INTRO & 2024: Part 8 - The Remaining Stuff (UK Top Ten Singles and Albums (Oct - Dec 2024))
- kevpalowe8
- Mar 20
- 20 min read
Yes there’s still 3 charts left before the end of the year. However, because of the Christmas takeover of the charts due to streaming, these days by the end of November we are essentially at the end of the year chart-wise. Here’s the rest.
SINGLES (OCT – DEC) (See Part 3 for Jan-Sept)
The Weeknd & Playboi Carti “Timeless”
I like some things about it, I like the way the vocal passes around, I like the keyboard ‘bip bip’ figure, and I like the ‘ambient’ background. But, the track doesn’t really do very much or go anywhere.
Gigi Perez “Sailor Song” (#1 for a week)
This is a weird one because I do think it’s very very good. Yet, I’ve never chosen to put it on outside listening to it on my playlist and whenever it does come on I think ‘do I have to listen to this again?’...... even though I think it is very good. Have a listen see if you can get where I’m coming from and perhaps explain it to me, because I’m a bit baffled myself.
Gracie Abrams “I Love You, I’m Sorry”
You know what, despite my criticism (see part 4) that it’s all a bit of an early Taylor Swift rehash – I’m warming more and more to Gracie Abrams. This is a good track – pretty strong melody. All good.
Charlie XCX & Ariana Grande “Sympathy Is A Knife”
It’s a good track – like love where is all sort of breaks down and sounds like your speakers have broken.
KSI & Trippie Redd “Thick Of It”
I quite like this one. It’s not amazing by any means. I guess it’s like using hip hop to make a catchy pop tune, with a sort of casual ‘rap-singing’ vocal style. It did get stuck in my head so mission accomplished in that sense....... because “everybody knows” (see what I did there?...no....you’ll have to listen to the track then)....... yea “everybody knows” the only way to get rid of a musical earworm is to listen to it until you’re sick of it.
Sabrina Carpenter “Bad Chem”
M’eh
Adam Port / Stryv /Keinemusik “Move”
I like this one. It’s kinda...... ‘subtle’ (not sure what the best word is). Although it’s not exceptional, original or anything else, it’s fair song-writing and like the way it manages to be up-tempo yet atmospheric and chilled.
Rose & Bruno Mars “APT.”
It’s good fun. Why not? Enjoy, I say.
Gracie Abrams “That’s So True” (#1 for 5 weeks to date)
Really strong track – good melody, I like the attitude of the bitter-sounding lyrics – I enjoy the sparingly-used percussion. Very good.
Lady Gaga “Disease”
This is fairly decent in isolation but confirms something I’ve suspected about Lady Gaga. I remember back in the days of “The Fame” & “The Fame Monster” her talking about weird and wonderful things she wanted to do musically with a follow-up album but when “Born This Way” came out it was good but a less edgier version of what had come before. Around that time she did an amazing live performance in the UK with musically crazy stuff happening on stage and talked about releasing a ‘new take on jazz classics’ album. The live performance divided people and it was reported that the record companies and her team were not too hot on the ‘jazz classics’ idea. Indeed, it never materialised and her next album was just more of the same again. This song.... years later...... is the same again. My point? Lady Gaga is a great and talented musician and performer. However, she had the potential to stand along side names like David Bowie, and probably would have done so had it been left entirely to her own devices. Unfortunately, the industry has got in the way and she will probably never quite be that.
Addison Rae “Diet Pepsi”
This track is interesting because I either love it or hate it. I love the SOUND of it. However, on the 1st listen I was upset and disturbed by the lyrics. Pop music, traditionally, often sends terrible messages to its largely young and impressionable audience. The number songs that create the impression that there’s no better way to show your deep love for someone than.... I think its important to put it bluntly...... letting them fuck you. A deeply irresponsible thing to be selling given the average age of your consumers!
On first listen, I thought that was going on here in a deeply sickening way. The subject seems to be a young female singing about her older partner with his car and bling telling her he loves her and taking her virginity in said car. Romantic no? However, as I continued to listen something felt off with the quiet breathy vocals, deep suspended bass and ambient backdrop. I wondered if, actually, the song WAS acknowledging the disturbing nature of the situation. Is it a track about a young person being groomed? I wasn’t sure.
But then, at the end of the track, something very very unusual happens. The track seemingly ends. The pipes back up but with a key change....... a semitone lower. Now, I can tell you, although I’m moving into ‘classical’ terrain here, a shift of key downwards; especially by just a semitone, would be used to represent many things...... but none of them good. Suppression, depression etc. I can’t recall it ever being done in pop music (although I’m sure it must have been). So, is this a depiction of something awful?
