Great write up Derek. I agree with all of your album ratings with the exception of LT ( I give it a 5-6 at best). 8 is a solid number to give THP and the fact that you would rate this and ATS the same says a lot. I do not agree with this forum's apparent hate for Meteora- that CD rocks. But that's for another thread.
Love the review. I want to listen!!! I wonder if they'll post videos featuring songs like they did with Living Things.
If Drawbar is the most notable let-down, than I'll be okay with that. The idea of a full LP song being rooted around a chunky Morello riff was awesome, I could imagine the epic rap verses and aggressively bouncy chorus now. But. Oh well. Probably why it was the last "feature" to be unveiled, more or less mentioned, really. If you're matching it's score to ATS', then I'm ecstatic regardless. Ever since hearing ATS, I liked it, loved it, but I always thought that they could pull off its artistic ideals in other, more raw, ways too. If THP has an equally commendable musical integrity, then I can't wait to hear this beast.
A combination of the last couple songs, especially Rebellion, and these fan reviews, totally obliterated any doubts I had about this album.
Overall I agree spot on with Derek's review of the album. A few things that i'll just point out for my own sake: -My favorite track of the unreleased material has to be either AFN or FM, and i'm probably leaning toward FM, beating it just slightly. Both songs honestly blew me away when I heard them. FM has that 80s ballad feel you might have heard about, and is definitely ATS inspired. It's funny because i'm not part of the "ATS being their best work" group, nor am I apart of the "they should return to HT sound" group. But FM is that song off this album that I'll probably put on repeat a billion times on my iPod. -Believe it or not, it took a second hearing of KTTK before I got into it (but it may have just been the loud speakers), and trust me within 10 seconds you'll understand the direction LP is going with this album. -I always have at least one or two songs on LP albums that I flat out just don't like and have to skip when i'm listening to the album (Easier to Run/Nobody's Listening, Hands Held High/In Between, The Messenger (Two of the ATS interludes just because I'm still not a fan of them), Lies Greed Misery/Until It Breaks). This album the song is Mask the Graves. It really just didn't click at all when I listened to it, and looking back at Metal Hammer's review I can see what he was describing about it. It's that song that I just may never really like. It's an extremely experimental track, and the song just doesn't ever formulate into something. Drawbar was a real disappointment for me also. When I heard Tom Morello was jumping on board I was pretty excited because i'm familiar with his guitar work. But the track doesn't give me anything to even think that he's collaborating with LP had I not known the latter information. It joins the ranks of Empty Spaces and WJL to me. - The Summoning and War to me fit pretty nicely into the album. I can see why War might not be some fans cup of tea, as when I first heard it, it had that heavy hardcore punk rock sound to it. It honestly reminded me of old school Rise Against while I was listening to it. But it was a track I enjoyed very much. -ALITS is definitely a great way to end the album. Mike's singing in this song, as well as throughout this album is phenomenal. -Rob Bourdon needs a medal or something. His percussion work on this album is ridiculous, honestly I was blown away by how amazing and technically skilled he sounded on this album. -Brad definitely stepped it up on THP. I really think he inspired that 16 year old self of his with the riffs he belts out throughout the album. My only thing are the "solos" he has. Personally, I'm not a fan of them. Maybe it's just the loud speakers it was played on so it took some of it out of my experience. LP are that band that never have had to play crazy guitar solos for me to love the guitar work. But that's me just being me. -Chester's voice sounds great on the unreleased tracks (not to say he doesn't sound good overall but I remember some people were voicing their thoughts on how he they didn't like his vocals on GATS and Wastelands), especially FM (again i'm pretty sure it's my favorite track off the album). I just hope his voice can keep up with all the screaming he does on some of these tracks (KTTK, jesus christ) because it is awesome, but I know it will def take a toll on him. I really wish they would've played it another time through fully, I might have remembered more to say to give you guys a better idea. Plus running from 57th street (or w/e the hell I was) all the way to 34th street to catch the train i wanted to be on definitely didn't help haha. Again, these are just my opinions for a one-time run through of THP (KTTK was the only song they replayed). I really wish I could've had it through headphones at a decent level so I could've gotten more detail, but what's another week and a half of waiting. Overall it's definitely an 8/10 as of now and by my own personal opinion, I enjoyed it way more than ATS (I mean after the first time run through. ATS took some time to grow on me before I actually liked it). Plus I finally have a LP poster to hang up (I don't know why it took me this long to get one. I need a new shirt too, my 2011 ATS tour shirt doesn't fit me anymore. Goddamn love handles). Hands down, LP definitely delivered on this album. Can't wait until the 17th to rip the disc to my Mac and give it another run through. But be assured most if not all of your doubts will be wiped away when you hear it for yourself. Cheers!
Thanks for the review JSigcha10, I thought with AFN apparently having that familiar LP formula that it would not be such a good song compared to the others, what did you enjoy about it specifically?
My own personal opinion: I'm completely content with that formula of song writing, I don't really have any issue with it so it makes it easier for me to like the song. Mike's rapping was definitely a plus. Dude just flowed those lyrics, I was specifically waiting for the five star general line and when i heard it I went nuts. And the chorus was just awesome. Derek spoke of it as a Sum 41 like gang vocals, and I definitely agree with him on that.
Obviously depending on who you talk to. EDIT: and why this discussion had to start in this thread, I do not know ...
Agreed. Songs I like on first half of Living Things: LITE BID LGM COG Songs I like on the second half of Living Things: Roads Untraveled Powerless
Agreed, with the exception of UIB and maybe victimized (not really) the second half of LT was enjoyable. Like I wrote earlier for THP, MTG and Drawbar are the weakest links on the album to me as well as for for the second half. But FM and ALITS bring you back to the promise land, trust me.
I pretty much agree with Derek about LP's mission being accomplished on this album. I can actually really see this album at least bringing some resurgence of hard rock, especially if the success of Rebellion is anything to go by. At the very least the fans are going to be happy with it
I'm really stoked for this album. I love all the different types of music that the band has made, but I've wanted them to return to a more instrumental driven album. Don't get me wrong, I love the experimentation of ATS. I wasn't even that excited for Rebellion, but it's my favorite of the four tracks released. I'm most excited for KTTK, FM, and MTG. I've been a fan of the band for almost 10 years and have never had the opportunity to see them live, but me and some friends are taking a road trip to Tampa August 9th, and I'm so glad that my first LP show is going to be during this cycle. As for the released tracks, Rebellion>GATS>Wastelands>UIG