Living Things vs A Thousand Suns

[Filip]

Lets be realistic. Much more people will love Living Things more than A Thousand Suns.

If you watch ''Meeting of A Thousand Suns'' and then ''Inside Living Things'' you will see how much less they are stressed out on Living Things, because it's more LP style ''high-energy'' record.

A Thousand Suns is amazing, but Living Things are better.

[Arun1910]

Living Things > ATS

[Seanlp608]

Hey everybody! I was just reading through the thread and was wondering if anyone thinks that the total album lengths of ATS and LT are relevant to whether which one is superior? If ATS were shorter, would it be better? And what if LT was longer?

[lepetitpote]

I believe Castle of Glass, Roads Untraveled and Skin to Bone are examples of what A Thousand Suns should have been. I think I would say if ATS were shorter I'd prefer it but I honestly don't judge by length. The only thing that matters to me is the music and lyrics.

[mastae]

All that said, I still enjoy listening to ATS from time to time. But all the negative comments I made in this post was to proove there is no way somebody can tell me ATS is objectively better than LT. It's just objectively more complex. That is all.

But subjectively repetitive and annoying, right?

I'm not even going to touch upon your "more good" comment.

You seriously just listed a bunch of subjective points and then said "so no one can tell me ATS is objectively better"

The point isn't that YOU MUST ADMIT ATS IS A BETTER ALBUM, it's that ATS is more complex, and had more thought/structure/theme - all things that are included in works heralded as artistically sound. So yeah, ATS is objectively better than LT.

But you're probably going to take this as me saying your opinion is wrong, which it isn't.

Again, try to separate "I LIKE THIS THEREFORE IT IS OVERALL GOOD" versus "I LIKE THIS BECAUSE IT APPEALS TO ME IN A CERTAIN WAY."

This is why we have things like guilty pleasures.

[Qwerty19]

The point isn't that YOU MUST ADMIT ATS IS A BETTER ALBUM, it's that ATS is more complex, and had more thought/structure/theme

Well, that was what I was saying, basically.

all things that are included in works heralded as artistically sound. So yeah, ATS is objectively better than LT.

This is where I disagree. Complex =/= better.

Complex= complex. Captain obvious for your pleasure

No seriously, I see what you means, but that's not my way at looking at things.

[mastae]

This is where I disagree. Complex =/= better.

Complex= complex. Captain obvious for your pleasure

No seriously, I see what you means, but that's not my way at looking at things.

See, and you SUBJECTIVELY don't think complex = better. It's not your way of looking at things. That's what subjective means.

You're mixing subjective and objective perspectives.

[Agent O]

LT is a good album but for me ATS takes the cake.

ATS is simply much more ambitious/experimental, has more grace and elegance. Being a concept album it really paints a picture for you and makes you feel like you're in the album. The song themselves can breathe much more freely and are written very well for the most part. Not saying ATS doesn't have its weak spots (W&K, Iridescent, The Messenger) but overall it has more substance than LT.

LT, despite having some great songs like Roads Untraveled, Skin to Bone and Castle of Glass fall back on conventional structures displayed in songs like Lost in the Echo, In My Remains, Burn it Down, I'll Be Gone etc.

[Shadester]

Why are songs with varying lengths and structures superior in quality compared to songs that are 3:20 long with verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus? Why are songs with melodic value and harmonies superior in quality to songs with power chords and simple riffs? Why are songs with dynamic levels in the stereo field superior in quality to a wall of sound that's super compressed? Why is an album with a theme that runs throughout superior in quality to random singles?

Pretty much the entire second half of LT has varying song structures that differ from the structure you defined so there's that. Most of the ATS songs fall within the 4-5 minute mark so not much variation there, unless you want to count the instrumentals. Again, which ATS songs have greater melodic value or harmonies than LT songs? And why? To say LT is power chords is just plain wrong and the 'simple riffs' you're talking about are about the same kind you find on ATS. There's actually more variation on bass here than their previous albums. As for dynamic levels and super compressed, I urge you to get a FLAC rip of LT, it might change your entire perspective. I conceded that the scope and theme of ATS is superior to LT, but in the end, it's the songwriting and what's in each individual song that counts, which is where LT excels.

@mastae:

You're still not explaining why ATS is objectively superior. Throwing words around like more complex is fine, but doesn't go very far in terms of proving your point. Yes, ATS opened many doors for LP, but what were they coming from? A totally played out nu-metal sound and one of the most generic alt rock albums made. They had nowhere to go but up which is why ATS was a huge step. They also progressed their sound in this record and there's a decent amount of experimental sounds, but of course it's not going to be a huge step like ATS, because that was a much easier leap.

[jordanW241]

After careful consideration, I'd say A Thousand Suns, although Living Things is better for 'quick fix' songs. If I listen to ATS, I like to listen to it from start to finish, whereas with Living Things, I'm much more frequently picking out individual songs I like and listening to them.

Both albums are great in different ways, and I'm glad that we have both of them. What I like about LP is that there is always something in their discography to capture my mood - I want heavy songs? Check. Soft songs? Check. Experimental songs? Check. Rap/hip-hop songs? Check. Therefore, the difference between the albums is a great thing, as long as LP keep building upon and creating new sounds that I like, I'll be happy. I don't think it matters so much about comparing them to each other because they'll all be enjoyable under different circumstances, to me at least.

