Linkin Park - Meteora
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Free Music Notes for Meteora
Free Music Review: DREARY OBSESSIONS AND METAL BARRAGE
Hit: 5 Stars
Linkin Park's first album was the "quiet" performer that more artists wish they could have. More "popular" albums raced up the charts for a few weeks only to disappear after a few weeks while Hybrid Theory rarely broke the top ten but sold for weeks and weeks. Indeed, it still sells today. Great way to fail. But the question remained whether Linkin Park was just a flash in the pan. It was great for its moment but was that moment over?I am not a fan of rap or hip-hop. The first time I heard a rap song on the radio I thought it was amusing. Then it followed with another rap song. "You mean you're going to play another one?" "You mean they have whole albums full of this stuff?" To this day I remain under whelmed by rap/hip hop. I don't hate it-I am just not impressed. When others praise rappers for their inventiveness and clever rhymes I can only wonder what they are talking about. Millions love this stuff so to a large degree it has to be me.
So we come to Linkin Park and the mixing of heavy metal with elements of sampling and rapped lyrics. As much as I enjoy it, I have to wonder if all this sampling and mixing all just adds up to an inessential dimension to the music. Reading the liner notes it is clear Linkin Park feels sampling and mixing is crucial and inspirational. Whatever, I have to admit that in several instances rapping the lyrics is a very powerful counterpoint to the metal onslaught in the music.
Thematically, Meteora revolves around the need to escape from a toxic relationship. It is not clear exactly who the singer is trying to leave. It could be a girlfriend, parents or society in general. A case could be made for any of these and perhaps it is that way by design. The listener fills the blank in the recesses of his imagination. We are told tales of drawing near to be pushed away, the deception the singer casts for the sake of that toxic other, the anger the singer has toward that venomous other that he has to deceive, and in some instances quilt that the fault lies in the singer rather than the lover he blames. Lyrically, the album twists itself in obsession with aspects of this poisonous, killing union. The singer seethes with rage, quilt, resentment and remorse. The singer complains the toxic other so completely dominates their world yet is unaware of the singer's deepest feelings. The mood alternates between release, hopelessness, entrapment and dejection. Finally with the last song "Numb", the singer relates his inability to feel anything anymore.
In some ways, when one just reads the lyrics you feel like you are reading the diary of some lost teenager who will one day take a firearm to high school and waste a few teachers and students before being cornered by the local SWAT team. But that is a little over dramatic. Such dreary obsessions have been rather common fair in teenage poetry for a long time. Linkin Park's poetry is just several cuts above the standard musings of your average adolescent. That is why millions soak it all up. Adults may be baffled at why anyone would want to dwell of such dark subjects; but many of the youth understand immediately.
Unlike some reviewers, I was immensely impressed with "Somewhere I Belong". Again, like them, when "Somewhere I Belong" starts I wondered if it was going to go anywhere. But then by the bridge the song turns absolutely ferocious. It really packs it in in a mere 3 minutes and 34seconds. Moreover, the whole album is like that. So much happens that it is difficult to believe it is only 37 minutes long.
I spite of all my reservations I found myself loving this album. Some believe if a song gets radio play then it can't be all that good. But I think "Somewhere I Belong", "Faint" and "Numb" are exceptional pieces of music which deserve the popularity, and admiration they have received. Similarly, "Don't Stay", "Easier To Run" (my personal favorite), "Figure.09", "Breaking The Habit" and "From The Inside" all could be popular favorites in the future.
On the down side, although it is getting significant radio play "Lying From You" just leaves me indifferent. "Hit The Floor " is barely memorable. "Foreword" and "Session" just waste time.
This CD is both dark and wonderful. I am still not sure all this preoccupation with sampling and mixing actually adds anything and I have no idea where Linkin Park will have to go to next. But this CD is worth having.
Free Music Review: Linkin Park's Sophomore Effort
Hit: 5 Stars
This is the second album from the nu-metal band Linkin Park. I personally think that this album is better than Hybrid Theory. The band has made great leaps and have expanded their sound from just rap-screaming rock, to a wide array of sounds that come together as a whole. Here is a song by song analysis of Meteora.
Don't Stay- I love this song. Chester Bennington perfectly blends soft verses to loud chorus in this song. The bridge is excellent also.
Somewhere I Belong- Mike Shinoda does a wonderful job of hip-hopping his way to the first single off this cd. The rhythm of this song is tremendous and Chester's bridge is excellent.
