However, because I unexpectedly lost my father to a heart attack last year, nothing prepared me for the absolute emotional wallop presented within that track. Going into this album, I had read the interviews that the title track was about finding out a beloved friend had passed away from their battle with cancer. And perhaps this track is all the more jarring and unexpected when paired with the song that came before it, the sad, slow, and heart-wrenching вЂњOne More Light.вЂќ One More LightвЂ™s Heartbreaking Title Track Guess that I had to find out for myselfвЂ¦вЂќД«ecause of its unexpected nature, this is one of my favorite tracks Linkin Park has ever written, even despite the short playtime.

Progressing slowly into a clap-along instrumental straight out of a backyard hootenanny, Chester sings about the lessons his mother has always tried to tell him: The main themes also continue on the surprising Mumford and Sons-Esque вЂњSharp Edges,вЂќ which can be likened to the bandвЂ™s 2007 hit вЂњBleed It Out,вЂќ except with a country feel. YouвЂ™ve burned too bright you know youвЂ™ll never lastвЂ¦вЂќД¬hester finally makes peace with his demons from so long ago. вЂњTold me, kid, youвЂ™re going way too fast. Playing out like a conversation between middle-aged Chester and his teenage self, he contemplates ruefully about being so reckless with his life.

The theme of regret and recollection continues on perhaps what may be the weirdest track of the album, вЂњHalfway Right,вЂќ which sounds like an R&B and trap-tinged Broadway play, both vocally and musically. Already a standout track on One More Light, вЂњSorry For Now,вЂќ continues the surprises by concluding with a sung-rap bridge by Chester, offering a bizarro-world version of Linkin Park where Mike Shinoda sings, and Chester takes over rapping duties. But, feeling one day, theyвЂ™ll appreciate his sacrifices, he goes on to say, вЂњI never wanted to say goodbyeвЂ¦вЂќ. In lines like вЂњThinking of you back on the ground, there with a fire burning in your eyes, I only halfway apologizeвЂ¦вЂќ he explains that they are not old enough to understand that this is daddyвЂ™s work. Mike offers a semi-apology to his children, who cannot understand why their father is constantly away on tour in a lighthearted moment on the album. The foreign nature of this album is instantly clear on tracks like the Owl City-Esque вЂњSorry For Now,вЂќ which showcases an outstanding Mike Shinoda on lead vocals. But the truth is, Linkin Park has never been a stranger to pop music.ДЇeaturing pop influences as far back and early as вЂњIn The End,вЂќ Linkin Park has always been labeled by some metal critics as вЂњtoo poppy to be metal.вЂќ While such comparisons may have potentially bothered the band before, One More Light shows Linkin Park confidently playing with their pop influences in one of their most foreign yet risky releases to date. With Linkin Park known predominantly as an вЂalternativeвЂ™ band, thereвЂ™s no secret that a percentage of the 60 million-plus Facebook fans of the band likely prefer their Linkin Park to be as far away from pop music as possible. ThereвЂ™s something quite risky and daring about going full-pop at this stage in their careers, especially after their heaviest record to date, The Hunting Party. But, sadly, this is a point of view that I fear a decent amount of people who decried the bandвЂ™s single вЂњHeavyвЂќ may find themselves subscribing to and that in itself is the biggest shame of all.Д«ecause deliberately missing out on the bandвЂ™s latest record, One More Light would be denying said fans the chance at hearing what may be some of the bandвЂ™s best-recorded tracks to date.

This is a regrettable point of view to have and, for lack of a better word, absolute bullshit.

The term referred to the prevailing mindset among rock fans that if an artist is вЂpop,вЂ™ they must be less talented or less capable than their rock-leaning contemporaries. Rockism was a phrase coined by English musician Pete Wylie in 1981 to refer to the rise of rock music fans who felt that pop music existed on a lesser plane, requiring less effort or ability. So, youвЂ™re probably wondering, what is popism, and what is rockism? Rockism vs Popism Before diving into this review, I need to warn you: I am a вЂpoptimist.вЂ™ I donвЂ™t find all pop music to be inherently flawed, and I am aware that some Linkin Park fans coming to read this review of One More Light will subscribe to вЂrockismвЂ™ and, as a result, will be approaching their latest record with a preconceived bias, assuming that due to its pop-leaning nature, that it is less impressive than the bandвЂ™s earlier works.

Linkin park one more light album tpb