So, to reiterate – I’m unsure. If what I initially thought is correct then I’m not too keen. If my darker interpretation is correct then it’s a disturbing but wonderful piece of art.......... but again, given its audience, should probably be clearer.
Teddy Swims “The Door”
Haha – this was a long time coming!! At the point it entered the top ten it had been in the singles chart for 29 weeks and the last 2 months in the top 20 with 2 separate mid-week charts suggesting it would be in the top 10 but to no avail!! He made it. It’s a superb track. My 2nd fav of his album.
Teddy Swims “Bad Dreams’
Very good track.
Sam Fender “People Watching”
Nah. I mean it starts well – up-tempo with a nice little guitar ‘lick’ ...... but after the intro and a few lines of the vocals you’ve basically heard the whole 5 min track. Very flat indeed. It also sounds like someone trying to sound like The Killers but doing a very dull job if it.
Tate McRea “2 Hands”
I’ve had a strange journey with Tate McRea. I started the year unimpressed but then found I really quite liked her. This is pretty good...... but I do wonder if she sounds very samey. Perhaps I’ll end up going full circle with her. We’ll see.
Kendrick Lamar “Scrabble Up”
See my mini-review of the album but I do like this track.
Kendrick Lamar & SZA “Luther”
I like this but not as much as the last one.
Kendrick Lamar & Lefty Gunplay “TV Off”
This is another one I really like from the album.
Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande “Defying Gravity”
Although with not much knowledge of the musical, this film version and context about what is going on its a bit difficult to appreciate, I was really great to have a musical theatre number on the playlist.
ALBUMS (THE NEW GUYS – OCT – DEC) (See Part 4 for Jan-Sept)
I talked in parts 4 & 5 about working out who the old guys were and who the new guys are. You may disagree with how I’ve categorised some of them. There’s a grey area that is larger than I 1st thought when I started this.
The key for my marks is at the bottom
.
Blossoms "Gary"
I knew a bit of the blossoms before this . I thought they were pretty decent overall with a few exceptional tracks. This album supports this 1st bit of that statement but not the second so much. Its got that rock/pop crossover feel, I’ve talked about before that a number of older bands seem to be favouring. 5
Tom Walker “I Am”
I’d been told about Tom Walker and that he was very good indeed. Because of that info this was disappointing. He’s clearly a great performer and an adequate song-writer. However, there was nothing outstanding here. There’s amazing production- however, it’s lots of big orchestral-style backdrop, sustained bass, reverb and big gospel choir-style vocals that you can’t but feel is all in situ to cover up the fact that the songs are, at best, just ‘ok’. 5
Jamie XX “In Waves”
OK nothing massively that stands it out from DJs producers using sampling/using beats/loops etc and putting something together, apart from possibly ‘Daffodils’ a real mishmash/whirlwind of samples. 5
Nines “Quit While You’re Ahead”
For a genre I’ve not always got on with I did enjoy this (that’s happening more and more so maybe I am getting there slowly). Nothing particularly remarkable about his style compared to others’ as far as I can tell (again, not my genre, could be off the mark). It’s meant to be the last album....so good title. Also, it’s very clever, at the very beginning, to use what appears to be a genuine radio show intro to big himself up rather than the more commonly used narcissistic self-big-up. 6
Ezra Collective “Dance, No-one’s Watching”
A largely instrumental jazz quintet. Really nice to have something like this on the playlist. They seem very good. I particularly liked the track “Shaking Body”. They seem to incorporate some other influences such as hip hop, rock, acrobat into the mix too. I always feel this music comes across much better live than on record. I imagine they would blow me away live. But I enjoyed it
Public Service Broadcasting “The Last Flight”
It’s very interesting what they are doing. Largely replacing vocals with recorded snippets of voices (such as public service broadcasts buy not always), that have a theme, “Towards The Dawn” or in some cases tell a story, “Monsoons”. There are some tracks with regular vocals. Apparently, the whole thing is a story about Amelia Earheart. But, I’m not going to pretend I picked up on that without reading it. My biggest issue is by about track 5 ‘I get it” and the album doesn’t offer me very much more. 6
James Bay “Changes All The Time”
