Linkin Park: Living Things

"Everyone want's the next thing to be just like the first" - A verse off the song  When they come for me  off Linkin Park's previous album A Thousand Suns.

Keeping that quote in mind, when you listen to the bands most recent attempt at a genre-busting album you get, well, a mix at it's best. The album itself seems like a step backwards, and while LP continues to put out fantastic original, from the soul music out with each album Living Things feels like they stuck with what they knew.
As this is my first album review posted, I will go through the process of how I evaluate albums and how I am formatting these reviews.

First off, I buy all of my music. Cd's. It's the way to go, support your freaking artist.
In the review process, I listen to the album once completely through. Then any songs that stand out I listen to again. I let the music play while I sleep, and I let the music play in the back ground. After a week or so, I have a good sense of what I think of the album. I don't review the album right away because, like a fine wine, it needs to age. If I'm still listening to the music weeks after, they did something right.
I will be reviewing the album as a whole, and each song individually. Ill be giving closing thoughts, comparing it to previous albums if a band has previous albums, and reviewing it as an individual album.

To start off, here is some back round on Linkin Park:
They released 2 studio albums called Hybrid Theory and Meteora (arguably their best music to many) in the years of 2000 and 2004. They also released a remix album called Reanimation in between, in which Mike Shinoda (band's rapper/singer/guitarist/keyboard/producer... he pretty much does everything) collaborated with many other artists, remixing the bands first album and some of their unreleased songs such as High Voltage and My December. Linkin Park was known and labelled under the genre "Nu-metal" which was very popular at the time... think of the 90's grunge rock era. Linkin Park and the rest of the industry knew that Nu Metal was dying. Meteora was their last Nu Metal album (2004). After that, the band toured some more and released another collaboration album with Jay-Z called Collision Course which proved to be very successful. In 2007, Linkin Park released their 3rd studio album called Minutes To Midnight... completely different from what they have done before. The album contained many ballads, less rapping from Mike Shinoda and more singing. Linkin Park was not angry anymore. Some say they matured, others say they became sell-outs. Their next album really shook the music industry; they released their 5th studio album in 2010 called A Thousand Suns. It was a concept album that had an apocalyptic, electronic, political feel to it. Completely different from what any other artist had put out at the time, to say that A Thousand Suns was highly controversial was an understatement. Critics and longtime fans alike created uproars, saying that Linkin Park's best days were behind them. What A Thousand Suns did do however, is create a fully functional, fluent, well crafted album that had clear direction and purpose while also doing something completely different, genre creating if you will, which is what Linkin Park has sought to do since the death of Nu-Metal. We now, move onto the present.

Linkin Park released their 5th studio album Living Things on June 26th, 2012. Created in 2 years, the shortest album cycle the band has ever attempted, Living Things managed to top the charts just like every single other album they have put out in the bands history.

Introduction:
Living Things is interesting, in that for the first time  Linkin Park did not stray from their past. They used elements from albums such as Meteora and Hybrid Theory, while taking what they have learned from Minutes to Midnight and A Thousand Suns and created a great album that long-time fans and new-fans alike can expect to love. The album, like Nu-Metal albums and the Minutes to Midnight album was about relationships again. Without further ado, Onto each song's individual analysis.

1. Lost in the Echo
Starts off the album well with simple yet effective electronic beats mixed in with keyboard, drums and guitar. Mike Shinoda performs admirably while "spitting beats" that many fans have been dying for since the Nu-Metal days. The song sounds great, and the lyrics are meaningful. A perfect song? No, there is still that special something missing from it.
Lost in the Echo gets an 8 out of 10 for me.

2. In my Remains
One of the best songs off the entire album. It reminisces of Minutes to Midnight era songs with those big choruses and big sounding guitar riffs. The electronic beats pound continuously in the background while Chester once again shows us that he has evolved into one of the industry's top singers. The real treat of the entire song is when it slows down and Mike Shinoda comes in out of nowhere and in a crisp, dark voice he sings "like an army, falling, one by one". To me, Lost in the Echo should have been the second song with this song being the first. When Mike starts singing it sends chills up your spine and really gets you pumped for the entire album. Lost in the Echo prepares you more for the third track anyways.
In my Remains gets a 9.5 out of 10.

3. Burn it Down
The first single off the album. It's an anthem song, what more can I say. It has a catchy beat, the lyrics are solid, and Chester really sings it right. it was a little too electronic for me though, and Mike Shinoda's rapping near the end, while being a nice surprise, should have been more prevalent throughout the entire song.
Burn it Down gets a 7.5 out of 10 for me.

