Customer Reviews

The Resistance

5 star:		(127)
4 star:		(50)
3 star:		(25)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I've been obsessed with Muse since Origin of Symmetry and I'll have to say this cd worried me when I first heard Uprising before it's release. First off, a little background for me. I play in an instrumental prog/experimental band and run a small recording studio. Other bands I adore are Porcupine Tree, Radiohead, Opeth, Pink Floyd, Dredg, and Sigur Ros to name a few...

With that said, Absolution is my favorite Muse hands down. I was slightly bummed by the direction the last album took and was unsure of the future of Muse. HAARP rid me of my fears there.

The Resistance (after many listens) is a huge step in a new direction that they were only pointing at with Black Holes and Revelations. The problem with this album is its song placement and short length for this wide array of styles. If they wanted to really explore each of these areas and sounds, then I believe another 15 minutes or so divided between each style would help solidify this album and make it their cornerstone.

Uprising - This is a good track but no way to start off the cd. This song does not represent the rest of the album at all even if it is powerful and catchy with a great sing-along chorus

The Resistance - The first track that caught my ears on the cd, the title track is definitely a standout with an even balance of creativity and catchiness. I relate this track to Map of the Problematique off their last cd, until the prechorus where it reverts into a style not heard since Absolution. Great bass work on this song.

Undisclosed Desires - the most underrated track on the cd. As poppy as this track seems on the first listen, it is an incredibly gutsy track to add to the disk.. This really reminds me of something from Thom Yorke's Eraser cd, on steroids...with a more glammy Matt Bellamy flair to it. I actually realllly like this track when I don't think of it in the context of the rest of the album. If there were some sort of lead in/out tracks for this it would possibly make more sense and be more at home on the album.

United States of Eurasia - Love this track. It has all those Muse elements that everyone has loved throughout their career. There is the definite Queen influence here, but it was just as noticeable on Knights of Cydonia... Never-the-less its still an amazingly good and epic track. What other rock band uses Chopin? seriously people...

Guiding Light - Eh, it's ok. By no means a bad track, but nothing i'm going to write home about. It does its job.. fill the spot after United States of Eurasia when you are still thinking...what the hell just happened?!?

Unnatural Selection - New Born?? catchy tho.

I Belong to You - A strong look at their earlier work with a fun break in the intensity, the French is a nice addition as well. Fun track.

Exogenesis Symphony - THIS IS THE MUSE I'VE BEEN WAITING TO HEAR! as the Overture begins I feel that there is something amazing getting ready to happen.. and it does.. from Matt Bellamy's own excellent orchestrations to the chord progression to his falsetto melody over the top.. this track is incredible. The second and third pieces are perfectly done as well. This is the set of tracks that should've been the big centerpiece to this album to really wow fans. Instead it is tacked on the end like some last minute stroke of genius.

If I were setting up the track listing here to make this a successful disk, here's what we'd be looking at

United States of Eurasia
Resistance
Guiding Light
Exogenesis Symphony 1,2,3
Uprising
MK Ultra
I Belong to You
Unnatural Selection

but thats just me.... however, after several listens, certain parts of this album are my favorite things Muse has ever done, other tracks could have at least been better placed..
I am pleased with this addition to my Muse collection and will continue to support one of the best bands the world has seen in a very long time.

Especially the one about "old-man emo". That was pretty funny. I'm an "old man" that has just recently discovered Muse (after hearing "Knights of Cydonia" on Guitar Hero when it first came out) and finding a lot to enjoy here. Part of the reason that Muse gets a bad rap is because 1. they sound so much like Queen and U2 (listen to "Map of the Problematique" again if you don't agree with the U2 reference), and 2. most of their stuff never makes it onto radio, at least not enough for DJ's to tell listeners who they are. This is a crying shame. Back in my day, we had "emo" too, except we called it "glam", and the artists were considered ground-breaking. It's too bad that we have degenerated into a society where we don't appreciate songs on the basis of whether or not we actually enjoy them - we have to analyze the details of their construction and bash every artist who emulates one of their glam-heyday heroes.

So is Resistance Muse's way of getting onto the radio? There's nothing wrong with this Muse CD - it might even be my favorite one by them if I had never heard Black Hole and Revelations - but it certainly represents a shift in how they view themselves and how they want the public to view them. This is a step in the direction of being less serious, and being more fun, in my opinion. My advice for the first-time listener is to embrace Black Holes, give this CD a shot if you decide you like what you hear there, and not dig too deep on The Resistance, since Muse will be what they want to be, and we (as listeners) should appreciate them for what they create. Long time listeners will want to read Chris Billings' review (above) for track info and comments, although I would have to say I place this CD just slightly ahead of Absolution for listen-ability.

