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Muse

Absolution

  • AMG Review of Absolution

    Amg
    Tim DiGravina
    All Music Guide

    Though some may still consider them Radiohead mimics, obviously Muse continues to strike a nerve with their alternative hard rock audience, here releasing their third album of heavy guitars, haunted harmonics, and paranoid musings in Absolution. Frontman Matt Bellamy and company stick to the same disturbed, and sometimes disturbing, formula that's worked in the past: the emotional intensity and style of Radiohead, a ock thunder descended from Black Sabbath, and the baroque drama of Queen. Longtime producer John Leckie sits this one out, and in steps indie über-engineer Rich Costey. With Costey manning the desk, the music feels more polished and slick, but less epic and raw. Longtime fans won't miss a beat though, because Bellamy delivers the same Thom Yorke vocal impersonation for which he's known, and continues the same anthemic posturing he's lifted from Freddie Mercury. With song titles and subject matter fueled by fear of the apocalypse and worries about infidelities and random murders, the subject matter is as gloriously pretentious and lovably unlovable as ever. Newcomers to the band should expect killer guitars reminiscent of jackhammers and chainsaws, bloodcurdling choruses, and of course, tender passages of falsetto. A recurring motif of racing samplers suggests nothing less than a ock opera version of the score to Koyaanisqatsi, and then there are the occasional spooky moments where funky rhythms mingle with heavy metal guitars, suggesting a progressive Italian zombie flick soundtrack. There's little point in selecting highlights, because other than some slow moments that feel tacked on, there's not much variation in theme or mood. Many listeners will probably prefer to tackle the album in small doses, and only the most headstrong won't require a breather. Muse continues to make unrelenting hardcore art rock; Absolution is a tad cheesy, a bit too grandiose in its ambitions, bursting at the seams with too many ideas, and thus exactly what any Muse fan craves.

so i'll love whatever you become
over 2 years ago
Blog post image preview

Goddamn it, I fucking love *Muse*. I mean, I get it. The new album was not as great as I'd hoped. That said, it still fucking kicks ASS. I gotta say, "Absolution" will probably always be my favorite. I don't see very much mog-love for Muse that often, so I figured I'd add my endorsement. Muse is great road-trip music. I can't even count the number of times I've been speeding down the hig...

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Listen to Absolution
over 2 years ago

If you like the latest album - check out the previous one called Absolution - especially the track Apocalypse Please with it thumping classical piano backing - awesome !!

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Turner Classic Movies...home of the hip
over 3 years ago

Okay, so this is pretty much the most awesome thing ever. Turner Classic Movies is one of my favorite channels...I love Robert Osborne and lust after Ben Mankiewicz. I love old movies because in my experience, they just don't make 'em like the used to. Every month they release a new "music video" and these are the videos for September and November 2006. Obviously, they have a pretty great crea...

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The Best Muse Song Ever
over 3 years ago

Is it not? I think it may just be, you know. Say what you will for, oh, Time Is Running Out's bass line or Plug In Baby's guitar riff or Sing for Absolution's vocal performace... But the moment after the piano solo when the chorus comes back at full volume?That's perfection.

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OK HERE I GO AGAIN
about 1 year ago

ALL MY WEEK I HAVE WAITED FOR MY LOVELY PIMPETTES SHOW NOW IT IS UPON USSO DON'T BE DUMBGO GET YOU SOMEANNA ON ROCK 105

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Song of the Day: Muse - "Stockholm Syndrome"
4 months ago

With song titles like "Apocalypse Please" and "Time is Running Out", Brit rockers Muse ratcheted up the scope of their themed albums with 2003's Absolution. Named after the psychological phenomenon where a hostage forms emotional bonds to the captor, "Stockholm Syndrome" is the desperate centerpiece to Muse's end of the world soundtrack.The tune kicks off to a roaring start with Dom Howard's t...

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Take All You Need
over 2 years ago

I finally have a printer at my desk! The 5 steps I had to walk previously wasn't bad, but anyway...the small things in life are what it's all about!To add to my joy, it's Friday *AND* I get to leave early to run errands. In celebration, here's some Muse live at PinkPop '04...have a great weekend MOG friends!

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lyrical Muse...
about 1 year ago

I recently heard or read something from Mike Patton (shameless FNM reference) about how people always ask what his lyrics mean. To which he responds that his lyrics are about how the words sound as opposed to what they mean. Personally, I thought that was not only a relief (since there are a lot of FNM songs that dont necessarily make sense to me) but also really cool. Anyway, I am really real...

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so i'll love whatever you become
over 2 years ago
Blog post image preview

Goddamn it, I fucking love *Muse*. I mean, I get it. The new album was not as great as I'd hoped. That said, it still fucking kicks ASS. I gotta say, "Absolution" will probably always be my favorite. I don't see very much mog-love for Muse that often, so I figured I'd add my endorsement. Muse is great road-trip music. I can't even count the number of times I've been speeding down the hig...

More >
Muse - best live band I've ever seen
about 1 year ago

I've seen Muse live twice now, once back in 2004 on their Absolution tour, and again in November 06 on their Black Holes tour.The two shows were very different, the first being in an average-sized venue, the second being in a huge arena. As a result, at the first show I was right at the front, squashed against the barrier, a few feet from those musical gods, being deafened by the decibels.At the r

More >
Turner Classic Movies...home of the hip
over 3 years ago

Okay, so this is pretty much the most awesome thing ever. Turner Classic Movies is one of my favorite channels...I love Robert Osborne and lust after Ben Mankiewicz. I love old movies because in my experience, they just don't make 'em like the used to. Every month they release a new "music video" and these are the videos for September and November 2006. Obviously, they have a pretty great crea...

More >
30 Blogs in 30 Days!
about 1 year ago
Blog post image preview

Hello all. Looks as though my self-imposed sabbatical has come to an end, and what better way to come out of the chute than to flood there here mog-waves with words, words, words!I want to get back in the habit of writing, so I'm kicking off my personal project of 30 blogs (prolly just reviews, but who knows?) in 30 days. This is going to be the highest output that I've ever had, so wish me l...

More >
The Best Muse Song Ever
over 3 years ago

Is it not? I think it may just be, you know. Say what you will for, oh, Time Is Running Out's bass line or Plug In Baby's guitar riff or Sing for Absolution's vocal performace... But the moment after the piano solo when the chorus comes back at full volume?That's perfection.

More >
Listen to Absolution
over 2 years ago

If you like the latest album - check out the previous one called Absolution - especially the track Apocalypse Please with it thumping classical piano backing - awesome !!

More >
Um'kay....
over 2 years ago

No idea why in god's name i've essentially set up YET ANOTHER BLOG/PROFILE; i've got too many.I'm also a lil confused what the 'artists you should know about' is all about; do i just list all the peeps I like like fuckloads? Then what? They get brownie points? I guess that's kinda sweet.{Note: I just realized that cuz i didn't hit "done" on my massive "artists, etc" list when i hit "new mog", i...

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