LPU XIII Released!

[sublimeric]

Overall a pretty weak CD, but Primo was something really refreshing to hear, so have to be glad they released it.

Agreed. Every year there seems to be at least one track that is amazing. "Primo" is great, just like "I have not begun", "QWERTY", and other stand-out tracks have been on past LPU releases.

[GlassCastles]

It's definitely not something incredible, but it's not bad. In terms of the LPUs, I would say my list is like this:

 

X>9>11>12>1>13>6>4>2>8>3>7>5

[Derbyster]

Agreed. Every year there seems to be at least one track that is amazing. "Primo" is great, just like "I have not begun", "QWERTY", and other stand-out tracks have been on past LPU releases.

You forgot to mention Across the Line, which would've been a strong candidate for the first single for MTM in my eyes.

Just for comparison sake listened (skimmed through) all the LPU releases since LPU9 and have to say 9 and X were pretty darn good. ATL+ What We Don't Know and Pretend to Be are still present in my playlists, so they have proven to have replay value as well.

[Green Pois0n]

Well, I've tried buying it. I'm from Australia.

 

I started off with PayPal and that didn't work. Decided to use my VISA, welppp, I can't go change my method now.

 

I get to the place order and I get (Error Code 11). Not sure whether it just me or someone is having the same issue. I've contacted GroundCtrl Support etc, so I decided to ask here in the mean time.

 

 

Cheers

[michalangelo]

OK so overall, I'm in between to be honest. First look at the bundle photo: coool but then..

1. Jersey - great idea, hopefully a good quality one. The design is not bad imho.

2. CD!! WTF? Cardboard sleeves were ok but pvc one? Looks like a cheap (not ebay prices wise) promo. C'mooooooooooooooon

3. Poster? Ok cool, designed by a fan, cool but..other than official tour ones I don't collect posters...[crap]

4. ButtPlugAir as AndOne called it, well hmmm the new name calls it. I do not need any frickin device plugged to a phone I have but do not use often. I love my nokia 6300 and thats it. Other thing the device does not support other phones than ones on the list so... [crap]

5. Laminate with a lanyard - I expected this to be something cool like summit ones - simple but hell they look cool! Instead of that we get one with a crowd photo on it (99% of people are not in the crowd) so what's the point of making such laminate? Either neutral or GTFO. [50% crap]

 

CD: ATM Birdy and UIB #3 are the best ones. Will listen more later today (19.11) but right now it's 50-50. I don't like they added Ressurection instrumental there...wtf? And yeah the lpu sessions songs are not bad but they absolutely don't fit on this cd.

 

Not to mention no summit pass included in the purchase...I kinda know that i'm going to feel like slapped in the face in few hours...

[mattyice318]

It's definitely not something incredible, but it's not bad. In terms of the LPUs, I would say my list is like this:

 

X>9>11>12>1>13>6>4>2>8>3>7>5

 

I'd also say it's the worst of the best LPU cd's

[sublimeric]

At best, I hope for one good track on each edition of LPU, and with "Promo", I got it. "Basquait" is decent, and the UIB demos are interesting but without replay value IMO. The rest of the album will be sent to the dusty folder of LP tracks I never listen to.

 

At best, I hope for one good track on each edition of LPU, and with "Promo", I got it. Considering "Recharged" just came out, Chester & STP did an EP, and there's a new studio album in 2014, I can deal with a lackluster LPU release for now. Releasing "Hybrid Theory" and "Meteora" on vinyl helps, too.

[Astat]

FYI, there is no rhyme or reason to when songs are added to the BMI database, it's just a matter of when they're submitted and when BMI gets around to adding them. There have been plenty of LP-related songs that weren't added to the the BMI database for months, sometimes even YEARS after their release. It's definitely a lot rarer to see songs added prior to their release though.

 

Wait a minute. Let's discuss this price here.

