Every now and then, a band like Linkin Park surfaces - a band that capitalizes off of the familiar elements of a ridiculously popular genre, makes that genre more palatable to those who normally don't like it by fusing it with just enough pop sensiblity, matches the music up with some memorable lyrics, and hits it big. These bands generally get labeled as trendy, unoriginal sellouts by the hardcore fans of their genre (in this case, the recent hardcore/rap-rock fad), and yet some of them do it so well that a lot of people decide they just don't care. If the music's good and the lyrics are at least tolerable, I personally will give a band like this a try.

Linkin Park piqued my interest for two reasons. I knew that they fell somewhere into the musical category of Limp Bizkit, but they had two lead vocalists (one to handle the rapping, and one to handle the screaming/singing/whispering), and combined the rap/rock style with a decent dose of electronica, resulting in some economy-strength guitars, beats, record scratches, and eerie keyboards flowing wonderfully in sync with one another. I also knew that these guys didn't swear at all for the duration of this entire album. That was enough to get my attention even if 90% of what I usually listen to is Christian music. Downloading most of this album from Napster proved to be a worthy investment - I knew from the get-go that I just had to have this album. Its combination of aggression and melody was right up my alley, and all without the disturbing lyrics found in the music of some of their peers, such as Korn, Limp Bizkit, Marilyn Manson, etc. I even prefer them to the highly-touted Christian rapcore bands P.O.D. and Project 86, because frankly, their music is easier to digest and their lyrics are a lot less frightening.

Papercut
I don't know what stressed me first, or how the pressure was fed, but I know just what it feels like to have a voice in the back of my head...
The first track on this album starts off with a chunky beat, a great guitar riff, and a wonderfully syncopated rap verse. You can just feel the paranoia that Mike Shinoda is rapping about in this song, as he describes the tension of constantly looking over his back and wondering why he feels so scared. Topics like these certainly aren't for the faint of heart, but it's noteworthy that the response to this feeling isn't to want to go out and hurt somebody or take drugs or commit suicide or anything like that. You'll find none of that on this album. The chorus is shouted by the band's other vocalist, Chester Bennington, who alternates expertly between harsh and smooth. In this instance, he actually reminds me of Jyro Xhan from the Christian industrial band Mortal (now Fold Zandura).

One Step Closer
Less I hear the less you'll say, but you'll find that out anyway...
"Papercut" transitions seamlessly into this, the ridiculously overplayed first single and the main reason a lot of people won't give this album a chance. Now, I don't think it's a bad song, but it does smack of the more typical rap-rock sound, utilizing aggression for aggression's sake. (I just didn't hear this one all over the radio like most people did.) It starts off with a chunky guitar line, which is met by another programmed beat, exploding much the way the first track did. This time the lead vocals are entirely handled by Chester, who shows us a little of his smoother side during the verses (the tune to which is eerily reminiscent of the 80's song "Kyrie" by Mr. Mister, not that the subject matter is anywhere near similar). Most people were either hooked on this band or completely turned off once the song arrived at the bridge, with its repeated screams of "Shut up when I'm talking to you!" But take one look closer. The song isn't just pent-up energy released for shock value. These are the thoughts of a troubled person who is about to snap because people are talking at him and not listening. I think it's a timely reminder that we can't always make people's problems go away with words. Sometimes the best way to love somebody is to "shut up" and listen.

With You
I hit you and you hit me back, we fall to the floor. The rest of the day stands still...
This is definitely a haunting track. It describes a relationship which is in a continual conflict. When they are together, they fight, and when they are apart, they lament how badly things are going - yet they never seem to resolve their problems. It starts off with some electronic scratching and squealing - sort of like a futuristic turntable effect. This is where you get a good glimpse of Linkin Park’s more electronic style. Chester's vocals are pretty scratchy here, hearkening back to the tortured sounds of 80's heavy metal bands, while still remaining a distinct flair for a sing-along melody, and Mike handles the verses once again with his smooth, addictive lyrical flow. Don't ask me how; it just works. I identify with this song because I know what it's like to quarrel with a loved one and end up wasting a lot of time trying to fix what's broken. Being away from the person during these times, though often necessary, can be painful, and the recollections can be haunting: "The sound of your voice painted on my memory/Even when you're not with me, I'm with you."

