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a mix of pop and metal =glam metal
Line 6: Line 6:
| Released = June 20, 2012 (see [[#Release history|release history]])
| Released = June 20, 2012 (see [[#Release history|release history]])
| Recorded = March 2011–April 16, 2012 at [[NRG Recording Studios]]<br><small>([[North Hollywood, Los Angeles|North Hollywood]], California)</small>
| Recorded = March 2011–April 16, 2012 at [[NRG Recording Studios]]<br><small>([[North Hollywood, Los Angeles|North Hollywood]], California)</small>
| Genre = [[Alternative rock]],<ref name="mreview">{{cite web|url=http://www.musicreview.co.za/2012/06/20/review-linkin-park-living-things/ |title=Review: Linkin Park – LIVING THINGS |publisher=MusicReview |date= |accessdate=2012-06-20}}</ref> [[electronic rock]],<ref name="mreview"/> [[rap rock]] <ref name="noiseshaft">{{cite web|url=http://noiseshaft.blogspot.nl/2012/06/linkin-park-living-things-review.html |title=Review: Linkin Park – Living Things review |publisher=Noiseshaft |date= |accessdate=2012-06-19}}</ref>
| Genre = [[Alternative rock]],<ref name="mreview">{{cite web|url=http://www.musicreview.co.za/2012/06/20/review-linkin-park-living-things/ |title=Review: Linkin Park – LIVING THINGS |publisher=MusicReview |date= |accessdate=2012-06-20}}</ref> [[electronic rock]],<ref name="mreview"/> [[rap rock]] <ref name="noiseshaft">{{cite web|url=http://noiseshaft.blogspot.nl/2012/06/linkin-park-living-things-review.html |title=Review: Linkin Park – Living Things review |publisher=Noiseshaft |date= |accessdate=2012-06-19}}</ref>[[glam metal]]
| Length = 36:58
| Length = 36:58
| Label = [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.]]
| Label = [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.]]

Revision as of 17:52, 23 June 2012

Untitled

Living Things is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Linkin Park. It was released on June 20, 2012, under Warner Bros. Records. Production was handled by vocalist Mike Shinoda and Rick Rubin, who both co-produced the band's previous studio albums Minutes to Midnight (2007) and A Thousand Suns (2010).

The band states that Living Things combines elements from their previous four studio albums to create a new sound. They stated they finally felt they were in "familiar territory" and "comfortable in [their] own skin" after years of experimentation that resulted in their two previous studio albums, Minutes to Midnight and A Thousand Suns.[3][4][5] Living Things was chosen as the album's title because of the numerous personal topics about people implemented on the album.[6]

The lead single for the album, "Burn It Down", was sent to radio and released to digital music retailers on April 16, 2012.

Background and recording

In June 2011, lead singer Chester Bennington revealed to Kerrang! that Linkin Park had begun working on new material for their fifth album. He explained, "We've been working on a new record for the past two months. The music is great and we're well ahead of where we're expecting to be. There aren't a whole lot of noises going on, but there are a lot of good songs."[7]

The band's co-lead vocalist and rapper Mike Shinoda and Rick Rubin served as producers for the album. "Typically we'll have a once-a-week meeting to go listen to the songs that they're coming up with and talk about them. For so early in the project, they are much further along than they have been on the last two albums we did. On A Thousand Suns there were still a lot of irons in the fire. We knew, 'OK, we can't do this forever. Let's leave this batch and we'll come back and address it when we start up again'", Rubin said.[8] Bennington explained that Rubin "gives us spaces to just be ourselves and to work on our own...He gives us a clear and concise description of what he likes...He would like us to push ourselves into a more fresh take on that particular sound."[9] He also stated that Shinoda guides the band through the process of each song, and called the team-up of Shinoda and Rubin "our golden ticket."[9]

In July 2011, Bennington told Rolling Stone that Linkin Park aims to produce a new album every eighteen months, and that he would be shocked if a new album did not come out in 2012. The band continues to record and produce new material even while touring. Bennington commented on Linkin Park's schedule, stating, "Touring for two years is excruciating. When we would tour for two years even the most resilient person in the band, at the end of that, was fucking miserable."[10] He further elaborated on their ideas in an interview with MTV saying, "We do have a really great head start. We've got some great music, some good ideas. The creativity has continued to flow for us for the last few years, consistently."[11] He later revealed in another interview in September 2011 that the band was still in the beginning phases of the next album, saying "We just kind of began. We like to keep the creative juices flowing, so we try to keep that going all the time...we like the direction that we're going in."[12] Shinoda told Complex that they spent a year in making the album,[13] as well as elaborating on the album's sound, saying that "It doesn’t lose any of the creativity of the newer stuff and it brings in the energy of the older stuff. It’s kind of a comprehensive sound. I feel like we’ve been able to take all the stuff we’ve learned on the way and put it all together in each song and still keep it fresh and forward-thinking."[13] Shinoda told HitFix that the process of the album "felt like a drug trip...we were looking to redefine everything." [14]

