I've read about about six reviews of The Resistance (some can hardly be called that way - one paragraph by The Rolling Stone...). Two of them were very positive, while the rest were rather (from mildly to very) negative.

The negatively tinted reviews claimed "I Belong to You" as the worst piece of the album. I have to disagree with them. First of all, each song is different and is meant to be different. Secondly, they criticise it for incorporating completely different styles in one song (R&B/Jazzy first part, opera quotation second part and finally a clarinet solo) - isn't it exactly why Carmen has been despised at first? And yet it is considered the most impressive opera nowadays.

How do you like Muse's latest album? Personally I find "I Belong to You" to be my favourite song of the album (no offence to the "Exogenesis" lovers) - precisely for the fact it unites the musical world.

Carmen might be varied, but it is not fractured. I haven't listened to the Resistance (as think I've said
in another thread, they used to be my favourite band, but from Absolution onward, they just made no effect on me), but in pop/rock music, having different styles in each song usually makes for a very disjointed album.

I just took a list of "I Belong to You" on youtube. To record a song, then reverse it, and stick it on the album, seems a very arbitrary action. Why do that? Does it sound nice, or serve an artistic purpose? Sometimes you can make such sweeping gestures and maintain enjoyability (I'm thinking of the Dark Side of the Moon, in reference to the Wizard of Oz), but for me this just seems pointless. Of course, I'm listening out of it's album context, but I just can't imagine it working. To me, it's just a gimmick.

It reminded me of another track. You might know the beautiful song Ny Batteri by Sigur Ros. Well, there is an ambient artist called Biosphere who I quite like... until I listened to his new album (at the time) and realised that one track is just Ny Bateri put through a wierd filter so that it sound like wind. Most of the time it is just random noise, only recognisable at the chorus when the drums play a very distinctive pattern. The track isn't nice to listen to... and makes no artist statement (or not one with sitting through for 5 boring minutes).

The same is true for that Muse song.

Also his French pronunciation is pretty awful

I didn't mean to say that Carmen was fractured but that it was despised at first to later be praised. Despised for the fact that it was syncretism of comedy and tragedy - two themes that were never meant to go together. Or am I wrong on this one?

It wasn't initially popular, but I didn't recall hearing about a general consensus on its supposed flaws. That might have been one allegation thrown at it. But even if that were the case, it's not really a good metaphor for the Muse situation.

Well, you are right. I know that classical music enthusiasts might find the analogy bad. It probably is bad, I simply wanted to explain my point. I probably should have used a rock-inspired comparison such as Queen (they weren't thought good at first and were also creating pieces that drew from different genres).

What I'm trying to say is that even though Muse has gained global acclaim during their active career (just like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin or Queen), some of their songs may be too "progressive" for the time being. You see, just like Paulo Coehlo says, geniuses (is that the proper way to form the plural?) aren't percieved as such until after they die; they are thought madmen during their lifetime.

Muse - Time is Running Out, Vitamin String Quartet Cover:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDhYX2k_0dg&fmt=18

Their live show was amazing as usual! Made me want to see them live again which I hope I will next year.

I like their new album with the exception of Undisclosed Desires. I think it's one of the worst of Muse but anyway my favourites are Exogenesis obviously and I belong to you. I also loved Unnatural Selection but I was pretty disappointed when I read some reviews from before the album being released as having "an amazing organ solo in the begining" when it wast just some random chords.
Now we'll probably have to wait 3 years or so for another album.

Finally someone who likes I Belong to You! Cheers.

On the contrary, I do like Undisclosed Desires (I do not like Guiding Light, though). I guess it's a personal preference.

I belong to you is great! I wish they played it live.
I noticed that most Muse fans hated Guiding Light. I think what saves it is the guitar solo in it, which is a shame that it's a bit too small.
I don't like Undisclosed Desires because it sounds like just any other pop music that plays on mtv. At least that's how I see it.

Oh I almost forgot how much I love United States of Eurasia too! Such a powerful one. My 3rd favourite

I don't listen to MTV/radio so I wouldn't know.

I know what you mean! There's one small bit in both that sounds exactly the same or at least very similar. I remember once listening to Concerto No.2 for the first time and thinking "Hey I heard this before... oh right Muse. But how?" Yeah they clearly got their inspiration from that.

I've been meaning to check out some Rachmaninov. Apart from the above mentioned similarity between Space Dementia and Concerto No.2, could people maybe be more specific about the bits that are copied?