 

The package was $60 with a Summit and now it's $57 WITHOUT a Summit? Who in the world decided to do that?? How much are the Summits? I sure hope it's $3. The ENTIRE incentive in LPU 12 to get the full $60 membership was the Summit pass because it was really discounted (aka you get way more bang for your buck) if you bought the whole package.

 

Why is it so expensive? If a Summit pass hypothetically is $50, then that's $107 for LPU? Do what?

 

Linkin Park now costs just under $100 to see a show. That's around $200 if you go to a Summit show. Huh.

There's a fairly good chance that there may not BE an LPU Summit during the LPU 13 year. Sounds like they're doing their standard European festival run next summer, which covers areas they've already done Summits in recently, and after that, who knows what their touring schedule will look like through mid-November? We already know they may not be doing a U.S. tour until late 2014/early 2015.

 

Anyway, my review of the CD. Not using spoiler tags, because you guys went 12 years without them and nobody ever bitched about my reviews "spoiling" anything before.

 

Basquiat - The keyboard at the beginning of this sounds a LOT like the interlude between Shadow of the Day and What I've Done. Kind of has a repetitive structure like Yo, but more interesting instrumentally. Falls somewhere in between Yo, Clarity, and Debris in comparison to other MTM demos. One of the better instrumental MTM demos we've gotten, in my opinion.

 

Holding Company - LOL did they seriously incorporate the metronome as part of the intro? They already did that with When They Come For Me! I love the atmosphere of this one. Kind of perplexed how this one evolved into Lost in the Echo...this sounds like a more synth-heavy Burning in the Skies to me. I think the main synth hook on this one was chopped up and turned into the intro of Lost in the Echo, and it sounds like some of the drums may have been reused on the final version too. Other than that, this might as well be a completely different song. This demo also makes it glaringly obvious that Manny Marroquin should never have mixed Living Things. The band obviously had great up-front guitar stuff in their demos, but it all got turned down to practically nothing on the album.

 

Primo - I've said a lot about this one already, but to sum it up again: Very good for a demo, but there are a few things that keep it from being an album-quality track, that were thankfully fixed by the time this song was finished.

 

Hemispheres - Hey, a major-key song that isn't deceptive about the fact that it's in a major key! That's a rarity from Linkin Park... And DUDE. DAT BASS. This sounds kind of like a Joe demo, probably the LPU 13 equivalent of Bunker. This is a MUCH cooler track than Bunker though.

 

Cumulus - I love how the Meteora-era demos stand out so much compared to stuff from more recent years when they mix the different eras together on these LPU CDs. The samples and guitar sounds are unlike anything the band has done before or since. This track probably got the same treatment as Soundtrack, the verses sound very upbeat and positive, so they added a bunch of really heavy guitars in other spots to balance things out. There hasn't been an instrumental Meteora demo that I didn't like, but I don't think any of them truly stand out from one another either.

 

Pretty Birdy - Wow, I know the choruses got all of the attention for being re-written so many times on this song, but they really re-worked the guitar and drum parts too! I sort of get why people are saying this sounds like a "garage" demo, but to be fair, that really loose, echoey snare drum sound combined with really nasaly guitars was also present on A-Six and Broken Foot. Not an unusual sound for a Meteora demo whatsoever. When some idiot who apparently crawled out of the woodwork just to shit all over LPU 13 (I've never seen their screen name before) said this song was in "listen once and never again" territory in the LPL shoutbox, I assumed they meant that this song was a short "intro loop" demo like Sad or Oh No. I was very surprised to discover that it's a full-length song. Just goes to show how mind-numbingly stupid some people are...

