Review Summary: Great album. Need i say more?
Linkin Park's MC, Mike Shinoda, has made a solo album with some friends from Styles Of Beyond and Common. But does Shinoda have what it takes to do something like this? Now that you think about it, many critics are sceptical about him doing a solo hip-hop album, espicialy considering that alot of them said that he can't rap. But hey, when you're in a band like Linkin Park, you're doing everything pretty simple. That's the beauty of Linkin Parks simplistic nature. Skip this part if you want and get right to the review.
So let's see what Mike's been doing...but before we get into that, lets start with some of Mikes best moments in Linkin Parks Hip-hop side shall we ;)
Skip this part if you want and get right to the review.
High Voltage-The pure essence of the NU-genre. Mike is making fun of all of those MC's who are just posers and fakes who can't rap. His lyrics are raw and i don't think theres another song like it.
Reanimation Album-Mikes been taking the pieces from LP's original Hybrd Theory, and remixed it while adding a few hip-hop verses from guest artist.
Dedicated-From before Linkin Park, when the band was called Xero, this is where Mike sings the bands purpose to making music.
It's going down(Ft.Executioners)-Its actualy the Executioners Featuring Mike and Joe Hanh. But Mike is the one who did the verses.
Step up-From Linkin Parks EP album, Mikes been doing great as LP's MC in this one.
Hehe, yeah i type too much. But hey, you made it to the main review!
Let's start with each song starting with the intro.
Intro-Everything good thing needs to start with a bang right? Well...its loud and and its cool =D. 8/10
Remember the name- When you remember Fort Minor, you remember Mike Shinoda right? Well this is Mikes idea of introducing himself and Fort Minor to the world. Awesome strings, great beats, awesome lyrics too. Though it feels like an autobiography, it also shows us what Mike is made of (10% luck, 20% skill, 15% concentrated power of will, 5% pleasure, 50% pain and 100% reason to remember the name). Its a catchy tune :)
9/10
Right Now- One of the best in the album. The ***ty stories of many people going on in the city. Another point of the song is this(But yo I'm just taking it in
From the second story hotel window again/The TV's on, and my bags are packed/But in this world everything can change just like that/like that.).Its a very memorable chorus. The piano makes a very beautyfull melody for the sadness of the song.
10/10
Petrified- Feels like a gangster rap dosen't it? Though the lyrics aren't the best, actualy, the chorus are repeated too often, but the beats and scratches are great wich covers the fact that the lyrics are boring.
7/10
Feel like home-Another excellent song. The song is mainly about all the bums on the street and how we look at them like good for nothing freaks. But all they wanna do, is find a place they can call home. The backround music gives it a rather cold feeling to it. Well if the song is about a bum with nowhere to go, then yes, cold is the perfect feeling for it.
10/10
Where'd you go-Going on the road is hard for any artist with a family. The song says alot about how lonely one can feel while the other persons so far away. Holly Brook is also featured in this song to give a saddening melody in the chorus. The drums and piano are played here and boy are they played well!
8.5/10
In stereo-Awesome beats, so far the best beats in the album. I have no idea what its about. Rap battles? A screw it, great beats, tight lyrics. You'd actualy feel pretty cool listening to it. 8D
9/10
Back home-Annoying backround music, but the rhyming is awesome and the chorus is pretty good too. It feels pretty jazzy. But jazz plus rap does not necessairly equal good. Decent, but not good.
7/10
Cigarettes-Fort Minors best song lyricly. This is how Mike compares...ah you people know it already: comparing Rap to smoking cigarettes. The strange music gives the song a strange atmosphere. But its ****ing cool though =).
10/10
Believe me-Sweet drumming, amazing beats and good lyrics too. 'Nuff said.
8.5/10
Get me gone-As i said before, alot of people didin't think Mike could rap. But the band(Linkin Park) had his back and he did the tracks. I guess Mike really hate critics don't he?(Who dosen't!) Its to disprove what those critics say. Its short, its strange, its a bit funny, its a filler. I like it =).
8/10
High Road-Its sort of a continuation of Get me gone. Its saying that Mike dosen't care what those critics and haters say. Hes just doing his thing. Great piano. Almost like chopsticks though xD.The backround music is almost like "This love" by Maroon 5 =/
9/10
Kenji-The story of the japanese, as well as the story of his grand-father(dads side) as they're world darkens when the Americans had them move to an internment camp during world war II. The backround music is epic. Deep song man.
10/10
Red to black-This song gives us a bit of a rock essence. But its not Linkin Park ladies and gentlemen! Its still Fort Minor. And this tells us about the sudden change and how it could ruin ones life. Great singer. Its Kenna! And he makes the rock vibe even more rock-ish. Kinda like Chester. Only one thing: Chester has a better voice. The guitar is the best part and it even goes well with the flow of the verses.
10/10
The battle- Freestyle. Need i say more?
7/10
Slip out the back-A great way to end the album. Great backround music and great lyrics.(Even heroes know when to be scared) whoa O_O And the scracthing is performed by Joe Hanh. The backround music are somewhat scary and somewhat tragic. But hey, if the song is about being scared then so be it!
10/10
Mike shows to the world that he can do hip-hop despite the doubt. He even manages to sound original. Great album. Buy it. Or download some songs to sample it. You might not be disapointed. But if you are, i'll send you a check once i get a bank account =D
