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!
Tuesday, 5 February 2013
Toxic
Welcome one and all to the show:
Writing is toxic, in any form. Let me explain:
Writing freely promotes bad writing skills, while encouraging creativity... which can lead directly to great writing skills. What?
For example, many of my blog posts have been grammatically incorrect (including this one as well, makes my a hypocrite). Doing this over and over creates a bad habit of not caring and thinking that doing the wrong thing is the right thing. Allowing myself to do this makes it easier for the words to flow and in turn, for creativity to flow. I am going to try and find a balance between the two, and I am going to try and make an effort to make my blog posts more correct, not only to practice my writing skills but also to make it easier to read for the reader.
Getting away from formalities, writing is toxic in poetry as well. I find that every time I write a poem, a part of me dies in the process of creating it. It takes a legitimate toll on me every time I write. I do not write nearly as much poetry as I did back in say, Grades 7-9 because up until then I had no way of expressing those feelings, emotions, ideas and thoughts other than music. It allowed me to create a plethora of poetry. What is happening now is not directly writers block, but a form of it. I cannot write as much because I cannot express the same feelings twice. Look at my previous work I have posted on this blog, if you look at it critically it really does not make much sense and there is no trend to follow. Sometimes it is depressing in the form of lost love, suicide, or what have you. Other times it is about love that hurts, love that kills, or just love itself. While the topics of love and depression are enormous and allow me to create many pieces about them, no two pieces express the same thing twice... or at least express what I was trying to express twice. What is happening to me now, is not a lack of ideas... but a lack of passion towards many of these ideas because they have been expressed before and have taken their toll on me already... something I do not want to happen twice.
What I am trying to get at, is Poetry is Toxic. That sounds like a great idea for a poem actually, something I have not done before. I have written a poem on poetry in itself before, but never about the idea of poetry being toxic... look for a poem about toxicity soon, it is in the works :)
At the same time, I think that this toxicity is a necessary evil. You need to go through hell to find yourself, in my opinion. If tearing apart your emotions and by doing this, shaping the sculpture of your very being is required, then so be it. Which each poem a toll is taken, with each poem I am one step closer to finding what and who I am, and what my purpose is.
That is it for now, please feel free to comment down below.
Song of the day is by Shinedown off their album The Sound of Madness, called Breaking Inside. Enjoy :) "Don't tell me I'm the last one in line, don't tell me I'm too late this time."
Really cool video too.
So goodbye to you all, and maybe another post next week... looks pretty clear to me right now. Also reading week in 2 weeks, so sometime then as well.
Ciao.
Writing is toxic, in any form. Let me explain:
Writing freely promotes bad writing skills, while encouraging creativity... which can lead directly to great writing skills. What?
For example, many of my blog posts have been grammatically incorrect (including this one as well, makes my a hypocrite). Doing this over and over creates a bad habit of not caring and thinking that doing the wrong thing is the right thing. Allowing myself to do this makes it easier for the words to flow and in turn, for creativity to flow. I am going to try and find a balance between the two, and I am going to try and make an effort to make my blog posts more correct, not only to practice my writing skills but also to make it easier to read for the reader.
Getting away from formalities, writing is toxic in poetry as well. I find that every time I write a poem, a part of me dies in the process of creating it. It takes a legitimate toll on me every time I write. I do not write nearly as much poetry as I did back in say, Grades 7-9 because up until then I had no way of expressing those feelings, emotions, ideas and thoughts other than music. It allowed me to create a plethora of poetry. What is happening now is not directly writers block, but a form of it. I cannot write as much because I cannot express the same feelings twice. Look at my previous work I have posted on this blog, if you look at it critically it really does not make much sense and there is no trend to follow. Sometimes it is depressing in the form of lost love, suicide, or what have you. Other times it is about love that hurts, love that kills, or just love itself. While the topics of love and depression are enormous and allow me to create many pieces about them, no two pieces express the same thing twice... or at least express what I was trying to express twice. What is happening to me now, is not a lack of ideas... but a lack of passion towards many of these ideas because they have been expressed before and have taken their toll on me already... something I do not want to happen twice.
What I am trying to get at, is Poetry is Toxic. That sounds like a great idea for a poem actually, something I have not done before. I have written a poem on poetry in itself before, but never about the idea of poetry being toxic... look for a poem about toxicity soon, it is in the works :)
At the same time, I think that this toxicity is a necessary evil. You need to go through hell to find yourself, in my opinion. If tearing apart your emotions and by doing this, shaping the sculpture of your very being is required, then so be it. Which each poem a toll is taken, with each poem I am one step closer to finding what and who I am, and what my purpose is.
That is it for now, please feel free to comment down below.
Song of the day is by Shinedown off their album The Sound of Madness, called Breaking Inside. Enjoy :) "Don't tell me I'm the last one in line, don't tell me I'm too late this time."
Really cool video too.
So goodbye to you all, and maybe another post next week... looks pretty clear to me right now. Also reading week in 2 weeks, so sometime then as well.
Ciao.
Thursday, 24 January 2013
A Dream Dreamt Twice
Out of nowhere. This is something I wrote last night for a contest on allpoetry.com (great website). What I am trying to get across is, the little things in life that we don't expect or never think about are the things that keep life interesting. Running into someone in the halls at school, having your crush randomly talk to you, and of course dreaming... or maybe it was a nightmare. A dream dreamt twice, is a curse inside the blessed. Here it is, my poem.
A Dream Dreamt Twice
What is it like, to dream the same dream twice?
Each detail as vibrant as before, each road untraveled
Is it comforting to know what is to happen next, or a vice?
Does it leave you hopeless, or does it leave you dazzled?
Dreaming the same dream twice, does it make it a bore?