Shinoda spoke to Co.Create about the album's art, saying that it will "blow them [the fans] away...the average person is not going to be able to look at it and go, I understand that that’s completely new, like not just the image but the way they made the image is totally new. So there’s going to be that."[15] On April 9, 2012, the band released a teaser video for the album on Tumblr.[16][17] Warner Bros. Records announced that the album's art will be released on April 16, 2012, the same day "Burn It Down" will be released.[18]

Composition

In an interview featured in the March 21, 2012 issue of Kerrang! magazine, Bennington stated that the band has returned to more 'familiar' territory on their new record, saying "with this [new] album, we've incorporated a lot of guitar work with big choruses and the heavier electronic stuff to give it that really big wall of sound feeling without getting too metal. This will be more familiar to people than A Thousand Suns was, where we were like 'Fuck it, we're just going to go bonkers." Bennington also said that the new album's lyrics would be personal and avoid being political, adding "We've been writing a lot about relationships."[19][4] Bennington and Shinoda echoed similar statements during an interview with Spin, with the former commenting that "We now know we have the skills and the tools to take those ideas and make them into what we’re actually looking for, as opposed to getting into it and discovering that it just sounds really nü-metal. That's always going to be gross to us, but we can take elements of that and reinvent the vibe, make it new and fresh."[3] The two previewed five songs from the album, as well as announced that they had collaborated with Canadian musician Owen Pallett.[3] The vocalists also stated that they have adopted numerous influences and topics for the album, particularly about people.[3]

Bennington told Live 105 that the band is "embracing everything that [they] have done in the past," taking the "best pieces" of their previous four albums and "smash them together into this new record."[9] Shinoda explained in an interview with NME that the album would not return to their nu metal sound, however they assured that the record "gets back to our roots and it's captured a feeling that we haven't gone after in many years."[20] He also spoke similar statements to Bennington about combining elements of all four albums, saying, "We've learned so much from all the albums we've done, so we've taken everything we've learned and mixed it all into one."[5] Shinoda stated that the album is more "rap-centric" compared to their previous two albums.[21] Shinoda told Musique Mag that the band wanted the album to be "more energetic [and] song-based", as opposed to their previous album, A Thousand Suns, which was more of a concept record.[22]

The band had numerous influences and inspirations for Living Things. Shinoda told Rolling Stone that "Skin to Bone" and "Roads Untraveled" contained folk music influenced by the works of Bob Dylan, as well as the inspirations of Dylan.[23] In the seventh track "Victimized", which Rolling Stone described as "the band's most aggressive track in years",[24] were influenced by punk rock bands such as Pennywise and Dirty Rotten Imbeciles.[22] Shinoda noted the minimal content of numerous punk rock songs attributed to the short length of "Victimized"; bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrel noted that the song's working title, "Battle Axe", "which to me is..what that song is; it's just this big 'crack' and then you're out."[22] Like the band's first two albums, the penultimate song ("Tinfoil") is an instrumental.[25] Brad Delson, the band's guitarist, had vocals in the tenth track "Until It Breaks", which was Delson's idea.[22]

Release and promotion

The band will tour with Incubus and MuteMath on the 2012 Honda Civic Tour.[26] The band's concert at the Admiralspalast Theatre in Berlin, Germany was recorded and will be shown in theaters on June 25, 2012 for one night only.[27] The band will perform a private concert at the 2012 X Games Los Angeles.[28]

On March 28, 2012, Shinoda confirmed that the album's first single is "Burn It Down".[29] On April 11, 2012, it was confirmed that it would be sent for radio airplay and released to iTunes digital download on April 16, 2012.[18] Shinoda also confirmed they were filming a music video for the song,[30] with the band's turntablist Joe Hahn directing the video.[31] The band teamed up with the Lotus F1 team to create a musical racing iPad app entitled Linkin Park GP, where players drive a Lotus E20 and interact with an environment that allows the player to create a remix of "Burn It Down", as well as zooming into individual sections of the song.[32] The music video for "Burn It Down" premiered on MTV on May 24, 2012.[33]

On April 15, 2012, Mike Shinoda posted a blog update confirming that the new album title will be Living Things and that the album will be available for pre-order through their website, starting April 16.[34] Living Things will be released on June 26, 2012.[35] Pre-orders for the album began in April 17, 2012; upon purchase, fans will be subscribed to Living Things Remixed, remixed songs from the album.[36] In celebration of the release of Living Things, the band teamed up with music streaming website Spotify to release live compilations of each album era.[37][38]

