Minutes to Midnight (Digital Album)

by

Linkin Park

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A good number of my friends look at me with mild disgust when I suggest that Linkin Park owns a unique brand of musical genius. But as someone who listens to large quantities of music from mainstream to indie, I contend that no one has mastered the art of rap-rock like they have (Quarashi is the only band I can think of that even belongs in the same neighborhood). There's an almost mathematical perfection to both Hybrid Theory and Meteora, their first two full, non-remix albums. Ultimately, Linkin Park has offered something that I couldn't find anywhere else.

I'm not one to say that bands shouldn't change and mature. But, honestly, I didn't want to see Linkin Park change, because they're already unique. They have changed in Minutes to Midnight, and the metamorphosis isn't a positive one.

Upon a first listen, two things are glaring:

1) Mike Shinoda's rapping presence is minimal. I've always preferred Chester's raspy vocals to Shinoda's rapping, but he's so underutilized on this album that you realize that he's an integral part to the Linkin Park sound. The fusion of his rapping and Chester's vocals combined with excellent beats and melodies makes the band.

2) There are a lot of songs that almost qualify as ballads. The good news is, most of them are pretty pleasant. Chester really does have a great voice- even when he isn't screaming and rasping. The bad news is that they take up slots on the album that I wanted to see filled with the rap-rock-electronica-metal that immediately entranced me on Hybrid Theory and Meteora.

Undoubtedly, this album is the type that grows each time you play it, but it simply doesn't do what fans of the band wanted it to do. There are a few hints of where the band has been. Stand-outs What I've Done, Bleed It Out, Given Up, and No More Sorrow all convince me that this may actually be Linkin Park and not some evil clone band from Mars.

Again, the album isn't bad- I enjoyed it even on the first listen, but most of it doesn't really do anything to distinguish itself from the type of alt-rock that you can find almost anywhere. 3.5 STARS

Just got my copy on iTunes and I'm disappointed for the most part.

I loved every second of Hybrid Theory and Meteora. I loved the heavy guitar riffs, the mix of rap + rock. This album lacks the heavyness that characterized its predecessors. Most of the tracks are soft. Gone is the Points of Authority style headbanging except maybe that guitar solo part of What I've Done. I'm not even talking the peaceful serenity of the Easier to Run or In the End intro segments. This is way softer than all that. If you remember jumping up and down to the LP songs of the old days, use these to put you to sleep at night.

What I've Done is probably the only track in the album that still sounds like the old LP. It's got that old feel that distinguished LP from any other rock band. Some other tracks show promise and hints of the old style that endeared LP to the masses of us that rushed to get Meteora, like the intro track (Wake), Bleed it Out, No More Sorrow. In Pieces is an OK track in light of the band's past work. Valentines Day has a decent heavier part near the end but is still quite light and soft overall. But if they did write 50 songs for this album, I wonder how the other 40 or so were like.

I'm still a big fan of LP and will continue to be, but I must admit that their intent to sound different did not produce good results. I hope with the next release they can go back to the old days. I feel kinda bad saying this, but unless you liked "What I've Done", you probably should wait for the next release.

Interpret my 3 star any way you like. The only reason it's a 3 star to me is I can't decide how low to go. Also, I figure that like one or two tracks I deemed unworthy on the predecessors, some of these tracks seem like they could just as well grow on me.

For the meantime, check out End of Silence by RED if you haven't already. The blend of the entire band creates a similar style to LP as we know it without the rapping.