Each step taken, a step taken before
A carousel of madness, churning and turning
A fuse that shines through you, a fire that will not stop burning
A dream into a nightmare, knowing each mistake
Knowing what’s to happen next is a curse inside the blessed
Knowing nothing is real, everything is fake
Removing surprise is something to detest
A nightmare stitched into twice, leaving hopeless remorse
Loved ones falling left and right, I’ve seen it all before
Once was too many, twice is too few
According to this conscience of mine, it must be renewed
Tear out my heart, rip out my soul
Take away my being, bring forth my hell
A world without dreams is about to seize control
Infested with nightmares, eradicate and dwell
Each detail as vibrant as before, each road untraveled
Is it comforting to know what is to happen next, or a vice?
Does it leave you hopeless, or does it leave you dazzled?
Dreaming the same dream twice, does it make it a bore?
Each step taken, a step taken before
A carousel of madness, churning and turning
A fuse that shines through you, a fire that will not stop burning
A dream into a nightmare, knowing each mistake
Knowing what’s to happen next is a curse inside the blessed
Knowing nothing is real, everything is fake
Removing surprise is something to detest
A nightmare stitched into twice, leaving hopeless remorse
Loved ones falling left and right, I’ve seen it all before
Once was too many, twice is too few
According to this conscience of mine, it must be renewed
Tear out my heart, rip out my soul
Take away my being, bring forth my hell
A world without dreams is about to seize control
Infested with nightmares, eradicate and dwell
Midterms coming up, you won't be hearing from me for a while. Maybe that's a good thing.
Ciao.
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
NHL 2013
Reflect. Review. Changes. Expectations. Welcome back to A Radiant Catalyst.
I don't even know who still reads this blog besides me, but it's a great way to just speak my mind. Someone has to be interested right? Even if it's just me, it will have to do.
Hockey talk
So we started off the new year with the end of the NHL lockout! Both sides are at fault and both Bettman and Fehr should be fired. This could have been resolved a month ago or earlier. Idiots, both of them! For the first time they just sat down, talked about it, and got a deal done. No drama, no walking, part due to the mediator that helped bring both sides together, and just kept working until a deal was done. I've been saying this from the start, if both sides just met every single day for a couple of hours for a week or two, a deal would be done. I know it's a process and both sides held out to try and get the other side to give in, but this is a crime to the fans. We easily could have had a full season if both sides just did what is best for the fans and compromised with each other from the very beginning. Bettman, as much as I don't like him, is a great business man and has done wonders for the NHL as a league... but he's an idiot. Fehr I truly believe was scared for his job at the end and that is why he gave in. Fehr is also an idiot, though he left baseball in pretty good shape when he left. Hopefully the next lockout (8-10 years depending if one side opts out early) can be resolved a year before the lockout would start like it should have been with this one. There's half a season gone from the fans, the players careers, and the NHL. It's good for nobody, and both sides are to blame. But in the end, hockey is back and I am excited.
Going down the teams, east to west.
Atlantic Division
Pittsburgh Penguins:
Being a Pittsburgh fan, if everyone can stay healthy and if the Fleury-Vokoun combo can stay consistent I say Pittsburgh is the favourite team. Even without Crosby, Pittsburgh is very strong and could make a cup run. I see Letang having a giant year, and James neal scoring around 25 goals in this half season. Malkin will make another dominant performance again.
New Jersey Devils:
Losing Parise means the aging devils are going to have a tough time making the playoffs. Either Kovalchuk will have to put the team on his back or Brodeur will have to stand on his head at the end of his career. I can't see this team doing well, but stranger things have happened.
New York Islanders:
Tavares is going to destroy this season, I can feel it. Islanders have a lot of young players... they could be the big surprise of the year.With players like Moulson and Grabner, Okposo and Tavares... and with Ryan Strome coming up soon I can safely say this team is the team to watch in the east in the coming years... a talent shit-storm is coming.
New York Rangers:
Then, there's the Rangers... Oh man are they ever stacked. With the addition of Rick Nash they now have arguably the most potent offense in the league, pair that with a solid defense core in Marc Staal and the best goalie in the work in King Hendrik, Rangers are incredibly dangerous.
Philadelphia Flyers:
As much as I hate the Flyers, they have a good team and I have to respect that. Giroux is a stud, Luke and Brayden Schenn will develop nicely, Hartnell will continue to be an enigma, and with players like Wayne Simmonds around they have all of the offensive talent to win a cup... its all banking on their shaky defensive core and Bryzgalov going back to form like he was in Phoenix.
Northeast Division
Toronto Maple Leafs:
They are kind of a wildcard for me. They have a decent team on paper, and depending on Reimer being healthy and playing well, they could slip into 7th or 8th. If Lou joins the team then Toronto is a playoff team, plain and simple. If not, they could still do it. Kessel and Lupul are solid, Kadri is developing well, and when Gardiner comes back from injury they have a great defensive core in Phaneuf, Liles, Gunnarson, Franson, Kostka (this kid is sick), and I guess Komisarek. Still need that big #1 center though, someone like Eric or Jordan Staal would be perfect for this team. Still waiting...
Ottawa Senators:
I am going to say it right now, last year in my opinion was a fluke. Karlsson need to prove hes the real deal to me, their goal-tending is decent but still not amazing, the rest of their defense is lacking, and their scoring is mediocre. Only players like Spezza and Turris standout to me. I can't see them making the playoffs with other teams improving so much.
Montreal Canadiens:
Quite honestly, the worst team in the NHL right now. Carey Price is amazing, but that's about it. They have major problems scoring, their defense is ok I guess but still not playoff quality... this team needs to rebuild. Start drafting Montreal, make the playoffs 6 years from now. Don't try anytime soon. The rookie they picked up seems good, but looking for a #1 center will be a problem.
