Okay so when Minutes To Midnight first leaked on to the net I set up This thread so people could post their reviews on the album. Well it's been nearly 10 months since it's release and it's gone multi-platinum in several different countries however I'm sure certain people's opinions on the album have changed since then. Some people didn't dig it at first but learnt to like it eventually and vice-versa so I thought I'd create this thread so people can tell others how they feel about the tracks ten months on. Here is my track-by-track re-review: Wake An exceptional intro song to say the least. The atmospheric start is almost like the calm before a storm which builds towards the battle that is the heavy guitar that follows it. Despite it's positives I do tend to feel that if this song had been progressed more than we might have heard one of LP's most epic songs to date. It's similar to that of Announcement Service Public in that it's a great instrumental but it's almost a let down that it's not a full song. Another aspect that takes away from Wake is that it doesn't feel at home on the album and it is far too epic to set the tone for Minutes To Midnight which is why I have given it the same rating that I did nearly 10 months ago. 3/5 (Original rating: 3/5) Given Up This has got to be the most energetic song that LP have ever made. The punk-rock style guitar compliments the catchy bassline and Chester's raw vocals...However I have to say that it's the drumming that makes this song. The drum pattern is pushing towards in between a hip hop beat and a metal style rythm which gives the song that catchiness and makes you just wanna bop your head to the beat. One negative point that must be made is about the lyrics. I'm aware that the lyrics were written about Chester's drug addictions during the end of the Meteora touring cycle however people on the outside looking in will think of the lyrics as nothing more than teen angst. Also, while I do not have a problem with swearing in songs, I think the terms used take away from the song. Screaming ''what the fuck is wrong with me'' and ''put me out of my fucking misery'' doesn't do justice to the lyrical genious that we have come to know with the band. This is dissapointing because the song itself has a raw energy to it. However what Chester has lacked lyrically he has made up for in vocals in this song. An 18 second scream is only one of the highlights that Chester had put on show in this track. Overall I feel that, despite the somewhat dodgey lyrics, this is a pure mosh anthem and that is something that I love and never really expected LP to ever do. 4/5 (Original rating: 3/5) Leave Out All The Rest When I first heard this song I thought it was brilliant, and I still think it's a great song, however 10 months on whenever I listen to MTM I tend to skip it. I feel that this track lacks any staying power and it gets old extremely quickly. Also the song is probably the poppiest song LP have ever done which is something I regret because LP should be trying to move away from the whole Pop style stuff in order to focus on more raw instrumental talent. That's not to say that I don't enjoy listening to it at all and I do occasionally get the itch to listen to it. I like the theme of the song and Chester's vocals are top notch. There is no real presscence in the song by any of the other band members though and the whole thing just seems electronic with a few strings thrown in. Overall it's a nice song but it just doesn't have any staying power which is why my original rating is being halved. 2.5/5 (Original rating: 5/5) Bleed It Out I find it hard to believe that I gave this song such a low rating all those months ago. It's gone from being one of my least favorites on the album to one of my undisputed favorites by the band. From the very first second that Brad hits the guitar the song is just the definition of catchy. Mike's lines are almost a fusion of his fun Fort Minor work with the serious desire of his Linkin Park work which combine well along with Rob's 'motown' style drumming. The whole song is just fun and it's a nice step away from the seriousness that LP's work has been reknowned for. The only negative thing I can think of about this song is that the chorus is repeated too many times. The song also deserved a much better video. I get the feeling that if it did and the promotion was right, it would have done a hell of a lot better than it did in the charts. Apart from that its a fantastic song and a great party style anthem. 5/5 (Original rating 1.5/5) Shadow Of The Day I loved this song when I first heard it and over the months the song has actually grown on me more and more. I can't see why so many people don't like it. It's slightly poppy but it's also a beautiful and delicate ballad. The theme of the song certainly calls for Chester to sound as if he really emotionally believes in what he is saying and he does it to perfection (as usual). This song is certainly a demostration of LP's unique ability to fuse together various types of songs successfully in that this song is a ballad but at the same time contains a very hip-hop style beat from the second chorus on wards. I love the fact that as the song progresses it seems to get heavier and yet keep it's mellowness about it. However despite this song being one of my favorites off the album I will have to admit that the song is 100% based off of the U2 song With Or Wirthout You. In fact the computer generated beat you can hear in the intro to the song is near identical to that of the drumming in With Or Without You. However like the old saying goes: good artists borrow, great artists steal and this is by no means a negative point. One thing that slightly bothers me about the song is that the chorus is repeated too many times and does tend to lose a bit of meaning after it is repeated 5 or so times. All in all its a wonderful song though and one of my favorites from the album. 