The Resistance

 

 

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The Resistance, in two words, is: mind blowing.

It is a lot to take in at once, so I suggest listening to it a few times to take in everything, especially the three part symphony at the end of the album. Muse have changed yet again and created something amazing, and in my opinion, running for contest as their best album to date. It beats Black Holes by a big stretch, while Absolution fights with it a bit but gets tossed, and Origin of Symmetry fights with it eternally for my #1 favorite spot.

I laugh at people who can't accept new things, and say "muse have sold out" because they don't sound like they do on Origin of Symmetry. I'm sorry but I much prefer a band who changes and brings something new and fresh each time they release and album - and that's exactly what Muse have done. They have grown, matured, and have shown what they can really do.

'Uprising' starts it all off, because of course, you need to rise up before you can resist. A dancey-hard rock take on Goldfrapp, with stomp in it. Solid track as Matt announces in an anthem-like way on how we can't let them control us, degrade us, nor force us. 'Resistance' starts it all really. You get the feel and atmosphere of this album through this song, it is breath taking, 'love is our resistance.' - this track seems to borrow, or rather pay some homage, to Citizen Erased in the intro/outro. Lovely put together.

'Undisclosed Desires' is the anti-Muse song with no piano or guitar in this track, and the drums are electronic. Think Depeche Mode with Matt soaring over this track with synths at every stop. Next, 'United States of Eurasia' bringing the fantasy of Europe and Asia becoming one. Slow beautiful start, explodes into a grand Arabic riff with piano and drums following right behind. Queen like explosions to pay tribute to one of their biggest influences. Ends with a beautiful piece from Chopin -- which leads into 'Guiding Light'. Stadium rock. Probably the weakest track on the album (which isn't saying much), but still has that great Muse touch to it, while a bit repetitive and the least changing track (as well as awfully cheesy). A good live track for the big stadiums nonetheless.

'Unnatural Selection' - what can I say? The new 'Newborn'. Brilliant organ opens this track with huge riffs left and right, a jazzy interlude breakdown, along with a heavy powerful riff at the end. Matt announces "he wants the truth!" - so much so, I'd want to give him whatever truth this man wants. 'MK Ultra' continues the path of riffs, starting with a spidery-synthy riff with eerie vocals. This track is more akin to their older work in some ways, while fusing their electronic experiments from BH&R. My favourite stand-alone track on the album, ending with another 'muse-y' riff.

'I Belong To You' - What a surprise. It is unique, and very funky. Cover of "Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Toi" locates itself in the track after a breakdown, in which Matt sings the cover in french. Humor is found throughout such as "you are my guiding light-ning strike." It ends making the pave way clear to the symphony.

'Exogenesis' - The best part of the album, in three parts; I, II, and III. I (Overture) is a great buildup and an explosion of falsetto - "who are we? where are we?". An epic intro to and epic song, fusing classical symphony with rock elemenets such as guitar and drums. We are called out for our mistakes as humans. Part II (cross-pollination) explodes into an all out rock fest in the middle after some piano pieces, while ending in tinkly piano yet again - to lead to the conclusion.

Part 3 (Redemption) - A very beautiful track. The soft build up to the powerful lyrical harmony pulls the strings on your emotions, whether happy or sad. We must learn from our mistakes, and start again while getting it right this time, all while on a different planet in hope to save humanity. A calm and thought inducing ending to an incredibly diverse album.

You must listen to this album itself, especially Exogenesis, to capture it's magic. It is a lot to take in, and I have still yet to hear it more in depth. Muse have been ambitious yet again.

9/10

Resistance

Listening to "The Resistance" is exploring a world on the brink -- war, controlling governments, and a brewing revolution thinking about rising up. Those dark and conflictive sentiments boil slowly through Muse's fifth full-length album, which is equal parts brilliant and awkward. While many of the songs are exquisite and expansive, the whole synthy Depeche Mode vibe just doesn't work.

"The paranoia is in bloom/the PR, the transmissions will resume/They'll try to push drugs to keep us all dumbed down/And hope that we will never see the truth around," Matthew Bellamy sings over a stabbing bass melody and colorful swathes of electronica.

That more or less sets the mood for the songs that follow, although they tend to be a bit more restrained -- the slow piano-and-drums build of "Resistance" blooms into a hard-rock explosion. Then there's some dancy synth-riddled melodies (I smell MTV), slow-burning stretches of bass-blazing prog, and hundred-mile-an-hour avalanches of volcanic hard-rock ("I'm hungry for some unrest/I wanna push it beyond the peaceful protest!"). Not to mention the truly brilliant, multifaceted expanse of "United States of Eurasia."

The last third is basically one big climactic build-up, followed by a spectacular musical finale -- it's like sitting through a good-but-not-great movie, and then being blown away by the final act. After the symphonic piano-rock of "I Belong To You (+ Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix)," Muse begins a spectacular three-part "Exogenesis: Symphony" that harkens back to their older work, with string instrumentation blending seamlessly with the exquisitely painful, rich Britrock.

I've adored everything that Muse has ever produced, even the albums that didn't quite rise to their full potential, but "The Resistance" strays too far from their signature sound to be truly engaging. It still has some rich rock songs that blaze with internal fire on their own, but don't really stick together into a cohesive album.

