and great courage. Their next album can be jazz-rock or acoustic or heavy metal or whatever. Are we going to hate them for that? The boys make this life mor fun for us. I love them.
All the ridiculous borrowings from Queen, Pink Floyd and Depeche Mode are just fine with me. I’ve listened to and loved them all.
This kind of homage is at worst an eye-brow raiser or a giggle and at best brings rise to a nod of appreciation.
In my view however, the whole record is just a lead-up to the symphony: The last track breaks my heart everytime.