Satan's Luau

Well, let's talk about that, shall we?
Linkin Park was this really neato band that I discovered in the latter part of 2000, that I liked so much, I was still playing it in my car ... well, when I totalled my car in true NASCAR spin-out SPORTSCENTER fashion in February 2001 ...

Now that I think about it, if anyone sees the wreckage of my car at some Korean auto body repair reseller yard in Kakaako ... please take my CD out of the player ... this CD was so good ... I BOUGHT IT 2X

Okay, well that original CD was called Hybrid Theory, and it featured this really catchy riff-based sampled music with rapsNscratching over it and this emotional tenor singer that could bring the HEAVY EMO

(ed.note: Overall Grade: A-)

... from the menacingly psycho rap piece "Papercut" and its emotionally sung bridge about the sun going down; to the mega-hit "One Step Closer" with the infamous SHUT UP chorus; the preachy "Points of Authority" with its crunchy riffs and mono vocal effects; the second big radio hit "Crawling" with its interesting interplay between emotional singsong vocals, well placed raps, and scream chorus; the revving guitar riffs of "Runaway", the last radio hit; the HUGE radio hit "In The End", with its main rap with interspersed vocals and killer chorus; the underrated "Forgotten" with its Alice In Chains-like chorus effects; to my personal fave "Pushing Me Away", huge on radio, but just the perfect Y2K sounding sound to pass Armageddon away listening to -- such a brilliant blend of clean sung vocals, solid rap interplay, and killer crunchy hooks

so what was there NOT to like??? ... I totally got my $$$ worth ... when do you find an album where you TOTALLY DIG 8 of 12 songs and the other 4 are eminently listenable ... well, let me tell you ... not too fu--ing often

All praise notwithstanding, I must admit to you that I GREW TOTALLY SICK OF THIS BAND AND THEIR MUSIC at some point in mid-2001, and how they really got overexposed and overplayed for a good year's worth of time

My interest came back to me about the time I learned of the Metallica Summer Sanitarium tour announcement about a month ago ... Metallica is holding a summer stadium tour with Deftones, Mudvayne, LINKINPARK, and that band led by "Red Cap" Fred ... on a side note, I have nice tickets via the MetClub for the LA show this August (ed.note: WE DID GO!!! check within for details)

Anyways, so as part of the press release for the tour, it was noted that the three headlining bands would be releasing new albums this year ... LP (this past Tuesday), Red Cap Fred's band (May, err scratch that, June ... something about egotistical lead vocalists and album delays ... check yourself before you Chinese Democracy, freddy boy!!!), and Met in June

Learning about LP's new album, I went to their website and they had in the studio features ... much like JITS for Tallica

Well, shortening out this story which is going wayyy the hell too long ... I heard LP's single a month ago ---Somewhere I Belong --- well, actually I saw the video ... umm, how can I say it ... I WAS NOT INTO IT!!! not even in the least bit ...

Fast forward to Thursday, I picked up the METEORA release by LP ... now I can't say like one of the teenybopper chix on the LP site that I waited all day in line with 3000 others (Don't even get me started on how LP's fans are so young and trendy)

... OK, well, I am one of the 1,000,000 owners of copies sold this week ... I told SheDev that I wasn't gonna go get it ... well, I broke down, after listening to the preview cuts on the LP website

I can't really write a review at this point, but I will write my initial impressions

First, let me explain my earlier Math Metal comments ... I have been listening to Meshuggah for the past two months, and they are one of the MOST inaccessible, non-listener friendly bands in all of commercial music ... if you don't believe me, check them out on Limewire ... and be prepared for the most SHOCKING ear candy (or awful poison) you've heard in a while

Believe it or not, challenging myself with Meshuggah's polyrithmic and non-traditional structure ... apparently left a void in me for good riffs and made my eye (well, ears actually) sharper to how music is composed and how the layers work together

Back to today, as of 11:41pm (still Thursday), I've just completed my first listen of LP's Meteora ...