Lying From You- Another great song. The three opening songs on this cd are tremendous. Mike's verses are injected with rhythm. The chorus is charged up as always, and Chester's screaming while Mike's is bridging sounds great. This is another great song on this cd.
Hit The Floor- This is a heavy song with a kind of hip-hop bounce. Mike's verses are great but I'm not really into the screaming chorus that Chester Bennington brings to the table in this song. Mike's whispering bridge that is riddled with anger is awesome and I love it. This song is not as good as the other's on the cd but it is still really good.
Easier To Run- This song shows the softer side of Linkin Park. The chorus isn't really up to Linkin Park standard in this song. I love Chester's soft voice in the chorus though, and Mike's rapping is really good. The reason that I love this song is that Chester wrote the lyrics with the help of no music and no beat. It was a free-writing exercise and they worked it into this song. This song really symbolizes the hardships that Chester faced growing up and that is why I love it. You can really feel his pain if you listen to the lyrics in the verses.
Faint- I love this song. The beat is up pumped up and fast at nearly 130 beats a minute. Mike's verses are excellent as always. Chester's vocals in this song are amazing. The chorus is the best part of this song. The screaming bridge the Bennington puts on is amazing and shows you how Linkin Park can mend hard rock and heavy metal together seamlessly and make it sound awesome.
Figure .09- This is my favorite song on the cd. It represents what Linkin Park is in every facet. You have the rapping of Mike in the verses and it is really great. The chorus is the best part of this song to me with Chester being loud but still in tune. The bridge again shows what Linkin Park is all about. Mike rapping with Chester screaming at the end of each line. This is the best song on the cd.
Breaking The Habit- Oh, I love this song! Mike is absent in this song but Chester makes up for it with great lyrics and a soft voice. The chorus is amazing in this song. The screaming bridge sounds great also. This is one of those songs that took Linkin Park's sound to the next level and made them grow as a band.
From The Inside- Another good song that is not great. This is probably the softest you will ever hear Chester Bennington in any song. Mike is great in this song. The chorus is the best part of this song. The bridge is really good. What this song does is show how Linkin Park can go from really soft to insanely loud in just a matter of seconds. Good but not great.
Nobody's Listening- This is the worst song on the cd to me. Linkin Park throws a complete curveball at us in this song. You have the element of the Japanese flute along with rapping and screaming. The thing that ties this song in with the rest of the album is the lyrics. Good but not great.
Session- This is an instrumental song. No lyrics in this one. It is great to listen to when you need to calm down and realax. Good thinking, Linkin Park.
Numb- This is one of the best songs on the cd. Chester's vocals in the verses are amazing. The chorus is great as well. The loud bridge blends in perfectly with the rest of the song. This is another great song on this great album.
There you have it. The second album from the great Linkin Park. If you have any interest at all in rock you have to have this album. As soon as you read this review, you should go out and buy this cd. Linkin Park really shines in the sophomore set. This is truly a great album.
Free Music Review: <---NOT a cliched Linkin Park fan!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
I'm sick of people saying this band sucks. I'm sick of people saying they are the best band ever. I'm sick of them getting so much attention. I'm sick of them becoming so damn popular it's all you ever hear about on the rock scene. I'm sick of people spazing whenever one of their songs are played at parties. But get this... once again, ANOTHER FANTASTIC ROCK ALBUM from Linkin Park. Let me guess, You think I'm another one of those cliched rock fans that only like whats big and hot, like most people who like LP are. Guess what, I'm not. I'm a deep music lover who looks at music from all sides, not just "'Cause it sounds good".
Here we go, Track listing.
1. Foreword - (Unrated) - I'm not going to rate this because it's just the opening, and 13 seconds long. Blends right into the next track.
2. Don't Stay - (4/5) - A powerful opening track, nothing really special, but a good way to open the album. A good flow between the rap/rock versus, and a catchy harder chorus.
3. Somewhere I Belong - (5/5) - A very well made song. Very catchy and flows nicely. Lyrically great, and musically well put together. The first single is the perfect song for that honor. It has a nice feeling with a catchy chorus.
4. Lying From You - (5/5) - Another well made rap/rock song with a nice transition into the chorus. Chester's vocal work stands out in this track and shows that he can still sing.
5. Hit The Floor - (4/5) - Another fairly harder rap/rock song with a harder chorus. At first, I didn't get into this song, but it grows on you.
6. Easier To Run - (5/5) - An amazing song with a set-up much like Crawling. Starts with the chorus (which, like Crawling, is very screamy, yet mellow at the same time) Then goes into a slower song with a nice flow. Mike's section of this song is awesome, and lyrically one of the best parts of the album.
