Meteora is Linkin Park's second studio album (not counting Reanimation). It was released in March of 2003 and is considered their best album by fans and critics alike and I have to agree. If you have read any of my previous album reviews, you know that I rank this as their best album and often call it their perfect album. While some song final scores might not reflect (perfection), I think that it is as close as one can get to perfection... especially when looking at the end of the Nu-Metal genre.
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 (2003). Meteora is their best work overall, if you listen to the album front to back you can feel the music flow through you.
Introduction:
Just as Meteora left a giant void to fill for the bands next album, their first studio album Hybrid Theory was a massive success as well and left fans and critics with unrealistically high expectations. Linkin Park stepped up and gave the industry and the fans what they wanted... their most polished album alongside A Thousand Suns. At the time it was 2004 and the Nu-Metal genre was on its way out... everyone knew it. Linkin Park created an ambitious nu-metal album that flowed flawlessly from front to back, and gave nu-metal an incredible, memorable sendoff. This, is music people. Lets break it down.
1. Foreward
As a shot of thunder breaks the sky and rain downpours, we hear a hammer (we can assume) hitting an anvil... faster... faster...faster... and then we hear the sound of glass shattering. What an intro, 13 seconds of pure buildup.
Foreward gets no score because it's not a song.
2. Don't Stay
This is how you start an album. A steady rhythm, powerful guitar chords, a display of skill put on by Mr. Hahn on the turntables. Chester comes in somewhat soft, then goes berserk! "Forget our memories! Forget our possibilities! What you were changing me into, Just give me myself back and DON'T STAY!" Incredible. The drum work isn't anything special, but it works with the song. The guitar work stays steady throughout the song with deep power chords. Chester kills this song, one of his best performances. We don't hear Mike in this song, but live he will be on guitar. The song slows down and kicks it back into overdrive with aggressive screams and guitar. A fantastic, easy song.
Don't Stay gets a 9.5 out of 10. This is how you start an album.
3. Somewhere I Belong
Flows effortlessly into this next song, which is slower by nature. Steady power chords and drums, with some ominous turntable work from Mr. Hahn. Mike takes over the song with Chester kicking in the chorus. "Just stuck, hollow and alone and the fault is my own, the fault is my own." "Erase all the pain 'till its gone!" It is a fairly sad song, it shows a lot of negativity and uncertainty... something I feel that Linkin Park knew that they would be going through after this album with the death of nu-metal. "I wanna heal, I wanna feel, like im close to something real." A really solid song, something I wish they would play more live as Chester really does an excellent job during the chorus and latter part of the song, and Mike is solid as always. This song really shows how Mike and Chester can trade lines and verses so well together. Great job guys.
Somewhere I Belong gets a 9 out of 10.
4. Lying From You
Flowing from a sadder song right back to an angry one. Mike kills it, and Mr. Hahn has some great turntable work once again. Guitar and drums work very well together here, and we can hear Phoenix's bass here too. "The more I push the more I'm pulling away because I'm lying my way from you!" "The very worst part of you, is me!" Chester has some outstanding screams near the latter part, and Mike takes over during that... it sounds great. A technically sound song, and something that LP fans of old will adore.
Lying From You gets an 8.5 out of 10.
5. Hit the Floor
SUCH A GOOD SONG! Chugging guitar pattern, with lighter drums. Mike absolutely destroys this song... and it's pretty mellow until the chorus kicks in. Chester screams in with Mike interfering. Fantastic effort from both. "MAKING YOUR HEART STOP! You think you won, then its all gone!" The pacing in this song is something very well done as well, slower but still angry, then super aggressive, then back to slower. Repeat repeat repeat. Fantastic
Hit the Floor gets a 9 out of 10.
