What the critics thought:
"What remains is a barrage of cyber-metal elbow jabs, with just enough fluffy new-wave padding to soften the onslaught."
– Entertainment Weekly
"While they've spiffed up their sound for the dance floor, the band found some of its greatest inspiration in pop-wise hip-hop - "Lies Greed Misery," a sweet-and-sour gem, is guaranteed to make you jump."
– Rolling Stone
"Living Things is simply a minor effort in an impressive discography, and one that should translate well to Linkin Park's live show."
– Billboard.com
"Living Things feels more like consolidation than advancement, perhaps in an attempt to pacify fans alienated by the new direction, while keeping new converts interested, too."
– The Guardian
"Shinoda and Bennington's brotherly chemistry remains undiminished, but what troubles is how little they've matured lyrically."
– The A.V. Club
"Linkin Park will always be a compelling and watchable entity. But Living Things doesn't deliver music as interesting or as arresting as what immediately preceded it. Which comes as both a surprise and, more importantly, a shame."
- BBC Music
Listen to the album here:
"What remains is a barrage of cyber-metal elbow jabs, with just enough fluffy new-wave padding to soften the onslaught."
– Entertainment Weekly
"While they've spiffed up their sound for the dance floor, the band found some of its greatest inspiration in pop-wise hip-hop - "Lies Greed Misery," a sweet-and-sour gem, is guaranteed to make you jump."
– Rolling Stone
"Living Things is simply a minor effort in an impressive discography, and one that should translate well to Linkin Park's live show."
– Billboard.com
"Living Things feels more like consolidation than advancement, perhaps in an attempt to pacify fans alienated by the new direction, while keeping new converts interested, too."
– The Guardian
"Shinoda and Bennington's brotherly chemistry remains undiminished, but what troubles is how little they've matured lyrically."
– The A.V. Club
"Linkin Park will always be a compelling and watchable entity. But Living Things doesn't deliver music as interesting or as arresting as what immediately preceded it. Which comes as both a surprise and, more importantly, a shame."
- BBC Music
Listen to the album here: