After so many listens this is my rating and experience: Nobody Can Save Me : I really love the gibberish voice in the intro and wish they use it more often at the chorus but sadly only at the intro and at the first drop. The lyrics, melody, instrument in this one is amazing, got to hands it out to Chester in this one. [5/5] Good Goodbye : Yes, this one feels out of place among the others. All the rapping and the singing chorus brings back that LP combo but the instrument in this one really reminds me of one of those hip-hop or rap track where more than 3 rappers would appear and each of them did their own verse while leading to the same chorus over and over. However that annoying chipmunk voice is unbearable after so many listens. [3/5] Talking to Myself : Love the intro, guitar and that deep voice backing Chester in the first and second verse; the live version somehow sounds better and more organic but still one of my favourite to sing along; especially that ~ WhuuuuUuu ~ at the chorus and that last chorus where Chester scream (you keep running like the sky is FALLING!) with a different tone, that one is the best. [4/5] Battle Symphony : The thing I don't like about this one is that the melody is too predictable, the verse and the chorus is really just a sing-along style. This song just don't hit me like the others do, the instruments are great though. [2/5] Invisible : Mike's deliver on this one is outstanding, really love the lyrics and that part (If I cannot break your fall. I'll pick you up right off the ground). Love the subtle tone in the intro and ending; the chorus is predictable but still a great song overall. [4/5] Heavy : This one I hated in the beginning but now I got to admit it has a nice beat and RnB style to it, I really like that piano and that guitar melody in the second chorus. Kiiara's vocal on this song is the cherry on top, what I'm disappointed is the lack of intro and an instrumental bridge before leading to the conclusion and the track overall follow that classic pop structure.[3/5] Sorry for Now : Oh another Mike's awesomeness plus Chester rapping skill; the intro give me that OwlCity vibe to it and the drop really brings me to those chill-electronic style that I've been listening to a lot. I really love the chorus (And I'll be sorry for now...That you will understand). BUT one thing I can't stand is that annoying chipmunk AGAIN ruining the song and ending, could have been a 5/5 but nope. [4/5] Halfway Right : This one got a nice vibe to it especially with the glitchy instrument in the back and that "Whoop" sound, the chorus is fun to sing to especially at the "I don't lose I don't win if I'm wrong then I'm halfway right ~halfway right~" don't forget that backing vocal (Ohh WhuuOohhOhh) at the chorus. I also like the pre-chorus verse which has a nice melody to it (All you said to do was slow down...but I was already gone). [4/5] One More Light : Shit this one hits me hard, the instrument, the solo guitar, that wobbling piano, the atmosphere, the tone and Chester's beautiful vocal really make this song a standout and the highlight of the album. The lyrics and how Chester sang it is very emotional especially at the chorus; when I listen to it I feels emotional in a way but not sad and depress but in cathartic way. "But I do..." [5/5] Sharp Edges : This one...I don't get it I can't stand it. At first when I heard the intro I was like "Oh, they kinda went country on this one..Cool" for some reason I cant stand that chorus part "...to find that for MYSELF!" I really cant stand the chorus in this one but the instrument is ok. [1/5] What I've noticed listening from start to finish is that it lack that subtle transition from one song to another unlike ATS or THP where at the end of each song you would have an interlude or a short outtro. The songs in OML can stand on its own separately and in sense give the songs its own individuality thus lacking that "journey" vibe when listening from start to finish unlike most of the previous album. Overall : 7/10...Signing Out...
Talking to Myself on repeat from 12am!! 10th time and counting The live version sounded even better. Nevertheless amazing song ❤️
First listen through the whole album and I can say, Its beautiful. I was hooked. I am so happy I purchased the record. EDIT: I literally cried when listening to OML(song) and after seeing the Jimmy Kimmel performance, I can't listen to this song without breaking down. Simply heart touching.