6. Easier to Run
From two angrier songs flows a very depressing, sad song. Chester does an excellent job with the soft and hard vocals, and Mike interjects very well here. Mr. Hahn keeps the mood mellow, Phoenix's bass is very present in this song, drums and guitar work very well again. "Its so much easier to go than to take all this pain here all alone" "Sometimes I think of letting go and never looking back, and never moving forward so there would never be a past." A very moving song, but it's not too weak. Linkin Park did an excellent job balancing soft and hard with this song, something bands either do too much of or too little all too often. This song is one of their best, ever. The lyrics are some of the best I have ever heard.
Easier to Run gets a 9.5 out of 10.
7. Faint
Right from a slower song, and into a very fast paced, aggressive song. Guitar and drums dominate this song, and Mike does an excellent job rapping fairly fast but still keeping the beat. Chester does a great job in the chorus, in a half-scream, half-singing voice. Great. "But it's like no matter what I do I can't convince you for once just to hear me out. So I let go watching you turn your back like you always do, face away and pretend that I'm not, but I'll be here cause you're all that I got." This is just a really solid song, everything works very well together and the lyrics are killer.
Faint gets an 8.5 out of 10.
8. Figure.09
A great guitar sound, solid drums, and bass that amplifies everything. Fantastic fast rapping from Mike and great singing from Chester during the chorus. Another brilliant lyrical effort from Linkin Park. It's about becoming something that you hate, "I've let myself become you!" The best part is when it slows right down and Mike repeats over and over, louder and louder "Never goes away." Then a sort of solo/outro thing where Mike and Chester coordinate screaming and rapping with a chugging guitar patten to create a very intense atmosphere. Fades out and you want to hit the replay button.
Figure.09 gets an 8.5 out of 10.
9. Breaking the Habit
"Memories consume." One of their best lyrical efforts ever, and a fairly soft song overall. It sounds nothing like anything they have done before which is nice. Chester does an incredible job singing this song. While there is some drum, guitar, and bass work, the turntables and Chester really take over this song until after the second chorus. I am sure you have heard this song somewhere before, as it was one of their big songs off this album to hit radio's. This is how it is done people, a moving, easy listening, but not too light of a song. One of my personal favourites off this album.
Breaking the Habit gets a 9.5 out of 10.
10. From the Inside
My favourite song off this album, and their best song on this album as well. Masterfully paced, technically sound, great singing and screaming from Chester and very well timed rapping from Mike. And because it is Linkin Park, you all know that it is lyrically sound. If you want to listen to any song on this album... though the entire thing is a work of art, this is the song to listen to. Like I said, this song is just incredibly well-paced. It was a collective effort from every band member, each having their own role trying to illustrate through sound the soul of this song.
From the Inside gets a 10 out of 10.
11. Nobody's Listening
A very eastern/Asia themed style of music, when you listen you will know what I mean. This is a personal favourite of mine, as Mike really kills this song. Chester does a good job during the chorus as well. "And everything left is a waste of time I hate my rhymes, I hate everyone else's more!" Just a really good song, we don't really see the bass or guitar, or drums making a big presence and this song is really focused on Mike. "Told you everything loud and clear but nobody's listening!" Mike and Chester do a great job trading lines during the choruses. Just a really different and fun song to listen to. Seeing more drums would be nice for this style though.
Nobody's Listening gets an 8.5 out of 10.
12. Session
Then we get this instrumental work of art called Session. Starting off with an ominous tone, then an attack on the drums, followed by distortion and turntables by Mr. Hahn. It's really great to just listen to, as the tone is very mellow and chill. No words, but for me this song speaks thousands. This song serves as a break from the intensity of the album. Mr. Hahn does some great turntable work at the end as well. It serves as an intro for Linkin Park's most famous and popular song from this time.
Session gets an 8 out of 10.
