Album: LIVING THINGS
Artist: Linkin Park
Released: June 26, 2012
Number of Tracks: 12
Length: 36:58
Rating: 4.0/5
Okay, so I am happy to say that Linkin Park put out an album that totally makes up for their last album A Thousand Suns which was released September 10, 2010. Commercially it did okay, but not well enough and the band recognized that since they were going with a different sound. My friend is a very, very BIG fan of Linkin Park and I think even he knew it was their worst album. But, hey, every group or singer is gonna have the occasional flop, it is how they redeem theirselves that really matter. I think Linkin Park has redeemed theirselves with the release of the LIVING THINGS album. It goes back to their old sound while also being a little different.
The album itself has a myriad of different sounds which cause the album to lack cohesiveness. However, except for the song “Victimized” there is a similar sound being used in the most of the songs. Kind of in the background, but it doesn’t fit all the songs together. The worst track on the album by far is called “Victimized”. It is the track that stands out the most because of all the screaming that s done in the track. It sounds more like they wanted to try screamo out and used the chance on this 1:46 filler track. The track doesn’t mesh well with the rest of the tracks sound or emotion. The only other thing I don’t like about the album is the length and the length of two of the tracks. I think a good album need to be at least 40 minutes long. Any shorter I feel is entering EP territory. I don’t mind less minutes if there aren’t tracks that are so short. “Victimized” as I already stated fails to reach the two-minute mark and the other track “Tinfoil” is just short of a minute and a half. It should also be noted that “Tinfoil” really isn’t a song, it is an instrumental intro to the last track “Powerless”. Honestly, you are only getting 11 tracks out of this album.
FAVE TRACKS:
#3 “Burn It Down”- This is LIVING THINGS lead single and was released April 16, 2012. The track is more reminiscent of Linkin Park’s older stuff and was a great single to lead with after their last album. The song is performing well on the Billboard US Rock and Mainstream Rock where it peaked at number #1; on the Billboard Alternative Rock it peaked at #3; on the Billboard US Pop it peaked at #40; and finally on the Billboard Hot 100 it peaked at #30.
#4 “Lies Greed Misery”- I think this track is probably one of my favourites on the album. The music and lyrics are great and it is a great upbeat song about telling someone off. I would like to see this as a single at some point.
#6 “Castle of Glass”- This track is very well composed and sounds like a game in the first few seconds of the song. I could see this song being remixed and being a great dance hit. It also sound different from what I’ve heard them do, more All-American Rejects than Linkin Park.
#8 “Roads Untraveled”- Again, a track that sounds a bit different from most of the stuff I have heard from Linkin Park. A good song that unfortunately there isn’t a Transformers movie for it to be played during.
#9 “Skin To Bone”- I know I really like the music on this track and the way the lyrics are sung just really add to it. Can’t really put my finger on to why I like it so much.
#12 “Powerless”- This track is growing on me the more I listen to it. I have to say that I wasn’t sold on it at first. The music is pretty, I guess this song just seems so soft to be on this album. Almost like a song about being vulnerable instead of uprising and telling people how it is and how it’s gonna be done.
My rating of 4.0/5 is based on the albums length being a bit short and to add insult to injury, two of the tracks are rather short for my liking with one of those tracks just being a place holder to say, “Hey, it has 12 tracks.” Overall I think it is a well done album that Linkin Park’s big fans will adore and love. I think it does have tracks that also appeal to the more casual Linkin Park listener who will find something on this album that they like. I will give this album the JakeLX Seal of Approval.
