Well, here it is....the week that I'm sure that everyone knew was coming eventually. As all of you know, Radiohead has been my favorite band for a long time. I love every single aspect of their music, from the sound of Colin Greenwood's unique bass playing, to the subtle jazz-inspired drumming of Phil Selway, to the remarkable guitar playing and composing abilities of the great Jonny Greenwood. At different times unbelievably dark, scathingly satirical, and even romantically optimistic in brighter moments, it's the vocals and words of Thom Yorke that set this band apart from their peers, however. I believe Yorke to be one of the great lyricists of our time, and despite the fact that he can be a little over-dramatic at times, he has a way of conveying ideas such as the fear of technological innovations and the concept of capitalistic rulers in government and society in a way that makes them remarkably more interesting than you would expect them to be.
Not only are they my favorite band, however, but I believe them to be the perfect band for listening to through Music Togetherness. The initial goal of this project was to see the growth and development of an artist's sound throughout the course of their career. In that aspect, the trajectory of Radiohead's career is unmatched in all of music history. From their beginnings as a post-grunge alternative band on their debut album Pablo Honey (which featured their only true hit thus far, "Creep"), to a post-Britpop guitar based band on the follow up The Bends, there was definitely a growth in maturity. Their next few albums saw them take their sound to completely different and strange places. OK Computer took their sound and turned it into a sort of space rock, putting into musical form the pre-millenial tension and fear of technological advancement that was prevalent in society at the time. Their 2000 follow up Kid A saw the band becoming something else entirely, and that something else can hardly be considered a rock band. Taking influences from some of the electronic worlds biggest names such as Aphex Twin and Boards of Canada, Kid A is the result of the idea of technology taking over everything, and it became a strange masterpiece that definitely requires multiple listens to come to terms with. I remember being really disappointed the first time that I heard it, thinking that my favorite band had lost it. Now, though, I consider it my favorite album of the last decade (by a long margin). 2007's In Rainbows is a sort of combination of the two albums that we've listened to before it (even though there were two more albums in between, Amnesiac and Hail to the Thief), and shows the band to have not lost a single step as they move into their fourth decade.
Along with The Beatles, we'll now have covered the two bands that I consider the greatest to have ever picked up a set of instruments. I hope everyone enjoys them even a hundredth as much as I do, and happy listening.
The Albums:
1.) The Bends (1995)
2.) OK Computer (1997)
3.) Kid A (2000)
4.) In Rainbows (2007)
I've also posted my favorite Radiohead song, entitled "Talk Show Host". I first heard the song on the movie "Romeo + Juliet" featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, and along with "Exit Music (For a Film)" (which is featured on OK Computer as well), these were my first experiences with the band other than the radio hit "Creep". This is the song that made me seek out more music from the band, and therefore I had to make sure I included it for everyone to hear this week.
“Planet Telex” is not a great way for me to start off Radiohead week. While it is interesting to hear a young Thom Yorke, and how his voice has evolved over time, I am left very much underwhelmed by this song. I think I am expecting more out of the group at this point, when I should be looking at their roots, and not be so judgmental. “The Bends” is reminiscent of the song “Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.” I think it is probably due to the similar tempo, that I am suggesting the similarity. “High and Dry” is a personal favorite of mine, I got to know this song through Jamie Cullum and have loved it ever since I first heard it. I unfortunately have to say that I prefer Jamie’s version better, but I am sure that is mainly due to the fact that his was the first version I heard, and he puts a jazzy spin on the song. “Fake Plastic Trees” is a very nice song, and I really think that the slower tempo shows off Thom’s voice very well. The lyrics are very interesting, and while I have an idea of what the song is meaning, I am afraid I will butcher it, so I will just let it be. “Just” sounds more like the Radiohead songs I have heard before. It is kind of all over the place, but in a very unique way. The guitars do some very interesting things on this song. They seem to go from being very eccentric sounding to then going into an almost melancholy mode. “Bulletproof” is a very mystical sounding song. Thom’s vocals are at their best when he actually takes his time and sings a ballad. I also really enjoy the tranquil soundscape going on in the background. The next two tracks don’t really do much for me, and they sound almost mainstream to me. “Street Spirit” is a very catchy song, and I like the direction this song goes. It has the simple guitar riff over and over, but the tempo just keeps building. With Thom doing his usual moan/singing, songs like these that are more simplistic really let his voice stand out. I have to say that this album did not really speak to me, and that most of the songs were just alright for me. I am looking forward to seeing the growth the band makes on their next album.