13. Numb
We have all heard it before. The song sounds incredible, that's what it comes down to. Chester does an incredible job, Mike has a great supporting role, we hear piano, steady drums, solid guitar and bass work throughout, and a fantastic tone throughout the entire song. Lyrically their best song besides Burning in the Skies but at this time this was their best. "Every step that I take is another mistake to you, and every second I waste is more than I can take!" It really finishes the album on their highest note ever. This is how you close an album, with this work of art. This song squeezed the last bit of life nu-metal had left in it, right out and created an incredible song. There's nothing I can say that can do this song justice, and that's the truth.
Numb gets a 10 out of 10.
In conclusion, this album marked the high point for Linkin Park. They left nu-metal with the biggest bang of the genre. Each song flowed effortlessly from start to finish, you can listen to this album from to back and you can interpret it as just one collective song, each telling a different part of the story that is Meteora... something that many bands cannot do or have trouble doing. Linkin Park created something extremely special here. This album is as polished and as technically sound as it gets. It's creative, it pushed boundaries, and marked the highest point of an entire genre... how many bands can say that about themselves? Not many, not many. Everything felt like it belonged, everything worked, everything was beautiful. This is how you make a complete album.
Final rating for Meteora:
9.9 out of 10
- As close to perfect as any album can get
- Closed a genre
- Marked the best of that genre
- Extremely well polished
- Technically sound
- Lyrically beautiful
- Some truly amazing songs
- Flows effortlessly from start to finish
As a fan: This is their best album, and many other fans would agree. Buy it, listen to it, love it.
As a critic: This is their bets album, and many other critics would agree. Buy it, listen to it, love it.
How it ranks compared to their other albums:
1st place. Meteora (9.9 out of 10)
- still overall best album in every area
2nd place. A Thousand Suns (9.5 out of 10)
- 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 (8 out of 10)
- using elements of all other albums, this album is a great entry.
5th place. Minutes to Midnight (7.5 out of 10)
- a good entry, but this was completely new territory for LP. Some good songs, but still uncertain feel.
Buy it!
Thursday 21 March 2013
Friday 8 March 2013
Minutes to Midnight: Linkin Park
Minutes to Midnight is Linkin Park's third studio album (not counting Reanimation, but we will review that as well). It was released in May of 2007, and received mixed reviews from critics and fans alike. While some reviewers such as Rolling Stones Magazine praised it as a step in the right direction and a really great sounding album, others labeled it as a failed attempt at forging a new identity... including fans. This is the album where many fans broke off from Linkin Park, and many new fans joined. This was their breaking point. Here is my review of the album, song by song.
Some background on Linkin Park first to get everyone in the mood.
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. Minutes to Midnight was their transition from the dying Nu-Metal genre into the more popular and mainstream Alternative genre. They were wildly successful in sales to say the least, though fans and critics had mixed feelings. The album is hard to feel from front to back unlike Meteora which feels like a river, flowing from one song to the next seamlessly and perfectly. Minutes to Midnight also holds some of their most popular songs to date, including "Shadow of the Day," "Bleed it Out," and "No More Sorrow."
Introduction:
Meteora left a big void for Minutes to Midnight to fill. The band felt that change was necessary to survive and in many regards it was. Much of the album still had that surreal Linkin Park feel to it, but it was very lacking in the heaviness of the songs and in the rap styles of Mike Shinoda...two of the strongest points to the band not including lyrics (which were still fantastic for the most part in this album). This album also saw the change of producers from Gilmore to Rick Rubin... and Mike Shinoda co-producing together. This album was a transition album, to put simply. That does not mean that it is a let-down in any regard though, and is still a great album. Lets break it down... song by song.
1. Wake
An instrumental/electronic intro. No singing, just a really cool feel to it. There is not much to say about it other than it was there to introduce the album. Was it necessary? I think it was because they had to ease fans into the new style... which brings us to our next song.
Wake gets a 7 out of 10.