Buffalo Sabres:
I really think this team can make the playoffs this year. Ryan Miller is as solid as you can get in net, and with Enroth backing him up if he gets injured they are still playoff caliber. Their defense is great, their offense is very solid... this team could make a cup run in my opinion.
Boston Bruins:
A great team that should have no trouble taking the division. Tuuka Rask is manning the net this year and he is solid. Their offense is talented, their defense is solid. This team should cause headaches for every other team this year. Will they win the cup? I think they could.
Southeast Division
Carolina Hurricanes:
Adding Jordan Staal and Semin makes this team look excellent on paper. Eric and Jordan Staal, Semin, Skinner, Gleason, Ward, Murphy (if they ever call him up... he's the real deal). The team could make the playoffs, and I think in a weak division they could take the title. Much improved.
Florida Panthers:
Surprised the hockey world last year with their division title. They got a bunch of good, young players... but in all honesty I don't see them making the playoffs with this division getting stronger in the Hurricanes and Lightning. Stranger things have happened though... Huberdeau is sick.
Tampa Bay Lightning:
Adding Anders Lindback gives Tampa a solid goaltender (still unproven however)... and that is really their only problem. They have all the offense in the world with Stamkos, St. Louis, Lecavilier, ect... and their defense in Hedmen and others is great. It's just goaltending. If Lindback proves to be the real deal, this team is extremely dangerous.
Winnipeg Jets:
A young team... its not their time yet. Pavelec is a wall in net for them... their defense could use some work and their offense is ok, but improving with players like Sheifele coming up. Not this year, but soon...
Washington Capitals:
This team really baffles me. From Presidents Trophy winners to... this. And so fast too. If Ovi can get back to being a monster and their goaltending stays ok then this team is good to go... for me this team is banking on Ovi... Mike Green as well getting back to form. Backstrom is a solid #1 center.
Central Division
Chicago Blackhawks:
Extremely gifted offensively, solid defensively, just worried about Crawford being a legit #1 goalie. If he can prove to be solid, then this team has a chance at the cup.
St. Louis Blues:
This team came out of nowhere last year. They are solid on all fronts though, and possess the best goaltending combination in Elliot and Halak. This team is one of the best in the NHL, and will do excellent in the regular season.
Columbus Blue Jackets:
Finally Rick Nash is gone. Looking at the Blue Jackets, you see a very young team that just needs some time. I see this team being competitive again in 2-3 years. Draft some players, let prospects develop, build on a solid foundation that the organization has laid out, and this team will be back in the talks for the playoffs. Bobrovsky is awesome in net as well... Philly is an idiot for trading him.
Nashville Predators:
Losing Suter means a less dangerous Predators team. Rinne is still great in net, Weber and the rest of the defense is very good even without Suter, and the offensive is solid (similar to Buffalo's style in my opinion with players like Hornqvist). A playoff team? Yes.
Detroit Redwings:
I think this season ends the longest playoff appearance run of any major league sports team in history. The Redwings are only getting older... still a great team but I can't see them cracking the much younger, more competitive Western Conference. I think this is the year that Jimmy Howard finally cracks... but again stranger things have happened.
Northwest Division
Minnesota Wild:
Adding Parise and Suter makes this team a playoff team. Plain and simple. They now have Heatley, Koivu, Setigouchi, Parise, Suter, Backstrom ect. It's a great team, and I see this team not only making the playoffs, but going far as well.
Edmonton Oilers:
This team... will be great. This year? It could happen, but I see this team being a sure thing in 1-2 years, not this year though. Nugent-Hopkins, Hall, Yakupov, Eberle, Dubynik, Hemskey... this team will be great. Just maybe not this year.
Vancouver Canucks:
No reason why this team should not make the playoffs.... or win the cup for that matter. They have all of the pieces in place. Lets just see if Schneider can perform as a #1. If not, and if they don't trade Lou they have him to carry the team. It should be a big year for Vancouver. They could win their division, but I can't see them repeating as President's trophy winners in a shortened season.
Colorado Avalanche:
A young team... not very good right now. Goaltending is great with Varlamov... Landeskog is sick, OReilly is sick... but a couple more years of rebuilding and development for this young team. Not this year, I can't see it happening.
Calgary Flames:
Sorry Calgary, your days are numbered. Iginla is getting old, Kippy is getting old. That's basically your team. Cammaleri is good, and Wideman is good on the back end... I know I am leaving out players but that't because this team is a mess. I don't know what they are... and it's a shame because Iginla and Kippy deserve a cup.
Pacific Divison:
Anaheim Ducks:
Hiller is solid in net, Getzlaf, Perry, Ryan, Selanne all make up a great offense... and their defense is decent as well. This team could make the playoffs, but in an ultra-competitive Western Conference in a shortened season who knows what will happen. This teams performance will dictate what happens to Getzlaf, Perry and Ryan in the offeason as well, so Anaheim needs a big year.
San Jose Sharks:
The window of opportunity is closing for the aging sharks. Joe Thorton, Patrick Marleau, Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, Dan Boyle, Anti Niemi... its an amazing team. This team has consistently made the playoffs for the past... I can't even remember its been a solid 5 or 6 years of this team being at the top. This is the year I think that the team makes it to the finals and possibly wins it.
Dallas Stars:
An interesting team... they could make the playoffs. Jamie Benn is a superstar, Eriksson is a great player, net is solid, defense is ok in Goligoski... with the addition of Roy from Buffalo it makes this team competitive. Playoff caliber even in a shortened season. In a Western Conference though, I can't see it.