7. Faint - (4/5) - Someone explain to me why this was the second single, while it isn't a bad song, it sure isn't as great as it could be. A powerful rocker with a powerful chorus. It is pretty much the cliche mosh-pit song. Nothing special, but catchy.
8. FIgure.09 - (4/5) - This song was on the movie S.W.A.T. but not for long. A very well peiced together song, which would probably have been named Part Of Me, but that song title was already taking by one of their older songs. A good song, and fits well where it is on the album.
9. Breaking The Habit - (5/5) - Now THIS is one hell of a song. It's got a nice slow flow to it and concentrates more on Chester's vocals and the actually guitar work instead of all the beeping and production this cd is known for. This song is amazing and nothing like the rest of the album, yet it fits perfect.
10. From The Inside - (5/5) - A great peaceful flowing verse goes into a fairly powerful scream-styled chorus. This song has the potential to be a single.
11. Nobody's Listening - (4/5) - Half the time, nobody's listening to this song either. It's a little less rock then most of the songs on the album, but it has a good flow to it. The style of the chorus is different and the beats in the background fit well with LP's style.
12. Session - (3/5) - This track pretty much shouldn't have been on the album. It's an instrumental, but no where NEAR as good as Cure For The Itch off Hybrid Theory was. This song is pretty much only in to transfer the music from Nobody's Listening to...
13. Numb - (6/5) - ...NUMB! By far the best song on the album, and possibly LP's best song. Why this song was released for radio play is anyones guess. While it easily could sell the cd by itself, it could end up being overplayed and become annoying, so WHY RUIN THIS SONG! It's a slow song with a powerful feel to it and a perfect way to end the album. The lyrics are some of LP's best, and this song just goes to show that LP is not just the annoying rap-rock band half the world seems to want them to be.
All and All a great album, it seems a little over-produced, meaning to much of it is bleeps and sound effects, and there isn't enough guitar and drum work, which can get annoying. But it's a well made album, and Chester's voice carries most of it.
Free Music Review: Linkin Park is the rock in the hard place!
Hit: 5 Stars
Alright, I will be honest. When I first got this CD and heard a few of the songs on it, I was disappointed, wondering why they seemingly changed their style a bit, and why a couple of the songs could easily be mistaken for songs off their first CD, "Hybrid Theory." The more and more I listened to it, the more I began to love it!! And many of my friends completely agree with this statement. Now, when I came on here to read other reviews, and saw that someone dissed "Hit the Floor" and "Session," I knew I had to write my rebuttle to that. Those are two of the best songs on the CD. I am a producer, and listening to those songs and even attempting to recreate them for myself, they are very well designed songs, and "Session" (Hahn's instrumental) is nearly impossible to duplicate. Anyway, here are my personal ratings on the songs, 1 to 10.1. Intro - Can't really say much with this, it's only 12 seconds long, but leads extremely well into "Don't Stay."
2. Don't Stay - Great song, something about the chorus is weird to me. The words are great to it though. "Just gimme myself back and don't stay." 8/10
3. Somewhere I Belong - The first single, good, but could have been more adventurous. 6/10
4. Lying From You - The string part at the beginning and throughout the song can be haunting, but is absolutely perfect!!! The beat is sweet, and the chord structure during the song is not something you would have expected after their first CD. This is my favorite song ever by Linkin Park. 10/10
5. Hit the Floor - This song was originally meant to be straight hip-hop, until Chester started screaming over the beat, and Shinoda agreed with it. This is possibly my favorite song on the CD besides Lying From You. 10/10
6. Easier To Run - A bit slower effort, but they pull it off surprisingly well. "It's easier to run, replacing this pain with something numb." Chester is impressive here, and Rob got the EXTREMELY intricate drumline in one take. 9/10
7. Faint - A lot of people wont like this, thinking it may be too fast (135 tempo), but it grows on you. Voice effects are a nice touch, and the chorus has great wording yet again. 8/10
8. Figure.09 - With the usage of the word "numb" during the song, should have been titled "Numb #1," as song 13 is actually titled "Numb." The guitar line is a sweet touch, another great song. 10/10
9. Breaking the Habit - This is Mike's baby, been working at it for 6 years. Not many people will like it, some never will. But maybe they put it on the CD for a reason that will not be known. One piece of advice, do not expect guitars on this song, you wont find them! 6.5/10
10. From The Inside - Possibly one of their hardest efforts, in 6/8 time, has the same feel as "In The End," but is, to me, even better. "Take everything from the inside and throw it all away, cuz I swear for the last time, I wont trust myself with you." Awesome song. 10/10
11. Nobody's Listening - Sweet freakin' sample from Shinoda, a Japanese flute. Now name another group that would even try to do something like that? Could be the best beat Shinoda has produced too. 10/10
12. Session - Hahn's second instrumental. The beat breaks, repeating cut snares, changing beat, reversed sounds, progressive track. Many will like "Cure For The Itch" more, but technically and production-wise, this is eons past his first effort. Could have been longer! 9/10
13. Numb - Why was this put on the CD? Honestly, listen to this, then go back and listen to "Pushing Me Away" and "In The End." As much as those are great songs, and PMA is my fav off their first CD, they didn't need to make "In The End, Part 2." Still a decent song, and with marketing today, this was smart by Warner Brothers, but to me, a stupid move. Would have been higher if they had made this different somehow. 5/10
So there it is, a synopsis of their third CD. Hope it helps, and enjoy the CD because I haven't stopped liking it, and probably never will. Kudos to LP!!!
