The Music Nazi
Hailed as the most anticipated Rock album of 2007. It will be here next week for the public. Or, if you have friends abroad - you can get a copy of it early - as its released in the UK prior to its US release date. So, I have to admit - I was a big fan of LP back in the day - still in my college days when Hybrid Theory and Meteora were released. These albums redefined quality Rock at the time. Anger, heavy riffs, shredding vocals mixed with hip hop beats and smooth rhymes. It was kind of the staple of the 1999 - 2003 Rock sound - generated by others like Korn and Limp Bizkit and (insert favorite rap-rock band). We all liked atleast one of those songs at one time - come on, admit it.
LP had a knack for taking heavy, angry riffs and molding them with emotional lyrics - lyrics that a heartbroken 15-20 year old can connect with and feel not so alone in the world. But those times in Rock have died. Rock has died - in my opinion. What we have now is what Thirtysomething A&R reps from the big labels believe will be the next easy cash in up front band of the moment. Then, there was a glimmer of hope. The big double R was producing this album. Double R? Yes . . . . Rick Rubin. The man who gave us: License to Ill, Raising Hell, Tougher Than Leather, Danzig, Bood Sugar Sex Magik, Johnny Cash's American Recording's, a list of many others including the new Metallica album, Kid Rock, Weezer and who knows what else. RR is known for taking an artist, stripping them down to their core and focusing on what their strengths are - and making the album around it.
Anyway, so - Minutes to Midnight. 12 tracks (not the bonus disk). Mike Shinoda is credited as a producer and as a vocalist. But, vocalist in this sense isn't the rapper you expect. He's really trying to switch to a vocalist. It's quite awful. The album opens with a short instrumental that builds slowly to get you ready for track 2 - easily the loudest, most aggresive - and best track on the album. Let me break it down like this. Tracks 2,4,6,8 and maybe track 11 - could have been released as an Ep. Those are the tracks that Chester controls most of the singing. They are heavy, angry, classic Linkin Park as we desire. The other tracks are just simply garbage.
Whatever it is that Mike Shinoda is trying to turn LP into - which sounds a lot like his side project Fort Minor. . . .needs to stop. There are obviously 2 personalities that stand out in LP - Chester and Mike - and both are going and have gone their solo directions. Shinoda's time has come and gone - and all I can say is that if Chester's solo album is anything like his tracks on Minutes to Midnight, then we should all be very excited. Shinoda brings a very Mtv and Radio friendly sound to this album - he's trying to write and produce anthems that work well in concert and on the charts. But the problem is - LP doesn't need to do that. They should be pushing more creatively rather than - what is going to sell albums. LP's name alone with sell the albums.
Overall I'd probably give the album 3 out of 5 stars. Only because the Shinoda heavy tracks are so completely terrible. Yeah, I said it Mike. Sorry - but you and Fort Minor are done and are no longer needed, thanks for hanging out.