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."

     Muse excels at creating sound. Your ears are treated to a wonderful wall of sound that is filled with nuance and is layered with such attention to detail. I can't convey it clearly enough with words, but this album is meant to be heard. Also, while Muse has a very original sound, at times it seems to echo that of Pearl Jam and Queen. Pearl Jam in a way because of the constant flow and unpredictable flux in melody (which can be a good thing), and Queen in how some of the piano and vocals are implemented. At first, I was averse to how they sounded like Queen, because I am not really a big Queen fan, but in any case, that is not to detract from Muse, as they sound terrific.

     The versatility is another aspect of this record that should be discussed futher. From the sweeping, three part epic of "Exogenesis", to the hard-rocking soldier-stomp of "Uprising" to the sweet beauty of "Resistance" to the pop/R&B hybrid "Undisclosed Desires" to the psuedo bluesy 1970s-ish sound of "I Belong To You", to the more modern sounds of "MK Ultra", this album has so much to offer. Another fascinating element of this record is that it often touches on a wide variety of subjects. The Resistance as a whole alludes to divinity, fear, angels, corruption, oppression, astronomy, resistance, mutiny, rebellion, retalliation, remembrance, and of course, love. It's amazing what this album can do and what it captures.

     Muse is one of the best bands today, and The Resistance is a record that should satisfy a wide variety of listeners because it encompasses so many different elements. It's a terrific album, and I like it for so many reasons. It exposes us to a lot of unique and different sounds, as well as re-introducing us all to a modern take on classical music. At its core, it is a rock album, but it accomplishes so much. Listen to it, and enjoy it.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"Uprising"

"Resistance"

"Undisclosed Desires"

"Unnatural Selection"

"MK Ultra"

"Exogenesis" (Pts. 1-3)

-Kurt L.

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