EVERYONE: Even if you have the album on your phone, on your computer, or in the car. I urge you to listen on Spotify for the first week! Streaming counts towards albums sales so let's all listen on Spotify to help the band out on their first week sales
I used to hate Invisible but now I really, really like it. Jumped up from "F" tier to either "B" or "A" tier. All the songs are so good
Using @Minus 's tier system, I present my updated One More Light tiers as well as a comparison with my tiers for The Hunting Party SS: Nobody Can Save Me, Sorry for Now, One More Light [Moved from S to SS] S: Halfway Right, Sharp Edges A: Good Goodbye, Talking to Myself B: Battle Symphony, Invisible [Moved from F to B] C: Heavy D: F: SS: Rebellion, Mark the Graves, Final Masquerade S: A: A Line In the Sand B: Drawbar, Guilty All the Same C: D: Wastelands F: Keys To the Kingdom, War, All For Nothing, The Summoning, Until It's Gone
Okay so from what I've seen, Good goodbye is getting mixed reviews thx to pusha and stormzy lol. If you were to choose between We Made it ft. Busta Rhymes and Good goodbye which one is it gonna be?
- My description is knowingly vague to avoid spoilers for other users so they can experience the album on their own when they listen to it for the first time and we already have a lot of very well written detailed descriptions - I don't know what is going on but as far as I remember this is the first album I really had teary eyes in public while listening to a new album in general (not just LP, but I often save big releases for my way to work or other appointments). There are a lot of topics I can connect to, especially being a father and losing someone/ fear of losing someone I love. They really nailed a lot of these emotions for me. Kudos to the whole band for once again delivering a record I will listen to many, many times. I also really dig a lot of the instrumentations and - for LP - different approaches to sing certain segments. While I am really sad for the lack of all the weird stuff we had a glimpse at these past months (cowbells, strange manipulation with radio sounds, etc --> maybe they are in there but I can't hear them) in my opinion this is not a regular 0815 pop record (nothing wrong with that, I like a lot of "bland" pop albums for just making me hum, dance or get pumped without delivering much meaning or make me think about certain topics). For this there is a lack of uptempo songs with mundane content. The standouts for me so far are: - Nobody can save me - Invisible - Talking to myself - Sorry for now - Halfway right - One more light - Sharp edges It is ridiculous to list so many songs as standouts so if I had to restrict this list to less songs I would say the strongest part are the two final tracks in combination as an album closer (I also like Heavy, Good Goodbye and Battle Symphony for several reasons. For now, not a single stinker for me: a rarity that might change if there are certain elements that get exhausting after months of listening to the new album but hopefully this won't be the case). The only criticism is that I wish there would be a few more faster tracks like talking to myself without missing on what we have got with this record. 12 to 15 tracks would have been awesome as long as the quality is consistent (Furthermore I think they could have added Good Goodbye without any guests as a hidden track or as part of a limited release). This is no criticism on the length per se and has more to do with the fact that they have put out an album that is so addictive to me after a few listens that I am just longing for more of this. I won't assign a specific rating to the record since in my opinion it is really, really hard to give a detailed number nowadays and after such a short time. In summary one more light is a strong album that gets a huge thumps up due to the topics I can connect to, a lot of instrumentals I enjoy and some suprises regarding their approach to sing certain parts. And fortunately OML ends with two amazing songs that are so good that they also lead to my only criticism so far: Mike, Chester, Rob, Joe, Phoenix, Brad --> I want more music <3
Thirteen years ago I was diagnosed with a disease called Aplastic Anemia. A fatal disease of the blood, not unlike leukemia. I was 11-years-old. I stayed in hospital, fighting for my life. Chemotherapy. Going bald. Fed through a tube in my nose. Wasting away. My family moved to a different city so that I could get the treatment I needed. We appealed to people through the media, even TV. My mom stayed with me in hospital every night, sleeping on the couch next to my bed. My dad quit his job and dedicated his time to looking after me. They gave their all for me, to keep me alive. My sisters and my parents, they knew how huge of a Linkin Park fan I was. I listened to their music every day, I pretty much breathed Linkin Park. They would listen to all of the songs with me. Listening to the song One More Light, and the lyrics " The reminders, pull the floor from your feet. In the kitchen, one more chair than you need". I overcame my disease and I'm here today. But for a moment I imagine being on the other side... if I didn't survive the disease. I imagine my mother hearing this song from her son's favorite band, and how heartbreaking and gut-wrenching this would be. I can actually picture all the reminders they'd have of me, and how much it would hurt. Now I understand why this song is making people cry. I am not sorry to say I just shed tears while listening to One More Light. Thank you Linkin Park. For never failing to move me.
