A Thousand Problems.

[NickDuffy]

Linkin Park is a band that likes to keep things fresh and interesting. Recently, they released A Thousand Suns. I have slight problem with alot of the people who've been defending this album. I am a fan of this album, so don't take this the wrong way, but most people who defend this album are the biggest idiots i've ever met. Many people think that since this album is progressive, or "breaking the boundaries" of Linkin Park, that it's automatically the best piece of work from the band. That is hilarious. Linkin Park makes this so called "concept album" and everyone bows down to it kissing it's feet, and Linkin Park's asses. Sure songs like "Waiting For The End" and "The Catalyst" are fresh, fun, and exciting, but just because their older music format was primarily v/c/v/c/b/c/c, that doesn't make those tracks less artistic or boring.

 

Songs like "In The End" are very creative instrumentally, and songs like "Easier To Run" are creative structurally. This isn't new guys. Remember how Linkin Park said that they brought out more electronica in Meteora than Hybrid Theory? This is the same thing, except the main element of this album is electronica. Nothing about this album is groundbreaking, original, or even weird. Songs like "Burning In The Skies" and "Iridescent" feel like Minutes To Midnight b-sides, "Wretches and Kings" sounds like a Meteora or Fort Minor b-side, "Blackout" sounds like a possible Reanimation 2.0 track, and the list goes on. I am a fan of all types of music, so this album to me feels like a compilation album, or having my iPod on shuffle. You have some random interlude tracks thrown in there, and some rap songs, slow songs, you get the idea. Meteora had songs that varied styles, and some people forget that. Listen to "Somewhere I Belong", "Easier To Run", "Breaking The Habit", and "Nobody's Listening". There's your variety.

 

Since when is robotic singing, political speeches, and four minute songs so damn original? Am I missing something here? How could I forget this argument; "this is an album man, not just a collection of songs.. see this whole album flows smoothly and that's hard to pull off, you see you're a metalhead and this a concept record man, try to catch up motherfucker!". Yeah, this album flows a smoothly as my skateboard riding over a pothole. "Empty Spaces" -> "When They Come For Me" has the worst transition i've ever heard in the 100s of albums i've listened to. "Blackout" fades out and "Wretches And Kings" comes in. "Wisdom, Justice, and Love" comes in right after Wretches fades out. It's not all one song flowing together, it fades in and out. There are quiet portions where the next track can start. Just like Meteora, some tracks flowed right into the next, others didn't. If this album doesn't have a story, then how the hell is it so creative? Because all of the songs tie into a similar theme? Meteora does the same thing! All songs from Meteora have a theme about alienation, pain, misery, heartbreak, common problems faced by a young individual.

 

If Meteora has songs that flow in and out with hardly any breaks, has songs that tie in a similar theme or concept, and has songs that have different influences and styles, then how is A Thousand Suns so fresh and different? Linkin Park has done this in 2003, hell they did it in 1999 with Hybrid Theory EP. "High Voltage" sounds nothing like "And One".

 

Oh wait, I didn't realize something, Mike didn't give himself a high-pitched voice in those records, he didn't create a song filled with crickets and sound effect loops, Brad didn't speak in Spanish, and they didn't use lyrics from songs that were used in others. Looks like you guys got me.... *facepalm*

 

Please note: Meteora is my least favorite Linkin Park record. My favorite is Minutes To Midnight.

Edited September 18, 2011 by FleshIntoGear

[sotrix]

I have defended and praised ATS.

 

I believe that it breaks boundaries and that it is the best piece of work from the band.

 

Your post has not convinced me otherwise.

[NickDuffy]

I'm on the opposite end of this argument. I don't see anything fresh about this at all. Your post has not convinced me otherwise.

[RiderSSPU]

@fleshintogear. i agree with exactly everything you said (except that Meteora is your least favorite lp album, as its my favorite. But i completely agree with the topic of the post. hi 5

[Legend]

The only problem I see with A Thousand Suns is that it doesn't sound like Figure.09

[GraDoN]

agreed, but fanboys gonna fan...

i used to only listen to LP, granted i still do from time to time and they are the only band i will ever 'love', i have since explored indie music and seeing how creative/great music can be had kinda opened my eyes to how plain and radio friendly lp is.