On May 9, 2012, a worldwide interactive scavenger hunt commenced.[39] Shinoda proclaimed the near-end of the scavenger hunt in May 23, 2012, stating he would call BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe the next day to premiere a new song from Living Things, the end result of the hunt.[40] The song that premiered on BBC Radio 1 on May 24, 2012 was the album's fourth track, "Lies Greed Misery".[41]

On June 4, 2012, the official lyric video of "Lies Greed Misery" premiered.[42] On the same day, "Lies Greed Misery" was featured in a trailer for the video game Medal of Honor: Warfighter, that was revealed by Electronic Arts at E3 2012.[43][44] "Castle of Glass" was also confirmed to be featured in Medal of Honor: Warfighter.[45] "Powerless", the twelfth and closing track of the album, will be featured in the closing credits to the film Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.[46] A performance music video of "Powerless" featuring scenes from the film was released on Yahoo!.[47]

Reception

Critical

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Entertainment WeeklyB[48]
The Guardian[49]
Under the Gun8/10[50]

The Guardian gave Living Things 3 out of 5 stars, stating that "Living Things is more personal than A Thousand Suns, with underlying themes of recovery from traumatic experiences. The exception, Burn It Down, delivers an antiwar sentiment via Depeche Mode-y electro-bounce, while the similarly standout Roads Untraveled is an eerie confessional ballad",[49] and concluded that "Living Things would have benefited from more of such adventure, but they still sound like a band enjoying an unexpected second life".[49]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Linkin Park[51]

No.TitleLength
1."Lost in the Echo"3:25
2."In My Remains"3:20
3."Burn It Down"3:50
4."Lies Greed Misery"2:26
5."I'll Be Gone"3:31
6."Castle of Glass"3:25
7."Victimized"1:46
8."Roads Untraveled"3:49
9."Skin to Bone"2:48
10."Until It Breaks"3:43
11."Tinfoil"1:11
12."Powerless"3:44
Total length:36:58
Japanese edition bonus tracks[52]
No.TitleLength
13."What I've Done" (live)4:04

Personnel

Release history

Region Date Label Format Catalog
Japan[52] June 20, 2012 Warner Bros. CD WPCR-14496
Russia June 21, 2012 CD
Ukraine
Australia June 22, 2012 CD, digital 9362495048
Austria[53]
Belgium[54] CD, digital 9362495048
Croatia CD, digital 9362495048
Germany[55] CD, digital 9362495048
Greece CD, digital 9362495048
Ireland[56] CD, digital 9362495048
Italy CD, digital 9362495048
Netherlands[57] CD, digital 9362495048
New Zealand[51] CD, digital 9362495048
Norway[58] CD, digital 9362495048
Switzerland[59] CD, digital 9362495048
Denmark[60] June 25, 2012 CD, digital 9362495048
France[61] CD, digital 9362495048
Poland[62] CD, digital 9362495048
United Kingdom[63] CD, digital 9362495048
Portugal[64] CD, digital
Canada[65] June 26, 2012 CD, digital 9362495048
Turkey[66] CD, digital 9362495048
United States[35] CD, digital 9362495048
Argentina June 27, 2012 CD
Finland[67] CD, digital 9362495048