5/5 (Original rating 4/5) What I've Done This song is great but I tend to feel that it being the last and most hurried song the band made for the album, it certainly shows just that. If you are writing a song about going through a transition then you have to make the point loud and clear but unfortunatly LP have failed to do this in that the lyrics just don't do the song any justice which is a shame because the song itself is quite epic. Another negative point is that, in an extremely rare circumstance, I have to criticse Rob's drumming in this song. The drum pattern remains virtually the same throughout most of the song which doesn't give any kick to the song at all. There are a few positives in this song though in that Brad's little solo suits the song well and the horror film style piano intro really sets an epic tone for the song. Overall I'd have to say that this was probably the right choice for the first single in that it attempts to explain the changes that the band have gone through since Meteora however there are far better songs on the album that could have demostrated that without the need for explanation in the lyrics. 3/5 (Original rating 3.5/5) Hands Held High I think this is possibly one of the most amazing songs I've ever heard. I hated it when I first heard it but it's grown on me so much that it's become one of my favorite LP songs of all time. The 'amen' as the chorus just gives the whole song a sense of unity with those who are feeling exactly what Mike is saying in his ryhmes. The only bad point about this song is that it ends far too abruptly for my liking. Otherwise this song is perfect. 5/5 (Original rating 2.5/5) More to follow...
Wake As Luke said, it does seem epic. My only problems with this wonderful piece of music is that it ends abruptly that's more of a problem to me than the length. 3/5 Given Up Bells, Bells, Bells. I feel like I'm listening to some metal version of a Christmas song. I like this song okay but it's one of my least favorites on the album. 2/5 Leave Out The Rest I love the lyrics but the instrumental gets old after a while. Was one of my favorites but had gotten old really quickly. 3/5
Wake: Good enough intro, can be fairly epic if you're in the right mood to appreciate it. Could've been so much more though. 3/5 Given Up: Simple yet awesome guitar riff. The lyrics are much deeper than what they first seem. Personally, they speak so much more than giving up on your high school crush. Drug addiction, sickness especially seem to be the real themes. 4/5 Leave Out All The Rest: Amazing lyrics. Helped me through a rough time where I was literally being told I was about to die, so again, another song that speaks volumes to me personally. Musically it's a bit unexciting though... 3.5/5 Bleed It Out: Awesome to see such a fun track from LP. In the same vein as Faint I think, but lyrically also more fun. Music is awesome for the song, didn't need to be any more complex. 4/5 Shadow Of The Day: Deep lyrics, awesome music, great work by the whole band here. Chester delivers one of the best soft-rock performances ever. Brads 'solo' is simple, yet perfect. 4/5 What I've Done: Nice rock song, nothing amazing, but a solid radio single, great sing along anthem as well. 3.5/5 Hands Held High: Simply the greatest anti war anthem ever. Yeah I said it. The only thing that stops this from getting a 5/5 is the guitar work, maybe more effort could've gone into it? 4/5 No More Sorrow: Awesome, head banging track. Love it, great breakdown as well. Absolutely awesome live. 4/5 Valentine's Day: Not emo. Nice guitar riff from Brad, it's repeated over and over but I'd say a fair bit of work went into it. Another almost perfect ballad. Chester is amazing again. 4/5 In Between: Lyrically strong, which was obviously the intention. Seems a bit last minute in terms of the music... 3/5 In Pieces: Again, I love the lyrics. Emotional, yet resolute, if that makes sense to everyone else. That guitar solo, the way it comes out of nowhere, doesn't seem to fit in, yet somehow makes the entire song. Who knew Brad could play like that? It's not overly complex, but it is damn fast. Far too fast for me to get the hang of, that's for sure... 4.5/5 The Little Things Give You Away: The build up in the this song... Absolutely perfect, incredibly powerful by the end, without resorting to banging on drop D riffs. Chester is awesome throughout, but from the solo onwards, the vocals just get better and better. The solo itself, once again, isn't complex, but sounds awesome when you play it properly, with the whole build up and everything. In terms of simply the sound of it, skill and speed aside, I'd call it one of the best ever. And I'm not an idiot when it comes to guitar work, I realise Smells Like Teen Spirit is hardly an amazing song... 5/5, easily. Writing this review has actually made me realise how much I like MTM. Can't wait to see where the band goes next time.