ReplyDeleteI love the epic, futuristic feel to “Airbag.” This is a great song to start the album off with, as it really gets you pumped up for the rest of the album. I am still not a huge fan of the way Thom sings, I guess I just don’t like the dragging on of notes and the sometimes awkwardness that comes across when he sings. It’ll be interesting to see if after four albums my mind is changed. “Paranoid Android” is the oddest song I have heard yet. It is kind of all over the place, and sort of resembles a rock opera to me. “Exit Music” is a great title for this track, as I could easily see it being used as exit music for some movie, where a cowboy is walking off into the sunset after some huge gunfight. It is dark, and reflective. “Karma Police” I have heard before. I think it may have been used in a commercial or something some years ago. I like the lyrics and the whole idea of having some sort of Karma police. So many injustices in this world, you sometimes wish that karma would come right back and teach people a lesson.”Fitter Happier” is just ridiculous to me, and I don’t see the need for this “song” on the album. “Electioneering” is a fun song, and the first time I have really felt like I wanted to get up and dance around to a Radiohead song. “Climbing up the wall” is a favorite track of mine. It sounds like something out of a Matrix movie, with its dark and eerie feeling, and I think making Thom’s voice sound more like a robot is even more fitting. I love the fact that they incorporate a string section into the song as well, to add even more dramatic emphasis. “No Surprises” is another familiar song for me, as I can recall Justin playing this on a couple occasions while in my presence. This song always makes me think of a children’s lullaby, with the whimsical chimes, and the hushed singing done by Thom. All in all, a very different song for the album, but one I like. Little did I realize that I must have at one point had these last three songs on an album, because they are all very familiar, and I can recall listening to them on more than one occasion. “The Tourist” is a beautifully done song, and I think I used to listen to this song when I needed to do some reflecting. May just have to add them back on to my I pod after this week.
ReplyDelete“Everything in its right place” has a very futuristic, spacy sound to it. The electronic keyboards add a nice touch in creating this crazy sort of atmosphere. “Kid A” is keeping on the same track with the outer space feel, I am not sure I really like the muffled singing being done though. I actually think I would have liked the song 100% more if they would have just kept it as an instrumental track. “How to disappear” is another Radiotrack I have heard before. This song is very dark, and almost makes me feel a bit depressed. The use of the strings, and the almost ghostly sounds in the background help to make this song as eerie as it is. Thom’s voice is a bit on the deeper side on this track, and I actually think I like it that way. I will say this song is a success in the fact that it can definitely put you in a whole other frame of mind. “Optimistic” is and has been my favorite Radiohead track for a long time. I heard it for the first time listening to 89.9, probably on Justin’s show, and I just remember thinking that it was so unlike anything else they were playing at the time. I loved the guitars, and dare I say I even really liked Thom’s vocals on this song. “Idioteque” always makes me think of Thomas, because this is the one Radiohead song I know at he likes. It has a very apocalyptic feel to it, and I really love the synthesizer use, with the simple bass line. Thom seems to stretch his voice on this one, as if he is really trying to get a point across. This album really shows growth for the band, as it sticks to a theme but adds in all sorts of instrumentation not used on previous albums.
ReplyDelete“15 Step” is another track that I really enjoy. I remember when I heard it for the first time I kept thinking to myself what the heck is Thom mumbling under his breath, but then once that guitar riff starts going I am taken to a happy place. The song has a very upbeat tone to it, and I love all the crazy sounds incorporated in it. “Bodysnatchers” doesn’t really do anything for me, and it kind of sounds like a step backwards for me. It isn’t until “Weird Fishes” that I am even remotely interested in what I am hearing. I think my problem is that when I listen to Radiohead I am expecting to be taken into some dreamy wonderland, and I was definitely lacking that in between tracks. The guitars and the keyboard on this track are simply beautiful, and I am once again back in a dreamworld that is unique to only Radiohead. “Faust Arp” has some nice harmonizing, and the use of strings sounds kind of reminiscent to Nick Drake’s album “Five Leaves Left.” This has a somewhat folky feel to it that I really enjoy, and I like how they keep the song simple. Once again the next two songs don’t really excite me, however on “Jigsaw falling into place” I am really intrigued. This is a very upbeat track, and I can’t help but nod my head to the music. I really like everything about the song, and it is nice to see Thom actually doing more singing than moaning. This album had three of four tracks that I really liked, but everything in between kind of bored me.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to say that with the only exception being “The Bends”, I have found songs off each album that I really do enjoy.Going into this week I had already heard the hype from David and Justin about how Radiohead is the best band ever. Having someone tell me that makes me go into listening to them with a much more judgmental outlook. While they are not my favorite band of all time, I can definitely see why Justin and David like them so much. They have a sound that is unique to them, and they know how to take you to a different world.
I have always wanted to get more familiar with Radiohead based on feedback from others, mainly Justin and David. I even considered choosing them to force myself to get more familiar with them. My lone exposure to them is me purchasing Kid A for Idioteque alone and playing Creep on Rock Band, so I came into this week with excitement to hear what they are all about, but also with some reserve as I typically don’t get the infatuation with this genre.
ReplyDeleteIt is my understanding their debut album was heavy on the grunge. On ‘the bends’, you can tell they are trying to make a smooth transition out of that genre by not completely abandoning it, but also transitioning to a new sound. Throughout my first few listens of these albums, I notice Thom’s voice can alternate from track to track between amazing and whiny. On ‘Planet Tenex’ and ‘The Bends’, he is not harmonizing at all, which therefore lacks any emotion. The result sounds like a made for radio Smashing Pumpkins song. ‘High and Dry’ is a song I am familiar with through Jamie Cullem, but I hadn’t heard the Radiohead version prior to this week. This is my least favorite Jamie Cullem song because you can hear him struggling to hit the notes. Thom, however, flourishes and shows why others would want to cover this track. ‘Fake Plastic Trees’ was the first song where the song writing was a standout. It is interesting to compare love to maintenance of plants. ‘Nice Dream’ literally almost had me dreaming for awhile, but then got real aggressive and awesome at the 2:28 mark. ‘My Iron lung’ was a combination of ‘Nice Dream’ and ‘Fake Plastic Trees’ where there was some quality song writing, but also some aggression. However, the break downs sounded like a total jock of some Nirvana riffs. My favorite track on the album was ‘Street Spirit (Fade Out)’. The song is so atmospheric and Thom’s voice is better than ever. I already told Justin this, but I guarantee this song was a key influence on the group ‘Ours’. Jimmy Gnecco attempted to recreate Thom’s sound throughout the entire ‘Distorted Lullabies’ album. This had a few high moments, but also quite a few low ones.