 

Universe - As people have said, this is an instrumental demo of Resurrection by Mike/Kenna/Lupe Fiasco (which was released on the Download to Donate compilation). I haven't listened to Resurrection in a VERY long time, so I'm not sure how similar this is musically to the final version, but it's definitely close. I believe Mike also said back when this song came out that it was a finished version of an old demo he had laying around, so here we are. I don't get how some people feel "cheated" by this being on here, it's no different than Mike reusing lyrics from Freestyle with DJ Vice in Be Somebody later on. Universe was an unfinished demo, Resurrection is the final version of it. Not every seed Mike creates has to be turned into a Linkin Park song, guys. Also, little-known fact about this song: Whether it was intentional or not (Mike may have just heard this song somewhere and forgotten about it), the keyboard hook at the beginning of this song is almost directly lifted from "Sakura Drop" by Utada Hikaru. It's not a sample, but the chord progression and style in which the keyboards are played is unmistakable: http://www.whosampled.com/sample/122357/Lu...aru-Sakura-Drop

 

Apaches - Cool to hear the additional samples and guitar in the original version of this one! The "wolf howl" things people are talking about sound like samples played off a turntable to me. The guitar also has that glitchy Wretches and Kings/Victimized thing going on. Cool!

 

Foot Patrol - Love the half-rapping/half-singing stuff Mike does at the beginning of this one, although it's clear he didn't have a fully-developed verse written at the time of this demo. Pretty clear why he discarded that part and went with the more-defined verse from later in the demo. Also, LOL @ the band/LPLive referring to the live intro to Waiting For the End as the "Apaches intro" when the verse Mike raps during live performances isn't even from Apaches!

 

Three Band Terror - I remember the band mentioning this demo in an interview! They said Brad brought in a song with a really dark-sounding title that they assumed would be really heavy, and it turned out to be a really folky acoustic demo. That must have been this song! And wow, this is some BEAUTFUL acoustic guitar work. I think I might like this even more than the final version that appeared at the end of Until it Breaks. This is great stuff.

 

...Aww, is it over already? I was just getting started! Anyway, as for the two LPU Sessions winners...

 

Truth Inside a Lie - I was honestly really pissed off that Beta State got 95% of the recognition for being winners of the LPU Sessions contest when there were two winners who were rewarded equally. I LOVED the track Ryan submitted in the contest. Plus I thought it was kind of fishy that Beta State won when Mike had given them major publicity on his blog previously, plus two of their members were formerly members of the band Strata, which released two albums on a major label (that's not to say I didn't like the track they submitted, I thought it was very good). Anyway...what a Linkin Park-esque song title, LOL. Kind of curious how the recording of the LPU Sessions songs worked...did the band simply produce the tracks, or did they have a hand in some of the instrumental performances as well? Really love this track. Very Meteora-esque guitars in spots, and some excellent synth work. Ryan has a ton of talent.

 

Change - As much as I feel like these guys were "ringers" in the contest itself, it's hard to hate on a band that sounds like they're approaching the top of their game. Their singer has a great set of pipes, but I feel like he's a little timid about really belting out high notes. Just seems like the choruses could use a little more punch in the vocal department, especially on the "burned every bridge" lines. This band reminds me a lot of Start Something-era Lostprophets, they're really good at creating big soundscapes and uplifting choruses. I actually listened to Strata a little bit (I remember the song "Stay Young" in particular being pretty popular for a while), and I have to say I like Beta State's overall sound better. They could make a pretty good name for themselves if they keep getting noticed the way they have been lately.

 

Highlights: Three Band Terror, Holding Company, Cumulus, Primo, Truth Inside a Lie, Change

 

Decent: Basquiat, Hemispheres, Pretty Birdy, Apaches

 

Could do without: Universe, Foot Patrol

 

In terms of ranking the LPU CDs, lets just say that the top 5 spots on my list are occupied by the last 5 years' CDs (I don't consider the HTEP a true LPU CD since it was a reissue of a previously released CD that was easily found on the Internet anyway). Linkin Park never provided us with this much unreleased, non-rehashed, non-"live stuff we've heard a million times already" material prior to LPU 9. You couldn't even make a full 10-track CD with the number of tracks from LPU 2 through 8 that are comparable with the tracks released from LPU 9 onwards.