Thanks, guys. I wasn't going to post that because I didn't want to take away from the album release, but I decided to share it because I think it shows exactly how much of an impact Linkin Park's music can have in our hearts and our thoughts. The band and their music touch people's lives in a way that they'll never even know.
Alright, I think I've had the tracks long enough for an initial song-by-song review, although Dayz pretty much nailed a lot of my feelings above: 1. Nobody Can Save Me - This is a track that I anticipate will get better with time. I liked it a lot on my first listen, and it sets the mood for the album well. A better opener than Wake/Given Up IMO, but not quite as good as LITE or KTTK (as an opener to their respective albums). I like that the melodies are strong, yet unpredicatble, and I'm still not sure what parts to call verses/choruses/pre-choruses, which makes it interesting. 2. Good Goodbye - I think the fact that it's the only rap on the album makes it a cooler track than on its own, but I still don't really care for it. The chorus is great, Mike's verse is standard Mike, but Pusha and Stormzy don't do much for me. I don't see what's really gained from their collaboration in comparison to the other collaborators on THP or Kiiara on Heavy, which I think all really add something to the songs. If the token rap song on the album was a bit more serious, in the vein of Hands Held High or Waiting for the End vibe, I would've liked it a lot more. But right now it doesn't really feel like it belongs on the album. I will say I am not against the whole "chipmunk" voice effect that I keep reading people hating on, I think it's a cool touch lol. 3. Talking to Myself - This is an awesome song, it sounds like the kind of thing Chester was born to sing. I'm pleasantly surprised by how much rock energy the song has. At its core it kind of sounds like something that could be on MtM, but definitely feels like it does a lot of new things for LP. The way Chester delivers the final chorus makes it a way better song than it would be if the chorus was just repeated again at the end. Also, you can actually hear Phoenix in this song!!! 4. Battle Symphony - The melodies in this song are super catchy, but also super predictable. It's fun to listen to and sing along to, but it kind of feels like a generic LP song with less guitars and more electronics, and there aren't any cool sounds like the awesome synths around ATS and LT. I definitely enjoy it, but it feels like a demo track, like something could be more interesting with it. Maybe more instrumentation, or if the last chorus had some kind of changeup, a solo, etc. It's a weird feeling where I don't dislike it at all, I just have no desire to click on it and listen to it individually because it doesn't feel like it offers anything special. One of my least favorites. 5. Invisible - This is one of the songs where it really feels like they spent a lot of time on the lyrics of this album. It's a touching track, that has a nice energy to it and a cool soundscape. Mike singing it adds some nice diversity to the sound of the album, even though it feels like one of those songs that Chester could just as easily have owned. 6. Heavy - I still like this song a lot. Kiiara adds a lot to it, the chorus is super catchy and energetic, and the verses are really fun and are one of the many things on the album that just feel so different from other LP tracks. I see a lot of people hate on it for being the simple, poppy lead single (words that describe Burn it Down, which imo is a great track in the context of Living Things). Even though the album is entirely poppy, I think it still has a nice diversity to it, and Heavy definitely has qualities that make it different from the others. The way the whole song crescendos into one of the most energetic moments of the album (I drive myself crazy thinking everything's about me!) is great, and the "real" rock drum sound makes it feel sonically different from most all of the other tracks. Right now it's hard to compare it to the other tracks since we've had it for so long, but I think it's in the upper half of the album for me still. 