Mike Shinoda Shares Innocent Video For 'Ghosts'

Mike Shinoda's Post Traumatic is just a week away, but that hasn't deterred him from pulling out all the stops. Taking a bit of a turn from the tone of his recent videos, Mike Shinoda shares an innocent video for 'Ghosts,' a lyrically powerful song with a sweet visualization.

The music video for the song is introduced as a puppet show by Mike Shinoda, and it truly is just that. The intro is introduced by Mike explaining the less serious video in a very serious project: "If I wake up feeling good, I shouldn't feel guilty about having fun." After the quick intro, Boris the sock starts delivering Shinoda's alternative verses, various effects making their way into his actions, and a few scene changes as well. The chorus kicks in with more animations sprawling across the screen. It's a very fun and innocent video, with cartoon ghosts and skulls making their way into scenes as well. The innocence is a welcome change of tone from Shinoda, showing that he's at a point in his grief where he once again feels okay to simply have fun and be free from any guilty that may come along with it.

'Ghosts' as a song is another great track to add to Shinoda's repertoire. The eighth song from Post Traumatic, 'Ghosts' follows a poppier, alternative route similar to 'Crossing A Line.' The rapped verses are more akin to 'Watching As I Fall' from the Post Traumatic EP or 'About You,' though much less aggressive. Instead of being angry, it feels more like Shinoda is just trying to get something off his chest. The "ghosts" don't feel like they necessarily refer to Chester Bennington, but rather all the thoughts that have haunted him (so to speak) since his passing, both good and bad. The sweetly sung chorus chants, "The lights go down holding every memory close / Tonight is for our ghosts," showing that he's using everything - both the light and dark - to move forward, and he knows that it's all important for him to embrace. Mike even acknowledges the people who have been guiding him; namely, his wife Anna, whom we can assume he's referencing when he opens the song with "She said / This is not about a poltergeist / Not about a phantom that glows at night." Shinoda's taking everything he's got and making the most of it.

Mike Shinoda shared an innocent video for 'Ghosts,' not trying to detract from the meaning of the song by making it a seemingly fun video, but to show that his music is not entirely about the bad. 'Ghosts' is about embracing both the good and the bad from any situation and making the most of it. At the end of the day, that's all you can do: play the cards you're dealt.

Rating: 92 / 100

Stream or buy 'Ghosts' on Apple Music, and follow our 2018 Playlist on Spotify: