Someone showed me "My December" a year or so after I'd been introduced to "Hybrid Theory". As had been my experience with "Cure", I had no frame of reference by which to process what I was hearing. It sounded shockingly different to the blistering rap-rock that I'd been listening to for many months - in fact, completely different to anything I had ever heard up at all up until that point. Adding to that, I knew nothing about the context behind the song, in terms of where it had come from and what it had been written and recorded for. I'd only just been introduced to the Internet at the time so I had no idea about how to go about finding it again, but I held onto the memory of that one listen for a long time; a few years later, I got to hear "Reanimation" and the first thing I did was skip through the tracks to hear some version or another of the song. I didn't hear the original song again later that same year, when I acquired it through unnamed means, though I don't remember that so well. The simplicity of "My December" is probably the thing that makes it distinct in my mind. There's a minimalism to the lyricism, the piano parts, the bassline, chord progression, guitar line, vocal layering - basically the whole thing. Because of that, the mix allows everything to shine through perfectly. I like "My<DSMBR" more, though. Somehow, it sounds more melancholic to me than the original does, even if it's busier and arguably more upbeat-sounding. When I was first really getting into "Reanimation", it amazed me that there were songs like "Pts.Of.Athrty" sharing space on the disc with songs like "My<DSMBR" and other tracks that just sound completely different from one another. After immersing myself in "Hybrid Theory", I found the diverse array of sounds and styles on "Reanimation" to be incredible. There are some heavy electronic rock tracks, some deep lyrical hip-hop numbers, some tracks that are a little more chill ... and everything in-between. All on one album. Which was good because carrying multiple CDs around for my Discman was never something that I would've done.
My December is one of my favorite tracks from that era. The song has this feel that is just so sad and beautiful. I listened to it first on the tour edition of Meteora. I used to skip it and the other extra songs a lot. Maybe I am making this up but I think there is a difference between songs on Meteora and the songs by LP that came before it. With the exception of In the end, all HT era LP songs have this unpolished(or raw?) sound to it that I did not necessarily like at that point. Then, I was walking home one day from class and I decided to listen to My December. That's when it hit me how beautiful the song was. Memories are amazing sometimes. I don't like My<DSMBR that much because I feel like it takes away from the feel of the song but that's just me.
My first listen of this song was surprising because I was expecting another wall of guitars, rapping and screaming, since I knew it was from the Hybrid Theory era. So I was quite shocked. Then, after a few days of listening I showed it to my mom for some reason. She likes snow, winter, and calm tracks, so I thought she'd like it. Aaaand she said ''mmm 'kay''. I get it now that it wasn't really for her, she's into a bit more into calm happy tracks rather than just calm. Anyway, I think the piano is beautiful, and the delivery is incredible. Truly shows just how diverse Chester's voice is. From this to One Step Closer, amazing. Over the years I've grown to like the sampled drums, which I wasn't a fan of in the beginning. This was one of my problems with all of Reanimation with my first listens. I feel like My<DSMBR is still even better. The beginning is incredible, and now hearing it after some time, I see what the opening credits track of The Mall reminded me of. Those... ''sounds'' are really alike. The track's really atmospheric, a bit faster and just even more interesting. Kelli Ali's vocals really contribute to the track, the ''give it all away'' is possibly the most beautiful line in the track, and how she harmonizes the last chorus is just great. Amazing song, anyway.
Yeah, Chester's singing on "My December" is something special. I think that this song must've been recorded during a point where they really were worn out from being on tour for so long This can really be said for the band's discography as a whole, really. One of my favourite things about Linkin Park is the variety of songs that they have. With every album they make, they add more to the range of songs that define their name.
I like My December but never thought there was anything special about it, I think it's a good b-side but that's all it is, to me at least, I don't think it would have been good on Hybrid Theory.
Wonder if anyone would have blinked an eye if they put My December on M2M in place of, say, In Between.
I agree. What I especially like with My December is that it is a really chill track which till manages to capture the vibe of the early days without being overly powerchord-driven. Electronic beat and scratchs both play a big role in that, and so does the melody.
i think they would have. based on vibe alone, there would be a fair major shift between tracks before and after.
The drums in "My December" have a very early-2000s almost-trip-hop feel and the vocals are treated in such a way that they lack the rawness that permeates the production throughout "Minutes To Midnight". It could maybe work if it had been re-recorded during those sessions
I remember they bought My December back into their live shows briefly in about 2008 (i think), and it was brilliant
"My December" was a nice atmospheric shift of the band. It was gloomy and Chester didn't need to scream. "My<Dsmbr" is probably what LP could sound like if they made pop songs for a living. It was still gloomy, but with a little more extra sparkle, which was a welcome change. It's still one of my favorite songs from the band.
I like My December, it's a nice, soulful, mellow track. This is the kind of song, along with some demos and BTH which totally debunks the misconception that Linkin Park "only wrote heavy guitar music". As for My<Dsmbr, I don't listen to it that much, all I know is that it has a guest female voice and some soft synthy atmospherics, not bad but not my favorite.