Wake: Same as Luke. 3.5/5 Given Up: Love this song. It's a great live song and the only minus point would be the drum part. 5/5 Leave Out All The Rest: Liked it the first times but I don't think it's that good anymore 3/5 Bleed It Out: Just great 5/5 Shadow Of The Day: The opposite of LOATR, didn't really like it at first but it has grown on me. 4/5 What I've Done: Nice song. 4/5 Hands Held High: Very interesting music. Strong lyrics. 4/5 No More Sorrow: Great. 5/5 Valentine's Day: 4.5/5 In Between: Only LP song I didn't like but hearing it live totaly changed my opinion about it. 3.5/5 In Pieces: Amazing solo. 5/5 The Little Things Give You Away: Maybe like In Between I need to hear it live. 3/5
1) Wake- A very nice instrumental but like has been said already it seems to leave me hanging because it isn't a whole song. Nice but I wish they would have done more with it 3/5 2)Given Up- Good song thats makes me want to jump around every time I hear it. Chester violent scream is all I need to hear to keep me hooked for a very long time. 4/5 3) Leave Out All The Rest- It is an ok song that has good lyrics but it just doesn't sound like a Linkin Park song to me. Whether it is the music or the pop like singing i dot know but it just doesn't seem to fit. especially after a loud angry song like Given Up. 2/5 4) Bleed It Out- Hands down probably my favorite songs not only on this album but any of Linkin Park albums. Mike's rapping is excellent exactly what I'm use to hearing but however there is one flaw with the song and that flaw being that the song is WAY to short. Hearing it makes you want more but the song time is the only issue I have with this great song. 5/5 5) Shadow of The Day- I like this song. Has alot of good vibes and in a weird way makes me feel happy which is sorta of funny seeing the lyrics and all. Its more of a mellow song which is cool. 4/5 6) What Ive Done- very well done song with an almost "Halloween" like intro with the piano. Fun to listen to but it gets a little old to me. 3/5 7) Hands Held High- I love this song. another one thats on my top favorite Linkin Park songs. The lyrics mean so much and the music goes perfectly with Mike's rhythmic rapping. the best way I can describe this song Is "Simple yet Brilliant" 5/5 8) No More Sorrow- An ok song that I'm not personally attached to. Its a fine to listen to but I don't feel anything special out of it. 3/5 9) Valentine's Day- I hate to use labels but this is one of Linkin Park's more "emo" sounding songs. It is a pretty good track but it just doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the album and makes me wonder why its here in the first place 2/5 10) In Between- I Hate this song. This is the only LP song that i don't like. Not even a little bit, I cant stand it. It's so boring and makes me want to go to sleep. The Music is so annoying with the same thing being played over and over and over again. They shouldn't have even made this song. They should have replaced it with "No Roads Left" or another b side. I HATE IT SO MUCH 0/5 11) In Pieces- A good song that has an awesome guitar solo that instantly re energizes the song as soon as you think its starting to lack difference from the previous song by being extremely boring. very good job by Linkin park on this one 4/5 12) The Little things Give you away A good song and perfect way to end an album even though i think it drags a little long but has good lyrical content 4/5
Wake A solid opening song with a kind of Deftones-ish vibe that I really enjoy. Its epic sound is a bit misleading, since the rest of the album doesn't share that aesthetic (for the most part). 