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Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight

Linkin Park tries to expand on the well worn nu-metal rap-rock sound of their previous albums. With the help of veteran producer Rick Rubin (Slayer, System of a down, Red Hot Chili Peppers), they produce results. While this may not be the Sgt Peppers they hoped for, it's enough to give them a boost out of stagnation. Fans will be happy that they retain their knack for writing great hooks, and have kept their rebellious-yet-sensitive posturing intact.

Linkin Park have always been a rather odd band compared to the rest of their nu-metal brethren, appearing outwardly as angry, but charming with songs that were always far slicker, with their smooth vocal harmonies, synth hooks, and soaring choruses. A bit like a rap-metallised Boston or Bryan Adams, Linkin Park are the consummate pop craftsmen of the disenfranchised Adidas generation - the angry music your mother can also enjoy. Their worst failing has always been the rigid formula. At least 70% of their songs stuck to that formula til now. With Minutes to Midnight, this has changed, but is that for the better? Despite punky opener "Given Up", Minutes to midnight, sticks mostly to middle of the road AOR. "Leave Out All the Rest", and "Shadow of the Day" see them doing their best impression of latter day U2. There are still the trademark rap/synth/shouty chorus songs that made them famous, and a few stabs at hard rock, such as "No More Sorrow" (which, by the way sounds suspiciously like AFI’s "Miss Murder".)

Minutes to Midnight is a decent album overall, and a lot better crafted than many recent commercial hard rock products. It’s very easy on the ear, and after a few listens you’ll find yourself humming these songs in the shower. The biggest turn off is the faux anger of some heavier songs, and the inclusion of Mike Shinola’s one dimensional rapping, which only adds a hopelessly white bread hip-hop gloss to the proceedings.

This album should please fans, and perhaps even get them a few new ones. The new ground they’re treading isn’t all that exciting, but it avoids the repetition they were guilty of earlier in their career. The biggest pull? Strong hooks. Any track could sit comfortably on your party play list between Def Leppard and Maroon 5. If they dropped their ridiculously false nu-metal streetwise anger and pretensions deepness, they could be a pop force to fear.

- Ivan Sadler
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