[Qwerty19]

Pretty much the entire second half of LT has varying song structures that differ from the structure you defined so there's that. Most of the ATS songs fall within the 4-5 minute mark so not much variation there, unless you want to count the instrumentals. Again, which ATS songs have greater melodic value or harmonies than LT songs? And why? To say LT is power chords is just plain wrong and the 'simple riffs' you're talking about are about the same kind you find on ATS. There's actually more variation on bass here than their previous albums. As for dynamic levels and super compressed, I urge you to get a FLAC rip of LT, it might change your entire perspective. I conceded that the scope and theme of ATS is superior to LT, but in the end, it's the songwriting and what's in each individual song that counts, which is where LT excels.

@mastae:

You're still not explaining why ATS is objectively superior. Throwing words around like more complex is fine, but doesn't go very far in terms of proving your point. Yes, ATS opened many doors for LP, but what were they coming from? A totally played out nu-metal sound and one of the most generic alt rock albums made. They had nowhere to go but up which is why ATS was a huge step. They also progressed their sound in this record and there's a decent amount of experimental sounds, but of course it's not going to be a huge step like ATS, because that was a much easier leap.

Ahah, great post! I agree pretty much with all of this.

[StaticOnTheWay]

Way too early to be making these comparisons IMO

However, I do want to say that I don't personally think that LP "fell back" on older structures with some of the songs on LT. While it's true that they are more similar to old songs than ATS was, I think that the best part about LT is how it combines everything from the

[Blake]

But subjectively repetitive and annoying, right?

I'm not even going to touch upon your "more good" comment.

You seriously just listed a bunch of subjective points and then said "so no one can tell me ATS is objectively better"

The point isn't that YOU MUST ADMIT ATS IS A BETTER ALBUM, it's that ATS is more complex, and had more thought/structure/theme - all things that are included in works heralded as artistically sound. So yeah, ATS is objectively better than LT.

But you're probably going to take this as me saying your opinion is wrong, which it isn't.

Again, try to separate "I LIKE THIS THEREFORE IT IS OVERALL GOOD" versus "I LIKE THIS BECAUSE IT APPEALS TO ME IN A CERTAIN WAY."

This is why we have things like guilty pleasures.

More structure and theme is subjective. because what if I believe one structure is better than another? You can't say one structure is better than the other, you may personally believe that but it's all opinions in the end

[Spitz]

How are you not getting this? ATS has a beginning, middle and end. Lines from the main songs are foreshadowed in the interludes. Themes are brought in and out periodically. Hell, isn't The Requiem made of samples from all over the album? The structure of the songs themselves are more varied. When They Come for Me has a long-ass intro. The instrumental solos in Burning in the Skies and The Catalyst are in completely different parts of the songs. That playful synth in Robot Boy is buried under the singing. Every song sounds different than the one that came before it. That isn't shit you can wave off with subjectivity. You saying a collection of singles is better than a cohesive album is like saying a bunch of unconnected vignettes make for better film than one with proper pacing and reoccurring motifs.

[Rocky]

More structure and theme is subjective. because what if I believe one structure is better than another? You can't say one structure is better than the other, you may personally believe that but it's all opinions in the end

Things CAN have a better structure depending on the goal...

some things don't have much of a theme either...

LIVING THINGS doesn't have the same structure as ATS and it definitely has a theme that people really aren't seeming to catch for some reason...it's just presented differently and wouldn't be considered a concept record. LT isn't trying do be ATS pt.2

So yeah...In this case you can't really compare the two as a whole. You can just choose which one you prefer.

It's like comparing mashed potatoes to apple pies.

[peterilo]

Finally someone on here who agrees. I like ATS, but it is my least favorite and a big fact of that was the interludes which for the most part I did find useless. the first listen to the interludes were good but after that not really.

This comment is expected from someone that thinks Blink-182 is better than The Wall by Pink Floyd...

[peterilo]

Let's take The Messenger. This track is really...nothing spectacular. The melody and the acoustic guitar...all of this sounds so "must-be-acoustic song" that every rock band will do at one point in their career

I think you don't have good arguments that supports your opinion,especially this one. The Messenger was made to fit in the full context of the album, it is just a perfect ending for an EPIC STORY that you wouldn't understand if you couldn't appreciate the album as a whole. Though, it's just my opinion. ATS is one of the best albums in history,can be compared to Dark Side Of The Moon in terms of creativity. ATS interludes makes the album FLOW perfectly, something than LIVING THINGS lacked, for example,the way ROADS UNTRAVELED ends all of a sudden.

LIVINGS THINGS is a great album I can't stop listening to it, almost tied ATS in my LP favorite albums.

[Blake]

This comment is expected from someone that thinks Blink-182 is better than The Wall by Pink Floyd...

stfu please. let me have my opinion and you can have yours. and I prefer Dark Side of the Moon anyways.

[travz21]

I can like a frozen dinner fettucini alfredo that I bought from the grocery store more than I like it at a 5 star restaurant, but there's no denying which is of better quality and took more talent and time to make.

[Moridin]

Having listened to LT 8 or 9 times last weekend (but not since) I'd say that front to back it isn't as strong or consistent as ATS. Tracks 2, 3, 4, 5 & Powerless (half the album) are pretty unremarkable/average if not outright terrible (Burn It Down). The rest of the album is where the magic is.

I'll be buying the album soon so I'll give it some more spins & I'll comment more later.