Official LIVING THINGS Review Thread

Discussion in 'Linkin Park Chat' started by Ben, Jun 15, 2012.

  1. CylockDNB

    CylockDNB Well-Known Member

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    After hearing UIB, I can't wait for Brad's eventual solo project. :)

    Also, Mike really talks a lot about snakes on LT, but I guess that's why they call him the Cobra Holder.

    :trollface:
     
  2. Mark

    Mark Canadian Beauty LPA Administrator

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    Just noticed there were 4 different review threads on the LT boards. Merged them all into a convenient LT review thread.
     
  3. LPFreak64

    LPFreak64 BACON!!!

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    Short LT Review:

    Lost in the Echo: 9/10
    In My Remains: 8/10
    Burn It Down: 7/10
    Lies Greed Misery: 9/10
    I'll Be Gone: 8/10
    Castle of Glass: 8/10
    Victimized: 9/10
    Roads Untraveled: 8/10
    Skin To Bone: 5/10
    Until It Breaks: 10/10
    Tinfoil: 7/10
    Powerless: 9/10

    Overall: 8.1/10

    Pretty good album overall. ATS>LT=HT>M=MTM
     
  4. Spiderguy252

    Spiderguy252 Awaiting LP in India

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    Haha, true that.
     
  5. LPChris

    LPChris LP Fan Since 8/2001

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    Very good, well-thought out review.

    However, I disagree on a few points.

    First, I would switch the ratings of Burn It Down and Lies Greed Misery because LGM is creative, BID is not. I still like BID, but it seems to me that it was a made-for-radio song meant to please the record label.

    I don't know how somebody can say that Until It Breaks is a weak track. It's my favorite track and, quite frankly, is the most creative track of the entire album.

    There's about 6 times in this song where the beat switches up, and it gives me that Reanimation-esk feeling because of the unbelievable production. Shinoda's verses are amazing, I like Chester's bridge into Mike's 2nd rap, I think Brad's singing at the end is alright, but unnecessary. Brad almost killed the song for me, but I loved the first 3/4's of the song so much that I still call it my favorite.

    IMO, Roads Untraveled is the weakest song on the album. The lyrics are beautiful, but the chimes are annoying to me.

    Lastly, I don't think Numb can be toppled as the best closing track on a Linkin Park album. It's simply one of the best LP songs of all-time, whereas Powerless is just fresh. Not saying that Powerless can't eventually pass Numb up, but I think Numb is just too good.

    Otherwise, I agree with your review.
     
  6. tripleh3lix

    tripleh3lix Well-Known Member

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    I feel like I haven't listened to it enough. As of right now:

    Lost in Echo: 10/10 Powerful, energetic, lot of Joe Hahn. It is a bit of a slap in the face because the rest of the album is NOT like this :p If only..
    In My Remains: 9/10 Sounds very much a mix of M2M/DBS/and guitars like Meteora
    Burn It Down: 8/10 I still like it. Not as much as I did before though. If it wasn't a single, I think people would like it a bit more IMO.
    Lies, Greed, Misery: 8.5/10 Song has very much grown on me since the album leaked. I'm digging it.
    I'll Be Gone: 9/10 Love it.. Sounds like old LP.
    Castle of Glass: 9/10 Very strong, different Linkin Park song. Disliked it when I first heard it, now I TRULY love it.
    Victimized: 8/10 It's like a wild animal running through a forest tearing shit up. If it was more structured, it would have made a killer song.
    Roads Untraveled: 8/10 I love the overall feel, I do believe the score will go up for me. However, could have had WAY more vocals. Would have given it a 9/10 if it did.
    Skin to Bone: 7/10 Eh. It's not growing on me. There are at least one song at least in the later albums I dislike, this may be one of them.
    Until It Breaks: 10/10 lyrically dense. One of my favorites on the album.
    Tinfoil: 8.5/10 Was a bit over-hyped, but I didn't give in to it. I personally liked it. Not as strong as session, or ATS interludes, but it bridges Powerless well.
    Powerless: 9.5/10 A very powerful album closer IMO. I still prefer pushing me away, but the beats on this are among some of the best on the album.