7/10 Given Up An fast and angsty song, whose energetic nature sounds refreshing amongst an album of mostly mid-tempo tracks. Only real downfall is the juvenile lyrics, while purportedly about drug abuse, come across as something written by a 14 year old. 7.5/10 Leave Out All The Rest Quite possible the blandest song in Linkin Parks entire catalog. As if the completely unmemorable music and lyrics weren't bad enough, Chester's vocal delivery is ripped straight out of late 90's boy-band 101. An absolutely atrocious song that I've never cared for. I fucking hate it. 3/10 Bleed It Out An fun up-tempo Linkin Park song? Yes, as soon as I got over the bizarro LP nature of this track, I came to love it. The chorus might seem a bit repetitious, but I think Mike's rhyme's really make this song great. Many rag on the lyrics for having no real meaning, but I think it's a nice change of pace from the seriousness of practically every other LP song. 9/10 Shadow Of The Day One of those songs that takes a while to sink in, but I've really come to appreciate it, and I think it might be one of the best on Minutes to Midnight. Nice melody with simple, yet effective instrumentation prove that subtlety is a trait LP should get more familiar with. 8.5/10 What I've Done This song bridges the gap between the Meteora-era LP, with the current one. Catchy and effective. Not much else to be said. 7.5/10 Hands Held High The most politically charged the band has ever written. Mike's at his best lyrically and gives his most effective vocal performance (even better than "No Roads Left", imo) with his singing towards the end of the track. 8.5/10 No More Sorrow Restores some of the epic vibe that the album opened with. Probably the catchiest song on MTM, next to "What I've Done". For some reason this song reminds me of "For Whom The Bell Tolls" by Metallica, which is a good thing, imo. 8/10 Valentine's Day Average lyrics, with great drumming by Rob. I used to love this song when I first got the album, but not so much now. It's solid. 7.5/10 In Between Definitely the most hated on song by LP fans. While I don't think it's a "great" song by any stretch of the imagination, it doesn't deserve the bad-rep it's gotten. Vocals are kind of "meh", but the music is simple and enjoyable. 7/10 In Pieces This was hands-down my favorite song when I first heard the album. My enthusiasm for it has faded since then, but I still enjoy it now. Lyrically, it's very convincing, and the music is a welcome change of pace from the fucking nu-metal riffs that LP has down to a fine art. Something different and good 8/10 The Little Things Give You Away The best song the band has ever written, bar-none. Everything comes together this one, from the lyrics, to the slow building guitar solo. I hope the band picks up where this song left off on the next album. 10/10
I pretty much agree with Dušan. I'm honestly just not a fan of it, I skip the songs every time they come up on my iPod now. 2/5
I honestly don't feel up to typing out a track-by-track review (a rarity for me, I know, usually I'm the one with the ramblingly long posts with lots of attention to detail), so here's a summary: I haven't listened to Meteora without skipping multiple songs a single time since Minutes to Midnight came out. I think MTM is a far superior album to Meteora, though it does fall short of the drastic re-invention of the band that we were semi-promised. I think they just made this album the way it is as an effort to stay current, which isn't really a bad thing. Look at any band that is or was popular for more than a handful of consecutive years, and invariably they all had to make some changes in their sound to keep up with the times. Other than Given Up's incredibly cliché and immature lyrics, the boringness that is In Between, and the almost entirely absent Joe Hahn scratching, it's a really solid album. 4/5.
Wake: Eh. 5/10 Given Up: The chorus exists to annoy. 4/10 Leave Out All The Rest: Good song. Semi-catchy chorus. 7/10 Bleed It Out: Wank melody. Very irritating chorus. 4/10 Shadow Of The Day: Ok song. Gets boring pretty soon. 6/10 What I've Done: Crap chorus. Forget how the verses go, probably 'cause they're shite. 5/10 Hands Held High: Mike grabs your nuts and pulls you in. Demands attention. Great song. 8/10 No More Sorrow: Wouldn't be out of place on American Idiot. Billie Joe Armstrong sounding chorus. 5/10 Valentine's Day: The verses are good. Chorus is bland and unimaginative. Was really dissapointed when I heard it the first time. 6/10 In Between: Sack Chester. 9/10 In Pieces: Builds up nicely throughout the verses to a great chorus. 8/10 The Little Things Give You Away: At least a minute too long. Should've faded out after 5 minutes or found a better way to end it. Good song though. 7/10.
