It’s human nature to relate to music, and to want to have the same level of connection with all subsequent releases from an artist or album that at one point made you feel something in a strong way. There’s something about hearing a band you grew up with change that blinds you to the qualities of their new music. Even though it’s what we all want from them, that’s not really Linkin Park’s problem. I’m guessing (and based on the painfully forced sound of Livings Things, less guessing and more knowingly asserting) that at this point in Bennington’s and Shinoda’s lives, it just no longer makes sense to wail on about betrayal, breakups, and general teen angst. That’s where I fail to understand the backlash against a group of now 40-something year old musicians who have created everything from nu-metal/rap-rock to elaborately symphonic, pop-rock concept albums – and everything in between. And that’s okay, because all music has a target audience. They were tailor made to sell, and we ate that shit up like the naïve, hurt little bastards we were. Everything about Hybrid Theory and Meteora was designed to trick you into thinking you were listening to metal, but in reality those earworm melodies were the mainstay infrastructure holding it all together. I know the thirteen year old in all of us is screaming in adamant disbelief at that statement, including the teenager in me, but it’s true. Let’s get one thing straight first: Linkin Park is – and has always been – a pop band.
This album isn’t the worst thing in the world – in fact it is quite a bit better than the material they’ve been peddling over the course of the last several years. Because with the level of flat out hatred being shown towards the band right now, you’d think they had just murdered an entire litter of puppies and then gone on tour to support Donald Trump’s Muslim ban. I’m not asking you to embrace One More Light with me, though, so much as understand it.
Linkin park one more light album cover full#
Alas, since nobody else has the courage to speak up amidst the mutiny that has risen in opposition to Linkin Park’s full throttle pop expedition, I stand alone. In reviewing One More Light, I feel like a public defender who is assigned to someone too guilty to assemble his or her own legal team.
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