The first few songs of "The Resistance" are rather awkward, with lots of fuzzy hard-rock, buzzing bass and a glitzy synth sound -- and some like "Undisclosed Desires" is the stuff of art-rock nightmares. You keep expecting Britney Spears' robotic voice to chime in.

But gradually the classical and hard-rock influences start to blend more seamlessly, and you end up being swept away by the lush expansiveness of "United States of Eurasia" or the aching "Unnatural Selection."There's also a hefty dose of buzzing bass guitar and multicolored synth, mingled in over the epic stretches of guitar, symphonic strings, and some piano buildups that add a melancholy edge to all the angular rock'n'roll stuff.

And Bellamy sticks to the tried-and-true messages in his songwriting -- the world is in turmoil ("And these wars; they can never be won/does anyone know or care how they've begun?"), governments are rotten and the world is a mess, so get off your butt and act. Much of the time, he sounds like he's standing on a cliff raging against a storm.

As much as it pains me to say it, "The Resistance" failed to grasp my mind and heart like the previous Muse albums. It has some moments of pure brilliance and rock'n'roll beauty, but it also has some moments of colorful awkwardness.

Over the years I was accustomed to reading about this English band in UK music magazines but I never heard any of their music until this CD. One thing that I did know was that they were huge across the pond, with accolades galore and critical acclaim for their albums, and especially for their live performances. What peaked my interest in hearing more of this band was seeing their music video for "Uprising"; this song is truly amazing. Lead singer Matthew Bellamy is an original, and band mates Dominic Howard and Christopher Wolstenholme push this driving, anthem-like number right over the top. There's something indescribably unique about Muse and that presence inhabits the songs "Resistance" and "Unnatural Selection" as well. This is incredible music.
It will be hard to convince fans of the 1980's Canadian band Strange Advance that "Guiding Light" is indeed Muse and not Strange Advance. Also, "MK Ultra" and "Undisclosed Desires" are like sonic nods to Saga (another 80's Canadian band) with a little essence of U2, OMD and even Howard Jones thrown into the mix. The album also includes the "Exogenesis" symphony, in three parts, at the end of the CD. Don't be turned away by this though, at just over 13 minutes in length, Muse isn't presenting a self-indulgent, grandiose work of ego stroking here; it's more like an opportunity for the band to stretch their creative reach further and see what they can grasp. Remember this; Rush, The Beatles, The Who, Pink Floyd, The Doors and even Green Day had their more eclectic moments, with concept albums and rock operas not an uncommon thing, and in their day a number of the greatest Classical music composers were considered 'pop' (popular music of the day for the commoner) artists so who's to say that Muse's symphony isn't just as worthy. This album did hit the number one spot on the Canadian album chart recently, and in over a dozen other countries as well. In ancient Greece, Muses were goddesses who inspired artists; if we could see those goddesses today, I'll bet that they're wearing "Muse" band t-shirts.

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3.0 out of 5 stars I've heard this before
Radiohead already did this album, it's called The Bends, or OK Computer. Especially the song Guiding Light, it's almost a complete rip off of chords and key changes. Read more

Published 15 months ago by J. Wiest

5.0 out of 5 stars A Political and Fun Creation
The songs on this cd are very fun, energetic, and thought provoking. For example, "Uprising" makes you think of the importance of why it is better for people to be more united... Read more

Published 17 months ago by Stella Carrier

3.0 out of 5 stars Good But Ultimately Pop With No Soul
This CD has songs that will remind you of E.L.O, Queen, Led Zeppelin and many great acts of the past with lot's of hooks, creativity and catchy harmonies but, ultimately, it tries... Read more

Published on Nov 30 2009 by Karlander

5.0 out of 5 stars ALBUM OF THE YEAR
No purpose in providing you with a lengthy review ~ allow me to get to the point and state ~ this CD has to be unquestionably, in my opinion, the best release of 2009... Read more

Published on Nov 21 2009 by Frederic White

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant CD!
Muse have stepped up to the plate and released an amazingly versatile and masterful follow-up to Black Holes and Revelations. Some powerful music. Read more

Published on Oct 22 2009 by Veronica Shields

5.0 out of 5 stars Dont Miss Out !!!!
Best album I purchased this year. Every time I listen to it I love it more. The making of resistance DVD is also really cool. I wish they would come near where I live. Read more

Published on Oct 5 2009 by D. Lindzon

2.0 out of 5 stars Almost wish I got my money back...
Yes, almost. It's Muse, and they are my favourite band, so I'll show my support buying their album, but I really don't like this realease much at all. Read more

Published on Sep 26 2009 by Blammogirl

5.0 out of 5 stars a favorite
Resistance by Muse
another strong alternative rock album by this band. A little of a new sound and a little of the old sound that has made them famous. Read more

Published on Sep 25 2009 by ?

4.0 out of 5 stars Muse Mixes Rock and Classic More Than Ever Before
I will start by seconding most of what the first review by R.Gill has already mentioned, he made an excellent song by song review of the album. Read more

Published on Sep 18 2009 by Elise F

5.0 out of 5 stars Another amazing album
Listened to it a few times, and I know I'll be listening to it lots more. I would go on more about the tracks, but Muse is generous enough to let you listen to the full album... Read more

Published on Sep 17 2009 by Eric Rogness

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