I'd give it a 69 for it being so sexy Now let us see if people c wut i did thar But seriously, I'd give it a 93.
Well, ideally that would always be the case but I don't think it is a black and white case of all reviewers being without an agenda one way or another. Whether they'll admit it or not, if someone already has a strong opinion on someone's existing work it can be hard to shake off and look at their future work fairly, and it's very much possible that someone will act that way whether they're a pro or just posting on a board. And thanks, I've been waiting for someone to compliment it haha.
Fun fact, for years Meteora was actually rated 56/100. Before Minutes to Mightnight came out it went to 62. To this day I cannot figure out how that happened.
I do agree with you there - these sorts of reviews normally seem to come from reviewers trying to make a name for themselves and gain attention. I think reviewers do have their place though, and I personally read a lot of reviews and always check reviewer names and such to work out if the reviewer is experienced/more qualified or not. Using fan forums for reviews also has the downside of having to sift through pages of shit to find something worth reading.
Most people outside LP fan-circles put them in the same category as Foo Fighters and Nickelback, in that they're a big pop-rock band without much going on lyrically or musically, save for strong hooks and soaring power chords. Now that LP's pushing against that branding, some critics are going to be more receptive, because most critics enjoy being surprised or seeing artists challenge themselves. It's a minor improvement, since LP's still working on a foundation of vague lyrics and pop hooks, and many of their tricks in ATS are thinly-disguised takeaways from better concept albums. Then again, when you're borrowing from The Wall, Sgt. Pepper, and The Fragile, it's awfully hard to match that level of genius, so a little perspective is helpful.