posted 08/22/2005 (Mon) @ 11:15 pm
>>> Music Reviews
Muse - Absolution (2003)
Origin of Symmetry blows it away.
- Intro To Apocalypse Please
- Apocalypse Please
- Time is Running Out
- Sing for Absolution
- Stockholm Syndrome
- Falling away with you
- Interlude Out Falling Away
- Hysteria
- Blackout
- Butterflies and Hurricanes
- Tsp
- Endlessly
- Thoughts of A Dying Atheist
- Ruled by Secrecy
On Absolution, mopey electric piano and opulent synth bass play tag team with the sometimes ludicrously fuzzed-out guitar of also-vocalist Matt Bellamy. And what a voice! Enough polling will yield descriptions ranging from “Buckley-esque” to “reminds me of that time I accidentally drove a nail through both my testicles.”
Absolution’s sound has a lot more to do with the songwriting and aural tricks of Showbiz, Muse’s nearly universally derided debut (at least in the tiny universe in which elitist “they sound like Radiohead” Pitchfork-goers exist), with few nods to the spacey “Queen Bowie” sound they cultivated on 2001’s “Origin of Symmetry.” Absolution is equal parts bombast and balls-in-a-vice balladeering, and this has served to land them a new wave of Radiohead comparisons even after absolving themselves with the interesting fusion of styles on “Symmetry.”
Since we’re still sort of on the subject of testicles, who was it, exactly, that managed to get Bellamy by the balls long enough to convince him to use the godawful studio harmonizer at all? If the foppish orchestral plod of certain tunes here doesn’t make you “Blackout,” you won’t have to worry about being prematurely jolted out of the drool on your desk by the Scooby Doo outtake pre-choruses on “The Small Print.” Hearing Bellamy harmonize with his obviously digitally-manipulated, down-pitched self comes with a cheese factor that has to be higher than in a Mexican restaurant during lunch rush.
Elsewhere, “Stockholm Syndrome” steals the thundering mojo of “Dead Star” (see Muse’s b-side collection, “Hullaballoo”), throwing in even more nu-metallish, overdistorted guitar for good measure. On the strength of its power guitarring, it has the most potential of any of Absolution’s tracks to become a single aside from “Hysteria,” the record’s best tune.
Additionally, the slow, more synth-laden tracks like “Endlessly” and “Time Is Running Out” show the band’s flair for the coolly dramatic, even if “Endlessly” is basically the same ballad we heard on “Unintended” with dorkier instrumentation. “Time is Running Out” is a fingersnapper that propels its way into anthem territory for the chorus.
While a cult following will undoubtedly remain, Absolution is an absolute misnomer; Muse’s inconsistency on this third album does more to incriminate than acquit. “Showbiz” fans might find something to like here, and the crossover potential from dancey synthwork is undeniable, but this record doesn’t come close to challenging, let alone surpassing, the lofty goals and watermarks set by the stratospheric “Origin of Symmetry.” It’s unfortunate, but it’s clear that Bellamy still has his head on straight as far as technical prowess goes, and “Hysteria” is undoubtedly one of the best songs that will ever get played on commercial radio. As a mixed bag, I’m giving it 3/5, or, to clarify, “It’s OK.”
3/5
Tags: average, disappointing, muse, stadium rock
