Good lord, is there always this much complaining on here when new music is released? I don't remember there being this much when living things came out. Also, I wouldn't write off this album even if you don't like this track. There's still 9 more to hear and judging from how different these first 2 tracks were, it's a safe bet that the rest will be a bit different as well.
IMO LP have never been great at lyric writing, but these new lyrics are one dimensional, their meaning isn't open for discussion like other bands such as Nine Inch Nails or Depeche Mode. But this is turning out to be even less substantial than Living Things, both of these songs have burnt out in terms of how interesting they are to me. I remember listening to The Catalyst or What I've Done constantly up until album release. I've listened to Until It's Gone 4 times now, first time I heard it I enjoyed the first minute, assuming it'd get better.. When it finished I was like: "That's it?" The second time I heard it I enjoyed it more because I knew what to expect from the AWKWARD structure, a problem I also had with GATS, the drums and guitar stop randomly in an attempt to feel edgy and it throws me off until I learn the song. Anyway, third time I heard it I completely forgot I was listening to the song until it came to the end, I got so bored I started checking my email 20 seconds in. And I listened critically for the fourth time and found it very unenjoyable again, this is the first Linkin Park single that I have no desire to play a few hours after release, the fan boy in me does not exist anymore. IMO they fucked up, they fucked up bad.
Yep. I agree. I reckon it's a quality song. People can have their own opinion on it and that's fine but I disagree with a lot of the comments in this thread.
I tried listening to GATS and then this in my headphones while laying on my bed and I almost fell asleep with UIG. I get that too, I must have played The Catalyst around 500 times before the album dropped, and it still was as interesting and polarizing as the first listen, I always kept discovering new bits and sounds every few listens. The only songs that could spark any emotion in me in LT were In My Remains and Castle of Glass, everything else seems forced, and even when their lyrics were not "whoa"-material they still had that "thing" that made them compelling.
OK this is my 6th listen to this song. It's really not that bad at all. The only thing i reaally can complain about are the lyrics. We all know that LP is more about the instruments than the lyrics anyway...
Do you know when the drama on these forums was at its highest (at least in my experience)? When The Catalyst/A Thousand Suns was released. The amount of butt hurt on here was astronomical. It was kind of funny honestly. And guess what? Years later we consider ATS one of if not the best Linkin Park album. Linkin Park has always been polarizing...nothing new really.
Pop is not just defined by sound. Pop is also defined by the construction of the song. The metaphor I often like to use is that the way a song is structured and written and composed is the foundation of a house, and the sound is the painting and furniture. Other than maybe Imagine Dragons, no, you probably won't hear a song that sounds like UIG on the radio. But you will hear songs with simple verse/chorus structure (although to be fair, EDM "drop" structure has overtaken just as much as V/C), simple catchy hooks, vague lyrics about super universal themes, 3-4 minutes long, lots of repetition, etc. Until It's Gone is very much a constructed pop song, even if it doesn't have the same color of paint that other pop songs do at the moment. That doesn't have to be a bad thing, but it makes the band look bad given the constant railing against pop music Mike has been doing.
I give them a pass on one song that goes against the grains of the album. Mike's flat out said there's a business aspect of the music industry that needs to be tended to in addition to the creative side. They needed the mass appeal song. Now, if a lot of the album sounds like UIG...then yeah...it starts looking a little fishy.
Xero - you make all valid points but pretty much what Ben said...there's always that one lead single, catchy chorus, we-need-to-promote-the-album-on-radio song. Based on everything else that has been said/descriptions we've gotten, I have no reason to believe the rest of the album will follow this same structure/vibe. The Hunting Party will kick ass and take no prisoners. Calling it now.
I don't doubt it'll kick ass either...and leave no survivors. Lol I expect this album to just erupt viciousness and aggression. And I couldn't be more excited about it.
I strongly disagree with 90% of the opinions on this thread. But I respect. I just wanted to say that in all these 14 years of LP albums (which I listen since the beginning), I couldn't be more happy and satisfied with their improvement and growth in all these years. Their lyrics we're always great, so as the musics structure. The only album I didn't like very much was ATS, but not for the musics in it, it was because of the lack of music in it, ATS has 15 tracks but only 9 songs, if you know what I mean. But these 9 songs are awesome. Living Things surprised me very much because of the simplicity of the songs and I love it. That is my opinion. I love GATS, and UIG surprised me, I love it too now. Anyway, that's just MY opinion. The Hunting Party is coming and it's going to be a masterpiece.
Even though I don't work for the band, having heard the 6 song sampler I feel I kinda have an obligation to kind of set the story straight here. When you guys hear the other songs from the sampler, you'll realize why UIG was picked as the single, despite being sort of different from the 'vision' the band has been trying to convey in interviews. To be frank the others weren't exactly 'single friendly'. Until It's Gone has the most similar sound to the older material and the lyrics are clean meaning no special edits had to be done. The other songs either have the word "fuck" in them, or if no "fucks"...they just don't really have as marketable of a sound as UIG. Infact Keys To The Kingdom is pretty heavy in the choruses. Stacked against the other tracks, this song was the obvious single.
I actually really like this song Thank you I figured as much! I mean you did say in the 6 song sample thread there was a good amount of rapping and screaming. People are just jumping to conclusions. Sure they can be pissed but you should have seen it coming. They arent going to release a scream heavy song for a single. I also feel like this song and A Line in the Sand might be the only two soft tracks on the album. maybe a 3rd but I doubt there would be three the way theve been promoting the album
Guilty all the same was really good.but this song feels like a song from Living things. And I expected more from the lyrics point of view. And I can't believe how much the band and the fans are hyping that THP is taking them back to their roots. It's in no way a prequel to Hybrid theory.I'm sure this song will be chart topper ,but I kinda expected a bit more. Closing thoughts: GATS - full version of victimized (post punk) UIG - BID + in my remains + I'll be gone This is my opinion so ,please no hate.