The Hate for Wastelands (and its Meteora-ish-ness)?

Discussion in 'Linkin Park Chat' started by Evan, Jan 22, 2016.

  1. #41
    Louis

    Louis Message me if you need to talk. We love you all. LPA Team

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    Coming at this thread probably a bit late, but Wastelands is only interesting to me because of the change in the chord progression at the end. It also reminds me of Muse's "Dead Star."

    Otherwise, it feels like a song with zero content. Listen, we've heard Mike do verses like that before. I just don't see a real meaningful connection between the verses and the chorus. It's kind of a fun song, and fun to rock out to live, but it has no other value. Mike clearly has some talent with words when he chooses to, so why not write something a little more meaningful and make Wastelands into more of a song than just your run-of-the-mill rap/rock track?

    That's my thinking, anyways.
     
  2. #42
    Iopia

    Iopia Well-Known Member

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    Being "as hip hop as he can get" isn't necessarily a good thing when you're a middle class white guy from suburban LA, who's going on forty. Like, yeah, it would be pretty "gangsta" if Mike started rapping about smacking bitches up, or about life in Da Hood™, but we all know how great of an idea that would be. :lol:
     
  3. #43
    minuteforce

    minuteforce Danny's not here, Mrs. Torrance. LPA Team

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    I prefer post-2009 Shinoda any day of the week when it comes to rapping but, in the end, I can't fully stand behind more than a handful of his verses.
     
  4. #44
    Deliveranze

    Deliveranze Well-Known Member

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    Battle rap and Gangsta rap are two completely different things. All rappers whether conscious or not have braggadocio tracks to a degree. What's the difference between that and a 40 year old white guy in a death metal band yelling about cannibalism, wrist cutting etc.? Lol
     
  5. #45
    Evan

    Evan Well-Known Member

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    I feel like Mike DID accomplish that with the Yoko Ono reference and his unique rhyme scheme (i.e "every rap is made in fact to act as a delayed attack"). I haven't really heard anything else like that from him before.

    But yeah, the way the media portrayed this song before we heard it had me thinking Mike was either the lead vocalist (ala Wretches And Kings) or the ONLY vocalist. And yes, the song does kinda feel like it's missing something, but I strongly feel like that wouldn't have been the case if the bridge wasn't so weak (my main gripe with the song).
     
  6. #46
    Deliveranze

    Deliveranze Well-Known Member

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    Agree 100%
     
  7. #47
    Iopia

    Iopia Well-Known Member

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    I was exaggerating for effect, obviously Mike doesn't rap about beating up women, but I feel my sentiment holds true. Just because something is a common characteristic of a genre doesn't mean it's something that should be purposefully emulated. Mike can write a great verse that happens to be a "tough-guy" rap, then great, a good verse is a good verse, but so far, I find myself enjoying the songs where he doesn't do that more than the songs where he does (WTCFM and the STB remix on Recharged spring to mind as examples of when his "tough-guy" rapping has worked). Point is, I don't think he should be doing something just because it makes his rapping "more hip hop".

    And no, there's no difference between that and some 40 year old white guy yelling about wrist cutting, but I also find that cringey, but maybe that's just me. :)
     
  8. #48
    Deliveranze

    Deliveranze Well-Known Member

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    I understand. I agree that it shouldn't be emulated unless there is skill to back it up. In this case, I think he does display tell technical ability to back up his braggadocio. I do hope he can go back to his conscious style of rapping like HT with metaphorical imagery and not forced bluntness like Meteora. Unlike Remember the Name, Mike is displaying technical rhyming to back up his cocky attitude which works well. I love STB Remix verse too. I get a bit frustrated when people stereotype an entire genre based on one subgenre. When I said more " hip hop, " I meant technical rhyming compared to the other amateur simple techniques he has used before. I like Mike is staying a bit closer to the art form he is inspired by instead of trying to appropriate it for angsty teens. Of course, he should only do it when necessary and I believe it's far more necessary here than AFN or KTTK since he can back up his claims through the listener's analyzing of his technique. I would definitely like to see him switch up his style though. I apologize if my post came off as slightly hostile. ☺
     
  9. #49
    Elaine

    Elaine The One They Call Elaine. LPA VIP

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    I refuse to believe this post could end with anything other than "It doesn't even matter".
     
  10. #50
    HybridT

    HybridT Well-Known Member

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    Nice pun ;)
     
  11. #51
    JonasTheRoman

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    You can't use the term "in the end" without making every reader here think of a certain LP song. :lol: But I have to admit, I also think of this song every time I use that term.