I will always have a soft spot for them, and reanimation will always have a place on my playlist, but i just feel that with ATS they didn't do enough to make it memorable. There is nothing that stands out, no unique sound that makes you go back for more. It's a good radio friendly album for the most part and i want them to truly go all out creative and unique. HT was mainstream at times and very radio friendly for the most part, but it had a sound that drew you in and made you listen to it time and time again. That is what i want from LP, i don't care about the hardcoreness of the album just the awesomeness.

[MONDREUS240]

This thread is...

 

 

 

[FearOfTheDuck]

Songs like "In The End" are very creative instrumentally

Erm... no. The guitar is nothing but power chords. The piano melody consists of FOUR NOTES. It's very simple instrumentally.

songs like "Easier To Run" are creative structurally.

Except the structure is almost identical to Crawling.

"Blackout" sounds like a possible Reanimation 2.0 track

The only similarity between Blackout and Reanimation is that the middle bit sounds vaguely like X-Ecutioner Style.

this album to me feels like a compilation album, or having my iPod on shuffle.

I honestly have no idea how you could feel that... ATS is an ALBUM, far more so than their others.

"Empty Spaces" -> "When They Come For Me" has the worst transition i've ever heard in the 100s of albums i've listened to.

It's supposed to be abrupt, you fool.

If Meteora has songs that flow in and out with hardly any breaks, has songs that tie in a similar theme or concept, and has songs that have different influences and styles, then how is A Thousand Suns so fresh and different?

Because it doesn't sound exactly like Hybrid Theory?

 

Anyway, carry on.

[Mr X]

Cool story

Got 1000 problems but living in the past aint one?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUST JOKING

or am I?

Edited September 19, 2011 by DOGGIES!!!

[Pez]

As soon as I saw you Try and convince us that ITE is instrumentally one of the best songs, I stopped reading. The song is built on synths, clean harmonics with power chords piano riff and drums and base. Not so hard. Garage bands can make songs like that these days.

 

Want something ground breaking. Tell me how many albums have songs have songs like Blackout and When They Come for Me on the same album. They are completely two different sorts of songs form somewhat two different genres. Some bands would be lucky to even write one song like that on an album. But two completely different songs have made the album.

[GraDoN]

oh because ATS is 9/10 album sent by the gods right?

get over yourselves, that is his opinion just like your opinion is that ATS is the best thing since sliced bread.

This is a LP forum and thus there are very few people that can review any LP material being completely unbiased. You expect people to respect your opinion so do the same to his.

[Malvarr]

God, i've listened to the lastest Red hot Chilli Pepers, Evanescence, Blink 182 album and they sound all the same. Just the same!

Listen To ATS and BOOM, Alot of diversionary songs. THATS NOT AN OPINION, THIS IS A FACT. GET OVER IT, ACCEPT THAT.

[GraDoN]

ok so if a band makes an album with 11 different songs on it is automatically a masterpiece?

get over yourself, i agree that those albums are all bland and boring, but that is a straw argument saying because those albums are bad LPs album is good. YES the songs are different and not all the same and some are good, but that does not make it a masterpiece. Seriously

[feelthless]

A Thousand Suns is a 10/10 album and it can't be outfought, it can't be outdone, it can't be outmatched, it can't be outrun, NOEZ!

[Malvarr]

ok so if a band makes an album with 11 different songs on it is automatically a masterpiece?

get over yourself, i agree that those albums are all bland and boring, but that is a straw argument saying because those albums are bad LPs album is good. YES the songs are different and not all the same and some are good, but that does not make it a masterpiece. Seriously

Well, it's 15 songs, and i have never said that ATS is a masterpiece. Yes, but i didn't said any of those albums are bad, i said it sound all the same. And that thing about good and bad, we can't argument, you know. Oh, FOR ME, it doesn't is materpiece because it's different, just because it's a good album. FOR ME. Edited September 19, 2011 by Malvar LP

[FireHawk]

The truth is ATS is nothing ground breaking at all, it is very easy to find similar songs, not that its bad at all.

