Linkin Park -
Living Things
Back in maybe fifth or sixth grade, I was pretty big into Linkin Park. You know, the angst you start to have around that age? Yeah, I had that. And a lot of Linkin Park still hits that sweet spot of nostalgia but yet still enjoyable - you know, a song like this:
Or this:
Or even some from their third record, like this, which contains perhaps Chester’s best scream of his career:
Yeah, they had some good stuff, and Chester, rest his soul, was a very talented singer.
I admit, I lost interest when they released A Thousand Suns (their fourth album). It wasn’t a bad record, but nothing stuck with me. I suppose it was nice to hear them make a serious attempt at evolving their sound. Some claimed it was Linkin Park’s “Kid A” but I always felt that was an exaggeration, given the weaker songwriting - and the fact that Radiohead basically just iterated on Aphex Twin and Brian Eno - and the fact that REM already did this exact thing a couple years earlier but the critics decided that it wasn’t cool when they did it. Anyways…
Here we have their fourth album. And uhhh….well…it’s less interesting than I remember their previous album(s) being. Once again, the songs don’t really stick with you. It’s surprising because in their first three albums, Linkin Park knew how to write a good hook - but 90% of this album just washes through one ear and out the other.
And really, perhaps my biggest complaint with this album, besides the forgettable songwriting is the mixing. Far too frequently, everything seems too loud and as a result, the record really lacks dynamics and sonic color. I feel like Rick Rubin turned every dial up to 10 here and the sound suffers heavily as a result.
Let’s check out some lyrics:
Skin to Bone:
Skin to bone, steel to rust
Ash to ashes, dust to dust
Let tomorrow have its way
With the promises we made
Skin to bone, steel to rust
Ash to ashes, dust to dust
Your deception, my disgust
When your name is finally drawn
I'll be happy that you're gone
Ash to ashes, dust to dust
Ash to ashes, dust to dust
(Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah)
Skin to bone and steel to rust
Right to left, left to right
Night to day and day to night
As the starlight fades to gray
I'll be marching far away
Right to left and left to right
Until It Breaks:
It ain't over 'cause the sharks on the left side, the snakes on the right
And anything you do, they wanna get a little bite
It really doesn't matter if you're wrong or if you're right
'Cause once they get their teeth in nothing really fights
And razzle me I do it like I got nothing to lose
And you can run your mouth like you could try to fill my shoes
But steady little soldier, I ain't standing next to you
I can lay it on the ground before you're even in my view
Like that
Victimized:
They're acting like they want a riot, it's a riot I'll give them
As the sound comes higher on this violent rhythm
These snakes in the grass, supplying the venom
I ain't scared of your teeth, I admire what's in 'em
Keep 'em waiting in the shadows there, thinking they hidden
But the truth is you don't have the stomach to get 'em
Go on already, hit 'em! You gotta be kidding
Wanna talk about a victim, Imma put you there with 'em!
Victimized, victimized, never again victimized
Victimized, victimized, never again victimized
Victimized, victimized, never again victimized
Victimized, victimized, never again victimized
Errr….you know what, never mind. That’s enough of that. I’m a firm believer that lyrics aren’t that important in general - but they become more glaring when the music isn’t interesting either.
And to that point, this album commits the biggest cardinal sin of music - it’s boring. What used to work for Linkin Park in the tradeoff and chemistry of Chester’s screams and Shinoda’s rapping comes off as ill-fitting and jarring on tracks like “Victimized”. And when Shinoda gets the spotlight for a track, like “Until it Breaks”, it just becomes a trial in tedium and patience.
Despite my complaints, I really like the transition between track 11 “Tinfoil” and track 12 “Powerless”. This last track is actually pretty good - and besides maybe “Roads Untraveled”, was the only song after three listens that made a real impression. I might be wrong - but I feel like they used a drum machine with this last song and given their mode of expression on this album, doing that more frequently might’ve made for more success.
It pains me to say it, but this album to me sounds like a Linkin Park that is stricken with monochromatism - where are the crunchy guitars, the hooks, the swelling and satisfying dynamics between Mike and Chester? I’m left wanting more. It’s not an album that’s a stain upon humanity or anything - but damn, it makes me wonder what happened to that band I grew up with. It sure as hell ain’t the same band that made this - where you could hear palpable hunger, tangible drive, a serious passion and a conviction to make you believe - just as they believe:
RIP Chester. And sorry Mindy. This one just aint for me.
4/10