Thelink on 16/5/2007 at 08:36
Let me begin by saying that I'm not a music critic. I do not have a degree in music appreciation, or composition. I play a little guitar, but I don't read music. I vote with my dollar. In short, I'm just a standard consumer, and this is written for people of a similar mindset. I don't want to waste $20 on a CD based on a group's previous efforts if the current one is not up to snuff. However, if they've a good product that I like, then I'll buy it for a fair price. That being said, I'd like to hear what others also thought of this CD.
Linkin Park's been known for their edge and, I believe, have also been unfairly forced into a generic rock/rap genre that they are not really a part of. (They've even been called an edgier version of emo.) If you listen to their past work it has several melodic undertones.
**Note** For an interesting, and undeniable look at this, try to find a sampling of The Piano Instrumentals.
The new album has a definite experimental side. It's very appearent that they hired Rick Rubin to distance themselves from the stereotypes that they've acquired. A few fans have even claimed that some of the tracks on the new album have an almost "Backstreet Boys" feel to them. While I don't disagree per se, LP have done several songs in the past that have a very pop-ish sound. Have we all forgotten about "In The End"? While I love the song, it met all the criteria of a pop song in my mind. It has a catchy chorus, an upbeat tempo, and appeals to the mass market.
Forget the exerimental nature of a few tracks, there are quite a few songs that have a bite to it them. And even have a short guitar solo or two. Mike Shinoda's steady flow still shines and doesn't disappoint. He also (thankfully) kept a very hands-on approach to mixing despite having Rick Rubin as a producer. So his influence has a strong presence. Chester is good as always.
One of the most surprising songs on the CD is "Hands Held High". It's extremely melodic, and stands in great contrast to the heavier follow-up "No More Sorrow."
My one complaint of the album isn't really with the experimental nature, but of the abrupt ending that most of the songs seem to have. I'm not sure if this means that I want more, or simply the songs are found to be wanting. That you'll have to decide for yourselves.
Like the previous LP efforts though, you can place this in your cd player and let it spin. If Hybrid Theory and Meteora are both 10/10, then Minutes to Midnight is surely an 8/10.
Feel free to discuss. ^_^
ercles on 16/5/2007 at 08:44
Quote Posted by Thelink
He also (thankfully) kept a very hands-on approach to mixing despite having Rick Rubin as a producer. So his influence has a strong presence. Chester is good as always.
Not sure if you are aware but Rick Rubin has produced some of the best albums in a fair while, so if I was Linkin Park, I'd be taking notes. His full list can be read (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rubin#List_of_albums_produced) here, but a few highlights for me were the last four Red Hot Chili Peppers cd's, RATM, The Mars Volta's debut effort, and Johnny Cash's American Records' releases (which are just phenomenal). Although he certainly has produced some pop songs the man knows what he is doing.
Thelink on 16/5/2007 at 14:01
That's why I used "despite having Rick Rubin". Rubin's RHCP work alone was awesome. On a bit of a side note, I notice that Rubin is also producing the next Metallica album. At least they finally got rid of Bob Rock. Heh.
ercles on 16/5/2007 at 14:12
It's pretty interesting how variable the projects that Rubin works on are when you think about it. Looking at his early stuff you can see he clearly has strong ties to the metal genre, but god damn if it isn't a step down to produce something so lacking as a Metallica album, after producing what was essentially Cash's eulogy in cd form...
frozenman on 16/5/2007 at 14:39
Battles are fucking sick, is the new album any good?
Vivian on 16/5/2007 at 14:58
I don't have it yet, but on the basis of the songs I've heard from it so far I'd say the outlook is good. I think warp makes a good home for them. I really want to see them, but they've sold out in london, son of a bitch! I actually thought I was going to see them once, but once they came on stage it turned out I was going to see 'battle' (a lame generic indie band of some kind, sound a bit gang of four-ish, yawn) and I'd read the poster wrong. Whoops.
henke on 16/5/2007 at 16:53
Heh, I just clicked that link and while waiting for the song to load I switched over to iTunes and started up the new Linkin Park album. The most awesome electro punk metal started coming out of my speaker and I was like "Fuck yeah, this sounds like Mindless Self Indulgence! :D"
Then I realized that both Linkin and crystal castles were playing at the same time. On their own neither sounds quite as cool. They should team up or something.
btw, anyone listen to the new Björk album? The song "Declare Independence" is pretty good. In it she's yelling that people should knit their own flags, print their own stamps and start their own countries. Very nice.
New Sage Francis, also good.
"No man is an island, except for Island-man!" - Sage
HipBreaker on 16/5/2007 at 17:18
When I first heard the CD I figured they had to be joking, that this isn't the right CD. But alas I was wrong, they really put out this hunk of junk and with the exception of 'No More Sorrow', it is pretty much a bad cd. Two songs with hand claps throughout? I mean come on.
The sad thing is, is that I actually really liked Hybrid Theory and tolerated Meteora. Anyway, if no one knew of them before this cd, they would not be famous.
ercles on 17/5/2007 at 00:07
Quote Posted by henke
btw, anyone listen to the new Björk album? The song "Declare Independence" is pretty good. In it she's yelling that people should knit their own flags, print their own stamps and start their own countries. Very nice.
Yeh Volta is a pretty good album, but not quite as good as some past albums, imo. The three tracks that Timberland produced are pretty awesome.