Now, I didn’t know the name but definitely knew his biggest hit “Hold Back The River” from 2014....and really like it. He apparently then had a number 1 album but, although still doing good (I mean we’re talking about this now because it’s a UK top ten album of 2024) he has left the limelight. I mention that because I struggled to decide whether he was ‘new’ or ‘old’ and I’m justifying my decision. Now, the song-writing is good and there’s a great blames of fast-paved/slow-paced/rockier-numbers/ballads etc. It’s OK. On the whole, it doesn’t stand out from any other singer-song-writing outfit and there’s certain no “Hold Back The River” here. 5
Gouge Away “Deep Sage”
They are definitely a good band but I don’t feel like they distinguish themselves particularly in the hard-core punk/grunge etc., genres in any particular way 5
Mannequin Pussy “I Got Heaven” (AL)
They are clearly a great band. I’ve seen some criticism along the lines of them just being ‘noise for noise sake’ which is nonsense. They obviously do like to make a lot of noise but they do balance this out – some of the tracks, like “Nothing Like” and “Split Me Open” are quite calm and melodious. They even go for being a bit ‘catchy’ on “I Don’t Know You”. Even when it’s noisy, I don’t feel that it’s noise for noise sake. “OK? OK! OK? OK!” is particularly noisy. But, it features contrasting sections in terms of rhythm and tempo and plays around with some complex timings while executing some excellent drum work underscored by melodic and inventive bass lines. It’s very masterful. There’s a lot of noise but a lot of substance to it. 7
Rag ‘n’ Bone Man “What Do You Believe In”
Now this is definitely an example of a fairly recent artist who feels like they are one of the older ones already. I’ve never listened to the previous 2 albums all the way through, but heard enough of the 1st one to piece it together and imagine its a cracking album.
There’s no doubt he’s an outstanding singer. However, in the 1st few tracks of this it just sounded like a continuation of his previous work with less but less inspired. Well, many albums have filler tracks and strangely this one does, but it’s the 1st 2 tracks and no more. This, of course, fits my theory of albums getting better as they go on these days. The 3rd track, the title track, lifts things right up and is arguably the best track on the album. I’m not sure who arranges Rag ‘n’ Bone Man tracks but hats off to them and the album would be a mark or 2 lower were it not for that. The tracks are all great anyway but the Interestingly busy percussion of “Iron” really makes the track. There’s a really strange (possibly synth) brass noise that accompanies the verses of “Hideaway” then a seemingly deliberately numerous brass figure that punctuated the choruses. There is also a numerous spoken intro in which the speaker (Rag ‘n’ Bone Man himself, I believe) declares they longer wish to attend parties and having someone ‘chatting pilchard’ in their early all night. There’s absolutely all sorts going on in “All I Know” There’s a weird vocal figure in “Chokehold” that I cannot describe at all but assume is meant to be a musical depiction of choking. I have to say “Hope You Felt Loved In The End” is a superb track about the passing of someone. There’s also a strange vocal figure in this. I could be depicting sobs of grief although it sounds a little too pleasant for that.
It’s a little bit of a shame it took a few tracks to get going, but I think its worth a......... 7
Confidence Man “3AM (La La La)”
It’s modern Euro dance pop. That’s about all you can say. It’s not bad. There are a few tracks Ì really like very much. Now, if your hosting a party, everyone’s had a few of their referred substance and its time to start the dancing....... then this is probably 10/10. Over all however, it just is what it is, does what it does etc. At about 25% of the way through I was thinking ‘OK I get it now”, around 50% I was getting a bit bored, and at 75% I started checking my phone to see how long was left. 5
DIIV “Frog In Boiling Water” (AL)
This is OK – It’s critical acclaim was notable, which I don’t really understand. It’s Indie music. They do sort of have their own distinct sound although it’s nothing strikingly original. Aside from a couple of contrasting tracks, once you’ve heard the first number, you have a summary of the album. 5
Tyler, The Creator “Chromakopia” (#1 for a week)
Ice mentioned that the genre I most struggle with is hiphop and anything closely related. This is related but it is something else! Genre bending. Bloody mind bending. With each track it’s like your in ‘shuffle’ mode and you’ve skipped to a completely different artist on a completely different album. I like so many of the tracks but my fav is ‘sticky’ although the final 4 tracks create one of the best climaxes and end to an album as I can recall. Fantastic. 8