Points of Authority
You love the things I say I'll do, the way I'll hurt myself again just to get back at you...
This song lashes out against someone who thinks they're always right, and they have the right to say whatever they want because they're in a position of authority. The song is underpinned by relentless record scratching, and propelled by a repeating rap verse from Mike and some softer singing from Chester (until the chorus, where he lets his angrier side out again). Chester essentially accuses this authority figure of using their position to hurt other people, to make them regret disagreeing with the powers that be. The line I've quoted above may seem masochistic, but I think it refers to the sacrifices the underdog often has to make when caught up in a battle for social justice. Maybe I'm reading too much into what is really just post-teenage angst. Who knows. My only real complaint about the song is that, while I like the breakdown near the end where the guitars and beats flirt with each other, the song kind of fizzles out after that.

Crawling
Against my will I stand beside my own reflection. It's haunting how I can't seem to find myself again...
The second single to be released, there is a strong undercurrent of electronica in this one - so much that the hypnotic intro (which actually reminds me of Plumb's song "Here with Me") lulls you into a false sense of security before the creepy chorus attacks. Then, the song scales back, giving us another glimpse into the tortured persona described in "Papercut". Once again, paranoia is seen as some sort of an infection underneath the skin, which cannot be escaped by running away. I wonder if any of the guys in the band have suffered from anxiety disorders, because this song seems to describe the symptoms perfectly. Not exactly uplifting material, but definitely very honest. The way Chester handles the vocals during the verses is probably part of the reason people criticize this band - he sounds like he could be in a boy band if he really wanted to. But I happen to admire and enjoy his versatility. Mike punctuates the verses at just the right place with his side commentary: "Not a sense of confidence/I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take". This sort of vocal interplay adds a lot of value to several of the songs.

Runaway
All my talk of taking action, these words were never true...
This song is the embodiment of teenage angst, once again crying out against the lies told by an authority figure. The lyrics may be a bit sophomoric ("I want to shut the door and open up my mind"), but they signal a positive response to a negative upbringing. Chester is upset here that he has been fed lies for so long and refused to take action, remaining mired in his own guilt for being so complacent, and he resolves to go out on his own and seek the truth. This could be backlash against a religious upbringing - I know for a fact that a lot of kids brought up in religious households are given a tainted view of that belief system, and it often shocks their parents when they strike out in search of their own truth (however, it's usually necessary if a person is ever to have any real faith). Some of the "hardness" of the song seems a little forced and even silly, especially the whisper/scream pattern of the bridge: "I wanna run away/And never say good-BYE!!!"

By Myself
If I'm killed by the questions like a cancer, then I'll be buried in the silence of the answer...
Once again, we have a very tight transition between tracks -something Linkin Park excels at. This is definitely the hardest and most tortured song on the album, possibly a result of the same questioning that inspired "Runaway". The interplay between Mike and Chester on this song is excellent, because Mike gives us that "looking over your shoulder to see who's coming" effect, and then Chester's screaming attacks. This is definitely a lot less melodic than the other tracks, but still well written and performed.

In the End
Things aren't the way they were before. You wouldn't even recognize me anymore, not that you knew me back then...
The third and current single from the album, this song has an unexpected beauty that transcends the musical genre. Dominated by a sad piano line, it describes a feeling of hopelessness after a breakup - sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you can't change the other person's mind when they think it isn't working out. Mike's rapping during the verses (echoed a few words at a time by Chester in places) combine with some eerie keyboard notes, making this song reminiscent of Limp Bizkit's "Take a Look Around" (which was their take on the Mission Impossible theme). Rather than just being bitter, the lyrics take on a more philosophical stance: "Keep that in mind/I designed this rhyme/To explain in due time/All I know/Time is a valuable thing."

