Customer Reviews

Rising Tied

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Over the years, I would not have been able to name any one CD as my favorite. I could provide a list of "favorites", but no one CD would jump to the top of the list. From the first time I listened to this CD, that changed. This is bar none, hands down, without a doubt, my favorite CD (crossing all music genres).

The music software I use on my computer allows for the ranking of each track using stars on a scale of 1 to 5. One of my typical CDs (even those that made my "favorites" list) would probably have 1 or 2 five star tracks, 3 or 4 four stars, 5 or 6 three stars, 3 or 4 two stars, and perhaps, 1 or 2 one stars.

A look at my computer shows I have given 8 of the 21 tracks from The Rising Tied 5 stars. The other 13 tracks have earned 4 stars! Even the intro and a battle interlude received 4 stars. I usually give interludes and intros 1 or 2 stars.

Mike Shinoda has given this CD all the elements I look for in my Rap music. First of all, there is actual music behind the rap. Music with layers and depth, melody and strong rythm. Secondly, The lyrics are clear and understandable. And, thirdly, there is meaning and value behind the lyrics. There is nothing I can't stand more than listening to a rap track that is nothing more than some monotonous beat with someone mumbling something over it and when you do figure out what they are mumbling, it is nothing more than some tired rhetoric glorifying some anti-social behavior. This CD meets every criteria I have to be labeled as "intelligent" rap.

I am not your typical rap music lover. I am a nearly (not there yet!)middle-age, professional white woman. So, I am not as inclined to accept whatever the industry wants to shove down my throat as "good" music. But, I think anyone, regardless of age, race, or social standing who has any appreciation for modern and contemporary music would be able to find some level of enjoyment from this CD. Buy it! You will not be disappointed. I do recommend you invest the few extra dollars to purchase the extended version. The extra tracks and bonus DVD are worth it.

I hope we hear more from Mike Shinoda and the rest of the Fort Minor crew soon. I eagerly await their next release.

-i hope you take the time to read all this-

i've been inot mike's rap since i first heard linkin park, and this album really did it for me. the total effect lives up to the artist name, with moods ranging from frantic to tragic to matter-of-fact. this is one of those albums that you dont skip any tracks on, and that you can listen to over and over again without getting bored. the tracks are catchy at first glance, but further in you see the depth of the music, and the lyrics convey messages ranging from subtle to blatent, all portrayed cleverly with tons of emotion. when mike writes a verse, it feels like he's telling a story - and oh yeah, it rhymes too. the messages arent based around the rhymes, its the other way around. this gives the album an amazingly clean and understandable feeling - it just feels right. i also respect mike intensly for making this album totally organic - nearly every instrument was played by mike and actually recorded specifically for the song - not taken off a keyboard, like in much hip hop. even though i'm new at song reviewing, here are my thoughts on each of the songs (except the intro):

2 remember the name (feat. styles of beyond) - a nice debut for the album, this combines a catchy strings tune with a nice third person theme

3 right now (feat. black thought & styles of beyond) - this cross section of everyday life actually makes you stop and think about what everyone else, the people that you never notice, are thinking about as they go about their everyday life

4 petrified - a great heavy beat makes this song perfect for dancing

5 feel like home (feat. styles of beyond) - something about this song just feels clean. i cant put my finger on it, but the song really flows smoothly

6 where'd you go (feat. holly brook & jonah matranga) - this song made mike's wife cry when she heard it. that about sums it up. it manages to convey sadness and anger alternately but smoothly, and contains some specifics but leaves the situation open for interpretation

7 in stereo - this song hearkens back to the days when mike would make tons of beats and the ones that were good enough, that "passed the cut" so to speak got to be tested out in the car

8 back home (feat. common & styles of beyond) - probably my least favorite song on the album. still, its a good song, just not necessarily standout in my mind, although it is growing on me

9 cigarettes - this song provides an interesting view on the world of hip hop. the slow moving beat really holds your intrest

10 believe me (feat. bobo & styles of beyond) - some nice strings back an overall great song that seems so good it could be made to be a single

11 get me gone - possibly my favorite song on the album, i only have one quibble with this song - its too short. other than that, the song amazes me. his tone through the song is so familiar to me

12 high road (feat. john legend) - a nice chorus by john legend really compliments this middle finger up to the critics song

13 kenji - this is a really powerful song about mike's family who was locked up in an enternment camp in WWII for being japanese. it really conveys thier emotions at the time and mike's now well

14 red to black (feat. kenna, jonah matranga, & styles of beyond) - this song gets you feeling the emotion, not just listening to it

15 the battle (feat. celph titled) - a short interlude, this freestyle (i assume) links red to black with slip out the back extrodinarily

16 slip out the back (feat. mr hahn) - im sure we've all felt this way every once in a while. it makes you wonder if slipping out the back is bad or good

[17 & 18 are short blank tracks]

19 be somebody (feat. lupe fiasco, holly brook, & tak of styles of beyond) - this song has really grown on me. not a standout, but a nice song

20 there they go (feat. sixx john) - another that has grown on me (all that have done this i had liked in the beginning, i just love now). it really gets you in the mood of franticity