Amyl and the Sniffers “Cartoon Darkness”
To summaries – it’s rock music with female lead vocals that, for thr most part, talk/shout rhythmically rather than sing. Interestingly it’s a bit of a ‘tour de force’ of rock from slow soft rock to fast heavy metal. 6
Alcest “Les Chants de l’Aurore” (AL)
OK. I’ve started getting into ‘summaries’ when I’m not all out reviewing -so here goes. It’s rock music that successfully a bit different without going full blown experimental or progressive rock. Interesting points include the persistent ‘ambient’ backdrop even though the rock is often quite ‘heavy’. Also, although many have the numbers have multiple vocal tracks, they usually blend into the background – almost as if it was ‘backing vocals only’. I really liked this. 7
King Hannah “Big Swimmer” (AL)
This was one of the many albums where I struggle between a 6 or a 7. Summary again – this is largely slow acoustic based rock with an atmospheric backdrop, although it occasionally goes hard and electric. The female vocalist, half singing half talking in her relatively deep done and distinctively precise diction, really draws you in. That ‘atmospheric backdrop’ give a false appearance of calm and soothing, but on close listening is actually dark and disturbing. All of this I say in a positive light. I’m not convinced this makes it all stupendously wondrous through. Ai say this because, despite only having modest commercial success, the critics hold King Hannah in high regard. I’ve suspected many times over the years that critics tend to do this with the underdog. I wonder, would they sing this albums praises if King Hannah had a series of top ten single, number 1 albums, awards, and sell out arena tours under their belt? In any case, I’m stuck with my dilemma. Am I going for a cautious 6.9 or a ‘benefit of the doubt’ 7.0?......... 7
Berwyn “Who Am I?” (AL)
I don’t know if it’s this project, or because I’m listening to the genre more, or because the genre has moved on from it’s traditional traits and feels more eclectic now, but I’m starting to get into the rappy/hip-hoppy stuff a lot more. I mention it here, because it was during listening to this album that I noticed it. 6
Ghetts “On Purpose, With Purpose” (AL)
I enjoyed this. I like his lyrical rapping style in which the language is quite stark (I.e., not particularly wound up in poetic metaphor etc) without seeming cliché. I really liked the track “Laps” 6
Nia Archives “Silence Is Loud” (AL)
Well I really was enjoying this at first but after a few tracks it didn’t really add anything else you hadn’t already got from the first few numbers. 5
Massive Wagons “Earth To Grace”
They seem like they perform well. It’s rock music that seems reminiscent of the AOR (or whatever it was) era...... but its like one if those band decided to put out a compilation of their fuller tracks. There’s nothing you suspect is going to be a ‘classic’. “Cool Like A Fox” comes closest perhaps. 5
Rachel Chinouriri “What A Devastating Turn Of Events” (AL) 6
FLO “Access All Areas”
The group and the release of this album have been massively bigger up this year. They’ve been hailed as the next massive thing. A 3 piece all-girl modern R&B pop outfit along the lines of Destiny’s Child. I got somewhat swept along and was excited to hear the album. The intro is impressive and has a narration that suggests some sort of higher power has led to the moment of this album and the groups 3 member s placed on Earth by some sort of deity. Then it all kicks in and it’s OK...... but that’s about it. This summarises the album’s tracks. Many of them have striking intros that lead you believe something very unique is about to occur, only to be followed by a fairy mediocre track. There’s potential. But we’re nowhere near greatness at this point. 4
Ateez “Golden Hour Part 2” (EP)
If you cast your eyes over Part 4 you’ll see I really enjoyed the 1st part of this. They mix K-Pop with Hip Hop with Trap with EDM whilst borrowing from elsewhere and it’s really interesting stuff. I felt this was slightly lacking compared to Part 1 but still good. 6
Kendrick Lamar “GNX” (#1 for 1 week)
This album marks a bit of proof that my struggled relationship with Hip Hop & associated genres is changing. I really enjoyed it, I loved the beats and samples used and Lamar’s style and various quirks to his rapping. Although I’m not versed enough in the genre to be confident, I think Hip Hop has evolved somewhat since 20-30 years ago – borrowing from and dipping into other genres and styles, making it more eclectic. I love “squabble up”, “man at the garden”, “reincarnated” & “tv off” in particular. Although I’m still reluctant to give marks with this genre – I could be well odd the mark – but I am going with a... 7