LA Kings:
The Stanley Cup champions of last year have the exact same team... which means they are incredibly talented and should have no problem making the playoffs... should. They could be the first repeat champions in a while... the team is still so young and with pieces like Richards in there it makes the dangerous. Watch out, this team is good.
Phoenix Coyotes:
While the future in Phoenix is blurry, the team itself is solid. I just think that every other team improved so much that Phoenix will miss the playoffs. Mike Smith needs to prove that he is the real deal... which I think he is. Their scoring is meh, but their defense is top-notch. It could happen I guess, but I think other teams have improved too much. Here's to another Canadian team? Perhaps Seattle? We will see.
That's all 30 teams.
So here are my predictions for the standings this year.
Eastern Conference:
1st *Pittsburgh Penguins (P)
2nd *Boston Bruins
3rd *Carolina Hurricanes
4th New York Rangers
5th Philadelphia Flyers
6th Ottawa Senators
7th Buffalo Sabres
8th New York Islanders (aww yeah) (W)
9th Tampa Bay Lightning (W)
10th Washington Capitals (W)
11th Toronto Maple Leafs (W)
12th Florida Panthers (W)
13th New Jersey Devils
14th Winnipeg Jets
15th Montreal Canadiens
Western Conference
1st *St Louis Blues
2nd *Vancouver Canucks
3rd *LA Kings
4th San Jose Sharks
5th Chicago Blackhawks
6th Minnesota Wild
7th Anaheim Ducks
8th Nashville Predators
9th Phoenix Coyotes (W)
10th Detroit Redwings (W)
11th Dallas Stars (W)
12th Edmonton Oilers (W)
13th Colorado Avalanche
14th Calgary Flames
15th Columbus Blue Jackets
* Indicates division champion
P indicates Presidents Trophy
W indicated wildcard, they have the potential in my opinion but it might not be their season yet.
Right away, you see the east is much less set in stone than the west which is interesting, it's usually the other way around.
Stanley Cup - Pittsburgh Penguins in a perfect world, otherwise the San Jose Sharks
Western Champs - San Jose Sharks
Eastern Champs - Pittsburgh Penguins or the New York Rangers
Conn Smyth - Sidney Crosby or Joe Thorton
Art Ross - Evgeni Malkin
Maurice Rocket - Steven Stamkos
Norris - Kris Letang
Frank J Selke - Ryan Kesler
Calder - Justin Huberdeau
Lady Byng - Pavel Datsyuk
Vezina - Ryan Miller
William M Jennings - Hendrik Lundqvist
Ted Lindsey - Evgeni Malkin
I don't even know who still reads this blog besides me, but it's a great way to just speak my mind. Someone has to be interested right? Even if it's just me, it will have to do.
Hockey talk
So we started off the new year with the end of the NHL lockout! Both sides are at fault and both Bettman and Fehr should be fired. This could have been resolved a month ago or earlier. Idiots, both of them! For the first time they just sat down, talked about it, and got a deal done. No drama, no walking, part due to the mediator that helped bring both sides together, and just kept working until a deal was done. I've been saying this from the start, if both sides just met every single day for a couple of hours for a week or two, a deal would be done. I know it's a process and both sides held out to try and get the other side to give in, but this is a crime to the fans. We easily could have had a full season if both sides just did what is best for the fans and compromised with each other from the very beginning. Bettman, as much as I don't like him, is a great business man and has done wonders for the NHL as a league... but he's an idiot. Fehr I truly believe was scared for his job at the end and that is why he gave in. Fehr is also an idiot, though he left baseball in pretty good shape when he left. Hopefully the next lockout (8-10 years depending if one side opts out early) can be resolved a year before the lockout would start like it should have been with this one. There's half a season gone from the fans, the players careers, and the NHL. It's good for nobody, and both sides are to blame. But in the end, hockey is back and I am excited.
Going down the teams, east to west.
Atlantic Division
Pittsburgh Penguins:
Being a Pittsburgh fan, if everyone can stay healthy and if the Fleury-Vokoun combo can stay consistent I say Pittsburgh is the favourite team. Even without Crosby, Pittsburgh is very strong and could make a cup run. I see Letang having a giant year, and James neal scoring around 25 goals in this half season. Malkin will make another dominant performance again.
New Jersey Devils:
Losing Parise means the aging devils are going to have a tough time making the playoffs. Either Kovalchuk will have to put the team on his back or Brodeur will have to stand on his head at the end of his career. I can't see this team doing well, but stranger things have happened.
New York Islanders:
Tavares is going to destroy this season, I can feel it. Islanders have a lot of young players... they could be the big surprise of the year.With players like Moulson and Grabner, Okposo and Tavares... and with Ryan Strome coming up soon I can safely say this team is the team to watch in the east in the coming years... a talent shit-storm is coming.
New York Rangers:
Then, there's the Rangers... Oh man are they ever stacked. With the addition of Rick Nash they now have arguably the most potent offense in the league, pair that with a solid defense core in Marc Staal and the best goalie in the work in King Hendrik, Rangers are incredibly dangerous.
Philadelphia Flyers:
As much as I hate the Flyers, they have a good team and I have to respect that. Giroux is a stud, Luke and Brayden Schenn will develop nicely, Hartnell will continue to be an enigma, and with players like Wayne Simmonds around they have all of the offensive talent to win a cup... its all banking on their shaky defensive core and Bryzgalov going back to form like he was in Phoenix.
Northeast Division
Toronto Maple Leafs:
They are kind of a wildcard for me. They have a decent team on paper, and depending on Reimer being healthy and playing well, they could slip into 7th or 8th. If Lou joins the team then Toronto is a playoff team, plain and simple. If not, they could still do it. Kessel and Lupul are solid, Kadri is developing well, and when Gardiner comes back from injury they have a great defensive core in Phaneuf, Liles, Gunnarson, Franson, Kostka (this kid is sick), and I guess Komisarek. Still need that big #1 center though, someone like Eric or Jordan Staal would be perfect for this team. Still waiting...
