Login for Favorites
EDIT INFOMuse - Origin Of Symmetry
Tweet
Album Details
- Artist: Muse
- Album: Origin Of Symmetry
- Label: Warner Bros.
- Year of Release: 2001
- ME Rating: Indie Classic
- Reviewed by: mschmitt on 2007-06-12
RecommendSomething happened to Muse between 2001 (Origin of Symmetry) and 2003 (Absolution). They matured, got their act together, received a godly miracle, or simply worked their asses off—because the gap of talent and sheer musical content between these two releases is vast. I suppose this is the wrong way to review Origin of Symmetry, looking back across the expanse of 6 years and two latter releases, because I’m sure at the time of its release Muse simply dripped with delectable potential. From my viewpoint however, this album sort of blows. Sure, tracks like the melody-drenched “Plug In Baby” or “Bliss” – with chilling piano-orientated instrumentals – sound like the dramatic, arena-crowd ready Muse I know and love. But other songs (i.e. “Hyper Music” and “Micro Cuts”) reveal a group who might not be sure what they should be. And that’s what Origin of Symmetry seems to be about: finding one’s feet, experimenting with what you should be. And it’s clear that’s what Muse is doing here. From distorted, Audioslave tracks like “Citizen Erased” to purely piano ballads like “Space Dementia,” Muse is trying anything and everything they can wrap their collective musical talents around. In the same way, vocalist Matthew Bellamy is discovering just how far he can push his aggressive, angst-ridden voice. He achieves visceral peaks in “Plug In Baby” and “Bliss,” but feels unsure of just how high his vocal chords can go. By the time of Absolution, Bellamy is well-over this roadblock, nearly breaking glassware with his passionate vocals. The songs improve in their next record as well, tightening the effect of piano-instrumentals and honing in on excellent guitar work (“Stockholm Syndrome”). Origin of Symmetry, while it may not be the best record, is the origin of Muse’s characteristic sound.
User Reviews and Comments
Log In or Register to Rate Albums
User Rating:
Write your own review
Tell us why this album is great or sucks ass, or correct the reviewer. If you write enough quality reviews you may find yourself on the editorial staff.
Reviews have to be over 100 words, shorter ones are classed as comments.
Tell us why this album is great or sucks ass, or correct the reviewer. If you write enough quality reviews you may find yourself on the editorial staff.
Reviews have to be over 100 words, shorter ones are classed as comments.
Log In or Register to Rate AlbumsReview:
on 2009-08-05 Archelon Said:
I have to confess, I absolutely LOVE this album. I can't quite put my finger on why - it is in some ways totally incomplete and erractic, musically 'bitty'. But that, I think, is part of it's charm.
It's terribly romantic to be able to pinpoint the moment you first brought something together, and this is the album I think Muse would look back on like that. It has some moments of pure gold - 'Space Dementia' I love, and 'Plug In Baby' is classic Muse fare. But it's the not-quite songs that I enjoy listening to the most, because they are INTERESTING.
Hindsight offers a great perspective on music, and I think this is especially true of this particular band and album. 'New Born' gives us and early preview of things to come in 'Absolution', and 'Citizen Erased' is a great tribute to Matt Bellamy's amazing ability to work himself up into a vocal frenzy in three minutes. Even 'Hyper Music' has some great guitar work.
I think this is an intentional prelude to 'Absolution'. I also think that Muse wouldn't be even close to the band they are today if they hadn't released this. Rachmaninov? Fair comparison, I say.
Rating: 9/10