Michael Kiwanuka “Small Changes” 6
Juice WRLD “The Party Never Ends 2.0” 5
ALBUMS (THE OLD GUYS OCT – DEC) (See part 5 for Jan – Sept)
Katie Perry “143”
Now I was aware that the pre-release critics had given the album a bit of a bashing. I am a little familiar with Katie Perry and think she has been at the helm of some ‘absolute bangers’ (to people say that anymore?) but imagined she was tiring so believed the critics. However, I don’t hear it...... at least not to that exact. Strong opener (despite its dated feminist lyric). Liked the 2nd track. And the third. And the 4th. I imagine the issue is that I’ve never heard a Katy Perry album so maybe it’s a real disappointment on comparison. Admittedly, I wouldn’t say it has any ‘absolute bangers’ on but I think it’s definitely worth a.... 5
The Smiles “Cutouts”
So, basically half of Radiohead with a drummer and said to be ‘Radiohead but with a jazz influence’. Well, I never would have said Radiohead DIDN’T have any jazz influences at all. Anyway, I didn’t know what to think because I’ve not been keen on Thom Yorke after he seemed to develop something of a mild messiah complex (possibly a little unfair..... but..... arrogance? Self-importance?) in the mid-noughties. It’s good. It’s different. It’s interesting. I wasn’t completely bowled over or anything. There are a few tracks I love. “Don’t Get Me Started” & “Tiptoe”. At these points I’m thinking the album is worth one more mark than I’ve given it. But, I think to really justify that ALL the tracks need to be as good. 6
Coldplay “Moon Music” (#1 for a week)
Now, I’m going to declare that I am a huge fan of Coldplay and will cite my marks from previous albums to put this in context. “Parachutes” (2000) 8, “A Rush of Blood to the Head” (2002) 9, X&Y (2005) 7, “Viva La Vida or Death and All of His Friends” (2008) 9, “Mylo Xyloto” (2011) 9, “Ghost Stories” (2014) 6, “A Head Full of Dreams” (2015) 5, “Everyday Life” (2019) 8, “Music of the Spheres” (2021) 6.
As you can see, although I remain a fan, I believe the quality of their albums took something of a hot since 2011. They moved into a pop-crossover direction that many of the older bands have moved into as I’ve discussed elsewhere. I will say that Coldplay have done it more masterfully than most, probably because they had the sense to work with other artists that were more comfortable in their respective positions. Coldplay announced “Moon Music” as a “Music of the Spheres” part 2. That worried me. “Music of the Spheres” was OK but they were trying to achieve something of a rock/pop ‘cosmic’ sound (I don’t know how else to put it) and if felt like they were ‘trying something’ but not consistently getting there. Often ‘part 2s’ are cast aways of part 1s. However, this is not the case. I think Coldplay were ‘trying something’ with “Spheres” and have ‘got there’ with “Moon”. There’s certainly tracks with pop flavour “feelslikeimfallinginlove”, “WE PRAY”, & “AETERNA”. These are juxtaposed with tracks where we’re are bring taken on more of a musical journey rather than listening to a song i.e., “🌈” & “ONE WORLD”. There are tracks that don’t necessarily ‘wow’ but are solid song-writing like “JUPiTER” & “ALL MY LOVE”. Although the final track with is it’s old Coldplay message of ‘let’s all love one another’ and build to ‘rousing’ ending does feel a bit cliché....... Coldplay still pull it off. Incidentally, there’s a sort of tag on track (I wouldn’t call it a ‘hidden track’) at the end. It’s a sort of 1950s sounding 6/8 time track with vocals but no words. I’m not sure what it’s for. It adds nothing and if they insisted on having it I would have had it elsewhere – even preceding the last track rather than following it. There are some weaknesses here, and if you’re one of those people that craves early Coldplay – forget it. We thought this was going to be the last full album. But, once again, Coldplay have backtracked in that...... there’s probably 2 more. 7
Paul Heaton “The Mighty Several”
I was expecting him to sound a bit jaded but he can’t be accused of that at all. Although perhaps not quite as vibrant as the Housemartins or the best days of the Beautiful South, this is still competitive! From 50s rock ‘n’ roll to soft rock ballads to Irish folk to flurries of Ska it’s song after song of very familiar Paul Heaton territory. Downside = it’s hardly original or inventive (things Heaton consistently veered away from anyway). Upside = he’s seemingly STILL just so damn good at what he does. There were no weak tracks here. ‘Relatively weaker’ ones maybe but not ‘stand alone weak’.
