CD REVIEW: Linkin Park "A Thousand Suns"

Some might say that for a band as established as Linkin Park, taking a left turn and doing something uncharacteristic and different is not the best way to go. In a music industry where the young guns are taking the world by storm, it's hard for the vets to keep up. So keep doing the same thing or do something different? In Linkin Park's case they decided that the right thing to do is whatever came from their voices and instruments. The end result is can be characterized as a piece of performance art just as much as an outstanding alternative rock album. Abandoning the rap-rock blueprint that was evident on their first two albums and flirting with the new wave alternative that their third album featured prominently, the band decided that they'd experiment with some new sounds, and with super producer Rick Rubin and co-lead vocalist Mike Shinoda working the board, they've created a work of art. The songs are catchy without being overly cookie cutter. "The Catalyst" is the first single off of the album, but because the flow of the album and the feel of the collection as a cohesive performance the song is buried at the end of the album. Songs like "Iridescent" and "When They Come For Me" are familiar Linkin Park experiences with a updated twist. The album also features several instrumental pieces and samples 3 speeches including one from Martin Luther King, Jr. and a very famous snippet by Robert Oppenheimer. Linkin Park have raised the bar for alternative rockers and longevity in the rock industry with this new album and have proven that as long as you do it well, the music that you create will be excellent as long as it comes from a place of honesty, sincerity, and creativity.