Ottawa Senators:
I am going to say it right now, last year in my opinion was a fluke. Karlsson need to prove hes the real deal to me, their goal-tending is decent but still not amazing, the rest of their defense is lacking, and their scoring is mediocre. Only players like Spezza and Turris standout to me. I can't see them making the playoffs with other teams improving so much.
Montreal Canadiens:
Quite honestly, the worst team in the NHL right now. Carey Price is amazing, but that's about it. They have major problems scoring, their defense is ok I guess but still not playoff quality... this team needs to rebuild. Start drafting Montreal, make the playoffs 6 years from now. Don't try anytime soon. The rookie they picked up seems good, but looking for a #1 center will be a problem.
Buffalo Sabres:
I really think this team can make the playoffs this year. Ryan Miller is as solid as you can get in net, and with Enroth backing him up if he gets injured they are still playoff caliber. Their defense is great, their offense is very solid... this team could make a cup run in my opinion.
Boston Bruins:
A great team that should have no trouble taking the division. Tuuka Rask is manning the net this year and he is solid. Their offense is talented, their defense is solid. This team should cause headaches for every other team this year. Will they win the cup? I think they could.
Southeast Division
Carolina Hurricanes:
Adding Jordan Staal and Semin makes this team look excellent on paper. Eric and Jordan Staal, Semin, Skinner, Gleason, Ward, Murphy (if they ever call him up... he's the real deal). The team could make the playoffs, and I think in a weak division they could take the title. Much improved.
Florida Panthers:
Surprised the hockey world last year with their division title. They got a bunch of good, young players... but in all honesty I don't see them making the playoffs with this division getting stronger in the Hurricanes and Lightning. Stranger things have happened though... Huberdeau is sick.
Tampa Bay Lightning:
Adding Anders Lindback gives Tampa a solid goaltender (still unproven however)... and that is really their only problem. They have all the offense in the world with Stamkos, St. Louis, Lecavilier, ect... and their defense in Hedmen and others is great. It's just goaltending. If Lindback proves to be the real deal, this team is extremely dangerous.
Winnipeg Jets:
A young team... its not their time yet. Pavelec is a wall in net for them... their defense could use some work and their offense is ok, but improving with players like Sheifele coming up. Not this year, but soon...
Washington Capitals:
This team really baffles me. From Presidents Trophy winners to... this. And so fast too. If Ovi can get back to being a monster and their goaltending stays ok then this team is good to go... for me this team is banking on Ovi... Mike Green as well getting back to form. Backstrom is a solid #1 center.
Central Division
Chicago Blackhawks:
Extremely gifted offensively, solid defensively, just worried about Crawford being a legit #1 goalie. If he can prove to be solid, then this team has a chance at the cup.
St. Louis Blues:
This team came out of nowhere last year. They are solid on all fronts though, and possess the best goaltending combination in Elliot and Halak. This team is one of the best in the NHL, and will do excellent in the regular season.
Columbus Blue Jackets:
Finally Rick Nash is gone. Looking at the Blue Jackets, you see a very young team that just needs some time. I see this team being competitive again in 2-3 years. Draft some players, let prospects develop, build on a solid foundation that the organization has laid out, and this team will be back in the talks for the playoffs. Bobrovsky is awesome in net as well... Philly is an idiot for trading him.
Nashville Predators:
Losing Suter means a less dangerous Predators team. Rinne is still great in net, Weber and the rest of the defense is very good even without Suter, and the offensive is solid (similar to Buffalo's style in my opinion with players like Hornqvist). A playoff team? Yes.
Detroit Redwings:
I think this season ends the longest playoff appearance run of any major league sports team in history. The Redwings are only getting older... still a great team but I can't see them cracking the much younger, more competitive Western Conference. I think this is the year that Jimmy Howard finally cracks... but again stranger things have happened.
Northwest Division
Minnesota Wild:
Adding Parise and Suter makes this team a playoff team. Plain and simple. They now have Heatley, Koivu, Setigouchi, Parise, Suter, Backstrom ect. It's a great team, and I see this team not only making the playoffs, but going far as well.
Edmonton Oilers:
This team... will be great. This year? It could happen, but I see this team being a sure thing in 1-2 years, not this year though. Nugent-Hopkins, Hall, Yakupov, Eberle, Dubynik, Hemskey... this team will be great. Just maybe not this year.
Vancouver Canucks:
No reason why this team should not make the playoffs.... or win the cup for that matter. They have all of the pieces in place. Lets just see if Schneider can perform as a #1. If not, and if they don't trade Lou they have him to carry the team. It should be a big year for Vancouver. They could win their division, but I can't see them repeating as President's trophy winners in a shortened season.
Colorado Avalanche:
A young team... not very good right now. Goaltending is great with Varlamov... Landeskog is sick, OReilly is sick... but a couple more years of rebuilding and development for this young team. Not this year, I can't see it happening.
Calgary Flames:
Sorry Calgary, your days are numbered. Iginla is getting old, Kippy is getting old. That's basically your team. Cammaleri is good, and Wideman is good on the back end... I know I am leaving out players but that't because this team is a mess. I don't know what they are... and it's a shame because Iginla and Kippy deserve a cup.
Pacific Divison:
Anaheim Ducks:
Hiller is solid in net, Getzlaf, Perry, Ryan, Selanne all make up a great offense... and their defense is decent as well. This team could make the playoffs, but in an ultra-competitive Western Conference in a shortened season who knows what will happen. This teams performance will dictate what happens to Getzlaf, Perry and Ryan in the offeason as well, so Anaheim needs a big year.