‘Ok Computer ‘ starts off on a really bad note for me as this is the first track where the ‘whiny’ version of Thom shows up. Fortunately this was quickly alleviated with a kick-ass rock song in ‘Paranoid Android’. I will call the song-writing humorous though. Within ‘Subterranean Homesick Alien’, I hear several sounds which either influenced or were influenced by 311 and Our Lady Peace. Beyond that, the song is just weird. ‘Exit Music (For a Film)’ was a highlight for me as it was reminiscent of ‘Street Spirit’ and also had a cool name. I loved the dark and creepy tone throughout. The song writing was strong on ‘Karma Police’ as well. At first it seems like someone just bitching about random stuff, but the more you listen and read into it, there is something much deeper being implied. ‘Electioneering’ was my favorite track with all of the aggression and some awesome riffs. I do wish there were more lyrics or more of a story. I also feel this song was a heavy influence for all Muse songs. ‘Climbing Up the Walls’ has a sound throughout that sounds like the alarm on my cell phone. It is the worst sound in the world as it reminds me of the disappointment I have every week day when I have to wake up and get ready for work. Therefore I hated this song. ‘Lucky’ was just as dark as ‘Exit Music’, but the songwriting is not nearly as meaningful. Still a strong effort. I wish they would have ended the album with ‘Lucky’ over ‘The Tourist’ though, as ‘The Tourist’ left a bitter taste in my mouth. Much more solid album.
ReplyDelete‘Everything in its right place’ is an excellent intro to an album. As Justin pointed out to me before the week, each album has its own unique sound, but you can definitely tell it is still Radiohead. This is a dramatic change from the previous albums with the electronic and digital aspects that remind me of Imogen Heap week. ‘Kid A’ was so distorted, it was impossible to understand the lyrics without looking them up. The highlight of this song was Phil Selway’s drumming. ‘The National Anthem’ marks Colin Greenwood’s turn with an awesome bassline. Beyond Colin’s efforts, the horned sections, the lyrics, and the song title suggest we should be more hesitant to proudly salute our flag. ‘How to Disappear Completely’ was Thom’s turn demonstrating amazing control through a song that only works if it grabs you from the get go. ‘Optimistic’ was initially my second favorite track on the album. The initial problem I had with it was it always sounded like it was written to be the ‘radio-friendly’ track with the a few hooks built in. After listening to this week’s suggested listening, my new problem is how it doesn’t sound like it belongs on this album, but rather Ok Computer. This was the lone track where they deviated from the experiment. This album screams, ‘we can make anything sound epic, and here is why’. This song just doesn’t belong in my mind. Fortunately ‘Idioteque’ is close behind. I love everything about this song. I always knew the lyrics were referring to the apocalypse, but appreciated the song even more after Beth informed me what Kid A refers to. Thom’s vocals are better than ever and the four key chords feature throughout are simply amazing. It is incredible how they not only pull of the experiment, but actually knock it out of the park. The whine factor was also at a minimum. 8 years ago when I bought this album, I was not able to appreciate this album. I think Music Togetherness has trained me a bit to hear things a bit differently. I may have to go back and listen to the Pixies again now.
ReplyDeleteJustin mentioned it took him a long time to warm up to ‘In Rainbows’. I’ve gone through several times and have yet to get into it. On the first two tracks, I instantly notice a more upbeat and brighter Radiohead. Colin’s bass actually adds a bit of funk to the mix. These are probably the root causes of my lost interest. A good amazon review describes In Rainbows as ‘pretty’ and I think I have to agree whole heartedly with that one word description. I actually have a hard time believing David and Justin are fans of this album. I am probably way off base here, but ‘Bodysnatchers’ sounds like a Mutemath song to me. ‘Weird Fishes/Arpeggi’, oddly enough, is the first track this week where I noticed backing vocals. I may need an interpretation of this one as it sounds like a Beatles on drugs song, in particular Octopus’ Garden. The ballads on the album meant to show off Thom’s vocals are let downs for me and demonstrate more of the over-dramatic side David mentioned. ‘Reckoner’ was a standout track for me. The piano and violin were well incorporated and Thom’s vocals were back on cue. ‘Jigsaw Falling into Place’ has a nice pace to it, but sounds much more like something I would like than David or Justin. ‘Videotape’ was the one ballad that worked for me, but mainly due to the first one with meaningful song writing. This song reminded me of Arcade Fire week. Again, based on one week’s worth of listening, I have yet to get into this album.
