Linkin Park

Collision Course (with Jay-Z)

Misunderstanding

Review Score:

(10/10)
It seems as though misunderstanding of this collaboration is running rampant.

Simply put, it's hot.

Track 1, "Lying From You/Dirt Off Your Shoulder", is the best, IMO. That would explain why they led off with it. LFY is the most hip-hop sounding track LP has produced, at least for release in the US. It doesn't surprise me that the combination with Jay is awesome.

"Numb/Encore" is 2nd. It's the closest to a reinterpretation of the original rhythm track. It has been produced so that it sounds like the original "Numb" but is still distinct and somewhat new. And the heavier base line adds some depth that I always felt was missing from "Numb". This defines how all the mash-ups should have sounded all the way through, IMO.

Next best is "Points of Authority/99 Problems/One Step Closer". In fact, I like Jay's lyrics better over POA than Mike's, personally. But it's a combination that works *very well* although it seems like it shouldn't.

"Jigga What/Faint" works for several reasons - mostly the lyrics and flows. Jay is able to flow at speed over the faster beat of "Faint". I'm sure people who remember his younger days will probably get a kick out of him speeding up his flow on this track. Also, they extended this track out to multiple verses from Jay and Mike, intertwined, and it feels *more* like a mash-up and _less_ like a rhythmic experiment than the others.

"Izzo/In The End" is hard to describe. That's probably a good thing, since we are re-interpreting the music of 2 different artistes. I really would have liked to see something more done with this, but the timing of Mike's lyrics over this track works fine.

"Big Pimpin'/Papercut" works although, again, it seems like it shouldn't. If you like to bounce, it's the "Big Pimpin'" rhythm track so you'll be fine; if not, you should probably move on. That track was always an acquired taste.

All in all, my biggest disappointment was that the tracks weren't extended out longer. That's a by-product of this being a first draft of this type of effort in an organized, legitimate fashion. There aren't any glaring production flaws. As far as those who criticize the entire effort, they probably don't understand the music. Musical experimentation is the reason LP exists. I liked them before this effort for 2 reasons: [1] they used a sound that obivously had hip-hop intonations and beats while maintaing a strong rock sound and [2] their lyrics are infectious and emotionally penetrating. Notice #1. They have mastered the art of melding rap and rock better than any of their predecessors. It only makes sense that this type of collaboration would come out.

NOTE: "The Grey Album", DJ Danger Mouse's mixing of the Beatles' "White Album" and Jay-Z's "The Black Album", was not sanctioned. He may still face a lawsuit for doing it (to the person who said "this has been done before already this year"). See http://www.illegal-art.org/audio/grey.html

Finally, to the guy who said that it sounds like this collaboration was put together in order to sell CDs - duh! The music industry is a business. Would they have done this - going through all the licensing and obtaining the necessary rights to create this album - if they didn't think they would get paid (they being the artists and even more so, the label)? NO. Especially not the labels. Of course they want to sell CDs. Of course, I think that, as artists, Jay and Linkin Park are probably more inclined to this type of collaboration for the sake of doing it than necesarily the monetary rewards (although they are businessmen too). I believe this because of some of the things we see on the DVD, about how this idea was originally presented to Jay and his response, as well as LP's previous efforts - primarily "Re-Animation".

So all in all, the CD is too short, but better too short and hot than too long and crappy. Only so many tracks are going to blend well and lend themselves to multiple flows. Of course, a good rapper (i.e. Jay-Z and Mike) can flow over almost any beat, within reason. (Anyone who's ever been in a real cipher knows what I mean.) And the DVD has good background material. The DVD and online videos were great watching, to me, as a fan of LP. If you just want the tracks, I'm sure you can find them for download on the P2P networks. If you want the tracks, and the background, the artwork - the stuff fans crave - you want to buy this!

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