San Jose Sharks:
The window of opportunity is closing for the aging sharks. Joe Thorton, Patrick Marleau, Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, Dan Boyle, Anti Niemi... its an amazing team. This team has consistently made the playoffs for the past... I can't even remember its been a solid 5 or 6 years of this team being at the top. This is the year I think that the team makes it to the finals and possibly wins it.
Dallas Stars:
An interesting team... they could make the playoffs. Jamie Benn is a superstar, Eriksson is a great player, net is solid, defense is ok in Goligoski... with the addition of Roy from Buffalo it makes this team competitive. Playoff caliber even in a shortened season. In a Western Conference though, I can't see it.
LA Kings:
The Stanley Cup champions of last year have the exact same team... which means they are incredibly talented and should have no problem making the playoffs... should. They could be the first repeat champions in a while... the team is still so young and with pieces like Richards in there it makes the dangerous. Watch out, this team is good.
Phoenix Coyotes:
While the future in Phoenix is blurry, the team itself is solid. I just think that every other team improved so much that Phoenix will miss the playoffs. Mike Smith needs to prove that he is the real deal... which I think he is. Their scoring is meh, but their defense is top-notch. It could happen I guess, but I think other teams have improved too much. Here's to another Canadian team? Perhaps Seattle? We will see.
That's all 30 teams.
So here are my predictions for the standings this year.
Eastern Conference:
1st *Pittsburgh Penguins (P)
2nd *Boston Bruins
3rd *Carolina Hurricanes
4th New York Rangers
5th Philadelphia Flyers
6th Ottawa Senators
7th Buffalo Sabres
8th New York Islanders (aww yeah) (W)
9th Tampa Bay Lightning (W)
10th Washington Capitals (W)
11th Toronto Maple Leafs (W)
12th Florida Panthers (W)
13th New Jersey Devils
14th Winnipeg Jets
15th Montreal Canadiens
Western Conference
1st *St Louis Blues
2nd *Vancouver Canucks
3rd *LA Kings
4th San Jose Sharks
5th Chicago Blackhawks
6th Minnesota Wild
7th Anaheim Ducks
8th Nashville Predators
9th Phoenix Coyotes (W)
10th Detroit Redwings (W)
11th Dallas Stars (W)
12th Edmonton Oilers (W)
13th Colorado Avalanche
14th Calgary Flames
15th Columbus Blue Jackets
* Indicates division champion
P indicates Presidents Trophy
W indicated wildcard, they have the potential in my opinion but it might not be their season yet.
Right away, you see the east is much less set in stone than the west which is interesting, it's usually the other way around.
Stanley Cup - Pittsburgh Penguins in a perfect world, otherwise the San Jose Sharks
Western Champs - San Jose Sharks
Eastern Champs - Pittsburgh Penguins or the New York Rangers
Conn Smyth - Sidney Crosby or Joe Thorton
Art Ross - Evgeni Malkin
Maurice Rocket - Steven Stamkos
Norris - Kris Letang
Frank J Selke - Ryan Kesler
Calder - Justin Huberdeau
Lady Byng - Pavel Datsyuk
Vezina - Ryan Miller
William M Jennings - Hendrik Lundqvist
Ted Lindsey - Evgeni Malkin
Monday, 26 November 2012
Picture the World
A poem written by myself after my trip to Washington DC where I visited the Holocaust memorial museum. I encourage everyone to go there at least once in their lifetime, I know its not the same as going to the actual camps in Europe but it sure was powerful. I can safely say that it changed my perspective on life, and it helped me mature as a person. Understanding the past, and seeing the terror that ensued those dark years... its something that everyone could use. We need a reminder every now and then, to remember true brutality and evil.
So here it is, my poem.
Picture the world, the way it is now;
Fast, vast, restless and loud.
The cities that never sleep, the souls
we will never meet,
Our shadows, stuck in the unforgiving
concrete.
Now picture a world, burning in the sky.
These souls you will never meet make the
fire rise.
Swimming in the smoke, scorching the eye,
The weight of their world, unbearable to
you and I.
Picture a world, far from you and me
A burst of light that blinds every angel
into the sea.
One so similar, so evil to you and I,
A world where oceans bleed into the sky.
Now imagine a mirror, a wake of
devastation.
A world where the defiling of humanity,
an emancipation.
The injection of hate, rape, obliterates,
eradicates
The veins of the normally humane.
A world where you cross the line for
being nothing more than who you really are
“Cannot be reconciled with wisdom,
justice, and love” (Martin Luther King Jr.)
After all of that, picture a world,
lifeless and bland.
You are the only one left on this
colourless land.
You are but the last grain of rice, left
to be devoured.
Go ahead, try to reach and run,
You will succeed
in grasping these razor stone grounds
This world has rooted us into one. Single. Spot.
It has left us gazing upon these grounds which were
once the most beautiful,
Now the most hideous.
There it is, say what you will, say what you might. This is it.
Wake
Welcome one and all to the show.
Today's post is the first post in a while where I just talk. If you haven't read any of the older posts, I encourage you to go through the archives and check em out; it's interesting to see how the blog itself has evolved as well as how I have progressed through the past year or so.
Looking back, its been a year since I started (a little more than a year)! Crazy to see how time flies.
Quick update: I've been trying to make this page much more appealing and easy to navigate... more organized if you will. Blogger however is stupid and either I can't for the life of me figure it out or the options simply do not exist. I'll continue to pursue this, for you the reader.
Exams are in a week and a bit, so this post will be the last until right before Christmas.
Also, tell me how im doing with the blog. Look at my reviews, my previous posts, and of course tell me how im doing with this post. I'm always open to constructive criticism, praise, whatever you got.