2. Given Up
The heaviest song on the album besides Bleed it Out. Still feels different from their old stuff, but at this point fans of old should not be too worried. The guitar work is solid, but the clapping in the song pisses me off to an extent. Chester really gives an aggressive feel to the song, and what really makes me enjoy this song is the fantastic bass work from Phoenix. The "solo" I guess? Is pretty bad. And the screaming is a bit too high pitched for my liking... I know Chester can go lower and I think he should have for this song. Lyrics are simple, but work well with the songs direction. Mike Shinoda does not make an appearance... an instant negative. In a live show he does grab a guitar and play but in the album no presence at all so far.
Given up gets a 7 out of 10.
3. Leave out all the Rest
This is where the LP fans of old start to hate. I personally love this song. It's very slow, sad, and deep. The lyrics are incredible all the way through and prove to be some of their best work yet lyrically. Chester kills this song, does an incredible job. A very electronic feel however, which is a first for Linkin Park. The guitar, drums, bass and keyboard/mixing during the chorus is all very in tune and working together to create a surreal atmosphere. "When my time comes, forget the wrong that I've done, help me leave behind some reason to be missed. And don't resent me, and when you're feeling empty, keep me in your memory, leave out all the rest. Leave out all the rest." Absolutely beautiful. No Mike Shinoda again except live... another negative.
Leave out all the Rest gets an 8.5 out of 10.
4. Bleed it Out
One of Linkin Park's best songs ever. Probably one of their most popular as well. Mike Shinoda finally makes his appearance and... he shows up strong. The guitar work is great and Mike's rapping is at its best in this song. The lyrics are intense and flow effortlessly and Chester's screaming during the chorus is solid as a rock. All throughout the song, it is fantastic. There isn't anything really bad to say about this song, everything works and works very well. Just missing that certain something that keeps it from being perfect.
Bleed it Out gets a 9.5 out of 10.
5. Shadow of the Day
Another one of Linkin Park's most popular songs, and it deserves to be. The lyrics are some of their best and they really perform well in their new alternative field. A solid electronic beat, and lyrically it is simple... but is deep. You have all probably heard this song on the radio, it is easily their most heard song. Chester's singing is incredible to say the least, but again just as quickly as Mike Shinoda shows up on the scene he disappears once more (except live). That is its only real negative, I would like to hear more guitar and drum work, the Bass job is great though.Truly a classic, and it deserves it. Fantastic job LP. "And the shadow of the day will embrace the world in gray, and the sun will set for you."
Shadow of the Day gets a 9 out of 10.
6. What I've Done
Another one of their most heard and most popular songs. What I've Done is a great addition to their setlist, as the guitar work, keyboard work (finally Mike Shinoda and Mr. Han doing something again), drum work, bass work, and vocals all mesh perfectly together to create a truly great song. The lyrics are fantastic as always, but to me this song is very repetitive and gets stuck in your head... in a bad way. Too radio friendly for my liking, and their single New Divide that came out after the album for the Transformers movie sounded eerily similar to this song, which takes away some score from it. An overall good song though. Also, we hear Mike Shinoda singing at the end for the first time... ever!
What I've Done gets an 8 out of 10.
7. Hands Held High
The song that everyone loves to hate. I don't know why. Sure, it is different and downright courageous for LP to even put this on the album due to its controversy... the song is about War and Politcs... their first time tackling this topic. Mike Shinoda raps the entire way through, and this is one of his most underrated performances... if not the most underrated performance of his career. He. Kills. It. The lyrics are... interesting to say the least. A sample is "like they understand you in the back of the jet when you can't put gas in your tank, and these fuckers are laughing their way to the bank and cashing their cheques, asking you to have some compassion, have some respect." It is hard to score this song, because it is so different. Mike Shinoda sings a bit at the end again... a sign of things to come for him. In the end, this song is really not so bad and fun to listen to every now and then.
Hands Held High gets a 6.5 out of 10.
8. No More Sorrow
Starts off very strong, and continues with that momentum until the very end. The sliding electric intro, then introduces a chugging guitar intro, introducing the drums and the bass, and goes into the main riffs. Really well done technically from all of LP so far. Chester does a good job with this song in the album, but he does this better live. One of his best songs live. The lyrics are pretty good, and we hear Mike doing a bit of singing during the chorus again, slowly introducing the fans to Mike having more roles. I think that this song is one of their most underrated, and definitely one of their best songs live.