4. Lies Greed Misery
The second single off the album. A very different feel to it, you can see the influences of A Thousand Suns in the lyrics and the beat of the song, while it has that aggressiveness from their first two albums. A very solid song off the album. When Chester starts yelling in the chorus, it makes you want to scream along with him. This song's lyrics are very aggressive, that is the best word to describe the song with. Linkin Park is angry again, and this song proves it. The ending of the song is... the song's ultimate downfall. It would have been better to see the song slow down for a second or two, then have Mike start attacking the mic even further. They should have made it more about the Rapping in this song instead of the chorus.
Lies Greed Misery gets a 8 out of 10.

5. Ill Be Gone.
Honestly, one of the most underrated songs Linkin Park has ever done. What I love about this song, is that they placed it at track 5. On A Thousand Suns, track 5 was called When They Come for Me, and had the lyrics "when they come for me ill be gone" and this song really feels like a finale for that track off A Thousand Suns. It plays out beautifully. Now, lets assume you haven't heard that song off A Thousand Suns. Listening to this song still provides poetic lyrics, outstanding imagery, beautiful singing from Chester, a welcome guitar, bass, and drum throughout the entire song, and a great in-between track to transfer over to the more emotional side of the album.
Without listening to A Thousand Suns, an 8 out of 10.
Listening to A Thousand Suns, a 9 out of 10.

6. Castle of Glass
The best song lyrically and atmospherically of the entire album. Linkin Parks most poetic lyrics yet with "im only a crack, in this castle of class." The song has that apparent relationship story within it, but the lyrics really can reach to a soldier story as well which I thought was brilliant. The atmosphere and lyrics of the song intertwine beautifully to create their most poetic song yet. The electronic beats are simple, and welcoming... while pulling you in to experience this apparent relationship story and soldier story. A keyboard would have been welcome in the song though.
Castle of Glass gets a 9 out of 10.

7. Victimized
A true gem, and an anomaly on this album. Right from the get-go Rob Bourdon (their drummer) starts beating the living hell out of his drum kit while aggressive electronic beats move the song along. Then, out of nowhere. The song becomes much quieter and mellower, while the electronic beat still races at a fast pace, keeping your adrenaline going and reminding you of the intensity of this song. Then it hits you. The Chorus punches you right in the face as Chester screams his head off yelling "VICTIMIZED! VICTIMIZED! NEVER AGAIN! VICTIMIZED!"all while the drums are being destroyed, the electronic beats are seemingly breaking the speakers, and the guitar and bass are breaking strings. What I'm trying to get at, is that this song is intense. Then Mike Shinoda begins to rap. Truly one of his best jobs he has ever done, keeping the intensity up in the song by going fast and keeping to the beat; the lyrics are pure gold as well. "For you snakes in the grass, supplying the venom. I ain't scared of your teeth I admire what's in em'". Then it kicks you right back into the chorus. The only problem with this song is, it clocks in at just under 2 minutes. Another 30 seconds or so would have made this the best song on the album.
Victimized gets a 9.5 out of 10.

8. Roads Untraveled
After the massacre that was Victimized, Roads Untraveled brings you to the slowest, saddest song on the album. The beat from Victimized is turned down quickly and chimes kick in. A beautiful piano kicks in and Mike Shinoda begins to sing, no, speak to us through lyrics. Elegant, yet simple. There are only three verses for the entire song. No chorus, no filler. Its straight to the point. Mike sings the first part and the second part, Chester kicks in for the second part, transitions to the third verse where he solo's it until the last few lines and transition out of the song. Clearly about loss, pain, sorrow, a relationship gone wrong... or maybe a relationship that never was started. "Give up your heart left broken, and let that mistake pass on. Cause the love that you lost wasn't worth what it cost and in time you'll be glad its gone..." and at the end "weep not for roads untraveled, weep not for sights unseen. may your love never end, and if you need a friend, there's a seat here alongside me". This song does everything right... I would give it a perfect score but again the song is fairly short.
Roads Untraveled gets a 9.5 out of 10.

9. Skin to Bone
Crafted like a folk song, this is another underrated song off the album. Masterful lyrics, great singing from Chester, and good beats. The problem is, it's a shorter song, Mike deserved more of a role. Honestly, this song while being underrated, is somewhat forgettable. It does a lot right, but again it is missing that certain something for replay value.
Skin to Bone gets a 7 out of 10.

