Review of Muse Album "The Resistance"
Like Previous Albums, But Lacking
Oct 26, 2009 Elisabeth Sharber
For their newest album, Muse works in the realm they are comfortable in-one they have succeeded at in preceding albums. The bass pounds an addicting drive with slight modulation, the keyboard adds a high, eerie layer, the piano drops purer sounds over the rough foundation to demonstrate beauty amid the chaos (sort of like the visual affect of ice-coated twigs), and the falsetto voice comes in with a heavy vibrato, enhancing the feeling of being dazed.
What made Muse succeed in previous albums, however, is lacking in The Resistance. The above description would have been a foundation for more creativity to follow, having direction and cohesiveness, bringing the album to a heightened spiritual level. But beyond the initial sound of The Resistance, which only functions to place the album in a genre and not to make it a work of art, the album seems musically scattered and half-baked.
Several Distinct Moments in The Resistance
"Resistance," for example, has a catchy 16 measure chunk where other vocals rapidly repeat three words ("could be wrong") over two notes, but it's followed by an almost-powerful chorus which is actually just a blander, louder version of the verse. "Uprising," "United States of Eurasia," and "Unnatural Selection" contain Queen-like, choral blends of fully harmonized vocals at different spots, which at least give moments of distinction, but are not original. Also, "I Belong to You" begins with a nice piano swing that reappears throughout the song, but the washed-out chorus and drawn-out out middle section offer little to the rest of the work.
A nice counter example, though, is "Undisclosed Desires." It has a bouncy pop with light percussives - using muted drums and snapping - and pizzicato in the beginning. The keyboard eventually rounds out and fills the gaps between the notes to create a rich sound that maintains the original feeling of tip-toeing, as if the narrator wants to bring the "undisclosed desires" up front. It is probably the song whose content is most reinforced by its form, and it could have an influential place in the album if the rest of the songs had as much definition.
ExogenesisSymphony - Slightly Better
The Exogenesis Symphony is the orchestral conclusion to the album. Though a creative idea, the symphony itself is disappointing, and only slightly less one-dimensional than the rest of the album.
Part One opens with benign violins, then crescendoing broken chords and sparse drumming build the tension, and the last chord relieves just enough tension to bring the listener into Part Two. Part Two is a big transition into a Rhapsody-In-Blue style beginning, with rapidly repeated chord digressions over violins.
Halfway through the song, the piano speeds up and leads into the typical Muse, grunge instrumentation over strings. The song dies out in the same style it began in, leading into the third movement - a Philip Glass style set of arpeggios with mournful strings. This part ("Redemption") is the emotional height of the album, calling (perhaps, naively) for "us" to "start over."
Lyrically Monotonous
Like the musicality, the lyrics of The Resistance are not without beautiful moments. "A universe trapped inside a tear" is an artistic image from "MK Ultra," and "I can't hurt you anymore" is a sad, yet peaceful admittance from "Guiding Light." But these moments are few and far between a slew of flat language that beats the listener over the head with "them-against-us" sentiments.
Yet, fans remain faithful to Muse and follow their tour schedule, often requesting them on their myspace wall to tour in certain areas. Still famous and in good standing, Muse continues their musical career and Resistance tour around the globe.
The Resistance
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