    Regarding Wastelands, I still remember how everyone was like "I can't believe it sounds so groovy" when it was first published. To be honest it really stands out of the rest of the album regarding the "flow" of the song, but this impression got quickly displaced by the overall weakness of the song (regarding the bridge and chorus), which made it kinda boring in the long run.
    But I have to admit the guitar riff and drum-pattern is special and Mike has delivered some of his best verses in the last years, technically. Still, I don't like that "tough guy" rapping, but on the first listens I was really impressed by his rapping, it featured very nice word play and rhyme patterns and it just flowed so nicely with the rest of the catchy instrumental.
    If the rest of the song would've been a bit more sophisticated, I'm sure Wastelands would've stood the test of time for the most fans here, but sadly, it didn't.
     
  12. #52
    minuteforce

    minuteforce Danny's not here, Mrs. Torrance. LPA Team

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    So we're all in agreement that "Wastelands" doesn't particularly resemble any of the "Meteora" songs. :)
     
  13. #53
    Iopia

    Iopia Well-Known Member

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    I definitely agree, and at the end of the day, if he's writing good music and good lyrics, regardless of what the lyrics are about, then I'm happy. I hope he pushes himself and we get some nice technical raps in the future, combined with great lyrics.

    And you didn't come across as hostile at all by the way. :)
     
  14. #54
    Deliveranze

    Deliveranze Well-Known Member

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    Well, since they are writing lyrics first this time.......Mike has no excuse.

    Thank you. ☺
     
  15. #55
    Modern Guitar God

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    The song doesn't sound like anything from Meteora to me. I feel that it's something between ATS and MTM. The verses are obviously inspired more by Mike's Fort Minor writing than the introspective or socially-aware LP lyrics we usually expect. Actually, the FM-style writing from Mike is all over THP.

    The guitars on "Wastelands" sound more classic rock and classic metal influenced (Black Sabbath) than the really abrasive nu metal guitars on Meteora. I know the band cringes and dislikes being called nu metal, but if we're to be honest,that was the sound at the time, and the guitars on Meteora kind of remind people of that music period. Sorry Mike and everyone. I hate calling you guys nu metal as well.

    Anyway, I don't really have a problem with the song besides the delay on Chester's vocals. It's not needed, imo, and doesn't do anything cool or special to the song. It just adds unnecessary extra sound.
     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2016
  16. #56
    Astat

    Astat LPA Super Member LPA Super Member

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    Wastelands isn't that bad in the scope of the Linkin Park catalog. It just happens to be a pretty average song, on an album that happens to have about 6 or 7 exceptional songs on it. It would have been a good song on Minutes to Midnight, and it would have been one of the better songs on Living Things. It's just a matter of context.
     
  17. #57
    Captain-EO

    Captain-EO Also Prog Nerd Now, Thanks Gibs LPA Super Member

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    /thread

    :lol:
     
  18. #58
    Iopia

    Iopia Well-Known Member

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    Opinions!

    Wastelands would be by far my least favourite track if it was on MTM, and it would even probably be my least favourite track if it was on HT. Maybe it wouldnt quite beat out LGM as my least favourite track on LT, but at that point it's too close to call. I honestly think it's one of the weakest songs LP have ever put out. There are a few aspects to the song that I respect, like the rapping and the interesting drum beat, but overall the song just does nothing for me. It's not terrible, but it's wholeheartedly average IMO, and for me, LP rarely put out "average" tracks.
     
  19. #59
    Migueltorres

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    I really like Wastelands , IMO it destroys half of MTM and LT
     
  20. #60
    Xero-G

    Xero-G Reborn LP Fan, and plan to stay that way.

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    Wastelands, despite its overly familiar structure, couldn't really fit MTM or LT especially IMO. While MTM had a raw/more natural feel to it with somewhat stripped back instrumentals and more authentic vocals (not very polished/processed), THP really takes raw and unpolished to the next level. We all know how very polished and "perfect" LT sounds, so a song like Wastelands wouldn't really have a prominent place on an album like LT.

    Then again, LT does have Victimized, which sounds to me to be the least polished song on the album.

    Also, the highlights of Wastelands for me are the groovy guitars, Mike's verses, and Chester's overall sound on the chorus. My only (small) gripes would be Mike not sounding clear enough during his parts (meaning, his voice sounds a bit muddled to me), and Chester not having additional lyrics in the bridge, which is otherwise awesome.
     

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