Wake - Great intro. It gives the vibe that something is coming and sort of builds up only to end very abruptly. Like many of you here, I too wanted an extension of Wake, ie, a full length song. 4/5 Given Up - One of my favorite tracks from the album. Filled with high energy hence a great live song. It also shows how much of a beast Chester can be when it comes to screaming. However, I think overall the format of the song is too simple. If they could just add a killer guitar solo somewhere in the bridge it would have been ace! 4/5 Leave out All the Rest - Love the laid back drum works in the verses. Great lyrics but overall a bit too pop-ish for my taste. But still I enjoy listening to it. 3/5 Bleed It Out - This song is a killer! I got hooked to it right in the first listen and after 10 months I still love it. 3.5/5 Shadow of the Day - Hated it in the begining but after a while it grew on me. Great song with some well thought out lyrics. I also like the songs structure which I think is a farcry from other LP tracks. 4.5/5 What I've Done - The rawness of this track makes it appealing to me and I think the solo in the bridge is one the defining moments of MTM. Top notch shiet. 5/5 Hands Held High - Ah what can I say! This track has some of the best lyrics Mike has ever written. It has inspired me to right politically charged songs hence this track means a lot to me. 5/5 No More Sorrow - I honestly find the live version of this track better than the studio one. It's an okay track. Nothing too special. 3/5 Valentines Day - Eh. I loathed this track from the very begining, however lately I've taken a slight liking to it. Has to the weakest track from the album. 2.5/5 In Between - All hail Mike! As shocking as it may sound, this is my most listened to song from MTM. I can listen to it all day long. 5/5 In Pieces - The only thing that I like about this track is that fact that it shows LP has actually tried something different (esp the solo) without losing their old sound. To a certain extent I find the old LP in this track. 4/5 The Little Things Give You Away - A brilliant way to end the album. I wasn't a big fan of this song in the begining but like SOTD, it grew on me and now I appreciate this song a great deal. Strong lyrics and composition. 4/5 Overall the major drawback of this album IMO is that it got old too fast. Other than that it's a great album. 4/5
Given Up - One of my least favorite tracks on MTM. For some reason, besides the insanely long scream, I just can't get into this song. It's great live though 7/10 Leave Out All the Rest - The first song that shows a huge change in the band. One of my favorites too. I love the theme of the song and Chester's voice is great. 9/10 Bleed it Out - I've always had mixed feelings about this song. I love the verses where Mike raps but Chester's voice is a little annoying. I feel his part could've been much better or even left out. 7/10 Shadow of the Day - Brilliant song. 10/10 What I've Done - I really don't like this song. It's an okay live song but even when it first surfaced, I didn't like it. It's just really bland and extremely simple. I could play it on guitar the day I started playing guitar. 5/10 Hands Held High - Hands down my absolute favorite song on the album. The song really speaks to me and I believe it is probably one of the most well written songs they've produced. 11/10 No More Sorrow - An average song. I don't hate it but I don't love it either. 8/10 Valentine's Day - Another one of my favorites. It really sounds like Chester poured some emotion into this song and it adds a certain level of depth to the song. 9/10 In Pieces - Great song. Love the solo. 9/10 In Between - Kind of a boring track that really reminds me of Brand New. Mike's voice is ace though and proves he can sing. 8/10 The Little Things Give You Away - A great finish to the album. Very emotional and very well written. 10/10
Wow, I'm actually surprized how much people like SotD & HHH now. When they first came out everyone seemed to hate them! Well, heres my review i posted on my blog the week MtM came out track by track. My revisions are directly underneath the old ones... I still feel exactly the same for "wake". If only it were longer! Although now I personaly think it's a little too good for MTM. It'll have been better if more songs were like it and made to that standard. "witty"!? what was I thinking!? Still a really good song. The lyrics are the only negative aspect really. I've never been "in love" with this song like so many other people have. It is good, and i really appreciate Chester's singing & lyrics, but it's a bit too poppy. I'd rather LP go towards a heavier route for their next album. Still is an excellent song, just now its a single its been overplayed. Still feel the same about "shadow". But I definatly have grown to admire it allot more. But lyrics being uplifting!? wtf!? I was talking about the interlude at the end of SotD on here. Ditto with the rest. but the Radio really played it to death! I still like it, but I have to be in the right mood for this song. Ah. I'll have to say its has indeed become my favourite song of the album! People say LP aren't or can do Heavy metal, but this song proves it. I hope to see alot more songs like this in the future! Like SotD & LOAtR I didn't really like this one at first, now I've grown to like it a little more. I have to agree with the majority here. This song doesn't really do it for me as much as the rest. I admire them for doing it, but it just sounds to 'demoish' and incomplete. I still love this one. The solo gets better the more times you here it. But i cant help but wonder, would we like it as much even if it didn't have a solo in it? Yup, i agree with the band. It is probably their best song the've ever done. While not my most favourite, i can really admire the musicianship and the amount of effort and work put into this track. The whole idea and stutructure of the song is just masterfull.
