Linkin Park Fun Journal: July 2007

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Download Meteora mp3
This album is a lot less fluid and rap influenced than "Hybrid Theory." "Meteora" is denser, with more real singing and there sure is a lot more yelling. Whether this a good thing or a bad thing, it's safe to say Linkin Park have survived their sophmore outing and escaped the "sophmore slump."
After "Reanimation", I was wondering just how much Linkin Park were planning on using their guitars on their sophmore release. I was not a fan of "Reanimation." I thought it was more of a techno/rap C.D. But, with "Meteora", it's also safe to say that the guitars are very much involved.

Highlights include:

"Somewhere I Belong" has a good intro which leads into the guitars. This song has pretty good rapping with good DJ scratches, but I must have heard this song too much or something, because now I hardly listen to anything past two minutes into the song (the teen angst yelling at the end gets on my nerves.)
"Lying from You" has another good intro (which makes a "beeping" noise), then explodes into the guitars. There are some good, swirling riffs and a couple of good DJ scratches on this song.
The guitars on "Hit the Floor" grind well (some are comparing this song to Pantera), while "Easier to Run" boasts an irresistable, sing along chorus with soaring vocals. All of which would've made this song a good single. Most of the songs on this C.D. are centered around a similar, big and catchy chorus.
"Faint" begins with what sounds like almost an orchestra, then turns to a typical rap/rock song. The rap on this one is smoothe and the yelling parts are towering, but what I enjoy most on this song is the catchy drum beat and the way the guitars start and stop.
However, there are some "Hybrid Theory"-esque moments:
"Breaking the Habit" is a personal favorite. It's a techno cut, making it a lot less noisy than all the other songs. The vocals (which are usually rapped or screamed) are calmly sung over the soft strings, a repeating drum beat and DJ scratching. It's a personal favorite, even though it's techno, because it's very nearly danceable.
"Nobody's Listening" is more of a straight forward rap song, with another good chorus, while "Session" is an instrumental which echoes "Cure for the Itch". This song again shows us how talented the DJ (Joseph Hahn) is.

But, for the most part, this album has less rap tempos, more powerful guitars and yelling. However there are some of moments ("Session", "Nobody's Listening") which are as fluid as anything on "Hybrid Theory." Linkin Park have made more of a straight forward rock C.D., while also remaining true to their roots. The end result is a record which should please all of their fans. If you are sick of the radio singles, I urge you to check out the rest of the album, because there are several more good songs on here, and even a few great ones. However, if you didn't like "Hybrid Theory", don't expect this to change your mind.

Tracklist:

1. Foreword
2. Don't Stay
3. Somewhere I Belong
4. Lying From You
5. Hit The Floor
6. Easier To Run
7. Faint
8. Figure.09
9. Breaking The Habit
10. From The Inside
11. Nobody's Listening
12. Session
13. Numb

Numb Mp3

Download Numb mp3
I'd probably buy all of meteora instead the of the single, but if you want the video or just think the rest sucks, then i guess you have no other choice. personally when i heard meteora i thought it would just be a parallel to hybrid theory, and many would argue that it is (hell i thought they were quite similar at first sound) but it seems that meteora has a lot more layers, and even if musically many people may not like it as much as hybrid theory (like me) it shows a lot of growth and sophistication in linkin park. numb is a perfect example. at first though i wanted to parallel it to pushing me away from hybrid theory, but listening to it enough times i found it was completely differnt, especially in meaning. once again mike shinoda reprises his role as super glue making all the various musical components come togethor (including his few rap verses, a piano piece and his extensive sampling) along with producer Don Gilmore. Brad Delson's relatively single chorded guitar has got a perfect nu-metal/rap rock/alternative rock but all togethor heavy vibe un like such songs as breaking the habit or nobody's listening. bassist phoenix, is well a bassist, and he does a damn good job at bassing (thats a word?). Joeseph Hahn with his scratching/keyboarding/bobbing head up and down is doing an awesome job as usual becomming once again the producer of a Linkin Park vid (numb), rob bourdon is smacking the drums with more proficiency than in the last album. it seems meteora has like linkin park defeated all odds (avoiding the sophomore slump) the lyrics are as usual general and can be useful in a variety of different contexts, but as the video shows it seems its aimed towards the teen dealing with parent authority figure and trying to be themselves instead of what the parents want situation. i were you, i'd grab meteora and find the vid on launch.yahoo.com or mtv2. unless u need it on disk like me and then buy it