No More Sorrow gets an 8 out of 10.
9. Valentines Day
... and then this song. Very very very very soft singing and mood. Very very very very very VERY sad to listen to as well. At this point, Chester is establishing himself as a legitimate singer and this song was a transition for him, as well as the band. The lyrics are fantastic as always, and very soft but solid work from Rob, Brad, and Phoenix on drums, guitar, and bass respectively. No Mike again... but just wait for it. This song is a good one, but a sad one. "And now you're gone, and I was wrong. I never knew what it was like to be alone... on a Valentines Day." It is a solid song, but not special.
Valentines Day gets a 7 out of 10.
10. In Between
Hey everyone, Mike gets his own song again. Wait... he is singing? The entire thing? Man Mike sounds great singing independently and leading for the first time. The song is very electronic, and has a very mellow mood... utilizing Mike's deeper tone. Lyrics are simple, but work well with the overall tone and atmosphere that the song creates. "Between my pride and my promise. Between my lies and how the truth gets in the way. The things I want to say to you get lost before they come, the only thing that's worse than one is none." This song is a transition song for Mike, establishing and expanding his role. Many old fans hate this, I personally think that the combination of Mike's rap and vocals, and Chester's vocals and screams give LP one of the most diverse vocal sets in Rock. A good song, but forgettable.
In Between gets a 7 out of 10.
11. In Pieces
Chester takes over this song, and continues a very similar electronic sound and carries the mood and atmosphere from the next song quite well... just listening to it while reviewing I almost forgot that the song changed... which is nice. Good continuity. Lyrics are solid as always "You promised me the sky, then tossed me like a stone. You wrap me in your arms, and chill me to the bone." A good song again, but forgettable. Good singing from Chester, and we can here some good keyboard and drums in the song too.
In Pieces gets a 7.5 out of 10.
12. The Little Things Give You Away
Carries and slows down the beat from the previous song, and brings in a very melancholy acoustic guitar... slow strumming that immediately makes you very sad. Chester sings very softly, but very well. "All you've ever wanted was for someone to truly look up to you. And six feet underwater, I do." Very very very sad. But an excellent song, one of their most underrated in my opinion. Wish they would do this one more live. The lyrics are incredible all the way through, and the guitar and singing slowly carries the song until after the second chorus... when the song slows right down but then Rob's drums carries the song into a sort of solo/pre-outro combination... some guitar joins and plays a sort of solo...and after some humming from Chester...we hear Mike Shinoda absolutely killing it by singing "The little things give you away" over and over. It puts me in a trance when LP can insert Mike so effectively into a song like that. We hear the song culminate the entire album with Mike singing that over and over, Chester singing "all you've ever wanted is for someone to truly look up to you" and a third loop of Chester humming... It ends the album on near perfection and on a high note. When I first heard it, it made me crave more. I wanted to hear where LP would go next after this fantastic last track.
The Little Things Give You Away gets a 9.5 out of 10.
In conclusion this album was great. It was clearly a transition album with its ups and downs, but overall the album showed a lot of promise and gave fans plenty of great songs to listen to... not to mention some songs that they absolutely kill live in Bleed it Out (often their final song), No More Sorrow, Leave out all the Rest, Shadow of the Day, and What I've Done. The album lacked transitioning until In Between happened... everything else that happened after that felt like one song. The album lacked consistency and as a whole, was awkward... but still solid overall.
Final Rating for Minutes to Midnight:
7.5 out of 10
- Transition album, trying to establish themselves
- Some incredible songs
-... and some not so incredible songs
- Needs more Mike Shinoda doing what he does best... rap.
- Would appreciate a bit more heaviness in the final 5 tracks... felt very light.