Wake: Pretty good intro. It works as a good build up into Given Up. Given Up: This song was for a long time my favourite on Mintues to Midnight. I've actually listened to it so much that only now am I putting it on the back burner...for now. I've always been a fan of the more up tempo, heavier songs by LP. Leave Out All The Rest: This song just shows how diverse this album is. I can listen to this song more often than not, but when in a crazy hype me up mood, I can't. I love the lyrics, and in my more laid back mood, will always appreciate it as much as any other on the album. Bleed It Out: Isn't it just awesome? At my bro's wedding in December, I requested this song to the DJ atleast 5 times...from what I remember lol. Just so cool, and you can just tell how much fun LP had with this. Shadow of The Day: Epic. For me, this song probably holds top spot 10 months on after release. I wasn't a huge fan of the video clip, but I can survive, given the song itself gets the hairs on the back of my neck on end everytime. What I've Done: Excellent choice as first single. Although I'm a firm believer this song was purpose written as just that. The first single. Very much a transitional sound to it. The lyrics only further my assumptions. Still, a great song. Another epic feel. Hands Held High: Originally wasn't my favourite song on Minutes, but when you appreciate it for what it is, not for what it isn't, you realise just how awe inspiring Mike's verses are. He really did a number with his words in this one. A war ballad for the ages. No More Sorrow: And still that heavy song loving kid lives inside me. For me, this is my current favourite. I love the drums in this song. Rob does well. Chester is great. You really feel what he wants you to feel with not just this song, but every song he sings. Kudos to every band member for this song. Valentine's Day: Originally I was slightly sceptical of this song. I was blind and a little unwilling to see that LP could and should write a song like this. But this song grows on me more, even now. I suppose they could have done more with the end of it, but hey, it is what it is. In Between: I'm sorry all those lovers out there, but I just can't get my head around to like this song. I'm a believer in that No Roads Left probably should have been in it's place. But, and I say this with the greatest respect to the band, they wanted it there. And I suppose it shows another side of their diversity. In saying that, I would really love to see Chester sing this song, just out of curiosity. Who knows, maybe I like it one day. In Pieces: As I've said all along, this song is very close to the sound that could become LP's very own. Apose to borrowing from others at this point. A couple of tweaks here and there, and we have a song that would have blown all else out of the water. The Little Things Give You Away: I've used it a lot in this review, but I gotta use it again. Simply Epic. This probably would take the cake for "Epicnicity". They broke 6 minutes with it, yet it doesn't get boring at any stage, a sign of a great quality. No Roads Left: I know it wasn't on the original album, but it's come from the process, so I'll review as one. As someone had said a while back, it does seem this song is slightly unfinished, but put it against In Between, and I wonder which feels more polished. Both most likely a brainchild of Mike's, I suppose it just puts a different spin on his vocal ability.