[hahninator]

It's clear to me that the best option going forward is the $20 online membership and then buy a Summit pass. At that point you're just paying to be a "member of the LPU" just to say you are because people like W&K and other sites post the LPUTV episodes instantly on YouTube, etc.

 

The $57 really seems wild. If I recall correctly, they have really jacked the price up. Let's go back a few years. Excuse me if I slightly mess this up....

 

LPU 9: $28 that included a full merch bundle and a hard copy newsletter mailed to you. Then the newsletters went to PDF.

LPUX: Ning took over and fucked up the website, etc. Monthly LPU pass. Plus the $60 Summit + other LP experience pass (light show in LA, etc).

LPU 11: $10/monthly, $60/yearly w/ Summit, and $25/yearly online WITH a lanyard/laminate mailed to you so you could get early entry.

LPU 12: $25/yearly online and $60/yearly w/ Summit & merch.

 

LPU 13: Now we have $57 for NO Summit and $20/yearly online but NO laminate/lanyard. Apparently that's being sold separately.

So online only doesn't get to participate in early entry and stuff anymore? Or M&Gs? Or does the laminate get you in the early entry? I'd check but I am LOGGED IN to the website and every time I click it in the store it sends me to a login screen. Messed up website.

 

Or does the $57 package only get M&Gs and early entry?

 

How much are Summits? $50 still? I doubt they'll be $3, lol. They were $50 additional in previous years. $57+$50 is a LOT of money. It seems like for the actual MERCH package, you are being charged a fuck ton more than before, for products that aren't as good. The AirPlug thing seems pretty pointless. Why is it so expensive?

[Numbrocker]

LPU 13: Now we have $57 for NO Summit and $20/yearly online but NO laminate/lanyard. Apparently that's being sold separately.

So online only doesn't get to participate in early entry and stuff anymore? Or M&Gs? Or does the laminate get you in the early entry? I'd check but I am LOGGED IN to the website and every time I click it in the store it sends me to a login screen. Messed up website.

 

Or does the $57 package only get M&Gs and early entry?

 

How much are Summits? $50 still? I doubt they'll be $3, lol. They were $50 additional in previous years. $57+$50 is a LOT of money. It seems like for the actual MERCH package, you are being charged a fuck ton more than before, for products that aren't as good. The AirPlug thing seems pretty pointless. Why is it so expensive?

You apparently still get Meet and Greets with the Online Membership, but no early entry because the lanyard is being sold separately as a merch package.

[[AndOne]]

Both the full + the online only membership gets you M&G's

 

The laminate is sold separately for $5 (which is also $25 total with the online membership). The laminate gets you the early entry.

[hahninator]

You apparently still get Meet and Greets with the Online Membership, but no early entry because the lanyard is being sold separately as a merch package.

Ah ok. So that really doesn't change at all. They just lowered the price for those who want to opt out of the laminate (which is a waste for them if they live in Alaska and can't get to a show, for example). Cool, I like that.

 

But the merch going up so much is wild to not include a Summit. I could see the entire LPU package (the $60 previous merch package w/ 1 Summit) going to like $68. But not $57 without a Summit, damn.

[Geki]

Really digging the Beta State song. I like it a lot. Good band.

 

01. Basquiat - Reminds me a lot of the interlude between Shadow Of The Day and What I've Done on MTM. It's fitting because it's from 2007, same year MTM was released. Maybe this was one of the options considered for the interlude to bridge those? I remember reading somewhere once that Mike did Bang Three (What I've Done) and a few other demos as a batch. Anyways, great song. I like it. Has a very moody, dark kind of vibe to it. Very different for LP. 8/10

 

02. Holding Company - We already somewhat knew what Holding Company sounded like from the making of Living Things, as well as the live intro for LITE being almost the same. This version has a lot of guitar and stuff that wasn't shown though, and that is cool. Reminds me a lot of Iridescent, I honestly thought it was an Iridescent demo when viewing that LPU13 promo video. Not much to say about this song, but it doesn't sound much like LITE and I'm glad the band took the direction they did with it, turning it into LITE. 5/10

