OFF: Radiohead

[Thomas Rickert]

I just listened to the new Radiohead, and I like it. I can't understand all the
backlash they seem to be getting on the list, but, hey, whatever. Kid A is
definitely moving further away from the guitar rock of their last two albums into
more atmospheric/ambient, psychedelic, or just art-y territory. Their direction on
Kid A has resonances with many sources (without really sounding quite like any of
them), including Krautrock, Brian Eno, U2 (their change in sound that began w/
their collaboration with Eno, Pink Floyd (their change in sound beginning w/ Dark
Side), and--believe it or not--Primal Scream. The one discussed in Jon's
post--"National Anthem"--is a cool bass groove with horn and brass jazzy skronk
layered in over the top, just like two tracks on Primal Scream's latest cd,
XTRMNTR (which is a really good cd w/ only one or two bum tracks).

Anyway, I really like the new one. It is dark and moody and well done, but
certainly I would agree that it would not be to everyone's taste. And this won't
be a big seller like OK Computer, either, I predict. Too slow and moody overall.

One surprise: hidden under the cd holder tray is a second booklet, with more
pictures and words.

Thomas

Jon Jarrett wrote:

> On Tue, 3 Oct 2000, K Henderson wrote:
>
> > Doug P. queries...
> >
> > >Big question from me here ...
> > >
> > >SHOULD I BELIEVE THE HYPE?
> > >
> > >The latest issue of 'Spin' describes one of the songs on their new album as
> > >a cross between "Silver Machine" and "Mother Sky".  Can I say anything but
> > >"IF ONLY?"  I'm ignorant, I've never heard Radiohead, but I've heard tons
> > >(and tons and tons) of hype.  And descriptions like the one I just
> > >mentioned make me believe that, yeah, it's JUST hype.  Anyone wanna point
> > >out the error of my ways?
>
>         I think I know the one they must mean, and it is quite good. It's
> the one that made me buy the album anyway. It's a fairly simple bass riff
> (or possibly sample - an awful lot of the new album is showing more
> post-production than original input) which gets stuff added onto it, first
> synth and general guitar wafts and eventually a six-piece brass
> section. It lasts about seven minutes and is thoroughly good. The rest of
> the album, on one full listen, is very much like _OK Computer_'s
> out-takes, which were in fact pretty good IF you liked the album. I'd say
> the comparison to `Mother Sky' is fair but flattering. I don't see the one
> to `Silver Machine' at all. The track in question is called `The National
> Anthem'.
>
> > Dunno about the new one.  I will refuse to purchase it.  And either
> > Silver Machine or Mother Sky alone have more kinetic energy in them
> > than all of OK Computer (the last one) combined, so I'm dubious about
> > that description as well.
>
>         Well, I rate _OK Computer_ very highly but I think you have to be
> adolescing to really like it. I was when I got it, so that was all right.
>
> > The main problem with Radiohead (apart from the dreariness of the music that
> > wails on endlessly esp. through the second half of OK Computer) is the
> > horrid whininess of the vocalist.  Yuck.  "Subterranean Homesick Alien" is
> > the one salvagable track, although "Paranoid Android" is strong musically.
> > The rest you can skip....and I do.
>
>         I think Thom Yorke's vocals are lousy but on _OK_ he made the
> absolute most of his capacity for expression, which is very high. The
> previous albums and this new one however suffer from him only singing,
> which he shouldn't be allowed to do. _OK_'s vocals are to me forgivable,
> nay effective, as tone poetry but his basic singing is very thin and
> sharp. On _OK_ I'd rate the first three tracks very highly, `Karma Police'
> up with them and `Electioneering' is also very good. As I say though, I
> think to get into the lyrics I think it does help to be a repressed
> middle-class British adolescent, and I think I'm probably the only person
> on BOC-L who was such when _OK_ came out. Both albums are lousy for my
> mood so I use them carefully.
>
>         I was impressed by ChrisW dismissing _OK_ as boring after trying
> to get me to admit the worth of trip-hop however :-P
>                                                      Jon
>
> --
>      Jon Jarrett (01223 514989)       jjarrett at chiark.greenend.org.uk
>    =====================================================================
>         "There's nothin' more dangerous than a wounded mosquito."