Linkin Park- "Living Things"
I've been a big Linkin Park fan since their early days and I've watched them evolve over the years. Many long-time fans have left the LP camp in recent years as the band turned away from their signature angsty rap-core sound on the last two records. 2007's "Minutes to Midnight" found the band experimenting with their softer side on several tracks and incorporating less rap. 2010's "A Thousand Suns" made even more fans feel alienated as it was filled with more spacey, ambient pieces, and only a handful of high-energy tunes.
Now, in 2012, many of us have wondered, and perhaps even feared, what Linkin Park would do next. When the first single off this record, "Burn It Down," hit the airwaves, I lost any excitement I initially had about hearing new Linkin Park.The single features a highly electronic instrumentation layered with organs over a bland 4/4 dance beat. Chester saves it from being a total flop, but the arrangement is weak and fails to drive the song in the direction the vocals want to take it. That being said, as much as I had lost the excitement of yet another Linkin Park record, I owed it to myself as a dedicated fan to give it a listen. After all, radio singles often tend to be some of the weakest tracks on any given record.
The album opens up with "Lost In the Echo." It sets the stage perfectly for the rest of the tracks and lets us know that the band hasn't entirely lost its edge and they still know how to appease their veteran fanbase while still incorporating new elements and sounding fresh. "In My Remains" is a slightly mellower track that follows the band's common theme of searching for hope through the pain and struggle in life, but its driving guitars and steady pace are enough to keep it interesting and leave us wanting more. Next is "Burn It Down," followed by "Lies Greed Misery," a bitter, angst-driven song full of Mike Shinoda's cocky rap lyrics and Chester's piercing screams. Unfortunately, it likewise suffers from a lack of heavier instrumentation to support it. "I'll Be Gone" is a nice, melodic tune, but there's nothing noteworthy about it. It seems to be an unfortunate victim of the need for a "filler track." From there, the record takes an interesting turn into more somber territory on "Castle of Glass," which finds both Shinoda and Bennington crooning in a search for peace and serenity in a world plagued with war and sickness. While it's not likely to find its way onto your "road trip" playlist, it's a great song and it's perfectly placed on the record.
The melancholy musings of "Castle of Glass" make way for the quick and brutal attack of "Victimized," a 1:47 onslaught of Linkin Park doing what it does best- being pissed off. Things slow down again for the piano-based "Roads Untraveled." This time, Bennington and Shinoda pair up again on a dreamy, melodic journey- this time calling you out to let go of lost love, look to the possibilities of the future, and remember you always have a friend. It's a rare positive overtone for the band, but it's surprisingly refreshing.
"Skin to Bone" is easily the weakest track on "Living Things." It suffers from too much repetition, minimal change in dynamics, and it's just plain boring. This track could have easily been off the record and not be missed. "Until It Breaks" seems like a Frankenstein's monster of songs, so-to-speak. The song is dominated by Shinoda's rapped verses over primarily drum, bass, and synth instruments. There's a break after the second verse where Chester pleads, "Give me the strength of the rising sun/Give me the truth of the words unsung/And when the last bells ring, the poor men sing/Bring me to kingdom come." After 2 more verses, the song ends with a majestic choral melody that conjures images of a sunrise over the ocean shore. Each piece of the song holds its own strengths, but I can't make any sense of their correlation. It seems like the inclusion of melodic content was too forced, which resulted in a sloppy, less-than-cohesive track. The album draws to a close with the interlude "Tinfoil," which transitions seamlessly into the final track, "Powerless," which follows the trend of the last 2 Linkin Park records by ending with a heartfelt, melodramatic song featuring pianos and plenty of harmonic content.
Overall, "Living Things," is a solid record, and a step in a positive direction for Linkin Park. The band has proved once again that it can do many things and do them well. One can only hope that their next turn will steer a little less away from synthesizers and provided a more consistent backtrack for Mike and Chester's unforgettable vocals.
Strengths: Both Mike and Chester deliver high quality vocals and equal parts anger and thoughtfulness in their lyrics. The band revisits and retains some of its defining qualities that should slowly reel in at least a portion of their recently alienated fan base.
Weaknesses: At times the instrumentation relies too much on electronic elements and doesn't always support the energy level of the vocal delivery, and at times make otherwise excellent songs sound empty and heartless. A couple of tracks could have easily been omitted to reduce filler.
Best Tracks: Lost In The Echo, In My Remains, Castle of Glass, Victimized, Powerless
Worst Tracks: Burn It Down, Skin to Bone, Until It Breaks