References

  1. ^ a b "Review: Linkin Park – LIVING THINGS". MusicReview. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  2. ^ "Review: Linkin Park – Living Things review". Noiseshaft. Retrieved 2012-06-19.
  3. ^ a b c d Martins, Chris (12 April 2012). "Linkin Park Open Up About Hybrid Vibe of June Album". Spin. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  4. ^ a b "Linkin Park: 'Our last album was bonkers'". NME. March 21, 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2012. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  5. ^ a b "Linkin Park: 'We finally feel comfortable in our own skin'". NME. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2012. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  6. ^ "Linkin Park: 'Our new record is far more personal'". NME. 2012-04-20. Retrieved 2012-04-22. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  7. ^ "Linkin Park: 'Our next album will polarize people'". June 15, 2011. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  8. ^ "Rick Rubin on New Chili Peppers & Metallica Albums, Why Adele's Hot Streak Is 'Just Beginning'". June 20, 2011. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
  9. ^ a b c Miles the DJ (12 April 2012). "Audio: Linkin Park Tells Us About Their New Music; LIVE 105 To World Premiere The New Single On Monday, April 16th". Live 105. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  10. ^ "Linkin Park Planning Album for Early Next Year". July 26, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  11. ^ Montgomery, James (24 June 2011). "Linkin Park Talk Next Album From Moscow's Red Square". MTV.com. MTV. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
  12. ^ Montgomery, James (2 September 2011). "Linkin Park 'Getting The Wheels Rolling' On Next Album". MTV.com. MTV. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
  13. ^ a b "Interview: Mike Shinoda Talks New Linkin Park Album And Ranks His Top 5 Rappers". Complex. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  14. ^ Newman, Melinda (2 May 2012). "In the studio with Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda for new album 'Living Things'". HitFix. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  15. ^ Karpel, Ari (2 April 2012). "Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda On Scoring "The Raid: Redemption," And How it Will Shape the Band's next album". Co.Create. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
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  20. ^ "Linkin Park promise to 'get back to their roots' on 'Living Things'". NME. 18 April 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2012. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  21. ^ "Exclusive: Linkin Park and Incubus Chat With Fans". Rolling Stone. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  22. ^ a b c d "Linkin Park : interview Living Things avec Mike et Phoenix". Musique Mag. 15 June 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  23. ^ Diehl, Matt (2012). "Linkin Park Rage Again on New LP". Rolling Stone (1157). We looked not just to Bob Dylan, but the music that inspired Dylan," says the singer. "Having a driving beat with this country-folk melody is weird - but it's totally Linkin Park. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |journal= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  24. ^ Diehl, Matt (2012). "Linkin Park Rage Again on New LP". Rolling Stone (1157). ...the brutal headbanger "Victimized" is the band's most aggressive track in years. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |journal= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  25. ^ Florino, Rick (12 May 2012). "Rick Florino tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  26. ^ "Linkin Park and Incubus - Honda Civic Tour". Linkinpark.com. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  27. ^ Ruehmer, Adam (7 June 2012). "Linkin Park One Night Concert Event Trailer". Linkinpark.com. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  28. ^ Tunney, Brian (8 June 2012). "Linkin Park to play X Games LA". ESPN. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  29. ^ "Mike Shinoda tweet last=Shinoda". Twitter. 28 March 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2012. {{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help); Missing pipe in: |title= (help)
  30. ^ "Video at Viddy.com: Mike Shinoda announces New Single "Burn It Down"". Retrieved 28 March 2012.
  31. ^ Farrell, Dave (27 March 2012). "Dave "Phoenix" Farrell tweet". Twitter. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  32. ^ Shinoda, Mike (21 May 2012). "Linkin Park Teams Up With Lotus F1 To Create "Linkin Park GP"". Linkinpark.com. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  33. ^ Hahn, Joe (24 May 2012). ""BURN IT DOWN" Music Video". Linkinpark.com. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  34. ^ Shinoda, Mike (15 April 2012). "Monday News: Burn It Down, Release Dates, The Album, and a Toolbox". Mikeshinoda.com. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  35. ^ a b "LINKIN PARK - LIVING THINGS Teaser". YouTube. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
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  37. ^ Ruehmer, Adam (31 May 2012). "Linkin Park: Live Around The World". Linkinpark.com. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  38. ^ "Linkin Park - Spotify - Live Collections". Spotify. Linkinpark.com. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
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  40. ^ Shinoda, Mike (23 May 2012). "Almost There: Final Steps of the #LinkinParkScavengerHunt". Mikeshinoda.com. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  41. ^ Lowe, Zane (24 May 2012). "Hottest Record - Linkin Park - Lies Greed Misery". BBC. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
  42. ^ Ruehmer, Adam (4 June 2012). ""LIES GREED MISERY" Official Lyric Video". Linkinpark.com. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  43. ^ "Check out the new Medal of Honor Warfighter trailer featuring "LIES GREED MISERY"". Twitter. 2012-06-04. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  44. ^ "Linkin Park Medal of Honor Warfighter Trailer - E3 2012 Multiplayer Gameplay". Youtube. 2012-06-04. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  45. ^ ""Medal Of Honor" Trailer: Video". Warner Music Germany. Warner Music Group. 8 June 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  46. ^ Gallo, Phil (13 June 2012). "Linkin Park Score 'Abe Lincoln' End Credits". Billboard. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  47. ^ "Linkin Park & Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter Exclusive". Yahoo!. 16 June 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  48. ^ Anderson, Kyle (22 June 2012). "LIVING THINGS". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 22 June 2012. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  49. ^ a b c Simpson, Dave (21 June 2012). "Linkin Park: Living Things - review". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 June 2012. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  50. ^ Garza, Adrian (21 June 2012). "REVIEW: LINKIN PARK - LIVING THINGS". Under the Gun Review. Retrieved 22 June 2012. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  51. ^ a b "Living Things tracklisting". iTunes. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  52. ^ a b "Living Things LINKIN PARK [CD]". CDJapan.co.jp. Retrieved on April 23, 2012.
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  66. ^ {{citeweb|url=http://www.radioeksen.com/linkin-parkin-yeni-abumu-living-thingsi-dinleyin%7C
  67. ^ "Living Things (Albumi)". CDON. Retrieved 2012-06-17.
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