Overflow is such an unique song for LP... the atmosphere builds up for the whole song, and the guitar at the end is amazing. It has the structure of Figure 09 (the bridge is very similar to Figure 09 demo bridge), but it is not as polished, so in that term it is more visceral like Xero/HT EP.
8 songs in... this album packs a PUNCH! Colin's drumming immediately stands out Emily fits the band's sound like a glove. I can literally hear Chester singing but only its a female vocalist. They really struck gold with her. Mike experimenting with his rapping more (something I've wanted for ages) The whole thing sounds fresh and it sounds like they had fun making this My least favorite from first listen is Stained.
The vibe of Good Things Go is off the charts, and I’m more of a “I want loud guitars and bouncy beats” type of LP listener. 11/10 best song on the album for me.
Have played it twice now, wow. I think in terms of initial playback, this is by far my favorite of all their albums. Usually with their albums I only click with about half of them on first listen, and really connect with the other half later on. Will have to let it marinate and see how im feeling in a few months, but so far I'm digging it!
The songs I've had on repeat since the first listen are the final 3 song run of Stained, IGYEIH, and Good Things Go. Stained sounds like Sia, or a friend said Pink, but it definitely captures the sound of a 2000s era pop song. Whether we like it or not, Linkin Park is a 2000s pop juggernaut and I enjoy them trying this sound. I think they pull it off really well. IGYEIH is probably my favorite heavy song on the album, over Casualty. I love the band continuing to experiment with the texture of their songs, this sounds like it might have been recorded more as a live performance like THP or some of MTM. Raw. It's also fun that they clearly have sprinkled in Linkin Park easter eggs, like the scratch sample here being from What I've Done I think? And Step Up appearing for a second in the intro. I can't say anything else about Good Things Go except the way Mike and Emily's voices flow together and trade off reminds me of Robot Boy, and the song Broken by Seether with Amy Lee.
I heard it at a listening party and I’m too much of a “my last.fm stats must be accurate and I’m too lazy to manually import stats that aren’t from Spotify” kind of person to listen to the leak.
Keep pouring those good reviews, keep 'em flowing. It's wholesome reading the good reception, at least so far.
Some more thoughts after sitting with the album for more than a listen or two. I could do without Cut The Bridge and Stained, very lukewarm on those two songs. I don’t know what it is about CTB specifically that just sounds..odd? to me. I just don’t get the song. I don’t mean it’s intent/meaning but just the groove and sound they were going for didn’t click for me at all. Over Each Other is a step or two above those for me. I was initially not overly impressed with Two Faced and IGYEIH but I’ve come around and feel those songs are actually quite good. IGYEIH especially feels like a fresh take on their iconic sound. I thought HITC was a really fun song on release and I think it fits even better in the context of the album. It’s more and more obvious why emptiness machine was chosen as the first single, just a great song and embodies the feel of the album. Overflow and Good Things Go are fantastic. A Thousand Suns meets One More Light plus some edgy vibes, I really dig these songs.
After listening to the album several times through my headphones, I have to say that it is an album that grows on you more with each listen. For example, after one listen I didn't really like Cut the Bridge, but now it's a banger. I can't wait to listen to it in top quality as soon as it is officially released! In my opinion, this album surpasses One More Light, The Hunting Party, and Living Things - it just bounces!
THIS. Is exactly my feeling, with each listen, it grows and grows, and I discover more details. (I think I got a 320 sample, I compared it with apple music quality and it was only slightly different mixed, like, less bass).
As a big Radiohead fan I am intrigued by your comparison to Everything In Its Right Place. Now I'm really hyped to listen to Overflow. Just a few more days until Friday.
I can echo this opinion. My gut reaction from the listening party was “This is Kid A”. Upon hearing it again, the opening sounds uncannily similar to Everything In Its Right Place.
Logged in to this site after 10 years. So great to see all the familiar names! I love the album. Some of the songs are a bit of miss for me (Cut the Bridge, Two Faced) but the rest of them are quite solid. Good things go is just amazing. Can't stop myself from replaying it again and again.
The songs mostly stuck in my head are Stained and Good Things Go. This album is really damn good. Emily proved that her place in the band belongs where it is at. She has such a dynamic range of tones and textures to her vocals that she is definitely a great addition to this version of Linkin Park.
It only sounds like EIIRP for the first few seconds, so don't go in expecting that for the entire song it's so good though
A few people have already made this observation, but some of the ‘heavier songs’ particularly Two Faced are really reminding me of the Xero style production. I hear the bridge in Blue every time the guitar in Two Faced starts. It’s such a throw back. Immediate standouts for me were, in no particular order, Overflow, Stained and Good Things Go. I really want to like Cut The Bridge and Casualty and they are growing on me, but I’m not quite there yet. I don’t know if this is just an impulsive reaction or not, but I feel like the album may be one of the least genre specific albums LP have done. Feels like there’s something for everyone. Very promising!
Cut the Bridge is so catchy oh my god. I just wish the really cool weird electronic elements in the intro came back somewhere in the song, at least in the bridge? Or even the pre-choruses. It would've made the song stand out sonically so much more (I feel the same way about TEM as well, the intro sounds are so ATS coded but you don't hear them again). Still a great song that keeps getting better with every listen tho, It's an upgraded Bleed it Out for sure. Also wow, here after 8 years, never imagined I'd ever log back in here and I can only be grateful, crazy to think about where I was in life then haha. Kinda nuts that we had absolutely no idea about any of this just 2 months ago. This is all still so surreal to me.