I think its also important to note that most of these tracks are collaborations with Rianne Downey, a country singer who has drawn attention through social media platforms rather than selling records. She blends in with admirable ease, so much so that until track 6, “Silly Me”, where she sings extensively solo, I assumed it was Heaton’s long-term Beautiful South and solo collaborator Jacqui Abbott. I highly recommend giving it a listen, and, for her part, Downey definitely deserves one of those standing ovations where you keep a very serious face and nod your head. 7
Kylie Minogue “Tension II” (#1 for 1 week)
Disclaimer: I haven’t heard “Tension I”. Disclaimer: I haven’t heard a Kylie album since 2003’s “Body Language”. I have heard her hits since then and, based an those, assume her albums have been half decent pop albums at worst.
This is her 10th #1 album. You’ve got to give it to her. Not only has she remained highly successful for over 35 years, she managed to do it without resorting to deliberate controversy in the manner of many longstanding pop acts, Madonna most obviously.
This is pretty good. It sounds very much like any of the main current big acts you could name; Dua Lipa for example. It is also arguably a smidge better than many of them. This has always been Kylie and her teams tactic. She goes with the trend. She blends in but is sure to do it well. Of course, on balance, this can be something of a downfall as well. Kylie competes with the current acts but doesn’t really ADD anything to the discourse. However, I enjoyed listening and will mention the penultimate track, “Midnight Ride” with Diplo & Orville Peck, which is a particularly good track that was released as a single but made no impact on the chart. 6
Courteneers “Pink Cactus Cafe”
This just reminded me heavily of early 90s Britpop as it was on the way up before it’s peak. So, early Blur, the Charlatans and there seems to be some heavy Lightning Seeds influences. It pretty good but, like the 90s Britpop movement itself, not teeming with originality or anything 6
Bastille “&”
I know some Bastille, but never heard an album. Its kinda what I was expecting so, although I don’t know, I suspect they’ve not added anything to themselves here. It is brilliant though. 7
Tears For Fears “Song For A Nervous Planet”
I’m never sure what to do with ‘albums’ like this. It’s a live album but with 4 new studio tracks at the start. Because it’s not a full studio album I will not give it a mark. I’ll just very briefly com ent on the 4 new tracks. Two of them are very ‘m’eh’. Two of them are pretty decent but no ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’.
The Cure “Songs of a Lost World” (#1 for a week)
The Cure are among my top bands if all time so I wasn’t disinterested in hearing a new album after over 15 years. I had already noted that they seemed to have improved their live performances again, having sounded a little tired 10 years back in my opinion. It is a good album and I loved hearing some of those old traits such as the long intros. However, that leads me to my main criticism These long intros used to do something, like have a melody or an interesting groove about them. They seem to lack this now, but last even longer – including the 6.5 minute intro to the final track. Despite being a fan of these long intros in the past, I struggled with them here. The Cure’s sound evolved over the years, and if you’re wondering what they sound like on this album, it’s closer to “Disintegration” than it is “3 Imaginary Boys”. Overall, it’s good. I won’t pretend it knocked my socks off though. 6
Michael Ball & Alfie Boe “Together At Home” (#1 for a week)
Oh come on!!!!! So on this week I had to listen to a Michael Apbum. Yea. Thanks everyone!! Well as I’ve said before, I never know what to do with cover albums. I mean, you can’t deny they are great singers. The track list is great to...... if it were a playlist of the originals. “Homeward Bound”, “Baker Street”, “Solsbury Hill”, even “Dirty Old Town” – but it’s about as corny as you can get, playing every cliché in the book. Me walking down the street listening to “Solsbury Hill” as sung by Michael Ball was definitely the most amusing yet lowest point of this entire project. 4
Linkin Park “From Zero” (#1 for a week)
Opinion about the mere release of this album, and Linkin Park continuing after the suicide of one their key members is massively divided. I have enjoyed the music of Linkin Park in the past but was never a ‘fan’ as such. So, I come from a fairly neutral standpoint. Without meaning to sound disrespectful, I don’t care if they carry on or not. The album, all emotion aside, is pretty good, for what it is. I read something from a Linkin Park fan in a comments section that read ‘it’s just not Linkin Park anymore’. Well, although I understand they were probably making a different point, I strongly disagree This album is easily identifiable as Linkin Park. There’s absolutely no confusion there. If anything, that’s my main criticism. It’s like being transported back to 2001. No change. But, it’s all pretty decent. 6
My marking system in a nutshell.
10 = only 3 albums in history.
9 = basically 10 (just not those 3)
8 = Outstanding
7 = Brilliant
6 = Good
5 = Average
4 = Lots of potential but below average
3 = Some good points but poor overall
2 = Poor
1 = Abysmal
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