7. Sorry For Now - Holy crap, this song was easily the standout on my first listen and is still one of my favorites (if not my favorite) track on the album. The intro is cool, the verses have a nice sound and great lyrics, and the chorus is incredible. Where Invisible feels like a track that Mike sounds great on, but doesn't sound irreplaceable on, Mike sounds totally irreplaceable on this chorus. I can't imagine Chester bringing the same magic to it. The breakdown after the first chorus is awesome, I love how long it lasts and the way the guitar comes in to make it more interesting as it continues. Chester rapping is cool, even though I don't know what he's talking about lol. The rest of the song is so good I don't even care, but I do like his section. It sounds totally 2000s for some reason, like something on a Disney channel song, but it works for me. My favorite part is everything after the rap. I love the changeup to "there are things we have to do that we can't stand", and the way Mike delivers all the choruses after. The final way it goes back into the breakdown is awesome and has SO much energy, it makes me want to jump around every time I hear it. 10/10 track for me. 8. Halfway Right - This was the other suprisingly awesome track on my first listen. It's so catchy, totally feels like it could have been a lead single. The verses are a totally new vocal delivery for an LP album, and Chester really owns them in a way we haven't heard before. The Na Na Nas are so fun, and now What I've Done isn't the only song that does that lol. I love the way he delivers the "scream at myself line", like he's about to go all out and scream, but stays with the super melodic chorus. It's a really simple song but a super fun one. 9. One More Light - This song is awesome, the lyrics are awesome, and the emotion behind it definitely feels like some of the most authentic they've ever put out. I'm not head over heels for this track, as I usually am for the soft songs on albums, but I do love it. For some reason I want to compare it to TLTGYA, but I feel like it's pretty different. This is the first song besides the Messenger that is this bare-bones, and it works well. I'd like to hear them do more tracks like this, because I feel like they could do it even better. Not that I don't love it, but I'm not floored by it like I've read some people say. I'm sure it'll still be a freaking spiritual experience live though. 10. Sharp Edges - Yeah, I kind of share that opinion. Maybe it will grow on me, but right now it feels like my least favorite track on that album. It doesn't feel like a closer at all, doesn't feel like it really fits in on the album, and just doesn't really work for me. I like that they didn't try to be super poetic with the lyrics on this album, and said a lot of phrases that really clearly stated how they were feeling, like "I was not mad at you", but I don't like the lyrics to this one much. Especially the "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" part. I know there's no such thing as a Linkin Park sound or rules to what an LP song can do, but Chester singing "Mama taught me" on this instrumental is just so far from what I want when I listen to LP lol. You'd think I'd love this track, because I love Country music, but I don't. To be clear, this is FAR from a country song in my books, but it does kind of have some country influences (as many have pointed out). I'll keep an open mind about it as I listen, but right now, not a track for me. Overall I love the album, I could see myself saying I enjoy it more than MTM, and there are a few songs (Heavy, Sorry for Now, Invisible, One More Light) that will probably grow to be some of my most-played LP tracks. I sure as hell would never have predicted these songs would follow The Hunting Party.
Hey guys I've enjoyed everything from the album. My favourites are sharp edges, invisible, and one more light. But as a whole, I found the album to be both a fun and emotional experience. For me personally, the only major flaw from the album is some of the lyrics from battle symphony such as 'fuse it back together', but I'm sure that song was talked about already in depth when it was released haha. I also was wondering who would be excited for Linkin Park to release and EP of the acoustic versions of some of the tracks. Because, I think some of the stuff played during the promotion for the album was amazing, from the snippets I've heard.
I'm so sorry you had to go through that, but thankfully you recovered. Thank you for posting this, I wish the band could see more posts like this instead of "Linkin Pop!". I often take for granted what this band means to me and the thousands of others out there, but I appreciate what they've done even if I don't always show it.