ReplyDeleteI have to say Radiohead exceeded my expectations. Thanks for pushing me over the edge to sit down and listen to these guys. I may have missed it, but after listening to the music video, I was expecting more cussing.
On 'The Bends', Radiohead were trying to distance themselves from the grunge stereotype that they'd been boxed into based on their hit song "Creep". I for one never really understood the grunge tag anyway...I think it was incorrectly based on people misinterpreting the lyrics to mean Thom feeling some sort of self-loathing or something, when in actuality he's just saying that a girl he's into is out of his league. Anyway, immediately on 'The Bends' you can tell that the quality of the bands work has gone way up. The swirling guitars on "Planet Telex" are the big draw for me on this track, although in relation to their other albums, it's one of my least favorite album openers. "High and Dry" sees the band taking on a sort of Britpop song in the vein of Oasis, but doing it way better than that band could ever dream of. The lyrics on "Fake Plastic Trees" are some of my favorite in the band's catalog. It's all about the idea that we're living in a sort of plastic time, where it's hard to connect with anything real. In the end, all we have is a dream of something real, but it's a plastic dream in itself because it's something that will never come true. "Just" has one of the greatest music videos of all time, and it might just be the most balls-out rock song the band has ever written. From this point onward, the album becomes even more amazing, in my opinion. "My Iron Lung" is a response to the popularity of "Creep", and how in most people's opinion it's the only reason that anyone was giving 'The Bends' a chance in the first place. It was a sort of iron lung keeping them alive. "Bullet Proof..." is my 2nd favorite song on the album. It's the quietest song on the album, and the lyrics are almost heartbreaking, but it's really Thom's vocal performance that does it for me. It's so beautiful when he gets to the chorus singing the bullet proof section. "Black Star" seems to me to be about a relationship with a girl that's suffering from a sort of emotional breakdown, which leads to the end of the relationship. At the same time, though, this seems to be one of the first mentions of a problem with technology, as Thom blames it on the satellite which might denote a sort of distance that's developed between the girl and himself. "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" is one of the band's greatest songs, and is the biggest signal of the artistic changes that were to come for them. In my ongoing ranking project, it's currently my second favorite song of the decade of the 90's, following only "Talk Show Host" which was featured in the video in my original post. The best part about it though is that "Talk Show Host" is the b-side to the "Street Spirit" single, which effectively makes it the greatest single that's been released in the history of music. In all honesty, 'The Bends' is the album out of these four that I listen to the least these days, but that's probably because it was the one that I listened to the most when I first discovered the band. I sometimes feel like I may have gotten out of it everything I can, but listening to it again tonight has shown me that it's a joy every time I hear it.
ReplyDelete'The Bends' Album Rating: 100%
'OK Computer' is in many publications considered the greatest album of the 90s, and I completely agree. It's actually possibly my favorite album of all time, depending on where I put it in regards to 'Sgt. Pepper's...' on a given day. While 'The Bends' was an amazing piece of work, 'OK Computer' took the band to a completely new level. It was released during a time in music where creativity was probably at an all time low, and it gave the underground a shot in the arm, influencing countless artists since, such as the band Ours that Thomas mentioned in his post. On the opener "Airbag", I love the effect that they have on Phil Selway's drumming and on the guitars, giving everything a really space-like feel. The song starts off the whole concept of technology, basically saying that the narrator of the album is only alive due to the technological innovation of the airbag that saved his life, allowing him to speak to us throughout the rest of the album. "Paranoid Android" is sort of the "Stairway to Heaven" or "Bohemian Rhapsody" of the modern era, with it's segmentation into multiple sections. Underneath it all during the chorus, you hear the first appearance of the voice of technology, stating that "I may be paranoid, but I am no android", although it's really hard to hear unless you know it's there in the first place. The first section of the song features some of the greatest bass playing of Colin Greenwood's career, as he's basically up and down the scale throughout. The song lyrically is a sort of three part tale, where at the beginning everything is ruled with an iron fist by the wealthy business men in their Gucci suits. During the slow bridge section, the narrator is wishing for a sort of apocalypse to "rain down" on everything, and in the end he gets his wish as "panic and vomit" rule the streets, and the Gucci pigs mentioned earlier are burning alive. Eventually all descends into chaos, as indicated by Jonny's crazy guitar solo to close things out.
