Linkin Park finds the right blend

Rolling Stone magazine calls it “the band’s most powerful (material) since its megahit 2000 debut.” I say rightly so because of several reasons: Living Things by Linkin Park is a blend of modern rock and hip-hop music forms; it shows how much this group has evolved musically; and perhaps it is the near fulfillment of the promise first evinced in Hybrid Theory. They are still on a ride and Linkin Park is fast nearing its goal, or what I believe is their goal. Truth to tell, I am now starting to wonder what sort of music they will have in the band’s next album.

Formed by high school friends from California in 1996, Linkin Park is Chester Bennington on vocals and guitar; Rob Bourdon, drums and percussion; Brad Delson, guitars and keyboard; Dave “Phoenix” Farrell, bass; Joe Hahn, spinner and keyboardist; and Mike Shinoda, rapper, rhythm guitarist and piano player. Their kind of music has been touted about as various types, nu-metal, alternative rock, rap rock, alternative metal, rock electronica, etc. It is all that and something else that is evolving with every album. All of these come together in a grand manner in Living Things.

The title was chosen because Living Things deals with personal topics about people. This CD is not only powerful but is also Linkin Park’s finest to date. This is the band at its most melodic and experimental. Would you believe they are now also tapping reggae? Of course, the whole package is also electornica, which, I must admit is more technology than music. I know that having a lot of that can unsettle the metal rock fan. But that is part of Linkin Park’s charm.

The group admits to being a hybrid and they have now found the right blend. Living Things is at the logical end of the route that they began with Minutes To Midnight and A Thousand Suns. They have ditched the past and I see their energetic music now as a portent of exciting things to come. After all, it would be hateful to find them stagnating, doing the same thing over and over again. As it is these guys might just be the ones, who can win widespread acceptance for neo-metal or whatever it is they want to call their music. Who knows we might soon hear orchestral versions of their songs in august concert halls.

Recently released, Living Things is the seventh album by the talented Linkin Park. It was produced by Shinoda and the famous Ricky Rubin. This is the same group that also did Minutes To Midnight and A Thousand Suns. Best cuts are Lost In The Echo, Castle Of Glass and I’ll Be Gone. Victimized is the most powerful of all but it is too short for a single. I think Road Untravelled is the best one for that job. Also included are In My Remains, Burn It Down, Lies Greed Misery, Skin To Bone, Until It Breaks, Tinfoil and Powerless.

Living Things debuted at No. 1 in Billboard Magazine’s Top 200 Albums chart listing three weeks ago. It has since then dropped down to No. 6, which I think, is still great showing for the band. This is the band’s third No. 1 seller. Their other top albums were Meteora and A Thousand Suns. The debut album Hybrid Theory made it to No. 2.

The Top 20 titles in the Top 200 albums chart this week are: Uncaged by the Zac Brown Band; Channel ORANGE by Frank Ocean; Believe by Justin Bieber; Fortune by Chris Brown; Overexposed by Maroon 5; Living Things by Linkin Park; Up All Night by One Direction; 21 by Adele; Teenage Dream by Katy Perry; Welcome To The Fishbowl by Kenny Chesney.

Tailgates & Tanlines by Luke Bryan; Old School New Rules by Hank Williams, Jr.; Maybach Music Group Presents by Various Artists; Looking 4 Myself by Usher; Chief by Eric Church; You Get What You Give by the Zac Brown Band again; Murdered Love by P.O.D.; Some Nights by fun; The Foundation also by the Zac Brown Band; and Blown Away by Carrie Underwood.