Tracklist:

1. Numb
2. From the Inside live
3. Easier to Run live

Monday, July 30, 2007

Reanimation Mp3

Download Reanimation mp3
This CD is not the best remix version I have heard, for example in my opinion the reinterpretations of several songs such as Points of Authority, High Voltage and By Myself are lacking what the original versions had and that is flair and brilliance. What saves this CD is the input and sometimes successful combining of guest vocals and bands like Aaron Lewis from Staind who goes well with Mike Shinoda's voice.

Overall this CD has 20 tracks with most songs in the 3 minute range and not that long per say. This Remixed album won't be for every fan however I enjoyed the majority of the remixes as they showed that Linkin Park was at work on creating more great music that soon came out in their latest album 'Meteora'.

Look out for the last track, it is one of the best tracks. A good close for a strong CD.

Tracklist:

1. Opening
2. Pts. Of Athrty - Jay Gordon
3. Enth E Nd - Kutmasta Kurt/Motion Man
4. Chali
5. Frgt/10 - Alchemist/Chali 2na
6. P5hng Me A*wy - Mike Shinoda/Stephen Richards
7. Plc.4 Mie Haed - Amp Live/Zion Of Zion I
8. X-ecutioner Style - X-Ecutioners/Black Thought
9. H! Vltg3 - Evidence/DJ Babu/Pharoahe Monch
10. Riff Raff
11. Wth>You - Chairman Hahn/Aceyalone
12. Ntr/Mssion
13. PPr:Kut - Cheapshot/Jubacca/Rasco/Planet Asia
14. Rnw@y - Backyard Bangers/Phoenix Orion
15. My{Dsmbr
16. Stef
17. By_Myslf - Josh Abraham/Mike Shinoda/Stephen Carpenter
18. Kyur4 Th Ich - Chairman Hahn
19. 1stp Klosr - The Humble Brothers/Jonathan Davis
20. Krwlng - Mike Shinoda/Aaron Lewis

Hybrid Theory Mp3

Download Hybrid Theory mp3
I am 27 years old. I grew up with metal like Black Sabbath, Napalm Death, Megadeth, (early)Metallica, TOOL, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden. I avoided Linkin Park like the plague thinking that their all too friendly MTV image would not satisfy my most primal metal urges. I was wrong. It is indeed rare to find a debut album of such complexity and richness. Hybrid Theory plays as a complete album, there are no throw away tracks here. I wasn't sure I liked Chester Bennington's voice at first but after hearing "Crawling" a few times I came to realize that he's got a great voice. He's no Rob Halford or Bruce Dickinson but he's up there amongst today's vocalists (except for Serj from System of a Down). This cd is a true "hybrid" of metal and hip-hop influences. Linkin Park uses two vocalists, one singing and one rapping along with a dj and the results are spectacular. The best two tracks are A Place for My Head and Forgotten but all of the other tracks are way above average. So if you've shown slight interest into this band but have shyed away because of their link to commercial interests, I say take the plunge it's well worth it. Hybrid Theory will be the first of many important releases from this band. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

One Step Closer mp3

One Step Closer mp3
Linkin Park is the best band ever!! I am completely obsessed with them!! Chester and Mike are really cool!! I'm gonna get this CD as soon as I possibly can!!!!!

One Step Closer- A REALLY cool song, probably an average song from Linkin Park. I just LOVE the screaming bridges in this song!!!-"SHUT UP WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and "SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I especially like the last one, "SSSSSSHHHHHUUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTTT UUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

My December- This is a great song- a little on the slow side, but thats ok, because itzprobably a relaxing break for Chester from screaming "shut up", and it proves that he can do a slow song like that.

High Voltage- A really cool song- itz all rap- itz all Mike. Yeahhh, Mike!
Download One Step Closer mp3

Linkin Park Fun Journal

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Linkin Park Discography

Meteora