Especially the one about "old-man emo". That was pretty funny. I'm an "old man" that has just recently discovered Muse (after hearing "Knights of Cydonia" on Guitar Hero when it first came out) and finding a lot to enjoy here. Part of the reason that Muse gets a bad rap is because 1. they sound so much like Queen and U2 (listen to "Map of the Problematique" again if you don't agree with the U2 reference), and 2. most of their stuff never makes it onto radio, at least not enough for DJ's to tell listeners who they are. This is a crying shame. Back in my day, we had "emo" too, except we called it "glam", and the artists were considered ground-breaking. It's too bad that we have degenerated into a society where we don't appreciate songs on the basis of whether or not we actually enjoy them - we have to analyze the details of their construction and bash every artist who emulates one of their glam-heyday heroes.

So is Resistance Muse's way of getting onto the radio? There's nothing wrong with this Muse CD - it might even be my favorite one by them if I had never heard Black Hole and Revelations - but it certainly represents a shift in how they view themselves and how they want the public to view them. This is a step in the direction of being less serious, and being more fun, in my opinion. My advice for the first-time listener is to embrace Black Holes, give this CD a shot if you decide you like what you hear there, and not dig too deep on The Resistance, since Muse will be what they want to be, and we (as listeners) should appreciate them for what they create. Long time listeners will want to read Chris Billings' review (above) for track info and comments, although I would have to say I place this CD just slightly ahead of Absolution for listen-ability.

I'd like to weigh in on this before overexposure utterly ruins this fine CD for me. It should come as no surprise that as muse grows in popularity their music becomes more mainstream. That is a hard and fast truth that has repeatedly been proven correct throughout the history of popular music. The pop radio sheen has been polished brightly for this record. THE RESISTANCE is not like SHOWBIZ or SYMETRY, two earlier recordings that typified their youth and exuberance whereby the song's inherent energy trumped production. But even then they appeared to possess a grander vision of where they're headed. Their penchant for a larger-than-life sound, and anthemic showstopper mentality was apparent as young up-and-comers. Given the breakthrough of ABSOLUTION and the overwhelming success of BLACK HOLES it's only natural that this album would continue in that path toward US stardom. Consequently, it's at this point in the progression that I usually lose interest in a given artist. But I couldn't resist. What works for this band since the beginning is a combination platter of loud, razor-sharp guitars, obtuse lyrics, rich, layered vocal harmonies and classically-infused (nocturne-like) piano passages. The latter are also the components that many detractors obsess upon. Isn't it curious that those who routinely resort to tired old cliches like self-indulgent, bombastic and pretentious when criticizing progressive and art rock are themselves guilty of self-indulgence, pretension and verbosity in their own writing and (more insidiously) in their thought process? They know better than the unwashed, uncultured masses.

This is simply another superbly artful endeavor by muse. Matthew Bellamy's ambiguous writing and showy playing is at the core of this band. He has endured the unjustifiable accustations of being a Thom Yorke ripoff, which have finally been silenced. Now it's Freddie Mercury and Brian May that he's beholden to. Well, he's certainly not the first artist to dare reveal his influences. It's that melting pot of experience, talent and influences that yield the most meaningful, enduring and controversial art.

I fully realize that this is the record that launches muse to new heights but since I don't listen to radio for music purposes I pray that I am at least partially insulated from the unfettered hype that is sure to ensue.

Best way I can describe.....The Resistance is a squeaky clean Muse ball which rolled down a hill. In it's path it rolled over and picked up some; Queen (heavy Queen influence), Pink Floyd, Chopin (literally), Mozart, Gershwin, David Bowie, Gary Glitter, Philip Glass and coasted on into modern times with a nicely produced, polished, clean sound meant for cranking through your 500w Bang & Olufsen.

The album theme: Rock Opera. Classic "political, media & social brainwash"-bashing rock music. Despite having a "theme", the songs are very diverse, ranging from high energy power rock, to quiet, delicate and precise piano passages. Instrumentation includes obvious band (guitar, bass, drums, vocals), "church" and "rock" organ, diverse synthesis, classic grand piano, and real symphonic arrangements weaved throughout.

My favorite pick for 2009, and 2010 so far.

I wouldn't typically encourage potential Amazon customers this, but I bought mine through iTunes for the extra digipak goodie. There's a nice interactive with photos, videos, lyrics and flashy graphics. I'm glad (in this case) I chose the iTunes version.

However you buy it, turn off all the lights, sit center to speakers, turn the volume knob up on your receiver.....keep turning....a little more....press play, and enjoy! (screw the neighbors!!!)

One of the few bands out there that are actually BETTER live than on CD. How refreshing!!!

Although I can definitely tell the influences of Queen and Depeche Mode and U2 in Muse's music, I can appreciate it because those are some of my favorite bands and they are not just reusing their music, they are putting a new spin on it and making it their own. I love the passion that comes out of every song and every chord. It's powerful and thoughtful and meaningful. It's so refreshing to hear this in a world of Katy Perrys and Black Eyed Peas who offer nothing other than generic beats, horrible lyrics, and tone deaf vocals.

I saw Muse live last year and they were AWESOME. They opened for U2 which was a perfect fit. The crowd went crazy and they really did sound better live than on CD. Love the passion and the intelligence behind the music. It's rare these days!!!!

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."...

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