I'd like to weigh in on this before overexposure utterly ruins this fine CD for me. It should come as no surprise that as muse grows in popularity their music becomes more mainstream. That is a hard and fast truth that has repeatedly been proven correct throughout the history of popular music. The pop radio sheen has been polished brightly for this record. THE RESISTANCE is not like SHOWBIZ or SYMETRY, two earlier recordings that typified their youth and exuberance whereby the song's inherent energy trumped production. But even then they appeared to possess a grander vision of where they're headed. Their penchant for a larger-than-life sound, and anthemic showstopper mentality was apparent as young up-and-comers. Given the breakthrough of ABSOLUTION and the overwhelming success of BLACK HOLES it's only natural that this album would continue in that path toward US stardom. Consequently, it's at this point in the progression that I usually lose interest in a given artist. But I couldn't resist. What works for this band since the beginning is a combination platter of loud, razor-sharp guitars, obtuse lyrics, rich, layered vocal harmonies and classically-infused (nocturne-like) piano passages. The latter are also the components that many detractors obsess upon. Isn't it curious that those who routinely resort to tired old cliches like self-indulgent, bombastic and pretentious when criticizing progressive and art rock are themselves guilty of self-indulgence, pretension and verbosity in their own writing and (more insidiously) in their thought process? They know better than the unwashed, uncultured masses.

This is simply another superbly artful endeavor by muse. Matthew Bellamy's ambiguous writing and showy playing is at the core of this band. He has endured the unjustifiable accustations of being a Thom Yorke ripoff, which have finally been silenced. Now it's Freddie Mercury and Brian May that he's beholden to. Well, he's certainly not the first artist to dare reveal his influences. It's that melting pot of experience, talent and influences that yield the most meaningful, enduring and controversial art.

I fully realize that this is the record that launches muse to new heights but since I don't listen to radio for music purposes I pray that I am at least partially insulated from the unfettered hype that is sure to ensue.

When I first put this album on my wish list, it was something I would have liked to have, but not something that I necessarily needed. When I first listened to it I said, "Oh this is good." I didnt listen to the whole album at once. I heard "Undisclosed Desires" and decided I really liked that song, but nothing else really stood out. Then when I listened further on in the album, I heard "Exogenesis Part I." I felt like I had been knocked to the floor and my soul had been ripped out; a sign of a really good song for me. I don't know how else to describe this piece of music. It's not a song, no not at all, it is a piece of music. The orchestration and the singing are so hauntingly beautiful and full of emotion I just want to put on headphones, crank up the volume and let the music wash over me, painting pictures in my head. This is what I like to do when I hear a great piece of music, song or album.

After hearing that piece, I decided to read the lyrics. When I read the 1984 themed-lyrics and listened to the album once again, I realized that "Resistence" is a Rock Opera. All of the songs align together in a common Totalitarian-Theme: when he meets the woman he is sneaking around with before the thought police can find them, the Exogenesis Cycle wondering how and when will this world end, "the United States of Euroasia" with its a "Queen-like" anthem in it with a Chopin Nocturne with bombs going off in the background. It is incredible, and even more incredible that Matthew Bellamy is playing the classical piano like a maestro, sticks a Saint Saens excerpt in the middle of "I belong to you", and can sing an impressive Falsetto in "Exogenis Part I." If you listen to the album as a whole, it will tell you a story, and you realize that you can't just listen to one song.

This album is not like any Radiohead that i have ever heard, and in fact that is why I didn't like Muse back around 1999-2000 when they were first coming out. I thought that they were trying to mimic Radiohead, and being a Rabbid Radiohead fan that I am, I didn't want to buy any of their albums. That is until I heard the song Supermassive Black Hole. This album doesn't sound like Radiohead, and I think this is Muse's new voice in the music world; it shows they are serious musicians and ready to come into their own. Screw it if it isn't radio-friendly. If that's what you care about then don't buy this cd because it is not just a Fluff listen while you are doing something else.

Listen to this album and read the lyrics. I love 1984, and this is about the best rendition or homage I have heard or seen. Crack open a bottle of wine, take out your headphones, light a candle and lay back and enjoy. I haven't stopped

Best way I can describe.....The Resistance is a squeaky clean Muse ball which rolled down a hill. In it's path it rolled over and picked up some; Queen (heavy Queen influence), Pink Floyd, Chopin (literally), Mozart, Gershwin, David Bowie, Gary Glitter, Philip Glass and coasted on into modern times with a nicely produced, polished, clean sound meant for cranking through your 500w Bang & Olufsen.

