If I went into yesterday’s listen of the new Brandon Flowers CD with hopeful expectations… today’s endeavor with Linkin Park was met with trepidation.
Actually, trepidation might be the wrong word, but I like it…
Linkin Park’s A Thousand Suns is LP’s forth studio record and likely destined for a billion-trillion copies sold and numerous radio hits. It seems to be the way of this band. Generally speaking, I don’t care much for Linkin Park. I don’t hate them, but I don’t go home and get jacked to throw their music on. For me personally, its kids music.
Now here’s the thing, the new record in kind of interesting.
From what I’ve been able to gather from LP fans; they are disappointed in the direction… but as an outsider that has always wished there was more to Linkin Park’s facade, I like all the audio textures. I punched the record up last night and enjoyed all the weird little sonic interludes that intertwine around all the cuts.
Even the second single, “Burning in The Skies” which I generally hate on the radio, sounds good in the context of the record.
Lots of weirdness and samples and meandering between the songs.
This record will probably not be something I focus on too much when it gets buried by something newer and shinier in a week or two… but then again, no Linkin Park record ever has for me.
Linkin Park is sounding very adult contemporary with their style these days. Pleasant. Maybe they are growing up and getting old? Not so much rage or anger. The last song soars with some babble about love being the answer or something and there is a song in the middle with a hackneyed, “the weight of the world will give you strength to carry on.” No it won’t Chester… it’ll crush you into the ground. I think they’ve been millionaires too long. Some songs don’t resonate with me at all. Weird middle school kid lyrics. But whatever, when he sings it with a dainty little guitar, it sounds pretty. I guess that is what Linkin Park is all about. And tattoos.
I’ll give the record a “download it for free” recommendation. It’ll be cool for a few listens then you’ll move on to something meatier or graduate middle school.
Go with yourself.
The Morning After 