    Not going to rate the album as a whole at the moment. Not fair.

    Opinion currently stands as:
    ATS (JUST too powerful IMO)>LT>M2M>HT>Meteora
     
    Last edited: Jun 18, 2012
  7. Rocky

    Rocky Well-Known Member

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    DUDE. I'm HIGH and I'm listening to LIVING THINGS.
    I have a hypothesis regarding the lyrics on this album.
    The entire album is about their regret, their fucked up label, and that's pretty much it.
    Linkin Park are LIVING THINGS

    LITE: Dude...
    This shit is like a HT fan's wet dream. Your jizz will get lost somewhere while listening to this.
    It sounds like how he has done all of this shit,
    but in the end it doesn't even matter...each word gets lost in the echo.
    I'm surprised that I like this shit. Yesterday I heard Gym Class heroes and thought this song was on.
    I fucking do not like them.


    IMR: This song sounds deeeeep. This is probably about how it sucks to make mediocre shit.
    It's got that folky/depressing chorus that is like "I am ashamed of myself".
    Trying to find the message in the fear and pain? Like why they want you to keep writing songs about fear and pain?
    That BASS THOUGH.


    BID: This is probably about how LP puts their faith in Warner but they have to break their shit back down to some shit like



    LGM: LIES GREED MISERY...it's not the worst, but it's BAD. They have to know that this song isn't good. You can't put
    shit like this out and not know how fucking wack it is. Remember when Mike said the album would be called "Meaty Okra"?
    You don't lay those type of jokes down on good albums...which reminds me


    IBG: I fucking love Chester's vocals on this song. I bet this song is about how their dignity is leaving...
    but apparently it's all good cuz....


    COG: They're only a crack.
    DEEP SHIT. It's a castle made of glass. It's beautiful but that shit is not castle material.
    That reminds me of the record industry. Now, remember when someone said that there was a deeper meaning to LIVING THINGS? TRUE SHIT


    Victimized: HAHAHA at the guy sounding like he's saying that he wants LP to go back to their roots.
    This does sound like a blatant FUCK IT song. At this point I am convinced that this album was truly made
    to piss people off.

    RU:Man the chimes are sweet as shit.
    It sounds like a folk Fort Minor song. This song sounds like
    "stop regreting that you took this path...but selling out is totally ass..."
    This song tells you to weep not, because you're gonna be fucked either way.
    Who knows this better than LP?


    STB:THESE BEATS ARE PHAT! I have a hypothesis that every folk song has to do with career troubles.
    And there's some broken promises again. I'm thinking this is a total "HERE yA GO wARNER, but FUCK YOU" album.



    UIB: My girl probably wouldn't let me bone her to this song, but if we did, I wouldn't wanna finish until the end of POWERLESS. The 2nd verse on this sounds like some shady shit is happening. how many times does mike mention snakes? And he mentions "little monkey man, playin with the big guns (Warner?) only get you slain".. Dude, I know I'm high, but I remember some article saying that this album has to have a deeper meaning. "The body bends until it breaks"...Yup


    TINFOIL: skipping to review..


    Powerless: I fucking love this! This song is my shit. If I'm gonna conspiratorize this shit, I'd say it's a letter
    to one's self (or a part of one's self). You totally fucked up, but the part of me that is writing this song
    couldn't do anything about it. SHIT IS DEEP...but then yo..I'm high as shit too..It could just be about being fucked
    in the career.


    All in all, I would call it Meteora Pt. II with a twist. The twist is that this album doesn't strive to be great.
    It wants to fuck you in the face and then have a talk about how much it sucks to be a whore. It also knows that half
    of you aren't even paying attention to the talk, so it works.
     
    Last edited: Jun 18, 2012
  8. ak700

    ak700 New Member

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    LIVING THINGS LEAKED REVIEW | NO DOWNLOAD LINK

    Hello fellow LPA members.

    I am just like you guys. I have preordered Living Things album. Yesterday I got a text from my friend saying that he got the album online. He sent me a the link and told it me it's awesome. Obviously I checked the website and downloaded the album. And it was true! It's was certainly Living Things. To be precise, the Deluxe Edition of Living Things. It contains the 12 tracks and the live version of New Divide,What I've Done and In the End.

    So let me talk to you about the songs as I have heard.

    <<<SPOILER ALERT>>>

    Lost In the Echo - The opening song. Mike raps with Chester in the chorus. Very catchy tune. At about the end there the scratched chester scream which is really good.( Something like blackout).

    In My reamains - Starts with something like the Burn it down. Chester sings the whole time. Not really found of those type.

    We know Burn it down and Lies, Greed and Misery, so I would skip that.

    I'll be gone is a song which reminds me of Minutes to Midnight but has good music.

    Castle of glass has Mike and chester singing both in tune. Something new to hear. The chorus lyrics are really inspiring. There's part of the guitars to which adds a nice touch.

    Victimized seems like a miltary song in the start. After chester's hyper scream, mike does a brillant part of rap. Something close to the attitude of lies greed and misery. The electric guitar solo comes in when the song abruptly ends. Doent know whether that the leak or what.

    Roads Untravelled has a start on a scratched tuned radio. Then sets the chime of glass instrument. The singing is done by someone unknown. I don't think it's mike or Chester. Yes, chorus is by chester though. I would say it's not my type song.

    Skin to bone is one song I was very excited about. The base music great. As said, it's inspired from folk song and that can be seen. Chester does a great job here. Personally I didn't like Mike's voice. Overall its great in the ending.

    Until it breaks seems very close to I have not begun. The same attitude of mike seen here. If you have seen the extending waiting for the ends in the rio, that was mike's second verse in the songs. Haha. The ending is a bit sleepy :p

    Tinfoil is an instrumental song. The theme is sad is and slowly ends in to the last song.

    Powerless is the best ending in till now. Really beautiful lyrics and the piano touch is perfect.

    Further More Will Come as I listen to the songs over and over.

    FINALLY I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I AM A TRUE FAN AND WILL NOT POST ANY LINK OR ANY OTHER INSTRUCTIONS TO DOWNLOAD THIS ALBUM. iF YOU FIND, THEN THAT GREAT.

    THANK YOU!
     
    Last edited: Jun 18, 2012
  9. RandomNames

    RandomNames Active Member

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    Not my review, this is from here

     
  10. Top2Bottom

    Top2Bottom Well-Known Member

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    So, after a few days of solid listening, I can offer my view of the album as a whole.

    To me, LT seems like a far more consistent, advanced and true LP version of Minutes to Midnight. Had MTM been ordered better, it would have received better views IMO. Enough about Minutes though...

    I'm sure when LP got together and had these 12 songs in front of them, there was never a doubt in their minds that LITE had to be the opener. It symbolizes the general idea behind the album of getting the old energy back, plus it is Mike at his absolute best and Chester hitting the notes as well as ever. It really is a throwback to the old school days, and they know LP fans of old will hold this one dearly. This is probably the song most of us have been waiting for since Minutes failed to produce it. The same feel as their old stuff, but so much more advanced and fresh. It's like they're saying "Hey, look we're back!!"

    In My Remains is really growing on me. It was initially one of the songs where my interest wavered, but I gave it a chance and it's finding it's way into my head regularly. It is very MTM. Feels like it could have slotted on there seemlessly.

    Most of us have probably been a little unfair on Burn It Down. Because it's kind of old news now that LT is here, people are excited for the other songs and over BID. For me, its place on this album is pivotal. The energy it has keeps the flow going from LITE with its anthemic delivery. The lyrics aren't the best, but let's remember it is a purpose written single. It's once again starting to receive more airplay from me.