A Place for My Head
The sun doesn't give life to the moon, assuming the moon's going to owe it one...
This song is a little more awkwardly constructed than the others. It starts off with a quiet, almost reggae-styled guitar riff (like something I'd expect out of fellow Southern California rap-rock band Pax217), and then the drums and beats hit the ground running, giving way to a very promising rap verse that uses an intriguing analogy of the sun and moon affecting each other as a couple in a relationship where one person is always giving. The song is mostly backlash against that person's selfishness, and other than those sweet rap verses, it's just weird - the chorus seems pasted in from somewhere else, though it does contain the interesting line "I want to be in the energy/Not with the enemy." Halfway through, the song falls silent, and Chester whispers the rather immature line "You tried to take the best of me, go away!", which degenerates into some over-the-top screaming and such. I still enjoy the song, but it's a bit of an experience in musical whiplash.

Forgotten
The memory now is like the picture was then - when the paper's crumpled up it can't be perfect again...
This song takes off immediately with its blistering chorus - it'll take you a second to realize the track has changed after the bottom drops out from the tortured scream at the end of the last track. The song deals with haunting memories of something or other - I haven't really pieced it together. Its descriptions of what seems to be a troubled neighborhood "The wheels go round and the sunset creeps/Past the street lamps, chain-link and concrete" remind me very much of P.O.D.'s hit song "Southtown", (which is one of the few of theirs that I can stand) while the softer beats and guitar lines in the verses remind me of a softer P.O.D. song called "Set Your Eyes to Zion". I don't know if Linkin Park had been listening to P.O.D. or not, but at times it's a little too close for comfort.

Cure for the Itch
A cute little instrumental track highlighting the beat-and-scratch skills of the band's DJ, Joseph Hahn. It's put together as a short little lesson in "rhythm management", building in complexity upon a playful breakbeat. It seems rather out of place on the rest of the album (perhaps he should do like the Beastie Boys' Mixmaster Mike and just put out his own album instead), but I have to admit, when it really gets going, backed up by the haunting piano and keyboard tunes, it's kind of fun. Perhaps he should go into video game soundtracks.

Pushing Me Away
This is the last time I'll take the blame for the sake of being with you...
The album ends on a smoother note (though far too soon, in my opinion) with one last song lamenting that lost relationship. Here Chester takes a firm stance against this cruel lover, stating that she can't keep using him and manipulating his emotions, or she'll lose him for good. It's mostly a solid rock track, not dominated by screaming or even a lot of rapping (though when Mike breaks in saying "Everything has to end/You'll soon find we're out of time/Left to watch it all unwind", you have to wonder if they knew this would be the last song on the album when they wrote it), and even if it ends rather abruptly, it's a satisfying song.

I do find myself wishing for more - a bonus track or something, since the album is under forty minutes long, with no song passing the four minute mark (many of them don't even make it to three). But it's still a solid debut, faltering only slightly in the back half. I have no idea whether they'll keep the lyrics clean on future records, or whether they'll gravitate towards a certain style or remain in this lovely "hybrid" of theirs, but either way, I recommend checking out this band while they're still fresh.

And if you really have to skip "One Step Closer" after hearing it for the 1000th time, I understand.

TRACK REVIEW SUMMARY
Excellent: In the End, Crawling, With You, Papercut, Pushing Me Away
Good: One Step Closer, Points of Authority
Decent: By Myself, A Place for My Head, Forgotten, Cure for the Itch
Weak: Runaway
Skippable: NONE

Band Members:
Chester Bennington: Lead vocals (singing and screaming)
Mike Shinoda: Lead vocals (mostly rapping)
Rob Bourdon: Drums
Brad Delson: Guitars
Joseph Hahn: DJ cuts, scratches, beats, and other miscellaneous sounds
(The band has no permanent bass player, although their sound is thick enough that you may never notice!)

Website: http://www.linkinpark.com

Great Music to Play While: Getting over yourself when you’re ticked off at the world


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Driving