It's not music, it's not muzak, it's Muse-ic

I'm not really sure how I missed out on Muse until this year. They are, after all, one of the most popular rock bands in Europe, if not the most popular. However, I can be a bit behind with the musical times (I'm still trying to figure out what this whole "Coldplay" business is about), so perhaps it's not that surprising that I never really listened to Muse until my friend Jacob introduced them to me in January. I'm still catching up on their back catalogue (I'm not that familiar with "Showbiz" or "The Origin of Symmetry" yet), but I absolutely love the marriage of technical ability and raw energy that is showcased on "Absolution" and "Black Holes and Revelations." With their latest album, "The Resistance," I was hoping for more of the marriage and more of the variety that keeps their other releases fresh and distinct.

I'm not entirely sure what I got, exactly.

I am sure that the album is flawed, but I'm also sure that the album is a great display of musicianship. I'm sure that the album is pretentiously epic, but I'm also quite positive that sometimes that works. Let me explain.

The first of the two most noticeable flaws in the album is the rather languid pace of almost every single song. It's almost a subconscious thing, but it's one that greatly affects the replay value. As I said before, "Absolution and "BHAR" both abounded with an unbridled verve that ripped through their fast-paced songs (see, for example, "Hysteria") and writhed just beneath the surface of their more laid back songs ("Starlight," "Supermassive Black Hole"). With "The Resistance," it seems like just the opposite. A musical haze seems to have settled over the arrangements this time around, with even the more energetic songs sounding like they could use a shot in the arm. A notable example of this is the first track and first single "Uprising," which, for all of its fight-the-power spirit and chunky guitar riffs, feels like it should pack a little bit more of a punch.

The other flaw that is immediately apparent is the attitude that the musical proceedings of the album's 54 minutes are big news. Every flourish seems to be an epic event to be accompanied by a choir and strings, many of the tracks have lyrics that vaguely suggest fighting the man (ironic considering the band's very in-the-mainstream status), and even the names of the songs suggest a bunch of pretentious art students dismissing the Philistines who dare to question their work. Seriously, "The United States of Eurasia," "Undisclosed Desires," "Unnatural Selection"? Tell me that doesn't sound like an abstract painting display, I dare you.

However, the album is not without its charm. Muse is still Muse, so you can expect quality arrangements and impressive musical chops. The album also gets better (and a bit more energetic) as it progresses, with the languor-free "MK Ultra" being a late highlight. The three part rock "symphony" is appropriately impressive, and I'm sure I will appreciate it even more with repeated listens (it purportedly features the talents of something like 40 different musicians). Is it in the range of greatness inhabited by the likes of "Absolution" and "BHAR"? No. Is it still worth a spin on the CD player once in a while? For sure.

In a way, there is a lone feature of the album that summarizes both its positive and negative aspects. That epic power ballads are the bread and butter of Muse is no question; indeed, some of the most over-the-top grandiose moments on the album (see the inner-Queen-coming-out "...Eurasia") are also the most fun. However, the complete abandonment of any sort of musical modesty on "The Resistance" makes for an album that almost wears you out and at times borders on self-parody. Muse has made good music many times before. This time, they've settled for good Muse-ic.