    Lies Greed Misery is one of the standouts for mine. It's unique in a cool, fun and heavy way. I can't wait to hear this live when they come down here, because it's gonna become a fan favourite on live shows I reckon.

    I'm still not sold on I'll Be Gone. It's nice, but feels really generic without stirring much energy in me. The pieces are there, but the package isn't doing it for me.

    Castle of Glass. I don't know why I like this right now. I mean, it's good, but it isn't THAT good. But I really like it. The lyrics are very repetitive, but I love the line "I'm only a crack in this castle of glass". Time will tell if this holds onto my interest.

    Victimized is a little insane. Had this gone on for 3-4 minutes, I'm not sure people could take it. It does it's job of adding some edge to the album, before it drifts into softer tracks. I was a little disappointed after reading and hearing such big things for it. LP just let loose on it, which was good as we got to hear Chester really give it some hate.

    Roads Untraveled is another that I'm beginning to find myself humming without the song actually being on. The instrumentals are very simple, but Mike offers something so different from Chester. When Mike sings, it is very direct and it begs for you to stop and listen to exactly what he has to say.

    Skin To Bone is one of my favourites. That beat is just dam cool. I can see them using it live and bringing in a rap verse from another over the top here. The lyrics aren't the most structurally advanced or most in depth, but once again Mike's singing just has a way of getting in your head and wanting you to listen. I'd say once they came up with the lyrical structure, it wouldn't have taken long to write it.

    Until It Breaks is weird. We all know that. I thought initially, "Nah I really don't like how they stuffed around with Mike's voice on his verses", but it goes alright. His third verse is my favourite though. And Brad singing here, was unexpected. There was no mention of it prior, but he does have a great voice. Not my cup of tea, but it was just so pure and pristine.

    Tinfoil/Powerless is right up there with LITE. Goes close to being the best album finisher. The more I listen to it, the more I think maybe it could/should be a single. But, it's almost too special for the masses to hear Lol.

    Living Things has exceeded my expectations. I really didn't think LP had a song like LITE in them anymore. I knew it was there, but whether they would write it was another thing. It's as diverse as ATS and MTM, has the energy of HT and Meteora and brings its own uniqueness to the table. Well done LP. Another step towards greatness.
     
  11. Brandon

    Brandon I was Ree's 100th follower on Twitter.

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    This is the only way I will describe this song to anyone ever again.
     
  12. Top2Bottom

    Top2Bottom Well-Known Member

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    It's sung by mainly Mike and a little bit of Chester.
     
  13. Ben

    Ben Well-Known Member

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    Whoa, I didn't know somebody made this the "official" review thread. Sweet. lol

    I have to say, my opinions have altered slightly. While Lies Greed Misery hasn't grown on me any more, Until It Breaks has grown on me substantially. While I like hearing Brad's voice singing, I find that part of the song very boring compared to the rest of it. Mike's raps are pretty dope, and Chester's part is cool, that melody with the piano backing is wicked.

    About Numb...yeah it's a great song, but honestly I'm just so tired of hearing it played live it actually affects my opinion of the song itself. Like, I will skip this song if they play it live on a recording or DVD. Again, great song, a classic that people will always remember, but damn I am tired of hearing it. You're right, Powerless may get bonus points for being "fresh", but it's that freshness that leads me to prefer it over Numb.
     
  14. lpisbaws

    lpisbaws Well-Known Member

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    Rate it out of 10
     
  15. Delicious Dave

    Delicious Dave I'm gonna drive you into your own anus.

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    No offence but this review was bad.
     
  16. LeoMPhillyFan

    LeoMPhillyFan Well-Known Member

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    Nice to see a non-biased professional reviewer give LT respect.
     
  17. Delicious Dave

    Delicious Dave I'm gonna drive you into your own anus.

