AltWire Reviews One More Light

If we are going to talk about PR risks, I think the way Chester has handled himself this album cycle is a bigger risk than the music itself.

 

Yeah, he's getting wild with the comments. He needs to tone it down a bit.

 

"So I bought One More Light and listened to it at home. My dreams were crushed when all I heard was pop. "WHERE ARE THE GUITARS?!?!?" I was disturbed by this. My favorite band had become a souless corporate cashcow. THIS SUCKS! I threw my CD at the wall and it cracked in half.

Later that night, the spirit of Chester's anger SCREAMED at me in my sleep. THERES YOUR HYBRID THEORY, NOW MOVE ON!!! The ghostly energy's yelling made me crawl in my skin. Then it stabbed me in the face for wanting Hybrid Theory 3.

I know now, thanks to my stab wound, I will never buy a Linkin Park album again. One More Light was the most physical pain I felt since LP sold out in 2007."

 

Yes, albums included with ticket purchases will count towards the total number of albums sold during OML's debut week. However, it will only count if the album is redeemed, so everyone please be sure to redeem all the albums you receive in your e-mail even if you already have a copy.

Here's an article explaining how it works more in depth: http://www.spin.com/2017/04/chainsmokers-number-one-album/

 

I disagree. He's saying what he feels and is tired of being disrespected. I've never seen Chester so outspoken before until this cycle. Good for him.

 

I don't blame Chester for expressing how he feels at all. He's not speaking to fans who are huge fans of the old music and aren't really into the new music. It's towards the so called "fans" who are completely oblivious and claim LP are sellouts, only doing pop for the money, taking the easy route, or any other bullshit stigma associated with pop music. The people who comment "this is garbage" or "LP SUCKS now". Completely disrespectful and absurd comments. How would you react if people claimed you were making shitty music? I would be like "k...fuck you then!".

Again, people who are rude as hell. Not people who simply don't like it. Mike and Chester aren't stupid they know a lot of people won't like it, but of course they're going to be annoyed of people who won't even give it a chance and call it garbage just because it's pop.

 

The band doing what these so called fans want instead of making the music they want to make would actually make them sellouts.

Which is ironic really.

 

Think this should all be put into context before one claims this record is 'risky' in the same way another record might be called risky for better reasons (e.g. music that is actually different to what is out there and not really been heard before, taking risks using unconventional sounds and arrangements etc.)

Linkin Park is one of the biggest bands out there, a vocal majority of the fanbase hate the pop sound but this is not the actual majority - hence making a record they won't like (as LP have been doing for several years now) isn't going to impact them that much in the grand scheme of things. A more risky album would be e.g. having songs with outrageous lyrics (not to some people but you get my point- take Nirvana's "Rape Me"), songs with segments that are adventurous and employ various arrangements/texture/sounds (e.g. Animal Collective does some catchier songs with heaps to absorb musically and lyrically) making them unique, songs with unconventional vocals/vocal melodies (think David Bowie used his voice, which has lost some vibrancy over the years, very well in the context of his album "Blackstar" - not everyone can make that kind of art with this disadvantage), the list goes on....Not seeing more of these kinds of risks on the album (so far) or past albums in fact.

LP still makes formulaic music, and in this case, it is music that has been done before and done better by others (as I previously stated on this forum). I get what Chester has said about wanting people to 'move on' (i.e. embrace the 'evolution') - but it is probably worth considering what some these fans might be saying (but can't articulate) or what they haven't been saying but should have, i.e. Hybrid Theory came at the right time. Linkin Park were one of the fewer bands that fused rap/rock/electronica as well as they did - and for a listener, if you listened to Linkin Park, there wasn't really much of a substitute out there (i.e. HT was more unique). With OML, there are certainly substitutes out there that are better, and LP don't have that quality of being unique as they did back then. I would think an 'evolution' for a band would involve keeping up with how music develops over the years and continually pushing the envelop to stand out, not make what others have already made.

As Chester has mentioned in an interview during the THP cycle before - they make "good songs, and sometimes they're great songs" - maybe they're not that ambitious (i.e. aiming for great all the time), which is fine, but it should be transparent (they way the fanbase is these album cycles) for managing expectations.

 

I will.

Or more precisely. I already know what you will mention about those new songs. I can hear it too But I would be very curious how you would consider them vastly superior to "Guilty" or "Mark The Graves", both coming from the sucky THP. Or even "Keys". Or Even "ALITS".

Because that sir, it will be at least challenging to defend it musically ( =/= lyrically). Aside from "Lol Powerchords are so 90's".

You could make a point about those new songs having a more fresh sound design. That along with a more dynamic, and overal better mix. But hey, those THP songs have other things going on for them, such as more intricate drumming and song structures.

Fair enough, depending on tastes, I imagine one might prefer one batch of songs over the others. But pretending they are miles apart in term of quality seems quite far-streched, and likely to be linked with a bias towards more melodic alternative music in general.

 

Missing the point.

He mentioned "interesting and ever-shifting shit going on" in the new songs. I simply mentioned other songs who have that too, this time coming from an album he himself consider bland.

That said. Nice to dumb me down to the "riff/screaming guy", but I haven't been listening to rock for most of 2017.

 

Great review Derek!

If this is true, then we can also listen to the album one day before the release date.

"Sony Music has a surprise for all Linkin Park fans who have been waiting for their new music- on Thursday May 18th fans can head to Razzbery Rhinoceros, Juhu and listen to the entire album a day prior to the official release!"

Date: Thursday May 18, 2017
Doors Open - 8pm
Entry: Rs. 500

Source: http://noshwinds.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/listen-to-linkin-parks-seventh-studio.html

 

Not worried about it being naively optimistic - my point was that there would be some benefit in considering these things (call it self reflection if you will) as opposed to not doing so.

Addressing Mike's tweet - if he's not just talking about the HT/Meteora fans, there's a fine line between calling the album 'risky' because some people don't like the direction/sound being taken, and making an album which some people have legitimate criticism over given the overall context of it e.g. when its being released, music that is already out there etc. (this really can't be called 'risky' - you can't just make music that doesn't meet a certain standard of other music and say you're taking risk on everyone who recognizes that or doesn't enjoy it as much as others).

Again - there are different types of risks musicians can take, and given the context of the band (their popularity etc.) and this new album, I would think more credit would be given to an artist who takes the kinds of risks I raised above (i.e. my previous post) than this one LP is taking with their fans (which they are more or less used to anyway).

Doesn't mean the music is not enjoyable, doesn't mean people can't connect to it (emotionally or otherwise) or cry from it, but it is good to be honest about what listeners like. I have no problem liking music which I know and openly say is bad/subpar/mediocre/lacking given that I have my reasons, and there's no harm in being honest about that.

 

Unpopular opinion: I think there was nothing unique about Hybrid Theory or Meteora at all. just rap rock with catchy choruses.