Linkin Park - The Hunting Party
by Dan Burton
The salesperson who sold me Linkin Park’s latest album described it as “‘Hybrid Theory’ mixed with a little of System of a Down.” That instantly got me excited and eager to listen to ‘The Hunting Party’. I certainly was not disappointed.
Many people who have already had the pleasure of listening to Linkin Park’s sixth studio album have likened it to some of their earlier, more famous works, such as their 2000 debut album ‘Hybrid Theory’. Throughout ‘The Hunting Party’, it is easy to see (or should that be hear?) the reasons why; track 5, the bellowing anthem ‘War’, features the screaming notes that made lead singer Chester Bennington one of the biggest names in metal and Mike Shinoda still has the touch of lyrical genius he possessed in 2000. The powerful lyrics he delivers in the pumping track ‘Wastelands’ combines effortlessly easily with Bennington’s range of vocals.
Other artists have joined with Linkin Park on this album. One in particular that caught my attention was rapper Rakim, who features on ‘Guilty All the Same’. The track on its own has a strong beat, but Rakim’s lyrics and fast tempo add a whole new level. Combining brilliantly with Bennington and Shinoda, Rakim’s input makes an already great track even better.
Compared to Linkin Park’s newer material, ‘The Hunting Party’ is definitely a lot edgier and heavier. However, two tracks on the album suggest that the band is not completely turning back the clock to their ‘Hybrid Theory’ style. The slow, almost hypnotic instrumental ‘Drawbar’ is quickly followed by the sorrowful ‘Final Masquerade’, bringing down the tone of the album before it concludes stylishly with ‘A Line in the Sand’.
I really enjoyed ‘The Hunting Party’ and would agree that it is certainly like ‘Hybrid Theory’ in many ways. There is not one song on the track list that I would not listen to and for all fans of Linkin Park, this album is a must-listen.
by Dan Burton
The salesperson who sold me Linkin Park’s latest album described it as “‘Hybrid Theory’ mixed with a little of System of a Down.” That instantly got me excited and eager to listen to ‘The Hunting Party’. I certainly was not disappointed.
Many people who have already had the pleasure of listening to Linkin Park’s sixth studio album have likened it to some of their earlier, more famous works, such as their 2000 debut album ‘Hybrid Theory’. Throughout ‘The Hunting Party’, it is easy to see (or should that be hear?) the reasons why; track 5, the bellowing anthem ‘War’, features the screaming notes that made lead singer Chester Bennington one of the biggest names in metal and Mike Shinoda still has the touch of lyrical genius he possessed in 2000. The powerful lyrics he delivers in the pumping track ‘Wastelands’ combines effortlessly easily with Bennington’s range of vocals.
Other artists have joined with Linkin Park on this album. One in particular that caught my attention was rapper Rakim, who features on ‘Guilty All the Same’. The track on its own has a strong beat, but Rakim’s lyrics and fast tempo add a whole new level. Combining brilliantly with Bennington and Shinoda, Rakim’s input makes an already great track even better.
Compared to Linkin Park’s newer material, ‘The Hunting Party’ is definitely a lot edgier and heavier. However, two tracks on the album suggest that the band is not completely turning back the clock to their ‘Hybrid Theory’ style. The slow, almost hypnotic instrumental ‘Drawbar’ is quickly followed by the sorrowful ‘Final Masquerade’, bringing down the tone of the album before it concludes stylishly with ‘A Line in the Sand’.
I really enjoyed ‘The Hunting Party’ and would agree that it is certainly like ‘Hybrid Theory’ in many ways. There is not one song on the track list that I would not listen to and for all fans of Linkin Park, this album is a must-listen.
Brody Dalle - Diploid Love
by Daisay Johnson
Release Date – 29 April 2014
Label – Caroline International
Formats – Digital, CD, Vinyl
Since her days as the frontwoman of punk band The Distillers, Dalle’s music has evolved and matured, reflecting on her five-year hiatus since last playing in Spinnerette. Diploid Love experiments with new eclectic styles. She’s back and better then ever!
Dalle collaborated with several high-profile musicians for this record, including Nick Valensi (The Strokes), Michael Shuman (Queens of the Stone Age), Shirley Manson (Garbage) and Emily Kokal (Warpaint).
Dalle’s punk really evolves into some new styles on this album. The inclusion of techno beats, piano and organ melodies with her usual rock, really makes Diploid Love an incredible record. Track #2 ‘Underworld starts off as a standard punk rock song, but a sudden mariachi ending by the Mariachi El Bronx flowed beautifully into the song, and you never question why it’s even there. That’s how perfectly it blends into the track and that’s how great Brody Dalle’s song writing is on this record.
Her punk edge is still very vibrant on this record, and every song gets you dancing. The songs reflect a personal journey and delve into key moments in her life since The Distillers and Spinnerette have been inactive. Dalle told NME in an interview, “In the Distillers, I didn’t really have anything to day, so I concentrated mostly on political, social issues. These days, it’s more personal.”
In an interview with Noisey last February, Dalle revealed that the track ‘Meet the Foetus/Oh The Joy’ is about her post-natal depression and about her love for her children. “I had just come out of a four year depression and I'd had a personality crisis after my daughter was born. Bad post natal. The Distillers had ended and my life looked completely different. When I wrote that song I was starting to feel like myself again, I think physically I knew I was pregnant. I feel complete after having kids. I always felt lost and without a purpose, having kids has grounded me truly into myself.”
Track #7 ‘I Don’t Need Your Love’ starts with mellow, soft and sorrowful piano and as the song goes on, it progresses into a myriad of piano, violin, drum and high vocals that perfectly fuse together to make this track so beautiful.