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    LOST IN THE ECHO: This song kicks ass. I can imagine this being played at a huge sports stadium as the fans cheer. It has this big wall of sound feeling. The synths are catchy. Mike's rap is great and Chester sounds good as always. The scratched out screaming reminds me of Blackout. I feel this is a song for the fans who miss the old style. I'll be surprised if this doesn't become a single. 8.5/10

    IN MY REMAINS: I love this song. It has a moody and creepy atmosphere created from the use of church organ like keyboards and Mike's distorted harmonies. Chester's vocals are just gorgeous here and the chorus are filled with energy. Mike finishes the song singing ''Like an army falling one by one by one''. 9/10

    BURN IT DOWN: What I've Done part 3. It's a generic radio single at best. I still like it but it's weak compared to the rest of the album. Chester's verses are what stand out for me the most. 7.5/10

    LIES GREED MISERY: The lyrics of this song are really angry and depressing but the song itself sounds cheerful and energetic. Great for a night club. Reminds me of Paper Planes by M.I.A. Chester's scream wasn't needed in my opinion but it was a fun song. 7/10 You need to see this btw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOceJPCcHPY

    I'LL BE GONE: I was expecting a ballad with this song but it was a straight forward energetic rock song dominated by Chester's powerful voice. He sounds excellent here and the chorus are catchy. The bridge is nothing too special though. 8.5/10

    CASTLE OF GLASS: This is where the album starts to turn into something incredible. It starts of with a drum beat followed by a synth and a catchy guitar or keyboard melody(hard to tell what it is) Mike starts to sing in this moody atmospheric song. I can imagine a bar fight to this song. The folk influence here is obvious and I love it. The chorus are great. Chester and Mike's harmonies are just amazing. It sounds like it could be a successful single. 10/10

    VICTIMIZED: This is not Linkin Park's heaviest song. I wasn't hoping for it to be. It starts off with a distortion sound followed by Rob banging on the drums as the guitar plays. You hear a speech or something. Sounds like an angry African(No idea) Mike sings a very folk like melody over fast drums and keys. It sounds incredible. Then Chester comes in screaming ''VICTIMIZED!'' It pauses and Mike comes in rapping. It uses reworked lyrics from the beginning of Waiting for the End which was great. Chester screams again and it's over. LP's shortest non instrumental song but very cool. 7.5/10

    ROADS UNTRAVELLED: Possibly my favourite LP song at the moment. It starts off with some chimes. It sounds like the beginning of a lullaby. Piano comes in and Mike starts to sing. He found his singing voice. He is great. Chester joins Mike in an amazing harmony over a church organ. The chorus remind me of ''House of the Rising Sun''. Similar melody. Very folk like. Robs drums are just incredible here. A beautiful guitar comes in as Mike and Chester sing the chorus together and it stops as Chester sings the verse ending with ''if you need a friend, there's a seat here along side me''. You think it's over and the chorus start again. Very unlikely but I want this to be a single. 11/10. Seriously.... 10/10

    SKIN TO BONE: This song is what would happen if ''In Pieces'' and ''When They Come for Me'' had a baby. It starts off with a synth and Mike's distorted vocals. A powerful beat starts over a fuzzy synth as Mike and Chester sing the verse. The chorus are like ''When They Come for Me'' as Chester sings ''Aaaaaaahh ahh aahhhhh Skin to Bone steel to rust!''. It sounds like folk. It's crazy and cool. 9/10

    UNTIL IT BREAKS: I don't know what I think of this song. It's strange. The lack of Chester ruins it for me. His one chorus is incredible. It's very folk like. But I wish he had more. Mike's raps are insane. Second verse is the best. It's the one we heard live and it sounds awesome. Brad's singing ruined it for me. I like his singing but it should of been made into it's own song. It reminds me of ''Hands Held High''. UNTIL IT BREAKS is like 4 songs in one.

    TINFOIL: Cool instrumental. Love the high pitched synth. As an instrumental it gets a 9/10.