 

03. Primo - We already heard this song last week as it was released early. Love this demo. Probably the best demo on the CD. I love the lyrics in the chorus and the melody is a bit different for the chorus as well, I dig that a lot. Not much else to say about this song either, but I do consider IBG to be better, so I'm happy the band took it in that direction, similar to how I feel about Holding Company becoming LITE. I think this is a great demo, though. 9/10

 

04. Hemispheres - This song instantly reminded me of Holiday music for some reason. It has a very kind of happy, cool sort of vibe to it, at least for me. I'm probably the only one who thinks that. It's cool that we got a 2011 demo that wasn't a demo of a song we got on LIVING THINGS and this is one of the better demos on the CD. 8/10

 

05. Cumulus - My favorite demo on the CD. Tied with Primo in terms of favorite. I like the guitar work and the drums are awesome. It has that moody, heavy feel to it like most of the Meteora demos we have heard so far. Would have loved to see the band progress with this song and add vocals. I think this would have been good enough to make the album, honestly. My new favorite instrumental LP song. 10/10

 

06. Pretty Birdy - My least favorite demo on the CD. Major disappointment. SIB underwent over 30 different chorus changes, they reworked tons of lyrics and melodies, etc, and what we essentially got here is a 'rough' instrumental of the final version. Reminds me a lot of what a garage band covering SIB would sound like. 1/10

 

07. Universe - The other least favorite demo on the CD of mine. Major disappointment. This is essentially the SAME as the instrumental to the song released with Download To Donate which had Kenna and Lupe Fiasco on it. Not a fan. It's not that I don't like the sound of the song, I like it, but the fact that it took up a spot for something we haven't heard before is a bit lame. 2/10

 

08. Apaches - Awesome demo. I love the rap from this demo, always have, I also love the almost 'werewolf' sound after the rap that goes on. Pretty awesome. Solid demo, not much else to say. 9/10

 

09. Foot Patrol - My least favorite of the 3 UIB demos. Not a fan of the vocal direction here, but I suppose it's cool to have. 3/10

 

10. Three Band Terror - At first, I thought this was weird and not very good. I now love it. I never would have guessed that the Brad section in UIB started off as a folk demo with an acoustic guitar. What we got for the final product of this on UIB is so much different than this version. I love it. 9/10

 

11. Truth Inside A Lie - Literally not much to say about this. Decent sounding demo, but doesn't interest me. 5/10

 

12. Change - I love this song. I never would have thought I would. One of the best songs. Solid. 10/10

Edited November 19, 2013 by Geki

[[AndOne]]

5. Laminate with a lanyard - I expected this to be something cool like summit ones - simple but hell they look cool! Instead of that we get one with a crowd photo on it (99% of people are not in the crowd) so what's the point of making such laminate? Either neutral or GTFO. [50% crap]

the LPU 12 one was pretty awesome if you ask me.

[hahninator]

Reminds me a lot of the interlude between Shadow Of The Day and What I've Done on MTM.

Hey remember the 3 instrumental clips Mike made that were on LP.com in 2007? My files of them are from May 3, 2007.

new lp.com clip 1: 2:03

new lp.com clip 2: 1:53

new lp.com clip 3: 1:32

 

I wonder if those demos had names or not. Clearly they're just pieces he made during the MTM sessions but I like them and it seems a lot of the fans are unaware of them even though they aren't extravagant. It's music though. If anyone wants them I can upload them. I wonder if we've ever heard a clip of any of them in anything else (like in Stagelight, LPTV, etc).

 

Anyway, at that time, those 3 reminded me of what Mike created that went between SOTD/WID. I'm sure that clip on the album was longer and came from a "batch" of these 4+ (probably more) instrumentals he made.

