Absolution
Studio album by Muse
Released	September 21, 2003 (UK) September 28, 2003 (AU) March 23, 2004 (U.S.)
Recorded	2003 at Grouse Lodge, County Westmeath, Ireland; AIR Studios, London; Cello Studios, Hollywood, California; Livingston Studios, London; Sawmills Studio, Fowey, Cornwall
Genre	Alternative rock, Symphonic rock, New Prog
Length	52:19
Label	A&E Records 5046685872 (UK) 5046751112 (AU re-release)
Producer	Rich Costey, John Cornfield, Muse, Paul Reeve
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Drowned in Sound link entertainment.ie link NME link Q link The Guardian link Rolling Stone link Sputnik Music link Tiny Mix Tapes link
Muse chronology
Hullabaloo Soundtrack (2002) Absolution (2003) Black Holes and Revelations (2006) Singles from Absolution "Stockholm Syndrome" Released: 14 July 2003 "Time Is Running Out" Released: 8 September 2003 "Hysteria" Released: 1 December 2003 "Sing for Absolution" Released: 17 May 2004 "Apocalypse Please" Released: 23 August 2004 "Butterflies and Hurricanes" Released: 20 September 2004

Absolution is the third studio album by English alternative rock band Muse. It was released on September 21, 2003 in the UK and on March 23, 2004 in the U.S. by Taste Music Limited. The album yielded the band's first American hits – "Time Is Running Out" and "Hysteria", the former becoming their first UK Top 10 single. In 2006 it was voted the 21st best British album ever. The album was placed in at #23 after a public vote for Q magazine in February 2008 for the Best British Albums of All Time.^[1] In 2009 it was voted by Kerrang! as the second-best album of the 21st century (thus far).

Writing and composition

The band spent much of 2002 recording Absolution with producer Rich Costey.^[2] The album was recorded in studios in both Los Angeles and London.^[2] Bellamy said that the band made a "conscious decision" to "get together in a room and make music", setting aside time to record the album, as with previous albums recording sessions were 'hastily arranged' and rushed.^[2]

The album incorporates themes of fear, mistrust, personal achievement and joy.^[2] Bellamy said that the beginning of the Iraq War had an effect on their songwriting.^[2]

The track "Blackout" featured an 18-piece orchestra.^[3]

Release

Absolution was released on 23 September 2003 on CD and double vinyl.^[4] It was their first album released on the A&E Records label.^[4] There were six singles, of which the first, "Stockholm Syndrome", was download only.^[4] Due to contractual obligations the band couldn't allow the song to be downloaded for free, so the fee was set at $0.99 and it was downloaded more than 20,000 times.^[2]

Reception

Commercial

Absolution was Muse's first album to chart in the US, and is credited with establishing the band a fan base there.^[2] The album reached #1 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart and #107 on the Billboard 200.^[5]

Critical

The album was largely well received by critics. Both Q and The Guardian gave it four out of five stars, with three out of five stars being awarded by Allmusic and Rolling Stone. As with previous albums they were compared to Radiohead, with Tim DiGravina of Allmusic calling Bellamy's vocals a "Thom Yorke vocal impersonation".^[6] However, DiGravina also said that the album still "struck a nerve" with the band's more alternative hard rock fans,^[6] a view that was agreed with by The Guardian's Alexis Petridis.^[7]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Matthew Bellamy, all music written by Muse.

Initial copies of the CD featured inlay errors, where the songs "Interlude" and "Hysteria" switched places on the track listing. Cover art by Storm Thorgerson.

Bonus tracks

Japanese bonus track

12. "Fury" - 4:58 (Also featured as the b-side to the Sing for Absolution single).

Limited edition UK bonus DVD

1. "The Making of Absolution" documentary

(Also Hysteria and Interlude positions are switched on the tracklisting, yet this is not the case on the album)

Australian Tour Bonus Disc

1. "Stockholm Syndrome" – 7:14
2. "New Born" – 6:11
3. "Muscle Museum" – 4:18
4. "Hysteria" – 4:14
5. "Bliss" – 4:01
6. "Time Is Running Out" – 4:06

This bonus CD is entirely comprised of live versions, recorded at the Big Day Out in Sydney, January 23, 2004 for Australian radio station Triple J and broadcast in the radio show "Live at the Wireless".

Personnel

Muse

• Matthew Bellamy – lead vocals, guitars, keyboards, string arrangements, production
• Christopher Wolstenholme – bass, backing vocals, production
• Dominic Howard – drums, percussion, production

Chart positions

Album

Singles

References

1. ^ "NME 100 Greatest British Albums Ever! - 2006". NME's Best 100 Albums. rocklistmusic.co.uk. April 2008. http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/nmes_100_best_albums.htm#Greatest%20British%20Albums. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "'Absolution' plows the ground for Muse's U.S. following". Seattle PI. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/pop/172255_muse07.html. Retrieved 2008-09-04. 
3. ^ "Innocence and Absolution". http://www.keyboardmag.com/article/innocence-and-absolution/Jun-05/9880. 
4. ^ ^{a b c} "Muse (official fansite)". http://www.muse.mu/index.php. 
5. ^ "Billboard chart history". http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=119054&model.vnuAlbumId=601768. Retrieved 2008-06-10. 
6. ^ ^{a b} "Absolution". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:4dd8vwrqa9qk. 
7. ^ "Muse, Absolution". http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2003/sep/19/popandrock.shopping4. Retrieved 2008-12-05. 

External links

• Official Muse website