ReplyDelete"Subterranean Homesick Alien" gets it's name from a Bob Dylan song of a similar title, and sends us even further into space. The song to me is about the citizens of the world being too concerned with the boring aspects of every day life, and not caring about something special that might happen to them if they only looked outside of the little box that they place their lives into. "Exit Music (For a Film)" is named such because it actually was the music that was played during the credits of "Romeo + Juliet", making it one of the first songs that I ever heard from the band...the movie came out about a year or so before this album. The song itself relates to the famous story, and covers the events following Romeo and Juliet's moments after their last night together. They attempt to run away together, fail, and eventually end up together "in everlasting peace". The chill-inducing moment comes in the last lines, though, as they wish for death to their family for the pain that they caused them. "Let Down" is about the isolation that is caused by the increase in technology, and how it has basically turned us all into insects to be crushed into the ground. The narrator still holds out hope that one day his wings will grow, so he's still hanging around for the possibility. "Karma Police" was the song that was on the radio in the U.S. for this album, so it might be the most well known of the bunch. It's a pretty self explanatory song, about how the self-important people throughout the world will eventually get the things that are coming to them. In response to Beth's saying that she doesn't see the need for "Fitter Happier" on the album, I couldn't disagree more. It's the voice of technology and business speaking to us, telling us how to live our lives in order to become better and more productive members of society. At the end, though, the voice shows it's true colors, comparing us all to a "pig in a cage on antibiotics", basically meaning that we're to become trapped and de-sensitized automatons. "Electioneering" is the words of the politician, saying that we all need to just give in to their demands, and give them our vote because we're all screwed anyway. "Climbing Up the Walls" is a true nightmare of a song, and is easily one of my favorites by the band. I think it's all about how every one of us has a bit of insanity in ourselves locked up in our heads, and we never know when it could show it's ugly face. Listening to it this late at night is giving me the creeps, though...especially with Thom's un-earthly scream at the end. To follow that song up with the lullaby that is "No Surprises" is just perfect. To me the song has the lullaby feel because the narrator has finally given up on caring about anything. The part about bringing down the government is perfect proof, as it's sung with so much dis-interest, and eventually he wants a handshake with carbon monoxide to just end it all. On "Lucky", he feels a bit of optimism, which seems to be jump-started by a new love that has pulled him from the brink of either insanity or death, as indicated by the last two songs. In the end, on "The Tourist", all of these problems are caused by the fact that the world is changing too fast, and we're moving too quickly right along with it. The narrator has figured out the problem, and he's here to tell us all that we need to just slow things down, and reconnect with the things that made us who we are as humans in the first place.
ReplyDeleteIf my love of this album wasn't initially clear, I'm sure that the novel I'm just written has made it so. This is a beautiful work of art, and has so many layers to it that I'll never peel them all back. Every time I listen to it I hear something new, and I think it will be that way forever.
'OK Computer' Rating: 100%
As much as I love 'OK Computer', 'Kid A' is basically running neck and neck with it, in my opinion. Although I initially was confused as to just what the hell Radiohead were doing, as I've grown older and more experienced with different kinds of music, it makes more and more sense to me and becomes greater with each listen. The album is set far into the future, in a time when technology has won out and taken over everything. In "Everything In It's Right Place", our new world is a completely ordered place. Everything is as it should be, and all is well. In the next track, "Kid A" is born, created by technology. However, he eventually develops into something unforeseen, and will become a sort of pied piper, leading humanity back into existence. On a side note, John Mayer did an acoustic cover of this song, and it's actually really good, and cool to hear such an experimental song done in a straightforward way. "The National Anthem" is an amazing jazz-fusion song, and blows me away every time I hear it. It's sort of like the kids that Kid A led on the march discovered the joys of music again, and this is what they came up with. On "How to Disappear Completely" we finally get some unfiltered Thom Yorke vocals, and it's fitting as this is the most personal song on the album. I once read that it was inspired by some advice that REM's Michael Stipe gave Thom, telling him to close his eyes and pretend to be somewhere else in order to combat his overwhelming stage fright. Regardless of what it's really about, it's a hauntingly gorgeous song, and takes me to another world entirely every time I hear it.
ReplyDelete"Optimistic" is, to me, a really sarcastic song, and easily the only song on the album that sounds anything like the band that Radiohead once were. It says that no matter how hard we try at something, we'll all end up in the same place in the end anyway. Everything we do is only good enough to get us where we were going anyway, and the vultures will still always be circling for us regardless of our choices...we'll end up like the dinosaurs no matter what. Like Thomas, "Idioteque" is my favorite song on the album, and was actually my favorite song of the last decade. The song itself is highly inspired by the electronic group Boards of Canada, only with vocals thrown in which BoC never used, at least not in a normal way. It takes us back to the theme of technology, and puts us into a world in the aftermath of a nuclear attack. Everything is chaos, and life as we know it no longer exists. This is actually a terrifying song when you think about it, and the pounding beat only intensifies things. "Morning Bell" is on both this album and the follow up 'Amnesiac', although in two different forms. The song to me is about a divorce, and the two different versions are from the point of view of each member of the divorce, although the lyrics are the same. The 'Amnesiac' version is more light-hearted, while this one has a darker feel, especially in the one place where the lyrics differ, which is at the end. In this song, Thom talks about "no one wanting to be a slave", which gives a sort of bitterness to the separation. "Motion Picture Soundtrack" is probably my favorite final song to an album ever. It starts off really simple, with just Thom's voice and an organ. Halfway through, though, a harp and angelic choir join the mix, seemingly sending everything to the afterlife....even better is the hidden ambient section a minute and a half or so after the song ends, which in my opinion closes the album on the absolute perfect note. This is one song that I've never really figured out a possible lyrical meaning for, but the beauty of it is so overwhelming that it doesn't matter to me what it's about. 'Kid A' was so far ahead of it's time that it belongs to a time and place that we haven't even reached yet. It's mixture of electronics, jazz, rock and orchestra is unmatched in music, and it's hard for me to imagine anything coming close in the near future.