As a fan of Linkin Park: I really enjoy this album. As a whole, it is simply ok. Some individual songs such as Leave out all the Rest really stand out for me though as some of their best work. Definitely pick up and approach with an open mind.
As a critic: Somewhat disappointing compared to the shadow that Meteora left. Still a solid album, but it has some serious flaws that keep it from excelling. Listen to it first, and if you like some of the songs buy them individually or pick up the album.
How it ranks compared to their other albums:
1st place. Meteora
- still overall best album in every area
2nd place. A Thousand Suns (9.5 out of 10)
- 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 (8 out of 10)
- using elements of all other albums, this album is a great entry.
5th place. Minutes to Midnight (7.5 out of 10)
- a good entry, but this was completely new territory for LP. Some good songs, but still uncertain feel.
Linkin Park stepped into new territory with Minutes to Midnight. This was clearly a transition album and needed to happen in order for the band to iron out their weaknesses... they did that and we can see that in A Thousand Suns which was near perfection. It is their "worst" album to date but don't let that discourage you... it is still a great entry for Linkin Park. It seems they can do no wrong, even when they are in transition and are supposed to.
Buy it!
Some background on Linkin Park first to get everyone in the mood.
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. Minutes to Midnight was their transition from the dying Nu-Metal genre into the more popular and mainstream Alternative genre. They were wildly successful in sales to say the least, though fans and critics had mixed feelings. The album is hard to feel from front to back unlike Meteora which feels like a river, flowing from one song to the next seamlessly and perfectly. Minutes to Midnight also holds some of their most popular songs to date, including "Shadow of the Day," "Bleed it Out," and "No More Sorrow."
Introduction:
Meteora left a big void for Minutes to Midnight to fill. The band felt that change was necessary to survive and in many regards it was. Much of the album still had that surreal Linkin Park feel to it, but it was very lacking in the heaviness of the songs and in the rap styles of Mike Shinoda...two of the strongest points to the band not including lyrics (which were still fantastic for the most part in this album). This album also saw the change of producers from Gilmore to Rick Rubin... and Mike Shinoda co-producing together. This album was a transition album, to put simply. That does not mean that it is a let-down in any regard though, and is still a great album. Lets break it down... song by song.
1. Wake
An instrumental/electronic intro. No singing, just a really cool feel to it. There is not much to say about it other than it was there to introduce the album. Was it necessary? I think it was because they had to ease fans into the new style... which brings us to our next song.
Wake gets a 7 out of 10.
2. Given Up
The heaviest song on the album besides Bleed it Out. Still feels different from their old stuff, but at this point fans of old should not be too worried. The guitar work is solid, but the clapping in the song pisses me off to an extent. Chester really gives an aggressive feel to the song, and what really makes me enjoy this song is the fantastic bass work from Phoenix. The "solo" I guess? Is pretty bad. And the screaming is a bit too high pitched for my liking... I know Chester can go lower and I think he should have for this song. Lyrics are simple, but work well with the songs direction. Mike Shinoda does not make an appearance... an instant negative. In a live show he does grab a guitar and play but in the album no presence at all so far.
Given up gets a 7 out of 10.
3. Leave out all the Rest
This is where the LP fans of old start to hate. I personally love this song. It's very slow, sad, and deep. The lyrics are incredible all the way through and prove to be some of their best work yet lyrically. Chester kills this song, does an incredible job. A very electronic feel however, which is a first for Linkin Park. The guitar, drums, bass and keyboard/mixing during the chorus is all very in tune and working together to create a surreal atmosphere. "When my time comes, forget the wrong that I've done, help me leave behind some reason to be missed. And don't resent me, and when you're feeling empty, keep me in your memory, leave out all the rest. Leave out all the rest." Absolutely beautiful. No Mike Shinoda again except live... another negative.
Leave out all the Rest gets an 8.5 out of 10.