Prelude: I am going to tell you right now that this post will not have much structure at all. I haven't done this in a while so the little structure that it had before is gone.
Lets get into the nothing.
Do any of you wake up and think, "why am I awake?" I mean, who do you wake up for, why do you wake up, what encourages you to face the day. Maybe I am just thinking too much into things like usual, but honestly it's been bugging me for a while. We wake up, get ready, get on with the day. Why? Where's the encouragement? Do you wake up for yourself? Do you wake up to do something in particular? Do you wake up at the very thought of someone? Do you wake up and get out of bed just for the slight chance that your special someone will encounter you that day? Thinking to yourself, "Maybe today is the day that it happens; maybe today is the day that my life takes a turn for the better."
I guess what I am getting at is, what moves the floor that is beneath you? Just an idea to think about, as I get into the content of the blog.
I've found that the past two or three years, I have been waking up and asking myself those questions. Before that, I didn't question it. Maybe it just comes with age, maybe it's just part of the transition phase to adulthood, I don't know. About a quarter of my life is through, and to be honest I am anxious to see what life has in store for me. I've found that with age I have awoken a different, more brutal Tony. I'm now much more political, my thoughts are much darker in complexity and I've grown accustomed to small talk with other adults. Not only that, In class I find myself taking things from a more logical point of view, rather than the creative side I used to take things from. I don't know whats happened.
Maybe I just woke up.
Am I a better person for it? Probably not. It can be reflected in my poetry. I encourage you to look back in my archives and find the poetry, (again, ill try to categorize and organize everything later) and see how naive it is compared to the piece I am about to post (this week some time). I'm not saying that this new piece is going to be a work of art or anything, not in the slightest. I'm just saying the perspective and tone of the poetry has changed, at least when I look at them.
Thinking about it, I am going to compare this growth and change just as Linkin Park did. First two albums, sick. Really heavy music. Everything was stable. Then they changed, they got into this transition stage with Minutes to Midnight. Then after that they got into the completely different A Thousand Suns and Living Things. Maybe I am just in that Minutes to Midnight phase, where I am not sure whats happening, where I came from, or where I am going. Just a piece of work that has no real direction. That could be it. Who knows, that could be why I wake up and ask those questions.
This post is actually based off the first track on Minutes to Midnight, which I will review during Christmas Break. Wake, just an instrumental. Maybe that's it. No lyrics to my song, just direction. Lyrics come later, when I have something to write about. The journey is more important than the end or the start, and maybe that's where the lyrics come from. Maybe your song doesn't need lyrics
What will your song be? Your story? Your journey?
Will your song march to the beat of its own drum? Its own rhythm? Will your song even have lyrics, or will you let the music do the talking?
Will you be different, unique, what will your song portray about you? Will you let your actions define who you are, or will you tell everyone who you are? Maybe you will use lyrics to make your story a little more intricate.
Or maybe you will just wear a snap-back like every single other person and talk about sex, money, drugs, partying, and sexuality in your song. Sell out, your song becomes a hit. Your story. A hit. Really, it is just like many other songs out there. Everyone's song can be unique in its own way, but you refuse to show any diversity. You say compassion's a fault, and you'll never let it show. Maybe you have done this your entire life, just try to get by. Make your song appealing, and nothing more. I say, make your song different, from the heart. If no one likes it, so be it. Fact is, someone will though. There are people out there who appreciate diversity in opinion. Being different is something that rewards others more than yourself, but its rewards are plentiful.
On a side note, did anyone see the 100th Grey Cup halftime show yesterday? They were literally playing the song in the background so the artists could sing along to it. Why??? Not only that, the misrepresentation of Canadian music was atrocious. We as Canadians do not base our music around what all of those artists do. Beiber? Are you serious? Where's Rush(as much as I hate them, I can respect them), Billy Talent? That represents true Canadian Rock. Bieber represents the pop-industry. Which represents the same thing over and over again. See where the problem is? Not only that, anyone else see him meeting the Prime-Minister? Where does he get off disrespecting the Prime Minster and the rest of our generation by dressing like that? He is not above everyone else, he should have dressed professionally, at least a dress shirt and pants. Come on, its not that hard bro. Show some respect and maturity. You're my age, and frankly its embarrassing..
Back in the saddle.
Make your song sound different, make it controversial. Haters hate, its just the way it is.
Taking a different perspective on things, maybe it's a good thing that a lot of people act the same. In reality, it just makes the crop even sweeter, don't you think so? When you find people that are different, it makes them that much more awesome than they already are. I'm not claiming to be different, because In reality I know that I conform to some social norms. But I think I am being different enough by writing this post. By listening to what I listen to. By acting the way I act. Maybe that's why I have been stuck in this transition phase for a while, because I have been trying to find a balance between what is perceived to be "normal" and who I really am. Maybe you, the reader, are the same way.
In the end, this post was about waking up. Finding yourself, what your drive is, what your song is, how you will compose that song and how much risk you are willing to take to be different.
I know that there wasn't much structure, but I regret nothing. Look forward to the next post, which will be a poem. This week, probably...
Song of the day is by 30 Seconds to Mars off their Self-Title Album. Capricorn (A Brand New Name) is weird. And that's why I'm sharing it with you. Its a weird post, and such a weird post deserves a weird song.
Blame it on the broken heart.
Until next time,
Tony.
Today's post is the first post in a while where I just talk. If you haven't read any of the older posts, I encourage you to go through the archives and check em out; it's interesting to see how the blog itself has evolved as well as how I have progressed through the past year or so.
Looking back, its been a year since I started (a little more than a year)! Crazy to see how time flies.
