hellomoto170

Maybe it’s just a reality of modern day music that they feel they have to put out one of these super cliched, simplistic lyrical songs each album (and make it a single at that) - I don’t like it, but as long as the whole album isn’t like this then I guess it’s a price worth paying.

I was probably one of the most skeptical people around re: a female vocalist. But this is pretty cool so far. A new LP album is a new LP album, better than nothing. My wish now is that the album isn't too poppy, but... Whatever, it will be what it will be.

Yeah, sorry but this sounds like a bad idea. A female vocalist is just so different, it's not something that appeals to me as an LP fan. Obviously the band can do whatever they want and if they want to do 180s they can do 180s - some would say it wouldn't be the first time... But a female vocalist, either on tour singing old LP songs or making new ones is just... Not for me at all.

To be honest I think the song is simplistic and not that interesting - but it’s new music so I’ll take it. But let’s be honest this is not some of Mike’s best, most creative work.

Ok listening now: (1) Nobody Can Save Me: - Sounds like a mix between a Peter Andre song and something from High School Musical. 4/10 (2) Good Goodbye: - The fact that it follows on from NCSM helps a lot... It's not a bad song tbh, but on a strong album it'd be a weak track. Still think it sounds like a Fort Minor song, which is a compliment actually. 6.5/10 (3) Talking To Myself: - This isn't too bad either to be fair, but again my standards are lowered all around. Sounds like they accidentally released a fan remix at parts, I reckon this will sound awesome live. It doesn't sound super mainstream like other tracks so that's a plus. 7.5/10 (4) Battle Symphony: - Not a horrible song but just a bit boring... I think the fact that we heard this before the album leaked has dented people's views of it - i.e. at the time we were still really down about the whole direction the album was shaping up to take. Meh, it's fine, not horrible. Lyrics are cheesy. 5/10 (5) Invisible: - I like Mike singing a lot, band should utilise it more (s/o High Road) but this is another really boring track, too simple, lyrics cheesy... Is this one of the ones Justin Bieber's team wrote? It's not horrible again but just really underwhelming in every way. 4.5/10 (6) Heavy: - I don't feel like even writing anything for this one. 2/10 (7) Sorry For Now: - This could give people seizures. The chorus has potential and when I heard it in a promo I was kinda optimistic but I'm not so keen on the execution at all. Oh god they actually said "best things come to those who weight" ffs. 4/10 (8) Halfway Right: - At least the lyrics are interesting, deep. This doesn't really fit the rest of the album (is that obvious, I recall reading this about one of the tracks, can't remember which honestly). It's one of the better tracks I suppose. 6/10 (9) One More Light: - Ok, this is a nice song, very emotional, strong lyrics, this is a rare example on the album of the "writing lyrics first" approach being a success for them. Expected a bit more progression though. 7/10 (10) Sharp Edges: - Has a Ska vibe to it, it's fairly cool I guess, a bit indie, not my type of music but the up-tempo nature of it is welcomed. "what dosn't kill us makes us stronger" ewwwwww. 6/10 CONCLUSION: I can't really be bothered to work out my average but... Maybe slightly better than I was expecting but my expectations were low. Favourite Song: Talking To Myself, I like that one!

It seems many people react to the negativity by saying "oh you want them to go back to Hybrid Theory?!?!" - umm, no... Despite LP's albums after Meteora being "different" and obviously moving away from Nu Metal, they have at least been unique, experimental, and pushing boundaries. So it's really annoying to see people dismissing criticism as "oh the old LP is gone, stop moaning" - literally every album they've ever made is, *in my opinion* better than making a pop album with Justin Bieber song-writers. This album is what it is, it's mainstream and poppy and that was the plan all along. Fine, we can disagree with whether that's a good direction or not but that's a separate issue.

Wasn't overly enthusiastic to download the leak but thought I'd give it a go, spent around 10 minutes trying to download the album but achieved nothing other than being bombarded by ads. I'm getting old... I'll listen tomorrow and keep my almost certainly negative opinions to myself I guess. Bring on the next album! (kidding... not really)

I'm thinking about how my 14 year old self would react if I could go back 12 years and tell them that in 2017 I'd be describing Linkin Park's sound as "sort of generic and mainstream".

It sounds like a Fort Minor song. If you had Kenna doing Chester's part, it'd be a solid FM track with features lol. Decent song. EDIT: was never a big Pusha T fan but I really like both his LP songs now, it works. Stormzy's verse is also really good in my opinion... I can get behind this kinda song, but... Heavy is just tooooooo basic. At least this song has some variation and wasn't written by Justin Bieber's ghostwriters.

I'm not saying they should make nu metal again - Minutes to Midnight was great in my opibion - it obviously was a change from the first two albums but it was still LP, it was unique, it was original in many ways... The point is, it was an album that came about as a result of them thinking that they need to go into a new direction and they did just that. I'm all for changes and new sounds, I'm just questioning why they think the way to do this in 2017 is to work with the most mainstream of the mainstream. Don't get me wrong, I'm still hella positive for the album, I like all LP and that won't change. I'm just surprised that the band collectively feel this is the way to go... Just my view.

This is my biggest issue: why, after all these years, being one of the most famous bands ever with all the fame in the world, would LP decide they need to make their most poppy album yet? I know talk is cheap and I'm not in that position, but if I were in their shoes, I imagine I'd be making whatever the hell I want to make... Not thinking "Oh that Justin Bieber's doing well in the charts, I wonder who writes his stuff". It just doesn't reflect well on a band like LP, who are known for being their own sound, their own genre, to be teaming up with people who should represent everything that LP shouldn't be.

Just saying, I totally called this when Mike retweeted Stormzy, elabored elsewhere that it'd be a feature but... What do I win? http://lplive.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=12517&page=6&do=findComment&comment=272441

Yooo I called it!

Meh, better than Heavy, still generic and boring. I just find it strange that after all the fame, money, etc etc... What makes LP get together and decide to make the most mainstream album ever? I'd have thought that if I were a musician at that stage of my career, I'd be making whatever I want to make, regardless of how pop(ular) it is. Anyway... Also must suck that a single would leak just days after the first single's music video came out, not good.

Track 1: Heavy Track 2: Heavy (extended version that has an actual proper intro)