4. Bleed it Out
One of Linkin Park's best songs ever. Probably one of their most popular as well. Mike Shinoda finally makes his appearance and... he shows up strong. The guitar work is great and Mike's rapping is at its best in this song. The lyrics are intense and flow effortlessly and Chester's screaming during the chorus is solid as a rock. All throughout the song, it is fantastic. There isn't anything really bad to say about this song, everything works and works very well. Just missing that certain something that keeps it from being perfect.
Bleed it Out gets a 9.5 out of 10.
5. Shadow of the Day
Another one of Linkin Park's most popular songs, and it deserves to be. The lyrics are some of their best and they really perform well in their new alternative field. A solid electronic beat, and lyrically it is simple... but is deep. You have all probably heard this song on the radio, it is easily their most heard song. Chester's singing is incredible to say the least, but again just as quickly as Mike Shinoda shows up on the scene he disappears once more (except live). That is its only real negative, I would like to hear more guitar and drum work, the Bass job is great though.Truly a classic, and it deserves it. Fantastic job LP. "And the shadow of the day will embrace the world in gray, and the sun will set for you."
Shadow of the Day gets a 9 out of 10.
6. What I've Done
Another one of their most heard and most popular songs. What I've Done is a great addition to their setlist, as the guitar work, keyboard work (finally Mike Shinoda and Mr. Han doing something again), drum work, bass work, and vocals all mesh perfectly together to create a truly great song. The lyrics are fantastic as always, but to me this song is very repetitive and gets stuck in your head... in a bad way. Too radio friendly for my liking, and their single New Divide that came out after the album for the Transformers movie sounded eerily similar to this song, which takes away some score from it. An overall good song though. Also, we hear Mike Shinoda singing at the end for the first time... ever!
What I've Done gets an 8 out of 10.
7. Hands Held High
The song that everyone loves to hate. I don't know why. Sure, it is different and downright courageous for LP to even put this on the album due to its controversy... the song is about War and Politcs... their first time tackling this topic. Mike Shinoda raps the entire way through, and this is one of his most underrated performances... if not the most underrated performance of his career. He. Kills. It. The lyrics are... interesting to say the least. A sample is "like they understand you in the back of the jet when you can't put gas in your tank, and these fuckers are laughing their way to the bank and cashing their cheques, asking you to have some compassion, have some respect." It is hard to score this song, because it is so different. Mike Shinoda sings a bit at the end again... a sign of things to come for him. In the end, this song is really not so bad and fun to listen to every now and then.
Hands Held High gets a 6.5 out of 10.
8. No More Sorrow
Starts off very strong, and continues with that momentum until the very end. The sliding electric intro, then introduces a chugging guitar intro, introducing the drums and the bass, and goes into the main riffs. Really well done technically from all of LP so far. Chester does a good job with this song in the album, but he does this better live. One of his best songs live. The lyrics are pretty good, and we hear Mike doing a bit of singing during the chorus again, slowly introducing the fans to Mike having more roles. I think that this song is one of their most underrated, and definitely one of their best songs live.
No More Sorrow gets an 8 out of 10.
9. Valentines Day
... and then this song. Very very very very soft singing and mood. Very very very very very VERY sad to listen to as well. At this point, Chester is establishing himself as a legitimate singer and this song was a transition for him, as well as the band. The lyrics are fantastic as always, and very soft but solid work from Rob, Brad, and Phoenix on drums, guitar, and bass respectively. No Mike again... but just wait for it. This song is a good one, but a sad one. "And now you're gone, and I was wrong. I never knew what it was like to be alone... on a Valentines Day." It is a solid song, but not special.
Valentines Day gets a 7 out of 10.