Wake: A build up to the album! Yay. (3/5) Given Up: I love how heavy and brutal this song is. It makes you want to beat the crap out of someone. It's angsty and the lyrics are laughable at some points during the song, but it's doable. (3.5/5) Leave Out All The Rest: My personal favorite song on the entire album. It's sad but I can relate to it on my end. Instrumentally, vocally, and lyrically it's perfect all the way through. (5/5) Bleed It Out: Lyrics are terrible and Chester gives me a headache in this song, lol. I do love how upbeat it is. It's basically a song to get crazy to and have fun. I get it, but the cons overshadow the pros. (2/5) Shadow of The Day: My second favorite song on the album. The same reasons I gave for "Leave Out All The Rest" apply here. (5/5) What I've Done: Lyrics are horrid. The only part I really love is the "so let mercy come" part. That lyric and how Chester sings it is the only thing that I look forward to in the song. (1.5/5) Hands Held High: This song really grew on me a lot. Mike completely owns throughout it and delivered one of his best rhymes to date. (5/5) No More Sorrow: This needs to be a single and it pisses me off that it isn't. Fierce lyrics backed with anger and frustration. It works perfectly in my eyes. (5/5) Valentine's Day: I absolutely hated this song and I finally now love it. The beginning could use a little tweaking and it could possibly be a little longer. (4/5) In Between: WHY IS THIS SONG ON THIS ALBUM?!? "No Roads Left" should have been placed here. UGH! (0/5) In Pieces: Love it. This sound seems to work well for them. I'd like to hear more songs in this direction, but with better lyrics, of course. (4/5) The Little Things Give You Away: I pretty much appreciate what they were trying to accomplish with this song. They got the message across and did it in their own little epic way. Good song and a great way to end the album. (4.5/5)
[Wake]: A great opener. I think it has the potential to be on something bigger though, like a later LP album. It pumps you up for something great, and it goes well into the next track. [Given Up]: Such a good, angry song. If you like punk-rock, you'll love this song, especially if you're an LP fan. A lot of people hate the lyrics, but I really like them, it sends the message out clear and it's the only song on the album that does that. Probably one of my favorites on the album, it has the most play counts than any other track for me. [Leave Out All The Rest]: A beautiful song. It never gets too old for me. I like the beat and guitar a lot, but the lyrics are really what make the song. It's a touching message, and I think this will be a HUGE radio hit. [Bleed It Out]: A fun song. The riff at the beginning is probably one of the best LP has ever done. It's great because it's like old style LP, but combining the new sound as well. The lyrics are awesome, it makes it not so serious of a song and LP needed a song like that. I wish it was longer though, I always want more after listening to it. [Shadow Of The Day]: A really great emotional song. The lyrics and Chester's voice own on this song. It's simple musically for the beginning of the song, but then it really picks up. [What I've Done]: I love the piano at the beginning of the track. The vocals and melody are great, and it gets the message across that LP has changed. [Hands Held High]: A very powerful song lyrically. It's brought me to tears before because it's so beautiful. It also showcases Mike's talent as a rapper more than ever before, and he sings perfectly at the end. [No More Sorrow]: A fantastic song. The drumming is the best part of this song, I love the rhythm guitar. Lyrics are great and very political. It also shows how LP can be heavy with their new sound. [Valentine's Day]: I love the guitar, I could listen to it forever. The lyrics are awesome, and I love the end ''On a valentine's day''. The drumming once again is the best part of this song. [In Between]: A decent song, not my favorite, but I like it. Simple musically, but the lyrics are good and so isn't Mike singing. Shows diversity. [In Pieces]: Easily the best track on the album. The xylophone, ska guitar and vocals are awesome and so aren't the lyrics. Guitar solo = fucking amazing. Simple, yet great. [TLGYA]: The pinnacle of LP's success so far. Nothing amounts to how great this song is. Everything about it is just wow.