21 the hard way (feat. kenna) - not a standout, but a nice closing

This is very different from the usual hiphop you are accustomed to listening to. the lyrics can move you emotionally and paint mental images (like Kenji), and they sound awfully original compared to the sea of gangsta rap that is often overplayed and can be found everywhere. musically, mike shinoda handplays 99% of the instrumentation that you hear (with the exception of the strings audio clip used in "Believe Me"), which makes the album sounds more realistic and less synthetic. Guest artists are also chosen wisely, like Styles of Beyond, Common, Black Thought, and John Legend, to name a few. Honestly, what has been said about this album is already pretty much said... go check out reviews for the standard/normal explicit edition of the rising tied in amazon.com.

however, this is the special edition, and it boasts 3 extra tracks and a dvd featuring the making of the album. here is the breakdown:

Be Somebody - a song about, well, being yourself and just striving for that goal, and overcoming those in your way. A track that many people can relate to.

There They Go - more of a party track to me though, but it's pretty damn catchy, thats for sure.

The Hard Way - yet another deeply lyrical song, i'm surprised that this wasn't on the standard edition of the album. i don't want to spoil the content about this one much, but the lyrics themselves has that Linkin Park-like vibe to it. Also something that people can relate to.

DVD - the content in the DVD itself helps, in my opinion, make the album itself stronger. Just like a story, Shinoda explains how the project was born, the people involved, among other things. It was nice to see actual musicians performing in the studios for the samples that Shinoda uses. You can also catch Jay-Z and Brad from Linkin Park helping with choosing the songs for the album. The DVD also showed a bit of the European tour that Fort Minor did with Styles of Beyond and a drummer from Queens, New York called Beatdown. Also included were how the artwork was conceptualized and parts of the making of the video for "Petrified," plus more.

Four stars for the album itself along with the extra tracks, and the final star for the DVD that explains it all.

Being a huge fan of Linkin Park I was intrigued to learn of Fort Minor and after purchasing the CD I was hooked. The mixture of inspiring lyrics and a good beat make this a great album. Each track has its place, depending on your mood and lyrical preference, however the one track that hits hardest is Kenji, which is the story of a Japanese family wrapped up in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack. When the song ends you learn its a true story, only the names have been changed but the stories true.

Kenji is not the only story song, in fact I find each song to carry its own story. I look forward to additional releases by Fort Minor and Linkin Park!

If you're looking to buy this CD for more Linkin Park goodness, then this CD is not for you. Mike Shinoda's side project, Fort Minor, delivers a very hip-hoppish CD with Rising Tied. It features appearances by some of the Linkin Park members as well as a lot of other lesser known people of the hip-hop music world.

The CD delivers great beats with decent lyrics. I recommend it to anyone looking for something a little different.

Mr. Mike Shinoda proves that he has something to say, and a message to spread. It's not often at all these days that "second-hand rap (as stated in Cigarettes)" is heard. I love every single track. From Right Now to Cigarettes, he gives that message. And, he proves he can rock the party with Petrified, Remember the Name & In Stereo. My personal favorite is Slip Out The Back. Mike may not be the greatest MC out there, but he has talent as everyone already knows from "Where'd You Go". I really don't know what else to say. It's a great album. Go buy it if you want rap with a message.

I'm a huge Linkin Park fan and bought this after hearing "Where'd you go" on the radio. All I can say is... DAAAMN! Mike Shinoda kills it on this cd. Ridiculous. The beats are original and hypnotic and the whole cd is lyrically elevated. His flows are smooth. Everything works together in a visionary way. Put your headphones on and bump this somewhere you can be alone with it for a minute or an hour, cause it's deep.

After listening to all the tracks, I was more than satisfied. I was impressed. How? Listen to all the songs in the album. EVery track is produced by Mike Shinoda alone (with little or no help from anyone at all)so we now know that this kid's got talent. The lyrics and beats fits so well throughout the album that even Jay-Z, who co-produced it, said, "...the sounds of this album is gonna make it big..." No doubt it will... If you're into something new and something more than what you're looking for then this is it. If you're looking for a new flavor in hip-hop and if you're a die-hard Linkin Park fan... Then THIS IS FOR YOU... Trust me, people... Support Fort Minor and help them get to the top ten of everything!!!! Fort Minor forever!

I give it a 4.7. Every track on this CD is incredibly SUPERB!!! ....except track 8.

Definetely reccomend!!!

"The richness of the music and everything... I knew it was gonna be somethin' serious" -Jay Z

If that doesn't speak volumes for this album's unique sound than consider this: Mike Shinoda (Linkin Park) teamed up with Tak & Ryu (S.O.B.), Celph Titled, Holly Brook, Common, Black Though, John Legend and more to create this new evolution of hip hop. Definetly a classic from the intro through the last song.

This album is definetly bringing the essence of true hip hop back to the mainstream. Unlike most of the albums of today, almost every piece of music was actually written and played by actual musicians. As far, as lyrical content... just review the cast I listed earlier and you'll know what to expect.

Highlights:

*Right Now

*Feel Like Home

*In Stereo

*Get Me Gone

Current Singles:

*Petrified

*Remember the Name

"What up to the Militia and the LPU!!!" -Mike Shinoda