The album theme: Rock Opera. Classic "political, media & social brainwash"-bashing rock music. Despite having a "theme", the songs are very diverse, ranging from high energy power rock, to quiet, delicate and precise piano passages. Instrumentation includes obvious band (guitar, bass, drums, vocals), "church" and "rock" organ, diverse synthesis, classic grand piano, and real symphonic arrangements weaved throughout.

My favorite pick for 2009, and 2010 so far.

I wouldn't typically encourage potential Amazon customers this, but I bought mine through iTunes for the extra digipak goodie. There's a nice interactive with photos, videos, lyrics and flashy graphics. I'm glad (in this case) I chose the iTunes version.

However you buy it, turn off all the lights, sit center to speakers, turn the volume knob up on your receiver.....keep turning....a little more....press play, and enjoy! (screw the neighbors!!!)

I love this album. I normally gravitate towards heavier music but this is an amazing album. I can hear so many different bands when listening to The Resistance. I hear Queen, U2, Led Zepplin, and believe it or not System of a Down. The slower Exogenesis tracks are not something I really like but five stars for the rest of the tracks. I also like the meaning behind the lyrics in many of the songs. Almost an intellectual feel to them. Don't hesitate and download now!

Serious musicians often face with the dilemma of creating either the music that they truly want or marketable products. The opposing forces are at war on Muse's latest. The Resistance is, I think, an inspiring and genre bending piece of work that both preserves the band's daring artistic integrity and appeals to old and new fans.

The Resistance opens with 3 catchiest pop anthems. They are meant to be played on radio and TV. It then takes an abrupt turn at track 4 "United States of Eurasia." A sublime Chopin nocturne in the middle of it showcases band's Romantic classical music influence in full glory. Three more "straight" rock numbers later, a Samson and Delilah aria works itself in "I belong to you." To hear a rocker attempting tenor voice is worth the cost of the CD alone. The album concludes with a song cycle that is structurally similar to a mini-symphony or German lieder. The songs themselves are operatic in nature with rich orchestration and ethereal falsetto.

The fusion of classical music and rock is as old as the advent of progressive rock in 1970s. Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody is a prime example of it. Yet, Muse does it so well. They comfortably switch from hard rocking sound to dreamy nocturne with me hardly noticing it. The result is their most mature, heartfelt and epic album to date.

Muse is rapidly becoming one of the more popular bands in America today, and with good reason. The Resistance is a rock album like no other made in today's modern age. What the band does so wonderfully is that it transcends rock n roll more so than its contemporaries. It has the ability to fuse together the orchestral sounds of classical music with the aggressiveness of modern rock. Muse is also very keen on creating some truly beautiful melodic moments as well. It's this versatility that makes Muse a unique musical act, and a rather complete one as well. Matthew Bellamy, the bands lead singer, songwriter and pianist, is the heart of the group, and his talents, along with the rest of the band, really make their new effort, The Resistance, one of 2009's best overall records.

The group of songs on The Resistance seem like they have all been carefully assembled and arranged with great care. Each song, in its own respect, has something to offer in one way or another. The opening three tracks ("Uprising", "Resistance", and "Undisclosed Desires") are indeed the best in my opinion, and really showcase Muse's diverse talents. The rest of the album has many high points as well. "United States of Eurasia (+Collateral Damage)" is a decent song, but ends on a interesting note with Matthew Bellamy playing his own arrangement of a Chopin classical piano piece. And while there are many other strong songs here on the album, attention must be paid to the epic finale - "Exogenesis." It is a three part song, encompassing the final quarter of the album, and is a modern masterpiece. It is essentially a classical-rock piece, that blends both genres together, creating a euphoric sound unlike anything I've heard in quite some time. All three parts of "Exogenesis" are beautiful, but perhaps the best is the middle section entitled "Exogenesis: Symphony Pt. 2, Cross-Pollination."...

[...]

In my high school days--when I was into bands like Creed and Good Charlotte--I would automatically write off bands like Muse because they reminded me too much of Radiohead, who I hated.

Nowadays, thank goodness, my ways and tastes have changed.

Muse is a perfect example of a modern rock band that consistently cranks out solid albums and even more solid live shows. I've had the privilege of seeing them live twice now and both times rank right up there some of the best concerts I've ever seen--and, all bragging truly aside, I've been to many a concert in my day.

This most recent tour is in support of their latest album, 2009's "The Resistance" (more on that later).

While this album doesn't represent the band's pinnacle (2003's "Absolution" holds that spot for me), it is a uniquely engaging and entertaining album and it definitely made my list of the best of 2009.

"The Resistance" is Muse's fifth studio album and while all of their previous albums were self-produced along with help from other production collaborators, this album is their first with sole control. And rightly so, for such an epic and ambitious undertaking as this album has proven to be, it could only have come from the minds and interpretations of the band members themselves (mostly lead singer/guitarist/primary songwriter Matthew Bellamy).

I love to see bands evolve over time. Even if they evolve in what the majority of people agree to be the "wrong direction", at least it shows that they're willing to try something different. Even though I don't consider "The Resistance" to be Muse's best album I have to give them credit for still exhibiting elements of that stadium rock sound we all know and love (see the Queen-esque "United States of Eurasia") but at the same time exhibiting a new and exciting evolution.

As far as this idea of evolution goes, it really shows through in that this album explores the electronic and classical genres a great deal more than any of Muse's previous releases.

A perfect example of the electronic side of things would be the song "Undisclosed Desires". Even though it's mostly electronic in terms of drum beats and bass lines, it also has symphonic elements sort of soaring over the top of everything else that's going on in the song.

In terms of classical elements, the best example of this would be the albums three part closer, "The Exogenesis Symphony". I'm a huge sucker for things like this. I love multi-part songs/titles that are epic, tell a great story, and last for minutes on end (this creation clocks in at 12:51 total). It is presented in three movements, "Overture", "Cross Pollination", and "Redemption". All of the string arrangements and compositions were done by Bellamy himself and the work explores the theme of the end of humanity ("Overture"), our attempts at survival ("Cross Pollination"), and our realization that unless we drastically change something about the way we live, everything that has happened will only happen over and over again ("Redemption").

Each of the three members of this band (the aforementioned Bellamy, bassist Christopher Wolstenholme, and drummer Dominic Howard) have always brought the heat in terms of stylistically identifiable parts on their various instruments (most notably Wolstenholme's bass part for the song "Hysteria" from the "Absolution" release) and all of those elements are definitely present on this album. That fact, coupled with the fact that this studio effort really explores new territory makes "The Resistance" a truly enjoyable experience that, if nothing else, begs to have some sort of science fiction movie made that is based solely on its music--or at the very least, "The Exogenesis Symphony".

One of my determining factors for how good I think an album is would be how well the songs seem like they would translate in a live setting. In this situation I was lucky enough to have been able to see firsthand whether or not this was the case. To put it quite simply, and I know this sounds cliché; words really can't describe it. Basically, if you ever get the chance to see Muse live, do yourself a favor and spend the money. It's a guaranteed non-disappointment.

Even though the songs compiling this album only earn it a four star review, the way they translate live coupled with older classics easily bump the concert experience to a full five stars. A conspiracy theorist might even think that it's all a ploy to get people to the live shows since that's where the real money seems to lie in the music industry these days...

The tour in support of "The Resistance" was Muse's biggest yet. The stage setup alone cost over $2 million (check out a picture here [...]. The stage was centered around three mock skyscrapers which at the beginning of the show dropped down to reveal each of the three band members on his own riser probably around fifteen feet in the air. Of course, there was a rotating drum kit--something with which (as a drummer myself) you can never go wrong. Their laser show was superb and at one point giant confetti-filled balloons that looked like eyeballs were unleashed on the crowd. Some concerts are emotional, some are even disturbing, but Muse puts on a show that is intense and just plain fun.

The experience, like any, is one that can easily turn magical, especially if you have a loved one who has a mutual appreciation who can share it with you. I was blessed enough to have this so it made the night that much more enjoyable. One of the most beautiful things about music in general is that every time you buy an album, if it turns out to be one that you really enjoy there's an excitement and anticipation that, "Maybe someday I'll get the chance to hear these songs in person."

My hope for music lovers is that no matter which artists or bands you love that you'll get a chance to see them in person at some point because it has the potential to cement them into the hall of fame of the things you truly loved most about this life.

I absolutely adore this album, partially for the fantastic story it tells. The first time I listened to it, I was thinking that it would be the perfect soundtrack to the book "1984" and I did an internet search on it. Turns out it was actually inspired Orwell's book! Listen closely, the album retells a great story. Read the book and you'll see. ;-)