    POWERLESS: Amazing song. Chester's voice is incredible here. It starts off similar to ''Burning in the Skies'' but then Chester comes in. You can feel the emotion. The pain in his voice. The chorus remind me of ''Iridescent'' which is my favourite song of all time(ROADS UNTRAVELLED) might beat it. This song uses bits of TINFOIL which makes the two feel like one. When I listen to this song on Youtube it feels incomplete without TINFOIL playing before it. 10/10

    LIVING THINGS gets a 10 from me.
     
    Last edited: Jun 19, 2012
  18. Atticus

    Atticus Bullets lance the bravest lungs

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    It's too early for me to review this album. I'm afraid of overhyping it due to being "new". Besides I'd rather wait until I can listen in CD quality before making a verdict. So far though, it's my favourite album ever.

    And did someone REALLY state that Numb is a better closer than The Little Things Give You Away? Those nostalgia goggles are sure strapped on tight...
     
  19. Minus

    Minus ohai LPA Addicted VIP

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  20. Kingofthecastle..of glass

    Kingofthecastle..of glass Member

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    Hey guys first time poster, but wanted to just give my little feedback of the album here:

    Lost In The Echo 10/10: It is obvious when listening to this song that it is the "old Linkin Park" people have been so desperately searching for. It mixes a good blend of the new, and is layered beautifully. If this does not become a single I do not know what is.

    In My Remains 8/10: I do like this song, but when I listen to the album it is often forgettable once I get through the entire listening. It is upbeat, and follows the general tone of the album but, I can't see this becoming a favorite to many fans

    Burn It Down/Lies Greed Misery 8.5/10: We all know, and I personally love them both, but compared to the rest of the album they just cannot compete

    I'll Be Gone 9/10: Reminiscent of Dead By Sunrise, and also feels like it could have been a demo for MTM, but his voice is right on par, and has the making of a pretty good LP song

    Castle of Glass 10/10: Certainly the most straightforward song, and it has been extremely polarizing amongst fans from what I've seen, but I personally love it. Mike takes lead vocals for most of the song, and his voice though not as strong as Chester's certainly fits this folky kind of music. The layers in this song are remarkable and the constant beat mixed with the airy effect brought on by a mixture of Chester and Mike's vocals are perfect IMO.

    Victimized 8/10: People also give this one a bad rap because of the length. Phoenix said one of its demo names was Battle Axe for a reason. Its strikes short, to the point, and makes an impact. Plus I personally love Mike's verse on it. It just feels right.

    Roads Untraveled: 9.5/10: I have listened to the album multiple times through, and this song has become my favorite along with LITE and COG. Its eery moaning chorus, and simple yet very emotionally connectable lyrics are an interesting contrast to the hard hitting Victimized. It is also very unlike anything LP has done.

    Skin To Bone: 9/10: I love the beat of this song. Chester was right it does hit you with its beat, and the contrast to the softer vocals is a good touch. At this point I found myself realizing that besides LITE most of my favorite songs on this album were the ones centered on folk, and though scary I would not mind the band moving in that direction for another album or two (I do hope they keep changing though..keeps things fresh)

    Until It Breaks 7.5/10: I must admit I did not like this song at all when I first heard it. Very reminiscent of When They Come For Me, which also polarized me on ATS. But it is growing on me, especially due to Brad's vocal part which is beautiful. Kind of like the contrast to Chester's hard nosed rapping in Blackout and Mikes soft singing.

    Tinfoil/Powerless: 9/10: I love both of these songs. Tinfoil is just a well done instrumental that seems simple, but is actually filled with quite a lot of piano, electric beats, and a little guitar if my ears dont deceive me. Powerless is a beautiful song, and is in my opinion the second best finisher on any LP album. TLTGYA is still my all time favorite closer, and I do not know if any song can ever beat it. But Chester's voice is perfect for this song, and it seems that after a demo that has perplexed the band for so long they have finally perfected it.

    Album earns a 91% but, as a whole in my opinion is right up there with HT and ATS. Anyway thanks for reading. Hope to become at least an occasional poster :)
     

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