Free Music Review: Is It Better?
Hit: 5 Stars
After reading the previous reviews, I'm sure you can't decide who are right: the people who say this is better than "Hybrid Theory" or the people who say this is worse than "Hybrid Theory". I have decided, and yes, it is better than "Hybrid Theory", but only by a little, and it was very hard to decide. But this is not a bad CD. No, actually, before this CD was released, "Hybrid Theory" was my all time favorite album, and if this CD is better, than that is indeed saying a lot.Linkin Park are my favorite band, and if they keep up their work like this, I'm sure they will be for a long time. Every song they play is filled with emotion, true emotion, which pulls you into the song. The music is wonderful. Whereas the guitar work isn't Hendrix, you can still enjoy it, because it fits with the song perfectly, as do the drums, turntables, etc. The lyrics in songs like "Breaking the Habit" and "Figure.09" are truly amazing, and can almost make you cry at parts. This is what a truly good album should be.
1. Foreword-No Rating-Just a 13 second introduction.
2. Don't Stay-5/5-Many people say this is the mirror image of "One Step Closer", but I don't agree. It features great singing & music, and is very hard like "One Step Closer", but it's not quite a copy. It's...better...
3. Somewhere I Belong-5/5-A great song, and I can see why it's the first single. They lyrics are amazing, and really pull you into the song, but the bridge is the standout part, showing some of Chester's amazing vocal abilities.
4. Lying From You-5/5-A more rappy song (such as "By Myself" and "With You" were off "Hybrid Theory"), but it improves upon the lyrics of the last albums more rappy songs. Great.
5. Hit The Floor-5/5-Another song with more of a rap reflection in it, but the chorus is the best part, with Chester screaming and Mike rspping together, such as in "Forgotten". It's about being the victim of someone who walks all over you because they think they're better than you...until they "Hit the Floor"...
6. Easier To Run-5/5-A "Crawling"-type song, with long, dragged out choruses (I know I make that sound like a bad thing, but I can't describe it any other way) and good lyrics. It's slower than the rest of the album, which makes it standout.
7. Faint-5/5-Starts out with an interesting beat, then into a hard intro with an awesome guitar riff, and into Mike rapping, and you know the rest. One of the best.
8. Figure.09-5/5-This is possibly the best song on the album. What really stands out is the powerful singing by Chester on the chorus and the lyrics of it. Awesome.
9. Breaking The Habit-5/5-This is another song with amazing lyrics and singig by Chester. The music consists of turntables, strings an a small orchestra, which makes it different from the rest of the album. I'm glad they did it. One of the best.
10. From The Inside-5/5-There's nothing to unique that you haven't heard already from "Don't Stay" and the likes of it on this song, but that's not a bad thing. It's still great. Awesome screams from Chester.
11. Nobody's Listening-4/5-The only slip on the whole album, but you might think differently if you're more into rap. I'm not at all, which is why I give this a 4, and it would be a 3 if it weren't for the interesting Japanese flute they added in. But the guitar part's easy to learn.
12. Session-No Rating-This is what "Cure For The Itch" was on the last album: a sampling/turntables interlude, so I don't have much to say about it, except "nice beats".
13. Numb-5/5-Great lyrics, singing, music, everything. You just have to listen to this. The chorus is awesome. One of the best.
Was 2 and a half years worth the wait for this? ...YES. This is truly an essential recording as far as I'm concerned... Yes, I was a little anxious to see if Linkin Park could maintain their rank as #1 to me with this album, and they have done that, and have done that very well.