'One More Light' Album Length Revealed to Be 35:19

didnt Know that .... very sorry !

 

oh god. oh my god

so in essence...this?

 

Well, one can't say they didn't have a point.

 

You know what, I am starting to get why Mike would say he was trying to make LP best record.

Regardless of genres, what has always been arguably LP best ability?

Melodies. Linkin Park might not be the most skilled band out there. Hybrid Theory is definitely not the most artsty album you will find. But you know what? The band is maybe the biggest current "rock" act worldwide, and Hybrid Theory is fucking Diamond. IMO, the main reason? They have always mastered the art of infusing their music with pop sensibilities.

Now, what has OML been doing so far? Embracing those pop sensibilities. Embracing that melodic craftmanship. Basically, embracing what they have always been great at.

And I am not even a fan of the musical direction.

 

I dont think you know what "filler" tracks mean. It's completely subjective. "Filler" tracks for person A isn't necessarily a "filler" track for person B. ATS is 47 minutes long because of the songs plus the instrumentals and transitions.

 

Has anyone had a chance to see Derek's review? Would love a paste of it on here, since Altwire is down

 

If Derek reviewed it by now he'd have posted it on here as well. Did the same thing with THP.

 

Maybe check altwire's Twitter. He has written it up already. Take it easy

 

It just says unexpectedly good on Twitter but the site is down.

 

It was written up. But the traffic to Altwire brought the site down.

 

The site is working:

Before diving into this review, I need to warn you: I am a ‘poptimist’. I don’t find all pop music to be inherently bad, and I am aware that some Linkin Park fans coming to read this review will subscribe to ‘rockism’ and, as a result, will be approaching their latest record with a preconceived bias, assuming that due to it’s pop-leaning nature, that it is less impressive than the band’s earlier works.

So, you’re probably wondering, what is popism, and what is rockism?

Rockism was a phrase coined by English musician Pete Wylie in 1981 to refer to the rise of rock music fans who felt that pop music existed on a lesser plane, requiring less effort or ability. The term referred to the prevailing mindset among rock fans that if an artist is ‘pop,’ they must be less talented or less capable than their rock-leaning contemporaries.

This is not only a regrettable point of view to have, but also for lack of a better word: absolute bullshit. Sadly, this is a point of view that I fear a decent amount of people who decried the band’s single “Heavy” may find themselves subscribing to and that in itself is the biggest shame of all. Because deliberately missing out on the band’s latest record One More Light would be denying said fans the chance at hearing what may be some of the band’s best recorded tracks to date.

There’s something quite risky and daring about going full-pop at this stage in their careers, especially after their hardest record to date, The Hunting Party. Known predominantly as an ‘alternative’ band, there’s no secret that a percentage of the 60 million plus Facebook fans of the band likely prefer their Linkin Park to be as far away from pop music as possible. But the truth is, Linkin Park have never been strangers to pop music. Featuring pop influences as far back and early as “In The End,” Linkin Park have always been labeled by some metal critics as “too poppy to be metal,” and while such comparisons may have potentially bothered the band before, One More Light shows Linkin Park confidently playing with their pop influences in one of their most foreign, yet risky, releases to date.

The foreign nature of this album is instantly clear on tracks like the Owl City-esque “Sorry For Now,” which showcases an outstanding Mike Shinoda on lead vocals. In a lighthearted moment on the album, Mike offers a semi-apology to his children, who cannot understand why their father is constantly away on tour. In lines like “Thinking of you back on the ground, the rueful fire burning in your eyes, I only halfway apologize…” he explains that they are not old enough to understand that this is daddy’s work, and that one day they’ll understand his sacrifices, while going on to say “Under the fire of your angry eyes, I never wanted to say goodbye…”. Already a standout track on One More Light, “Sorry For Now” continues the surprises by concluding with a sung-rap bridge by Chester, offering a bizarro-world version of Linkin Park where Mike Shinoda sings and Chester takes over rapping duties.