The last track ‘Parties for Prostitutes’ is a chilled-out, slightly sinister track that features a rhythm played on an organ. It’s so good that it gave me goosebumps on my first listen.
Diploid Love is a fantastic album. Definitely worth buying.
Essential Tracks: Underworld, Blood in Gutters, Parties for Prostitutes
by Daisay Johnson
Release Date – 29 April 2014
Label – Caroline International
Formats – Digital, CD, Vinyl
Since her days as the frontwoman of punk band The Distillers, Dalle’s music has evolved and matured, reflecting on her five-year hiatus since last playing in Spinnerette. Diploid Love experiments with new eclectic styles. She’s back and better then ever!
Dalle collaborated with several high-profile musicians for this record, including Nick Valensi (The Strokes), Michael Shuman (Queens of the Stone Age), Shirley Manson (Garbage) and Emily Kokal (Warpaint).
Dalle’s punk really evolves into some new styles on this album. The inclusion of techno beats, piano and organ melodies with her usual rock, really makes Diploid Love an incredible record. Track #2 ‘Underworld starts off as a standard punk rock song, but a sudden mariachi ending by the Mariachi El Bronx flowed beautifully into the song, and you never question why it’s even there. That’s how perfectly it blends into the track and that’s how great Brody Dalle’s song writing is on this record.
Her punk edge is still very vibrant on this record, and every song gets you dancing. The songs reflect a personal journey and delve into key moments in her life since The Distillers and Spinnerette have been inactive. Dalle told NME in an interview, “In the Distillers, I didn’t really have anything to day, so I concentrated mostly on political, social issues. These days, it’s more personal.”
In an interview with Noisey last February, Dalle revealed that the track ‘Meet the Foetus/Oh The Joy’ is about her post-natal depression and about her love for her children. “I had just come out of a four year depression and I'd had a personality crisis after my daughter was born. Bad post natal. The Distillers had ended and my life looked completely different. When I wrote that song I was starting to feel like myself again, I think physically I knew I was pregnant. I feel complete after having kids. I always felt lost and without a purpose, having kids has grounded me truly into myself.”
Track #7 ‘I Don’t Need Your Love’ starts with mellow, soft and sorrowful piano and as the song goes on, it progresses into a myriad of piano, violin, drum and high vocals that perfectly fuse together to make this track so beautiful.
The last track ‘Parties for Prostitutes’ is a chilled-out, slightly sinister track that features a rhythm played on an organ. It’s so good that it gave me goosebumps on my first listen.
Diploid Love is a fantastic album. Definitely worth buying.
Essential Tracks: Underworld, Blood in Gutters, Parties for Prostitutes
Kasabian – 48:13
by Dan Burton
Leicester rock legends Kasabian return with a bang in their latest album ’48:13’. The quartet performed at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Glasgow last month and once again showed why they are always a joy to watch.
So what can I say about ’48:13’? Well, for a start the title itself is an interesting first impression. The numbers represent the duration of the album, which opens with the haunting (Shiva). Off the back of this mellow and trance-inducing track comes the fast tempo of Bumblebee. This particular track has the potential to be a classic Kasabian track, up there with the likes of ‘Club Foot’ and ‘Empire’; the powerful beats accompanied with some incredible lyrical talent from lead singer Tom Meighan makes for a stunning track guaranteed to get any audience jumping.
As well as keeping to the style that makes Kasabian so popular, ’48:13’ has an experimental side to it. Take ‘Doomsday’, the fifth track, for example. Throughout it’s three and three quarter minutes, ‘Doomsday’ features some intriguing electrical hooks. Some fans might argue that these are not what Kasabian are all about, however I believe that these add a new dimension to the band’s style. In the next track, ‘Treat’, this electro side to Kasabian, makes an already catchy track even better.
’48:13’ might be slightly experimental but it also pushes the boundaries of what the Leicester lads are capable of. Whether you prefer the faster, ‘Club Foot’-style anthems or something a little different, fans of Kasabian will love ’48:13’ for its originality and variety. Check out their performance of 'Eez-eh' at Radio 1's Big Weekend here.
by Dan Burton
Leicester rock legends Kasabian return with a bang in their latest album ’48:13’. The quartet performed at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Glasgow last month and once again showed why they are always a joy to watch.
So what can I say about ’48:13’? Well, for a start the title itself is an interesting first impression. The numbers represent the duration of the album, which opens with the haunting (Shiva). Off the back of this mellow and trance-inducing track comes the fast tempo of Bumblebee. This particular track has the potential to be a classic Kasabian track, up there with the likes of ‘Club Foot’ and ‘Empire’; the powerful beats accompanied with some incredible lyrical talent from lead singer Tom Meighan makes for a stunning track guaranteed to get any audience jumping.
As well as keeping to the style that makes Kasabian so popular, ’48:13’ has an experimental side to it. Take ‘Doomsday’, the fifth track, for example. Throughout it’s three and three quarter minutes, ‘Doomsday’ features some intriguing electrical hooks. Some fans might argue that these are not what Kasabian are all about, however I believe that these add a new dimension to the band’s style. In the next track, ‘Treat’, this electro side to Kasabian, makes an already catchy track even better.
’48:13’ might be slightly experimental but it also pushes the boundaries of what the Leicester lads are capable of. Whether you prefer the faster, ‘Club Foot’-style anthems or something a little different, fans of Kasabian will love ’48:13’ for its originality and variety. Check out their performance of 'Eez-eh' at Radio 1's Big Weekend here.