Wake= A great into track. Goes from mysterious and ominous to all-out energy. I wish the transition from Wake to Given Up has been more seamless and logical, but it is what it is. Given Up= The most energetic Linkin Park song ever written, making it one of my favorites. It really shows Chester's talent. While the majority of the song sounds cookie-cutter mainstream and unoriginal, there are aspects to the song that LP has never before implemented. Such as: the breakdown, both the walking riff and the metal style of screaming. Great song. Leave Out All the Rest= A straight-up pop song, but LP adds their flavor to it. The lyrics are deep, brooding over the legacy of the lyricist. It just makes you take a second look at your own death and the feelings that will accompany it. Bleed It Out= This song is very energetic as well, especially because LP finally brought the hip-hop back in. The one thing I told Mike the other day when I finally got to meet him was, "Yo, put that bump in the next album! Bring the hip-hop back!" He just laughed of course, but I really think that the thing that makes LP unique is the way they seamlessly blend hip-hop and rock. They were missing a lot of the hip-hop on M2M, and thus, lost a lot of the energy that made them good. However, they also proved that they are amazing songwriters, especially Mike. And if it was what Mike really wanted to write on M2M, then more power to him. Yet he said that the hip-hop and rap felt "forced" and "corny" when he tried to add it to M2M. It makes sense, because rap and hip-hop have always added energy and flavor to LP, not emotion, which was what they were trying to convey in M2M. Anyway, that whole rant is really how I feel about the paradox of M2M. In a nutshell, it is an amazing and powerful album, but it's missing the hip-hop and rap that made LP unique... however, I understand that it would've been tough to add hip-hop to this particular album. Shadow of the Day: I used to think it was boring, but now I realize it's power and emotion. Chester's voice and the arrangement gives the song what it needs. What I've Done: Beautifully written. This is one of those songs on M2M that aren't necessarily upbeat, but are still very rock-able and loud. The imagery of the music video adds emotion to this song for me. Hands Held High: I share most of the same political views as LP, so "What I've Done", "Hands Held High", "No More Sorrow", and "The Little Things Give You Away" are very powerful to me. They make me feel a type of despair towards the government and what they've done. This was one of the songs where I think the hip-hop blended seamlessly with the style of M2M. No More Sorrow: I didn't like it a lot at first, but then I saw it live. They opened the show with it. Oh My Shit. Was that ever amazing. The opening to the song is so much cooler for me now. Valentine's Day: A very catchy song in a new structure that LP hasn't used before. Glad they're finally thinking outside of the box. Thanks, Rick Rubin. In Between: I don't like this song very much. While it is catchy to a certain extent, it's very boring. I sing along to it, but I think it's just because I've heard it so many times. I think they could've added a lot to this song to make it better. In Pieces: This song isn't very exciting either, but it's relatively alright. This is a good song, but it's not a good LP song. They've done so much better. However, this song does epitomize the new LP style from M2M, so it is quite appropriate for the album. The Little Things Give You Away: Such a powerful song. Everything that has been said about it, I wholeheartedly agree. It almost makes me cry. I just imagine the devastation left after Hurricane Katrina and I feel their despair. This song is amazing. No Roads Left: Wow. I can't even begin to describe how great this song is. I just posted something about it in the NRL meaning thread, go read that. Then you might see how much meaning it has for me. M2M is a journey. While the energy and emotion is constantly changing throughout the album, it is logical and make sense to the listener. And the emotions of the songs and their arguments (self-despair of Given Up, LOATR, SOTD as well as politics of WID, HHH, NMS, and TLTGYA) all tie together. Big strides for LP. This is my track ranking. Might I say that while I love the energetic songs the most because that's just my style, the softer songs added so much emotion to this album that made it what it is.: 1. Bleed It Out (10/10) 2. No Roads Left (10/10) 3. Given Up (10/10) 4. No More Sorrow (9.5/10) 5. What I've Done (9.5/10) 6. The Little Things Give You Away (9/10) 7. Valentine's Day (9/10) 8. Leave Out All the Rest (8.5/10) 9. Hands Held High (8.5/10) 10. Shadow of the Day (8.5/10) 11. In Pieces (6/10) 12. In Between (5/10) 13. Wake (doesn't really count)
The album grew on me more and more over time. I'm not sure what groundbreaking or difference in sound some people expected but to me it was more of them being musicians instead of making music to express themselves. It was easy for me to see from the DVD that they were reinventing themselves and not necessarily the music they made. Long story short, the only song I skip is In Between.