FAMILIAR CORE ELEMENTS PLUS SHIFT IN ARTISTIC DIRECTION

I wonder if its possible to have a "LOAD-like" album for album #2? Shouldn't you at least develop a style before you leave it behind

METEORA Tracklist and Impressions of Tracks (2004: Overall Grade: B-)

Don't Stay
Turns the feel of One Step Closer inside out for an impressive crushing opener -- Me Likes It!! -- YEAH

Somewhere I Belong: (the first single)
Now we all know I didn't like this one out of the box ... but now I just love the way this song sounds ... it sounds really GOOD, by that I mean, the elements work so well together--- masterful production .... I've grown into this one

Lying From You
It has a dive bomber bottom heavy riff with Mike Shinoda's raps driving the song with a scream chorus "YOUUUU!!!" ... Psycho lyrics, this is what I like from LP --- YEAH!

AND THEN THE MOOD WOULD CHANGE
.... STOP!!! ... HIT AND MISS TIME!!!!

Hit The Floor
Math Metal sounding, Korny chorus, Nothing catchy about it ... ok so you can imitate Korn's best arhythmic moment, sooo.... --- JUNK

Easier to Run
I was fooled by the One Step Closer sweet sounding catchy beginning --- the rest of the song sounds like a Pet Shop Boys b-side with scream vocals, hella interesting emo bridge (that's the only part that grabbed me) --- mostly BLAH! (ed. note: This will be single, but it doesn't matter what I like, does it?!?!?!)

(ed.note 2004: They tried to push it as a single, IT DIDN'T WORK! ... I was right for one of the few times in my life)

Faint
Very technoish feel, now call me stupid, but I dont go to LP for techno --- remember what Marshall M. said, NOBODY LISSENS TO TECHNO!!!, not to mention the System of a Down sounding bridge (done BADLY) --- NO!
(ed.note: also has potential to be a single)

(ed.note 2004: It was a single, and a HUGE one at that -- even I like it now, so I eat some crow with bbq sauce on this one)

Figure.09
Very nu-metallish, repetitive stale riff, rappin and then screamin --- Nothing to see here, move along people --- how many consecutive NOs??? -- ditto
(ed.note 2004: although I like this song better today, it's still not really one that can get everyone all in agreement about its goodness)

Breaking the Habit
Mono vocal effects but mid-fast technoish electronic feel --- OH, and NO SHINODA ... AT ALL (did he need a concert break song??) --- JC, WTF!!!! ---- NOOOOOOO!

From the Inside
Big FAT opening riff, Mike is back driving the song with his whispery rap style, with mixed singsong vocals and semi-catchy chorus ... again, the screaming YOOUUUs (this time its like oh, the screaming yous AGAYNE, ho hum) --- its OK, nothing great

Nobody's Listening
Ok, yeah you pull this BS, no one will be lissening, fools! ... first song I can think of to feature Shakuhachi and Koto as a riff element ... sounds like a WWF Sumo pro wrestler character's entrance music --- NO ONE IS LISTENING --- DOO-DOO!!!

Session
Ok, its time for that time-honored tradition of the 2nd to last song on the album feat. BEATZ --- its ok, but at this point, I'm irritated at the lack of focus on this album --- NAY say I to the FILLER

Numb
I was looking for a PUSHING ME AWAY (PMA) big finisher ... it has all those elements that I liked in that song .. but is like I CAN'T BELIEVE ITS NOT PMA --- where's FABIO as spokesman? --- Yeah its ok, but it doesn't fulfill its promise
(ed.note 2004: This one became a huge hit, it also grew to become one of my favorite tracks on the album -- so send Fabio home to his mongo stereo system -- and crank up this track in yours, ha)

I AM OFFICIALLY DISAPPOINTED, it went south after Track 4 ... REALLY SOUTH! (ed.note 2004: Yeah, pretty much the same evaluation)

Comparison: DO THE MATH
Hybrid Theory: One of the Best of 2000
Meteora: INCONSISTENT

Yes, I liked the early tracks on this CD ... but they didn't seem to have ENOUGH material for this one ... or as they said in Liner Notes, so many different versions ... I think you guys THREW AWAY some of the good ones too ... (also there is an admission that some trax were RUSHED due to the master track mixing deadline, now don't tell me that because that irritates me EVEN MORE)

(ed.note 2004: In the final analysis I have concluded that 8 songs are listenable. 5 very good, and 1 okay, and 2 in the passable idle listening style ... this remains a FAR cry from Hybrid Theory, still disappointing --- at the end of the day, I have some nice shoes though, ha)