Minutes To Midnight : Linkin Park : Review : Rolling Stone

Rap metal is dead. Linkin Park are not, because they were always more than the meager sum of that combination -- more pop and classic rock in their riffs, hooks and drive, even on Collision Course, their 2004 mash-up with Jay-Z. On Minutes to Midnight, co-produced by Rick Rubin, Linkin Park are more of something else -- topical -- and furiously good at it. In the last song, "The Little Things Give You Away," the band coolly torpedoes George W. Bush's petty, disastrous arrogance on Iraq and New Orleans (for starters), building from acoustic strum and soft-shoe electronics to magisterial Seventies-arena guitar and lacerating disgust. "All you've ever wanted was someone to truly look up to you," Chester Bennington sings. "And six feet underwater/I do."

That's not all. Bennington is not going over old-girlfriend ground when he promises, "Your time is borrowed," in the hammering thrash of "No More Sorrow." And Mike Shinoda's state-of-disbelief rap "Hands Held High" comes with military-funeral drums and an "amen" chorus. This would be as much fun as a filibuster if Linkin Park did not pay equal attention to the punch and detail in the gritty stomp "Bleed It Out" and the balled-fist guilt of "What I've Done." "Shadow of the Day" is a too-literal echo of Joshua Tree-era U2, but most of Minutes is honed, metallic pop with a hip-hop stride and a wake-up kick. "What the fuck is wrong with me?" Bennington barks over the jingle bells and distortion in "Given Up." The answer all over this record: nothing that getting off your ass can't fix.

DAVID FRICKE

(Posted: May 30, 2007)

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Give us your review of Minutes To Midnight

Review 1 of 81

5of 5 Stars

F*** you LP haters! if u cant stand the lyrics and the screaming and stuff. go into ur little world of pretend pop music and bullshit. i personally love M2M. the songs are good. meteora was my favourite album but M2M was so different it rocked! the thing is though that chester hates pop music but a lot of their songs are pop hits which is weird.like shadow of the day was really popular but theres something about that song thats different. and given up is really good!! i have no idea why it didnt chart anywhere. and they barely play it on the radio even after they got a lot of feedback to play that song over and over again cuz all LP fans love it! but i do think they did tak a chance and do whatever they wanted to. my fav tracks are definitely what ive done, leave out all the rest, in pieces, no more sorrow, no roads left, etc.!!!
i hope ur new album surprises us totally aain! but next time try to do a lot more rock cuz pop is boring!

Apr 25, 2008 10:55:17

Review 2 of 81

1of 5 Stars

Linkin Park is a terrible band. With their annoying, whining, and pessimistic lyrics, they are just a shallow. I lose all respect for Rolling Stone. Popular music and good music are rarely the same. The ear-piercing, seizure-like cymbal crash in "Bleed It Out" to the laughable lyrics to "Shadow of a Day," Linkin Park cements themselves into a category of shallow, lameness that people unbelievably buy into. Linkin Park is done after this album and it shows.

Feb 20, 2008 19:04:30

Review 3 of 81

2of 5 Stars

estos pinches putos mariguanos fresas piensan que gritando como si les estuvieran metiendo la verga ya son muy roqueros ,asi tambien estan sus putos fans como geronimo zamora,lo que pasa es que a ellos tambien les gustaria que se los estuvieran cogiendo.A ver cuando se los dejan de echar para ver si ya se ponen a tocar buenas rolas

Nov 7, 2007 16:31:29

Review 4 of 81

4of 5 Stars

Linkin Park sounds pretty good in this ablum. The music isb't as heavy as pass albums, but her it isn't a bad thing. The softer tone of this album is seen through tracks like "In Between" and "Shadows Of the Day" which aren't bad at all. Not worry Linkin Park fans they still brought over that metal feel. "Given Up" is a amazing track with plenty of screaming from chester. "Bleeding Out" and the political "Hands Held High" gives you the Hip Hop from Mike Shinoda. One of my favorites "in Peices" and "What I've Done" are tracks with show the change in the band and their some what new sound. 4 stars for M2M.

Oct 20, 2007 06:23:50

Review 5 of 81

4of 5 Stars

This album wasn't what I had been expecting. Having becoming something of a hardcore fan during the Meteroa era, to hear Linkin Park songs with a new, somewhat softer and muted sound was unsettling. However, the more I listen to it, the more it truly grows on me, and the more childish and unrefined their old music begins to sound. I believe this album shows their talents really growing in a new, more mature direction, and hope it continues.

However, it's going to be a long time before Shadow of the Day and In Between get into my top tracks list...

Oct 10, 2007 18:46:37

Review 6 of 81

5of 5 Stars

I admit to not liking every track on the record, but it's a good
record. For those who want an artist, or group, to keep
releasing the same record over an over, it will disappoint. I
happen to like when artists experiment and take chances. Dig
deeper, there is more to this release. Listen to the new sounds
and ideas. If you want frat boy music, go listen to Van Halen.

Sep 8, 2007 15:56:06

Review 7 of 81

4of 5 Stars

It is not incredible

The beauty is the fact that Linkin Park has proven they aren't a one-trick pony

If they want to do pop, they do it
If they want to be political, they do it
If they want a new twist on their rapmetal, they bloody do it

Sep 1, 2007 11:45:16

Review 8 of 81

5of 5 Stars

Magnificent. Not like the other albums but I love this album more every time I listen to it. Great deep lyrics, catchy hooks and a powerful sound. LP may have the best metal album of the year.

Aug 11, 2007 15:01:09

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