REVIEW: Radiohead does it again
It’s funny how a few bands are well-known and loved by some people, while virtually unheard of by many others; bands that are incredibly talented, but unfortunately known to a smaller – but very loyal – fan base; bands such as Nickel Creek, Bright Eyes and, the subject of my column today, Radiohead.
Radiohead was formed way back in 1985, making it one of those few good things to come out of the ‘80s. They were just a bunch of high school kids at the time, but as the years went on, they were able to get some record deals and make it big.
While they were never in the spotlight, they have influenced many artists that came after them, and not just popular artists. For example, I was first introduced to Radiohead when I saw an arrangement of their song “Paranoid Android” for string quartet, in a magazine mostly dedicated to classical music.
Intrigued, I went and bought “OK Computer,” an album that quickly made its place as one of my favorites. My brother was 11 at the time, and was thoroughly scared by the band, but I played it for him enough to win him over.
A few years ago, Radiohead made headlines with their album “In Rainbows,” which was a digital release for which listeners could name their own price. The best part was that $0 was an option. I didn’t pay a thing for that album, and it was totally legal. Thank you, Radiohead.
Last week, the band released its eighth album, “The King of Limbs.” Don’t ask about the title, I don’t get it either. But, then again, anyone familiar with Radiohead, from “OK Computer” onward, knows better than to try to make sense of their lyrics or album names. Just accept it and move on – you’ll be much happier that way.
It is a shorter album than usual, only eight tracks long, lasting around 40 minutes. It starts off with “Bloom,” a rhythmic song that sets up the feel for the rest of the album. It’s has a big, sonorous sound, with electronic effects, heavy drums, rhythmic bass, strings, brass, all topped by Thom Yorke’s soaring, echoing vocals. They choose a sounds that overwhelms more than jumps out at you.
The next track has a similar sound, but using different means. “Morning Mr. Magpie” again gives the sweeping, heavy sound of before, but instead of using electronic effects, they use different guitar riffs played simultaneously, none of them standing out enough to stay in your mind. They blend together to make some pulsing, complex rhythms that are really quite incredible.
The rest of the album follows suit, building rhythms that really hold your attention. One thing thing that most of the tracks lack is a melody that repeats enough times to be memorable. “Little By Little” has a pretty good one in the chorus, but this general focus on the feel rather than the melody makes it the kind of album that you groove to, not necessarily sing along with. For many Radiohead fans, this won’t be a problem, but if you’re a first-time listener, it may make the listening more difficult.
In “Codex,” there is a great piano part, that is altered so that it sounds almost as if it’s under water. Surprisingly, the lyrics of this song are pretty straightforward, and they fit along well with the piano. It’s about jumping into a lake, with “No one around, just dragonflies.” Strings, brass and lots of different effects build the song beautifully, ending with bird sounds and the distant sounds of people speaking.
The last two tracks use different vocal tracks laid on top of each other to give it a complicated yet soaring sound that is quite remarkable; definite winners in my book.
The album was clearly produced and developed to have a specific sound and it succeeded. It sounds incredible. Radiohead has amazed me again, but I realize that it is not necessarily the kind of album for people that aren’t familiar with the band. If you want to get to know them better, I would suggest “OK Computer,” and then to move on to the others. Even though they do have a best hits album that would be beneficial to listen to, it’s almost strange to mix albums that seem so carefully arranged to sound like they do as a whole.
If you want to hear the influence of Radiohead on local artists, there is a Radiohead cover concert at the Lundstrom Center on Friday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m.
– rex.colin.mitchell@aggiemail.usu.edu