ReplyDelete'Kid A' Album Rating: 100%
While 'In Rainbows' might not be as perfect as the earlier albums in the bands career, it marked the high point among the three albums that the band has released since 'Kid A'. (Side note, the other two albums in between were both also great...I've given 'Amnesiac' a 91% and 'Hail to the Thief' a 90%.) My favorite memory of this album is sitting at my apartment when I lived with Ben on the night that it was released onto the internet by the band. I got the email from them at about 12:30 AM, and immediately downloaded it and put it on my iPod. I then laid in bed and listened to it 3 times straight, loving it more each time. I instantly developed a more personal connection with the album than I had on the last few. Overall, this album is really a mixture between the electronics of 'Kid A', and the space rock of 'OK Computer'. After a couple of great but not amazing tracks to start, the highlights begin for me with "Nude". This was a song that the band had written in the mid 90's, but had never been able to come up with the right instrumental structure for it. When I heard it that first night, I was blown away. I had heard the song played live before, but it was always a more up-tempo rock song. In this form, it's slowed down a lot, and the echoes on Thom's voice are amazing...the song sounds huge and intimate at the same time. "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" is two songs formed into one, as the title suggests. The first part is a really pretty song about a blind faith in love, but then in the second half this blind faith has led to some disastrous consequences for Thom. In the second part, we get some nice distorted guitars, and the drums pick up...I definitely like this section more. "All I Need" was my favorite song on the album at the beginning, and has remained so ever since. To me it's about being in a relationship for an extremely long time...in fact so long that you've been taken for granted by the other person, and have almost become invisible to them. You desperately want to go back to the way things were at the beginning, but it seems that there's no way back....although you'll continue to hope. I love the white noise and chimes throughout the song, and the piano section at the end brings everything together.
ReplyDelete"Faust Arp" reminds me a lot of a Beatles song, with it's "Eleanor Rigby" like string arrangement to go with a simple acoustic guitar. "Reckoner" is another really old song that was made new for the album, and once again the band used to really rock out on it, but toned it down a lot for the album. Once again, I like this version better...I think this is Thom's best vocal performance on the album...in fact, it might be his best ever. "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" is another of my favorites on the album, and reminds me a little more of the kind of sound that the band had going on parts of 'Hail to the Thief'. To me, the song is about a first encounter with a woman gone wrong....at first things go well, but then something happens and you just want the nightmare to end. I'm not entirely sure what that something is, but based on the "Cheshire cat grin", it sounds like something frightening. When I first heard the album closer "Videotape" on record, I was really disappointed with it. In live versions I'd heard prior to the album release, it had ended with some really epic Sigur Ros sounding guitars (the Icelandic band Sigur Ros play their guitars often times with violin bows, giving them a really distorted, growling sound). On this version, though, instead of drawing out the ending, it sort of whimpers to a finish. I was really unhappy with it at first, but as time has gone on I've gotten more comfortable with how it ends. It's all about the remembering of life as if on a videotape where the highlights can be replayed, making it the perfect day you've ever seen. At the time I thought this might be the last Radiohead album (now it seems that it won't be, thankfully), and lyrically I thought that it would be the perfect way to end a career...and the subdued ending puts the focus on the lyrics, instead of an epic instrumental ending. In the end, 'In Rainbows' is another amazing album from my favorite band, and shows that 14 years after their debut, and over 20 years after the bands formation, they were still able to make some relevant, life changing music.
ReplyDelete'In Rainbows' Album Rating: 95%
I'm glad Beth and Thomas got to sit down and spend some time with one of my favorite bands. I certainly don't expect everyone to love them as much as I do; our different musical tastes are what make this blog great. I do think waiting until now to introduce them into the fold was a great idea, as Thomas said, his musical palate has been broadened thus helping him to understand and maybe appreciate newer artists he otherwise never would have given much of a chance. I find their ability to continue to evolve their sound and maintain their unmistakable identity is what puts them in rarefied air, that I can only associate with less than a handful of current artists. With David's thorough and surprising synopsis in our comments, there isn't much more I can add but personal feelings and a few anecdotes with this weeks listening.
ReplyDeleteI am a part of the MTV generation, and can vividly remember great shows like Remote Control, 120 Minutes, Yo! MTV Raps and Headbangers Ball. This was before the glut of reality TV when they actually showed music videos all day! Songs like “Nuthin But a G Thang”, “Jeremy” and Radiohead’s “Creep” are videos I remember watching constantly because they were played every hour. Sitting in front of the television and mimicking Jonny Greenwood with my air-guitar as he prefaces the chorus with a loud lightning strike of guitar stabs. I had no idea at that point what a profound effect this band would have on my life and musical taste.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn’t until OK Computer was released and the string of videos for “Paranoid Android”, “No Surprises” and “Karma Police” were played on 120 Minutes followed by their nomination for Album of the Year at the Grammy’s that fully grabbed my attention. The subject matter was a little over my head at the time, but I loved their sound.