The theme of regret and recollection continues on perhaps what may be the strangest track of the album, “Halfway Right,” which sounds like an R&B and trap-tinged Broadway play, both vocally and musically. Playing out like a conversation between middle-age Chester and his teenage self, he contemplates ruefully about being so reckless with his life.

In lyrics such as:

“Told me kid, you’re going way too fast
You’ve burned too bright, you know you’ll never last…”

Chester finally makes peace with his demons from so long ago. The main themes also continue on the surprising Mumford and Sons-esque “Sharp Edges,” which can be likened to the band’s 2007 hit “Bleed It Out,” except with a country feel. Progressing slowly into a clap along instrumental straight out of a backyard hootenanny, Chester sings about the lessons his mother has always tried to tell him:

“Sharp edges have, consequences, I
Guess that I had to find out for myself…”

Because of it’s unexpected nature, this is one of my favorite tracks Linkin Park has ever written, even despite the short playtime. And perhaps this track is all the more jarring and unexpected when paired with the track that came before it, the somber, slow and heart wrenching “One More Light.”

Going into this album, I had read the interviews that the title track was about finding out a beloved friend had passed away from their battle with cancer. Having lost my father last year unexpectedly to a heart attack, nothing prepared me for the absolute emotional wallop presented within that track. My dad would always leave his hat on the chair, and the night before his unexpected death, he placed his hat there for what would be the last time. A year later both chair and hat have not been moved. With lyrics like “In the kitchen, one more chair than you need”, this song is sure to strike a chord with anyone who has ever lost someone they truly loved and cared about.

Make no mistake. This album is truly and utterly Linkin Pop, and the confidence shown on this record showcases that the band gives zero fucks if you’re a rocktivist. This is an album for the poptimists of the world. Listen to this record and you may become one yourself.

But to look at the album as simply a ‘pop record’ would be ignoring the personal journey the band has taken in writing and crafting One More Light. There are tracks on here that are some of their most personal, and in some ways their most risky. After all, what greater risk than to release a pop record when you’ve released nearly 20 years worth of adventurous rock music? If there’s anything this record shows it’s that the band can literally excel in whatever genre they see fit. The risks shown on One More Light are deliberate, brave, and as weird as it may be to say this about a Linkin Park record? Fun. There are depressing moments on this record sure, but perhaps what’s more exciting than ever is the optimism shown on many of these songs. While Linkin Park are no strangers to melodrama in some of their lyrics, this album shows a band firmly in their 40s, looking to the future and approaching their regrets and pain with the maturity that comes with middle age.

One More Light feels like a new chapter, or even perhaps a new book in the Linkin Park universe. Sure, there will be many people who may not agree with that sentiment. There will be people who loathe this record, just like there will be people who think it’s one of the band’s best records. But that’s perhaps what makes risks like these so exciting, that fear of the Linkin Park unknown.

 

Thank you!

- Elaine, enjoy the read.

 

Which part of my post wasn't "taking it easy" now? I'm genuinely confused.

 

It's interesting to see some new lyrics and to know what they're about because reading what lyrics we've heard were about I started seeing songs in a new light, the message became clearer. This is why I like the review, it gave an insight and it'll be easier to understand. This is my favourite sentence: ''While Linkin Park are no strangers to melodrama in some of their lyrics, this album shows a band firmly in their 40s, looking to the future and approaching their regrets and pain with the maturity that comes with middle age.'' It really would feel so strange if men in their 40s sang about teen angst like almost twenty years ago. They could write about social problems but they've already done that and honestly it would be strange to hear the message Mike has for his kids sung in rock/nu metal style. This review makes me excited and this may not be my favourite LP record but it'll be fun to hear it.

 

Must have read it with the wrong intonation in my head. My bad, it's all good. The review makes me super excited for the tracks we haven't heard yet. I had a feeling Sorry for now would be a highlight, now I cannot wait!

 

Yeah I'm surprised that derek didn't post #snippets of his #review on this site. He did it last cycle, IIRC.

 

Sorry for now, the album length is kinda down, sometimes things refuse to go the way we planned....

 

"Heavy" seems to be the outcast song on this album thus far. Doesn't seem to fit in with the other 3 songs that have been released....