This review covers the remix rock track Linkin Park – Pts.OF.Athrty.
This track was released in 2002 on the remix album Reanimation.
This track, while not explicitly stated in the title, is a remix of the original Linkin Park track, Points of Authority. It is supposed to be a re-interpretation and allow listeners to enjoy the track all over again.
A lot of what was good about this track were merely cuts found from the original track. The lyrics and vocals, while a re-cut from the original track, is largely intact.
The track also features plenty of muted cuts that does add a little bit of rhythm to the track.
Another element added to the track is, famously, elements of electronica, though this appears largely in the backdrop of pads. Rock guitars, the drumkit, and the vocals still take center stage here.
While some of the cut elements did demonstrate some creativity, the flow is a bit disorientating because it wasn’t quite as logical. As a result, there is a bit of that “stop and start” element that ended up working its way into the track.
The biggest problem in this track is that it ends up being drowned out in the tall shadow of the original mix. The good elements found in this track only come from the original and other tracks from the original album. If the remix was able to bring in some new elements that melded well with the original track, it wouldn’t be so bad. As it stands now, the track only breaks new stylistic ground as opposed to breaking new musical grounds. Perhaps one reason why the remix pails in comparison to the original probably stems from the remixer being more fascinated with the process of remixing more than the final product. Arguably, the whole album, and not just this track, may have given remixing a bad name back in the early 2000’s. There is such thing as a great remix and there are countless cases where a remix actually outshines an original track. This, unfortunately, is not a great example of a remix as people might get the impression that a remix is automatically a worse listening experience than an original track.
Overall, considering the kind of tracks produced by this band already, this was a disappointment. It wasn’t bad, but this track will get tiring to listen to after a while. The remix doesn’t really add much more than a few muted sections as well as recycling of already existing elements. An OK track, but quite forgettable.
Score
6.5/10
Drew Wilson on Twitter: @icecube85 and Google+.
