Yes, let's compare videos of live performances over actually being at live performances. Live video of Blackout: MEH. Being in the pit for Blackout: Kick-ass.
Uh... Am I only the only person that doesn't get "why"? Because I thought Blackout was brilliantly realized both in a studio and live setting and Given Up is... Given Up.
If it is pressure from WB then I would wager to say they trolled their label quite well. IMO this is nothing like HT or Meteora.
The reason you don't get why is because he's very bad at communicating his argument. I see where he's coming from (while disagreeing) and could in fact help interpret his reasoning, but fuck it.
I like how we are still discussing WB and their influence on LP even after ATS. Give it a break, guys, seriously.
The point I am trying to make is: as hard as you try, you will never be able to replicate an organic drum performance through a sequencer, it's a good track but it will be very dissatisfying live unless they switch it up for a live drum version.
I personally enjoy watching Chester struggle to hit buttons at the correct time, so I say the more buttons the better. That way, he won't be able to get out of pressing the buttoms!
If you bothered watching MOATS the label is still pressuring them. They could give two shits about artist integrity. All they care about is the band producing something that makes them a lot of money and albums like ATS won't do that because the populace want's simple crap like Nickleback.
Ugh of course I watched it. What's with the negative wording? Morally reprehensible. I didn't see one representative of Warner on there saying anything like that. Is there a quote where a band member actually says this flat-out? Or is this part of the LP "tinfoil" hat society's platform? See what I did there? Now THAT was morally reprehensible.
At this initial point I would give it a solid 8/10. Sure, it's not instrumentally exciting, nor does it have a build-up to bring it into the same realm as The Catalyst, but it's catchy as fuck. The real question is whether that score will diminish in 2 months when Living Things is released and this song will have been played to death on my iPod and etched in my brain.
Towards the end of MOATS Chester is clearly talking about certain people from the label, of course the names were taken out, but he made the comment that there's pressure from said people and they shouldn't care because such and such isn't there.
This summarizes it perfectly for me as well. If this song was by another band, and someone sent me the mp3, I'd listen once or twice and delete it. And it's not even that I hate it, I'm just so fucking indifferent to it. It's an electronic pop-rock song that feels hollow. So bland. Yes, Chester's huge rant at the end was about him trying to rally the band when they were feeling a bit down about label pressure on their music. Also, when Mike is talking about not "being on some What I've Done shit," he's referring to Warner Bros. wanting them to create an energetic, catchy lead single because they "weren't sure if they heard a lead single in any of the songs" on A Thousand Suns. To think that Warner Bros, one of the biggest record labels on this planet, is just going to leave their artists completely alone is silly. Going independent is really the only way a band is going to get full creative control.
Yeah um, Blackout was a fucking highlight of the concert in Dallas last year. Dissatisfying my ass. That song has so much energy it isn't even funny.
Because thinking otherwise is naive. Granted, I'm sure Linkin Park has like...90% control over their own music, but some things are just par for the course with big record labels. Singles are one of those things; they HAVE to be a certain way.
So what if they let them do it that time. Doesn't mean they let them this time around. Could it be that the label found the results of ATS to not be to their liking and are pressuring LP to make more familiar music or do you think that labels don't care more about $$$ than a bands creativity?
Thank you for saying that. I'm mind blown that people don't realize that this kind of stuff happens ALL THE TIME with Linkin Park. The Catalyst is no different. Mike stands behind his keyboard the entire song, even while singing his parts. Rob plays drums even during the first half when all the beats are digital. And, while distorted, there's no doubt Phoenix and Brad will be playing their parts of Burn It Down live as well. Moving on, I love the song. I'd say I like it more than The Catalyst (although I love that song as well) just because it feels more structured, more like a song. I am in love with the verses of BID. The synths that play behind Chester's melodies, it's just an amazing combination. And as far as the lyrics, they remind me of New Divide and The Catalyst. Huge vivid metaphoric lyrics using landscapes and incredible dynamic visuals to portray this really epic feeling. You can take the lyrics at face value (which I tend to prefer), or make something more relatable out of them. I'd give the song an 8.5/10. If there was some sort of breakdown after Mike's verse, I think this song would've been perfect.