I remember the first time I listened to Kid A; I was the assistant music director at WLCA and we received packages everyday from the all of the major record labels and it seemed like millions of tiny independents and my job was to go through all of them and see if there was anything we could add to our stations playlist. Tedious doesn’t begin to describe this process, and I remember a bit of excitement from myself and my station manager when we got a package from Capitol that had the new Radiohead album. My station manager was on the phone with an important call, so I put the cd into our boombox and listened to it through the headphones. I got halfway through the albums self-titled track and threw my headphones down asking my self what the hell I had just listened to. I was beyond frustrated by what seemed to be a bunch of incoherent noise from a band that I had started to build such a respect for. When we received these cd’s from record labels there were usually stickers on them suggesting tracks to play and letting you know what the singles will be off that album. “Optimistic” was one of those songs, and you can’t really call yourself a college radio station and completely disregard an entire Radiohead album. It was the most Radiohead sounding song we could find on Kid A, so we reluctantly added it to our playlist.
Not long after we added “Optimistic” I started dating a girl who listened to Stereolab, Ween, and was in love with Radiohead. She loved Kid A and we listened to it all the time in her car, along with Outkast’s new album Stankonia. It was upon these repeat listenings that broke me down and made me appreciate all music on an entirely new level. This was not straightforward pop music, for the first time in my life music was making me think, instead of just keeping me entertained. Soon after this epiphany I really started wading out into the musical waters to find other forms of music that would test me mentally, this led me to my love of avant-garde jazz music. Kid A contains my favorite of all Radiohead’s songs “How To Disappear Completely”; I’ve been a shy wallflower most of my life, especially in social gatherings, and Thom’s lyrics accompanied by the gorgeous swells in orchestration really hit a bullseye with me emotionally.
ReplyDeleteWith this new appreciation for music brought on by Kid I was forced to retrace the musical legacy of Radiohead by listening OK Computer again and discovering The Bends for the first time. “Airbag” is such a triumphant song about being given new life that there is a swell of joy I receive everytime I listen to it. Depending on what mood I’m in, different songs carry more weight than others on certain days; “Climbing Up The Walls” always hits me hard, once again, a very introspective track that is punctuated by the desolate chiming and Phil’s ominous drumming under Thom’s creeping vocals that comes crashing down on you at the end in a fit of panic.
Radiohead created such a great 90’s rock album with The Bends that it’s embarrassing to other groups who’ve never been able to eclipse that sound. Many groups are currently making comebacks playing their music from this era because it’s nostalgic for some and ultimately it’s their only tiny contribution to the fabric of music history. This album was merely a stepping-stone for a group who has grown light years beyond their peers.
David asked me again the other night if In Rainbows was still my favorite Radiohead album and it most certainly is. As Thomas wrote, it took me quite a few listens before I could fairly judge this against its predecessors, for me, it is the most rewarding album they’ve made to date. Hail to the Thief was the album they put out before In Rainbows and their final album on Capitol records and was a conglomeration of all of their sounds up to that release. Although a good album, it was evident that this was put out to fulfill a contractual obligation to the record label. It seemed like a bunch of b-sides and unreleased material that never took the shape of a fully realized Radiohead album that I’ve become accustomed to. In Rainbows is also an assemblage of past sounds but the end product is a tight, well-crafted and well-executed labor of love. They were able to make this album without interference from a record label and without a deadline and the end result speaks for itself. It doesn’t have the grandiosity of an OK Computer or the ahead of its time complexity of a Kid A; its subject matter is very relevant “Faust Arp”, timeless “Reckoner” and Thom’s voice has a polish to it that shines throughout. This is a very grown-up album from a band that has nothing left to prove but, as diehard fans like myself know, has the ability to push music beyond what we can imagine with conviction and unparalleled accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteSorry it has taken me so long to write this week. I haven’t had a day off and it doesn’t look like I’ll get one anytime soon with people coming into town this weekend and the Halloween party and… I need to catch my breath.
ReplyDeleteLuckily, this week’s music helped calm my nerves and take me to a better place. Going into this week, I was already more familiar with Radiohead than David knew – my brother is/was a big Radiohead fan, and over many years it’s the only band he’s tried to get me on.
My first experience with the band was OK Computer, so I’m taking a step back this week to hear more from The Bends. Planet Telex is actually probably one of my favorite tracks on this effort. I think it sets a great tone for what’s to come, but also shows you, the listener, a little bit about their roots. It surprises me how radio friendly it is. I mean, I know Creep was a single and whatnot, but I don’t usually think of Creep when I think of Radiohead (mostly because it’s terrible). Thomas mentioned High and Dry from Jamie Cullum week. I don’t particularly remember that version, but this one is stunning. I love the chorus – again, another great radio friendly track.
The next two tracks are a lot harder than I’m used to associating with Radiohead what with the loud guitar riffs. I actually enjoyed Just. The lyrics are thought provoking as well. The funny thing is I’m not used to being able to tell what Thom is saying. Mostly I just hear his voice as another instrument, albeit one that is unique to this particular band.
Someone mentioned The Beatles? I think My Iron Lung starts out sounding like a Beatles track, which I love. Street Spirit (Fade Out) is one of the most familiar tracks on the album. The chorus gives me chills every time. That being said, I was surprised to learn that Talk Show Host was only a b-side. If that’s what they’re putting out as a b-side, well then I don’t know what they’re putting on actual albums, but I’m excited to be finding out. The drums in that track are my favorite. When they come in hard, it gets me all excited (that’s what she said). Also, is he saying “sammiches of nothing”? Haha that’s what it sounds like.