10. Until it Breaks
Mike kills this song. He literally did "switch styles on a dime" like he says in the song. The lyrics are somewhat lacking at some parts of the song, but they all work together to create an interesting rap song. Chester has a small part of the song where he sings, and at the end Brad Delson (the guitarist) offers his vocals for the first time to end the song. The song had no chorus, just an intermission with Chester; that was this songs biggest problem. Lyrics like A Thousand Suns, uncertainty like Minutes to Midnight... a good song but it deserved more content.
Until it Breaks gets an 8.3 out of 10.

11. Tinfoil
An instrumental, intermission song just like Hybrid Theory's "Cure for the Itch" and Meteora's "Session." It's not nearly as good as Session was, or as interesting and unique as Cure for the Itch... but it did a good job introducing the albums final track. Nothing special, but it didn't need to be.
Tinfoil gets a 6 out of 10 (could have filled it with more context and content)

12. Powerless
The final track, and it feels like one. In a good way. A good power ballad. Decent lyrics, good sound, good form and structure. They ended the album on a good note. Included a good mix of both electronic and instrumental sounds. Mike deserved more of a role, as he always does; in this song he just sings in the background. When the song ends, you feel like it ended right. And that is a good thing considering The Messenger off A Thousand Suns could have been softer.
Powerless gets an 8 out of 10.

So, in conclusion there are some real gems on this album. The problem is, aside from a couple of songs... it felt like a collection of songs rather than an album which is a collection of songs that intertwine and interact with one another, feeding off the last songs performance. A Thousand Suns, while being controversial, did that perfectly. It felt like a story rather than a song.
Also, I think that Living Things was a step back for Linkin Park. After A Thousand Suns, they really could have gone anywhere... creating even more genre-busting music; they chose to use every element they have learned so far instead of just using new ones. In a way, its an homage to fans. Showing the past, the present, and somewhat the future of Linkin Park.
As a critic, I recommend this album to any Linkin Park fan of both NEW and OLD; if you only appreciate the old, you won't find much in this album.
As a fan, I love it.


Final Rating for the album as a whole: 8 out of 10.
- if the album flowed better, was longer, and was more expirimental it could have been better.
- there was some truly great songs on this album, but again the album felt incomplete.

Standout song of the album: Castle of Glass

Album as a whole.
Pros:
Good sound
Beautifully mixed and crafted
Outstanding lyrics
A couple of gems (In my Remains, Castle of Glass, Ill be Gone, Victimized, Roads Untraveled)
More instruments than A Thousand Suns

Cons:
A step back from where they were headed after A Thousand Suns
Still very electronic
A short album (only 37 or so minutes)
Many songs could have been longer
2 year production time

Advice for Linkin Park:
Now that you have paid homage to your fans, I would want you as a fan and as a critic to take what you have learned from all of your albums, and do something crazy and drastic like A Thousand Suns. I think that you now have a great opportunity ahead of you to create something truly special like Meteora was for Nu-Metal. Use more instruments, while still incorporating some electronic elements into your music. Do NOT drown out everything with computer-generated sounds. Nothing can replace the good old fashion Drums, Piano, Guitar, and Bass. Also, creating an album in 2 years while being a first for LP, I think was a mistake. I know that us fans are always hungry for more music, but in the end I think that this album could have benefited from another 6 months or so of development time. Some songs felt too short, and the album as a whole felt scrambled.

Recommend?
As a fan, absolutely
As a critic, listen to some songs on youtube first. Then buy.

How it ranks compared to their other albums:
1st place. Meteora
- still overall best album in every area
2nd place. A Thousand Suns
- completely different, but beautifully crafted and a complete album like Meteora.
3rd place. Hybrid Theory
- the bands origins. Some really great songs that were groundbreaking back in the day.
4th place.  Living Things
- Using elements of all other albums, this album is a great entry.
5th place. Minutes to Midnight
- a good entry, but this was completely new territory for LP. Some good songs, but still uncertain feel.


It was extremely difficult to top Hybrid Theory and Meteora,  but A Thousand Suns was certainly a step in the right direction and came close to Meteora.
It will be near impossible to top the top 3 now, but if Linkin Park takes what they have learned, and does something completely different, groundbreaking, and complete like A Thousand Suns... I think that the second spot is threatened. Meteora is still just too great for anything to beat it in my opinion. But, you never know. A Thousand Suns came close. Maybe lucky entry no 6 can finally dethrone the masterpiece that is Meteora.