Muse - Absolution [2003]

Review by Robert Graves

I’ve recently discovered this little-known UK band, Muse, and I’m blown away by almost every aspect of this release. The music is heavy alternative, but with a production and songwriting expertise that takes it all to a new area of exploration. The band’s driving force is classically oriented progressions played by guitars, pianos, drums, and more guitars. All the while, Matt Bellamy bellows his amazing melodic impressions over the whole thing.

Straight away, something needs to be addressed. This band and its singer, despite the nitpicking disclaimers other reviewers have tried to make, sounds remarkably similar to old Radiohead (The Bends, OK Computer in particular). Matt Bellamy, in fact, could be a stand-in on any Radiohead tour. I actually did research to see of Bellamy was really Thom Yorke masquerading in a front band. That’s how much they sound alike, bottom line. You can try to compare and contrast abstract and subtle approaches to style that differ, but the reality is if someone would’ve told me this was an unreleased Radiohead record from 1997, I would’ve believed them, no questions asked.

However, this isn’t an entirely fair comparison. I also would’ve said of this fictional 1997 Radiohead release, “Wow, Thom’s singing range has really expanded…and the music’s gotten far more complex…and the production is more intense and intelligent than other Radiohead records…”

That all means that Absolution actually blows by any early Radiohead comparisons that others would make. So what if Matt Bellamy sounds just like Thom Yorke? He sounds *better* than Tom Yorke. So what if the chord progressions are similar to OK Computer’s monolithic vamp sections? Absolution’s are far more accessible and integrated into the songs, rather than treated as special musical bridges (as in OK Computer). Bottom line there? They do Radiohead better than Radiohead, especially now, while Thom and the boys are off experimenting with German euro-trash techno, the stuff that Aphex Twin has been doing better than them for years.

This is also an unfair comparison because Muse incorporates a far greater span of influence into their music than Radiohead (or any modern band trying to do this). I hear tons of Queen in their music, as well as hints of ELO, especially in the vocal arrangements. It’s also evident that Bellamy has spent some time with the classical composers - Rachmaninoff, Puccini, Chopin for example. Their melodies permeate his writing - and I love every minute of it.

The songs are all astounding. The melodies are haunting, the production fresh and very unique. My only complaint is that the sonics aren’t particularly good. There are times where the mix is so huge and distorted that it’s hard to even pick out what they are trying to do. At the same time, music like this sort of needs that to sound “right.” These same songs recorded in pristine settings would probably sound far more stale than the raw genius portrayed on Absolution.

Also recommended if you like this: Jump Little Children “Vertigo” and Sigur Ros “()”

Full Album Tracks Listing
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1. Intro
2. Apocalypse Please
3. Time Is Running Out
4. Sing For Absolution
5. Stockholm Syndrome
6. Falling Away With You
7. Interlude
8. Hysteria
9. Blackout
10. Butterflies & Hurricanes
11. The Small Print
12. Endlessly
13. Thougts Of A Dying Atheist
14. Ruled By Secrecy