As I mentioned, OK Computer wasn’t exactly new to me this week. When I moved to EIU, James rode up with me, my parents behind us in a van carrying all my crap, he forced me to listen. HE warned me first that it was weird, and that I might like it. I don’t know who was more surprised that I did – him or me. And look at some of the things I listen to now.
ReplyDeleteRadiohead has a way with catching me on the first track – just about every single time. Airbag is fantastic. The whole idea of starting over, getting the chance to do things over, is a pretty strong concept. I love the line “I’m back to save the universe.” Exit Music for a Film was interesting to me, but a little creepy and nervewracking actually – I’m not the biggest fan. I have to say I’m liking the creepy undertone to most of this. That’s especially evident in Climbing Up the Walls. I’m pretty sure it’s on our Halloween playlist on Grooveshark. No Surprises is really dreamy, and a much lighter feel than what came before it in the track listing.
All in all, this album is really strong, but the standout tracks are the ones I named. Better than Sgt Pepper’s tho? Not convinced of that.
Kid A was fairly new to me, although I know I’ve heard David play some of this before, not to mention that I’ve seen the band live before so it was familiar. At least a few tracks. The opening track here doesn’t stand up to the previous two, but again, does a great job of setting up the feel for the rest of the album. It’s still got that creepy vibe to it, but maybe a little more of a jazz feel. The title track was not my favorite. I’m not sure I “got it.” The National Anthem intrigued me. Something about the voice modifier Thom is using reminds me of John Lennon for some reason. This song, too, has a creepy feel to it, but a good one. Love when the sax comes in out of nowhere.
ReplyDeleteTreefingers sounds more like something I would meditate or do yoga to rather than listen for pleasure, but it’s a good lead in for Optimistic, which I don’t seem to have enjoyed as much as everyone else. I guess I come from a different place with Radiohead than most of you. For me, it’s almost ridiculous how Idioteque stands out so far in front of the rest of the album, for me (for you, for me). If you ever get the chance to see Radiohead live, this track is more than worth it alone. I can’t describe the feeling of this engulfing all your senses at a show. I love the buildup and the different sections that keep me moving. Another standout for me, but for different reasons, was Motion Picture Soundtrack. What’s with the funeral-esque organs in the beginning? And the harp? I feel like I’m in the Wizard of Oz, and I can’t be mad at it. Anyway, solid album but not as good as OK Computer or The Bends for me.
And finally, In Rainbows. This will probably be my favorite for a long time to come, partially because it’s the first Radiohead album I got to experience from the time tracks were leaked (or track lists, some of the songs are old) to now. I heard some live versions before the whole “pay what you want to download” thing and I remember asking David about that song with all the clapping. In Rainbows didn’t hold out – it gave me what I wanted on the very first track. 15 Step is my favorite Radiohead song and possibly one of my favorite songs. Ever. I can’t explain it. Part of it’s the clapping, but it’s mostly how it makes me feel. It reminds me of fall, and takes me to a better place. It cracked me up when I saw it at the end of the original Twilight movie. We must be on the same wavelength. Anyway I love everything about 15 Step. There’s a lot going on, from the clapping sound to some of the most beautiful music I’ve heard, and interesting lyrics. My souvenir t-shirt from the show says “You used to be alright, what happened?” I used to not like Bodysnatchers because of the rough riff coming in, but it’s really grown on me over time. It’s funny that David mentioned that he loves the song Nude because I am not the biggest fan. This song is the opposite of Bodysnatchers, almost to the point of sickly sweetness. It’s a little slow for me. On Weird Fishes/Arpeggi, I like the music and Thom’s voice as an instrument. Faust Arp is beautiful, and it’s a little slow, but that’s good because it leads into my other favorite song on the album, Reckoner. It’s got a similar clappy sound, but that’s not why. I just like the contrast between all the banging and the guitar riff/Thom’s voice. A perfect harmony. I used to not like House of Cards, but it’s another that’s grown on me. I giggled a little because David bought the same shirt I had, only with House of Cards lyrics on it. The thing is, he didn’t like the song either at the time and hadn’t realized his error. Although I wouldn’t trade it for my beloved 15 Step shirt, the lyrics are quite beautiful symbolic. I love the echo on Thom’s voice in the chorus. There’s not a single track on this entire album I don’t enjoy. That lands In Rainbows in a list of my top albums of ever.
ReplyDeleteJust put together my first compilation of Radiohead's work. I recently acquired all of their albums and decided to go through them. Amnesiac was the only album I didn't like, but the rest were all quite solid, including the most recent release, King of Limbs. My favorites were Kid A, The Bends, and Hail to the Thief. My resulting compilation includes (in order); Everything in its Right Place, Street Spirit (Fade Out), How to Disappear Completely, Electioneering, Idioteque, Fake Plastic Trees, All I Need, Lucky, Optimistic, My Iron Lung, Reckoner, The National Anthem, I Might Be Wrong, Climbing Up the Walls, Jigsaw Falling Into Place, Myxomatosis (Judge, Jury, and Executioner). Although Pablo Honey is not represented, and Hail to the Thief is barely represented, I did enjoy them both very much. However, I could only fit 16 tracks in 80 minutes worth of disc.
ReplyDeleteThomas, your list is awesome.
ReplyDelete