Last week one of my favourite bands released a new album, A Thousand Suns. Although only their 4^th studio album, Linkin Park have released many other albums including an EP, remixes, mash-ups (with Jay-Z) and live albums. The two singers, Chester and Mike, have also released solo albums in the last few years. Many people associate Linkin Park with their first two albums - Hybrid Theory & Meteora - being loud, teenage angsty screaming mixed with rap and heavy guitars: but this album is a whole new kettle of fish. In fact, were it not for that fact that I can recognise Mike and Chester's voices, I would not have guessed that A Thousand Suns was by Linkin Park at all. It's in a whole new genre - it's not quite rock, it's not quite hip-hop, it's not electronica either - but it certainly borrows from all of these. It's even a little bit Post Rock. No more screaming (well, one song), instead a lot of melodic tunes mixed with interesting techno sound effects, speaking parts and voice changes.

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I have made two new paintings called With You part 1 & 2. They are on 15cm square canvas and made of fabric, bubble wrap, tape, tissue paper, beads and a tonne of PVA glue:

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