[Numbrocker]

Thoughts on if the "wolf howl" on Apaches is Chester or not? Idk what the band was doing when they put together UIB. Such a trippy song.

[Geki]

You can upload those MTM clips, if you want, would be cool. As for Apaches, they probably made it during ATS sessions and continued work with it in 2011, hence the trippy vibe.

[Justin]

Hey remember the 3 instrumental clips Mike made that were on LP.com in 2007? My files of them are from May 3, 2007.

new lp.com clip 1: 2:03

new lp.com clip 2: 1:53

new lp.com clip 3: 1:32

 

I wonder if those demos had names or not. Clearly they're just pieces he made during the MTM sessions but I like them and it seems a lot of the fans are unaware of them even though they aren't extravagant. It's music though. If anyone wants them I can upload them. I wonder if we've ever heard a clip of any of them in anything else (like in Stagelight, LPTV, etc).

 

Anyway, at that time, those 3 reminded me of what Mike created that went between SOTD/WID. I'm sure that clip on the album was longer and came from a "batch" of these 4+ (probably more) instrumentals he made.

Please do! I had forgotten about those

[GlassCastles]

I really like the three UNTIL IT BREAKS demos, and I actually do think the Somewhere I Belong demo is interesting. Sure a vocal demo would have been even better, but I think that this raw instrumental form is kind of cool. Not a popular opinion, but it's what I think of the track. Primo is obviously great, as I voiced earlier, and Change (Beta State) is REALLY good. Their vocalist nails 90% of it. The chorus could use a bit more intensity, but that's my only criticism. They nailed it.

[javierjiminy]

They should've made this underground ep similar to 11 and 12. Some of the demos are nice, don't get me wrong, but this ep could've been better had they released some 1999, 2000 or even an extra 2002 demo. 3 Until it Break demos was a huge negative for me. Could've replaced that with older demos. Also suprised the 2nd Until it Break demo had By.Myslf samples from Reanimation. Somehow, I get the odd feeling that Cumulus wasn't made in 2002. Just doesn't sound like they would come up with that sound at that time, considering how they've just came off from the success of Hybrid Theory and Reanimation. That sound is just too advance for them at that stage of their career. Cumulus sounds more 2006/2007ish to me. Overall, I give this ep a C-.

[Numbrocker]

They should've made this underground ep similar to 11 and 12. Some of the demos are nice, don't get me wrong, but this ep could've been better had they released some 1999, 2000 or even an extra 2002 demo. 3 Until it Break demos was a huge negative for me. Could've replaced that with older demos. Also suprised the 2nd Until it Break demo had By.Myslf samples from Reanimation. Somehow, I get the odd feeling that Cumulus wasn't made in 2002. Just doesn't sound like they would come up with that sound at that time, considering how they've just came off from the success of Hybrid Theory and Reanimation. That sound is just too advance for them at that stage of their career. Cumulus sounds more 2006/2007ish to me. Overall, I give this ep a C-.

Actually I was quite pleased that there was nothing pre2002. That might be an unpopular opinion.

 

Poor Pretty Birdy. For whatever reason, we all seemed to feel (hope?) that we'd get another Meteora Demo with lyrics.

[Andros]

Well, it's ok with the new LPU. But so much instrumental songs I don't know, but I think we have more instrumental songs than last year. I know UIB these three parts are fine, but I thought it would be something more. Beta State song is good.

[Geki]

I think LPU13 may be better than LPU12 overall. I loved Homecoming and Asbestos on LPU12, but again, they had little to no vocals. Homecoming seemed primed for vocals and there were none. I prefer LPU13 honestly.

[GlassCastles]

I think LPU13 may be better than LPU12 overall. I loved Homecoming and Asbestos on LPU12, but again, they had little to no vocals. Homecoming seemed primed for vocals and there were none. I prefer LPU13 honestly.

Astat called it.

[mattyice318]

Actually I was quite pleased that there was nothing pre2002.

How dare you!