10. In Between
Hey everyone, Mike gets his own song again. Wait... he is singing? The entire thing? Man Mike sounds great singing independently and leading for the first time. The song is very electronic, and has a very mellow mood... utilizing Mike's deeper tone. Lyrics are simple, but work well with the overall tone and atmosphere that the song creates. "Between my pride and my promise. Between my lies and how the truth gets in the way. The things I want to say to you get lost before they come, the only thing that's worse than one is none." This song is a transition song for Mike, establishing and expanding his role. Many old fans hate this, I personally think that the combination of Mike's rap and vocals, and Chester's vocals and screams give LP one of the most diverse vocal sets in Rock. A good song, but forgettable.
In Between gets a 7 out of 10.
11. In Pieces
Chester takes over this song, and continues a very similar electronic sound and carries the mood and atmosphere from the next song quite well... just listening to it while reviewing I almost forgot that the song changed... which is nice. Good continuity. Lyrics are solid as always "You promised me the sky, then tossed me like a stone. You wrap me in your arms, and chill me to the bone." A good song again, but forgettable. Good singing from Chester, and we can here some good keyboard and drums in the song too.
In Pieces gets a 7.5 out of 10.
12. The Little Things Give You Away
Carries and slows down the beat from the previous song, and brings in a very melancholy acoustic guitar... slow strumming that immediately makes you very sad. Chester sings very softly, but very well. "All you've ever wanted was for someone to truly look up to you. And six feet underwater, I do." Very very very sad. But an excellent song, one of their most underrated in my opinion. Wish they would do this one more live. The lyrics are incredible all the way through, and the guitar and singing slowly carries the song until after the second chorus... when the song slows right down but then Rob's drums carries the song into a sort of solo/pre-outro combination... some guitar joins and plays a sort of solo...and after some humming from Chester...we hear Mike Shinoda absolutely killing it by singing "The little things give you away" over and over. It puts me in a trance when LP can insert Mike so effectively into a song like that. We hear the song culminate the entire album with Mike singing that over and over, Chester singing "all you've ever wanted is for someone to truly look up to you" and a third loop of Chester humming... It ends the album on near perfection and on a high note. When I first heard it, it made me crave more. I wanted to hear where LP would go next after this fantastic last track.
The Little Things Give You Away gets a 9.5 out of 10.
In conclusion this album was great. It was clearly a transition album with its ups and downs, but overall the album showed a lot of promise and gave fans plenty of great songs to listen to... not to mention some songs that they absolutely kill live in Bleed it Out (often their final song), No More Sorrow, Leave out all the Rest, Shadow of the Day, and What I've Done. The album lacked transitioning until In Between happened... everything else that happened after that felt like one song. The album lacked consistency and as a whole, was awkward... but still solid overall.
Final Rating for Minutes to Midnight:
7.5 out of 10
- Transition album, trying to establish themselves
- Some incredible songs
-... and some not so incredible songs
- Needs more Mike Shinoda doing what he does best... rap.
- Would appreciate a bit more heaviness in the final 5 tracks... felt very light.
As a fan of Linkin Park: I really enjoy this album. As a whole, it is simply ok. Some individual songs such as Leave out all the Rest really stand out for me though as some of their best work. Definitely pick up and approach with an open mind.
As a critic: Somewhat disappointing compared to the shadow that Meteora left. Still a solid album, but it has some serious flaws that keep it from excelling. Listen to it first, and if you like some of the songs buy them individually or pick up the album.
How it ranks compared to their other albums:
1st place. Meteora
- still overall best album in every area
2nd place. A Thousand Suns (9.5 out of 10)
- 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 (8 out of 10)
- using elements of all other albums, this album is a great entry.
5th place. Minutes to Midnight (7.5 out of 10)
- a good entry, but this was completely new territory for LP. Some good songs, but still uncertain feel.
Linkin Park stepped into new territory with Minutes to Midnight. This was clearly a transition album and needed to happen in order for the band to iron out their weaknesses... they did that and we can see that in A Thousand Suns which was near perfection. It is their "worst" album to date but don't let that discourage you... it is still a great entry for Linkin Park. It seems they can do no wrong, even when they are in transition and are supposed to.
Buy it!
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