Quick update: I've been trying to make this page much more appealing and easy to navigate... more organized if you will. Blogger however is stupid and either I can't for the life of me figure it out or the options simply do not exist. I'll continue to pursue this, for you the reader.
Exams are in a week and a bit, so this post will be the last until right before Christmas.
Also, tell me how im doing with the blog. Look at my reviews, my previous posts, and of course tell me how im doing with this post. I'm always open to constructive criticism, praise, whatever you got.
Prelude: I am going to tell you right now that this post will not have much structure at all. I haven't done this in a while so the little structure that it had before is gone.
Lets get into the nothing.
Do any of you wake up and think, "why am I awake?" I mean, who do you wake up for, why do you wake up, what encourages you to face the day. Maybe I am just thinking too much into things like usual, but honestly it's been bugging me for a while. We wake up, get ready, get on with the day. Why? Where's the encouragement? Do you wake up for yourself? Do you wake up to do something in particular? Do you wake up at the very thought of someone? Do you wake up and get out of bed just for the slight chance that your special someone will encounter you that day? Thinking to yourself, "Maybe today is the day that it happens; maybe today is the day that my life takes a turn for the better."
I guess what I am getting at is, what moves the floor that is beneath you? Just an idea to think about, as I get into the content of the blog.
I've found that the past two or three years, I have been waking up and asking myself those questions. Before that, I didn't question it. Maybe it just comes with age, maybe it's just part of the transition phase to adulthood, I don't know. About a quarter of my life is through, and to be honest I am anxious to see what life has in store for me. I've found that with age I have awoken a different, more brutal Tony. I'm now much more political, my thoughts are much darker in complexity and I've grown accustomed to small talk with other adults. Not only that, In class I find myself taking things from a more logical point of view, rather than the creative side I used to take things from. I don't know whats happened.
Maybe I just woke up.
Am I a better person for it? Probably not. It can be reflected in my poetry. I encourage you to look back in my archives and find the poetry, (again, ill try to categorize and organize everything later) and see how naive it is compared to the piece I am about to post (this week some time). I'm not saying that this new piece is going to be a work of art or anything, not in the slightest. I'm just saying the perspective and tone of the poetry has changed, at least when I look at them.
Thinking about it, I am going to compare this growth and change just as Linkin Park did. First two albums, sick. Really heavy music. Everything was stable. Then they changed, they got into this transition stage with Minutes to Midnight. Then after that they got into the completely different A Thousand Suns and Living Things. Maybe I am just in that Minutes to Midnight phase, where I am not sure whats happening, where I came from, or where I am going. Just a piece of work that has no real direction. That could be it. Who knows, that could be why I wake up and ask those questions.
This post is actually based off the first track on Minutes to Midnight, which I will review during Christmas Break. Wake, just an instrumental. Maybe that's it. No lyrics to my song, just direction. Lyrics come later, when I have something to write about. The journey is more important than the end or the start, and maybe that's where the lyrics come from. Maybe your song doesn't need lyrics
What will your song be? Your story? Your journey?
Will your song march to the beat of its own drum? Its own rhythm? Will your song even have lyrics, or will you let the music do the talking?
Will you be different, unique, what will your song portray about you? Will you let your actions define who you are, or will you tell everyone who you are? Maybe you will use lyrics to make your story a little more intricate.
Or maybe you will just wear a snap-back like every single other person and talk about sex, money, drugs, partying, and sexuality in your song. Sell out, your song becomes a hit. Your story. A hit. Really, it is just like many other songs out there. Everyone's song can be unique in its own way, but you refuse to show any diversity. You say compassion's a fault, and you'll never let it show. Maybe you have done this your entire life, just try to get by. Make your song appealing, and nothing more. I say, make your song different, from the heart. If no one likes it, so be it. Fact is, someone will though. There are people out there who appreciate diversity in opinion. Being different is something that rewards others more than yourself, but its rewards are plentiful.
On a side note, did anyone see the 100th Grey Cup halftime show yesterday? They were literally playing the song in the background so the artists could sing along to it. Why??? Not only that, the misrepresentation of Canadian music was atrocious. We as Canadians do not base our music around what all of those artists do. Beiber? Are you serious? Where's Rush(as much as I hate them, I can respect them), Billy Talent? That represents true Canadian Rock. Bieber represents the pop-industry. Which represents the same thing over and over again. See where the problem is? Not only that, anyone else see him meeting the Prime-Minister? Where does he get off disrespecting the Prime Minster and the rest of our generation by dressing like that? He is not above everyone else, he should have dressed professionally, at least a dress shirt and pants. Come on, its not that hard bro. Show some respect and maturity. You're my age, and frankly its embarrassing..
Back in the saddle.
Make your song sound different, make it controversial. Haters hate, its just the way it is.
Taking a different perspective on things, maybe it's a good thing that a lot of people act the same. In reality, it just makes the crop even sweeter, don't you think so? When you find people that are different, it makes them that much more awesome than they already are. I'm not claiming to be different, because In reality I know that I conform to some social norms. But I think I am being different enough by writing this post. By listening to what I listen to. By acting the way I act. Maybe that's why I have been stuck in this transition phase for a while, because I have been trying to find a balance between what is perceived to be "normal" and who I really am. Maybe you, the reader, are the same way.
In the end, this post was about waking up. Finding yourself, what your drive is, what your song is, how you will compose that song and how much risk you are willing to take to be different.
I know that there wasn't much structure, but I regret nothing. Look forward to the next post, which will be a poem. This week, probably...
Song of the day is by 30 Seconds to Mars off their Self-Title Album. Capricorn (A Brand New Name) is weird. And that's why I'm sharing it with you. Its a weird post, and such a weird post deserves a weird song.
Blame it on the broken heart.
Until next time,
Tony.
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