 

BUT

 

I can't name anyone who has gone from a Hybrid Theory sound to A Thousand Suns sound and been successful. I think that is the biggest accomplishment of A Thousand Suns.

Edited September 19, 2011 by FireHawk

[LinkinMark]

I don't agree with any of this. Especially when you said you were a fan of the album....and when you said Meteora wasn't your favourite LP record.

 

Sincerely,

Proud fanboy

 

P.S ATS is awesome, the best LP record yet.

 

P.P.S Just because some people think ATS is a masterpiece doesn't automatically make them fanboys...

[RiderSSPU]

God, i've listened to the lastest Red hot Chilli Pepers, Evanescence, Blink 182 album and they sound all the same. Just the same!

Listen To ATS and BOOM, Alot of diversionary songs. THATS NOT AN OPINION, THIS IS A FACT. GET OVER IT, ACCEPT THAT.

Well to be honest, your wrong. In the new Blink-182 album compare the songs Up All Night, Heart's All Gone, Snake Charmer, and Fighting the Gravity. They all sound different. as for the new evanescence and rhcp albums i haven't listened to them yet, so i can't say.

 

 

ok so if a band makes an album with 11 different songs on it is automatically a masterpiece?

get over yourself, i agree that those albums are all bland and boring, but that is a straw argument saying because those albums are bad LPs album is good. YES the songs are different and not all the same and some are good, but that does not make it a masterpiece. Seriously

you agree that neighborhoods is bland and boring? i thought it was amazing. but i agree with the point of your post. You cann not call it a masterpiece based on all the songs being different. and in all reality anyways BITS and Iridescent are somewhat a like

 

A Thousand Suns is a 10/10 album and it can't be outfought, it can't be outdone, it can't be outmatched, it can't be outrun, NOEZ!

trolololololol

 

The truth is ATS is nothing ground breaking at all, it is very easy to find similar songs, not that its bad at all.

 

BUT

 

I can't name anyone who has gone from a Hybrid Theory sound to A Thousand Suns sound and been successful. I think that is the biggest accomplishment of A Thousand Suns.

this is true

[Mr X]

If you can't appreciate the awesomeness that is Empty Spaces you may as well be deaf

[BrandonR24]

I agree with his post, besides Meteora. Because that album kicks so much ass (in my opinion of course, most of the LP community seems to hate it). ATS just wasn't my thing i guess you could say. Waiting for the End and Wretches are the only songs I can listen to without hitting skip. I dont mind when bands change sound, but when its something completely different like I feel ATS is, it just didn't feel right.

 

Despite my dislike of ATS I will always appreciate their creativity. They took a risk and really didn't give a shit. They will always be my favorite band and I'll probably pick up whatever they make.

 

And I see that someone posted about Evanescence, RHCP, and Blink 182 sounding the same. Uh it doesn't matter when its good music and fun to listen to. I'm currently listening to Blink's album and its awesome.

 

Just my 2 cents

[Xero21]

Songs like "In The End" are very creative instrumentally

This is where you lost all credibility. Wow, a simple piano riff, harmonics, and power chords. How innovative. I honestly believe I could teach someone who had never touched a musical instrument how to play In The End in 24 hours.

 

And yes, an album full of songs with v/c/v/c/b/c IS extremely boring. Because if you know anything about music theory, any song that uses that structure is incredibly predictable. I've literally listened to the radio and hummed along to the tune of songs that I had never heard before.

 

Boring. Not creative.

 

Now, I will grant you some points. A Thousand Suns is a new, experimental territory within the realm of Linkin Park music. However, in the grand scheme of music in general, it's not awfully edgy. It's what I'd consider "alternative pop." It's still accessible and enjoyable enough for a general audience to like it, but it doesn't play by the rules of the mainstream radio.

 

So, with that said, I love A Thousand Suns, but I fully expect the next album to be more experimental. If it's not, I'll be a tad disappointed.

 

Edit: You're also 99% wrong about how well the album flows. It flows really well at most points. Requiem->Radiance->Burning In The Skies->Empty Spaces, and then Robot Boy->Jornada->WFTE->Blackout->WaK->WJL->Iridescent all flows together great. Just because not all of the songs actually blend together doesn't mean anything. Some of them blend, and some of them just compliment each other in the right way in order to "tell the story" so to speak.

