..that I don't like it?
I mean, Radiohead seem to be one of those remaining rock bands that retain an almost religious following - and every new album release becomes a long-awaited event. The reviews are usually lavish with praise.
I used to like Radiohead when I was 18. 'Creep' was a great rock song. 'My Iron Lung' was also epic in terms of alt-rock greatness. 'Just' would have to be one of the greatest singles of all-time by any rock band - including The Beatles. OK Computer had some great stuff on it, including 'Paranoid Android' and 'Karma Police' that rivalled the best of anything Pink Floyd ever put out.
Then things went weird. They put out Kid A. Then Amnesiac. Then Hail To The Thief. Then In Rainbows. The latest one was The King Of Limbs. All of it was ponderous, self-indulgent, vocally unmelodic, though highly ambient and atmospheric. The rhythmic style went from being a straight-ahead rock band, to more like busy (almost jazzy) syncopations with rim shots rather than direct hits on the snare drum. They were no longer interested in making 'hits', which is okay - it's good to be different and somewhat original right?
But now we come to the latest album - 'A Moon Shaped Pool'. Heard it with a completely open mind. But again, I can't seem to make it my bag at all. The melodies just aren't there. The arrangements are quite lush and clever in places, but then Thom Yorke's whimpering vocals come in and completely ruins whatever they had going.
I used to like the early Radiohead. What do you think, fellas? Is this like the Beatles fans of the early 60s when they were singing
"yeah, yeah yeah" with their cute mop-tops until they went all weird and druggy and suddenly a portion of their fan base went south? Is this a similar thing with Radiohead? I'm not sure. I just don't think the songs are any good anymore, and they haven't been any good since OK Computer. And I've really gone off Thom Yorke's vocals, in a big way. I never thought it was the strongest component in their music but at least he sang with conviction. But now it just seems like a soft wimpy whisper.
Does anyone here like Radiohead?