subject: Linkin Park: Neither Robot nor Monkey [print this page] When I popped open the case of the band's latest album, A Thousand Suns I was very excited! One of my favorite groups from the past decade was back with yet another CD and I was pumped!!! After all, Minutes to Midnight was more than likely my favorite CD of 2007, so hey 3 years, I figure that's enough time to write another great album right?
I was wrong.
In many ways, it reminded me of a genre mess!
Combining Rap/Rock/Pop/Jazz/Religious/Gospel/Techno/and something else that I can't' even really define. The CD is heavily produced, combing effects on voices that range from alien sounding to man on a telephone and a fake DJ yelling out of control in horror in a 1940s scary movie way. Here's a general rundown of some of the more notable tracks.
The SKIP ME' Song of the album
Track 5: When They Come For Me - The song starts almost like the band was confused when they started to play, then fell into some mix of a Sci-Fi bass mashed mess that made my ears want to bleed. The lyrics are confusing and you just want to skip to the next track before you decide to slam your head into the nearest wall to make the pain disappear! A sample:
"I'm not a robot,
I'm not a monkey,
I won't dance even if the beat is funky"
Yeah, I didn't make that up. Surprisingly, the last minute and half sounds like the song they were suppose to record AND SUPRISING LY GOOD AT THAT!!! However it wasn't enough to save this trackor even close. The lack of thought that goes into the lyrics of the track and random cursing after mentioning their monkey/robot problems alone made me want to quit my review and abandon this entirely, but because the past 10 years of their work has kept me interested, I reluctantly pressed on to the next song.
The above is reason #1 to skip this CD for your collection.
The Decent Songs of the Album
Track 12: Iridescent - Mellow track, good imagery behind the track leads me to believe this will more than likely be one of their next singles for radio. Grade A track.
Track 3: Burning in the Skies - This track picks up from the groove from their last album, Minutes to Midnight, yet still maintaining a mellow feel to it, however gives the fans of the band a reason to hope for the best! Strangely enough this track sounds almost like a meshed track of Leave Out All The Rest' and Shadow of the Day' from Minutes to Midnightwhich is more than likely why I approve of the track :D
The Rest of the Album
Track 4: Empty Spaces - Originally when I saw this on the track listing, I thought "oh, that sounds like it might be good, just judging by the title" and usually I don't do that, but naturally I waited for the track to goand then nothing. :18 seconds I waitednothingand then the nightmare that is track 5 started. Reason #2 not to buy this CD.labeling tracks that aren't tracks.
Track 6: Robot Boy - If you like the sounds of oooooooooo ooooooo oooo feeling like you just crossed over into another dimension where the Backstreet Boys and N'Sync are still alive and popularthen by all means listen to this track.
After I finished listening to this album, I felt more like I had just finished listening to their Christian counterparts, Falling Up, and if I could step back in time, would have gladly listened to one of their albums rather than this crap. Enough of a reason is there to say that any Linkin Park fan will find this CD a major disappointment. There is hardly anything with raw energy behind it that we have come to find in the band instrumental tunes and lyrics. According to the final track, The Messenger, our love for the band will "Leads us Blind" into buying this CD. Do yourself a favor and just download the selected tracks.