 

But I agree with you 100% that Empty Spaces->WTCFM is one of the most random and awkward album moments I've heard.

Edited September 20, 2011 by Xero21

[1996_LP]

This is where you lost all credibility. Wow, a simple piano riff, harmonics, and power chords. How innovative. I honestly believe I could teach someone who had never touched a musical instrument how to play In The End in 24 hours.

 

And yes, an album full of songs with v/c/v/c/b/c IS extremely boring. Because if you know anything about music theory, any song that uses that structure is incredibly predictable. I've literally listened to the radio and hummed along to the tune of songs that I had never heard before.

 

Boring. Not creative.

 

Now, I will grant you some points. A Thousand Suns is a new, experimental territory within the realm of Linkin Park music. However, in the grand scheme of music in general, it's not awfully edgy. It's what I'd consider "alternative pop." It's still accessible and enjoyable enough for a general audience to like it, but it doesn't play by the rules of the mainstream radio.

 

So, with that said, I love A Thousand Suns, but I fully expect the next album to be more experimental. If it's not, I'll be a tad disappointed.

 

Edit: You're also 99% wrong about how well the album flows. It flows really well at most points. Requiem->Radiance->Burning In The Skies->Empty Spaces, and then Robot Boy->Jornada->WFTE->Blackout->WaK->WJL->Iridescent all flows together great. Just because not all of the songs actually blend together doesn't mean anything. Some of them blend, and some of them just compliment each other in the right way in order to "tell the story" so to speak.

 

But I agree with you 100% that Empty Spaces->WTCFM is one of the most random and awkward album moments I've heard.

Finally some sense. Great observations there.

 

For me, i really like ATS. I but I don't consider it a masterpiece either. Its unpredictable, on the first listen your never sure where it might go.

 

For LINKIN PARK it is a very experimental record. But, in the grand scheme of things, it isn't really breaking new ground - next to likes of Pink Floyd or any iconic artists know for taking risks.

 

But LP did take a risk. The album in contrast to the previous 3 is less reliant on guitar. Some tracks don't have any guitar at all (and if it is, its subtle, but its still there) All this from a band originally known for its loud and heavy guitar riffs, this was a considerable risk. Just look at all the hateful coments about LP on Youtube now. People have noticed the change.

 

I really do feel sorring for the guys. with "fans" left, right and center saying: "GO BACK TO YOUR OLD SOUND" or "THE NEW SOUNDS NOT DIFFERENT ENOUGH"

 

Poor LP can't win these days.

 

Luckily, they do have people out there who do appreciate what their doing. Even if its just a small minority. Keep making good music LP!

[GraDoN]

sigh and thats the other side of it, as soon as someone disagrees with a hardcore fan the immediate response is 'OMSZ YOU WANTZ THEM TO GO BAK TO OLD SOUND GO AWAY' i DONT want them to go back to the old sound, i want them to do whatever they want, i just dont think ATS was as creative and powerful as some are making it out to be

Edited September 21, 2011 by GraDoN

[Malvarr]

Hmmmm, i still prefer Empty Space.

[NickDuffy]

Sorry guys for the late response. Alot of these arguments are the same from person to person, so i'll just respond to whatever caught my interest. I never heard anything that sounded like In The End before no matter how basic the piano chords, guitar chords, and samples are. It all sounds beautiful and haunting, which is odd for a radio song. Somewhere I Belong is a bit similar, but that feels lighter and more energetic as opposed to dark and gloomy. I also didn't know song has to be progressive to be considered artistic and original. That is just stupid.

 

Songs with radio structures/basic structures on ATS: Burning In The Skies, Wretches And Kings, Iridescent, The Messenger. That's 4/9 songs, nearly half of the full length tracks on this album have a radio, OR A SIMPLE STRUCTURE.

 

 

Except the structure is almost identical to Crawling.

 

It's supposed to be abrupt, you fool.

Easier To Run has a bridge. Automatic loss there.

 

Secondly, you have no proof or evidence that the transition between Empty Spaces and When They Come For Me is meant to be abrupt. I'm not a fool, i'm honest.

Edited September 21, 2011 by FleshIntoGear