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Author Topic: New RADIOHEAD Album - Is it okay for me to say..  (Read 1676 times)

kylenz

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New RADIOHEAD Album - Is it okay for me to say..
« on: May 09, 2016, 06:19:18 am »

..that I don't like it?  :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X :-X

 ???

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?  :-\

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Re: New RADIOHEAD Album - Is it okay for me to say..
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2016, 02:30:54 pm »

Totally agree. What's the point of purposely being esoteric? It's like Tom refuses to do melody. He CAN do it..we've heard it before. I wonder how many songs he has in a vault that he just thinks are too poppy. It is possible to go in a different direction and slide in a catchy bit. Right about now it wouldn't hurt them at all to have somebody say THEY sound like Coldplay. ;) ;D :o :)
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Mervap

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Re: New RADIOHEAD Album - Is it okay for me to say..
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2016, 03:22:10 pm »

I am a big fan of bands following their muse. If making these sorts of records gives Radiohead pleasure, then I love that. However, if the music you are making no longer speaks to me as a listener, I will follow my own muse to something I like better. I often wonder if I, as a music lover, would have had the smarts enough to follow The Beatles down the rabbit hole into their psychedelic phase. I tend to think I would have, because they still stayed melodic for the most part.
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Re: New RADIOHEAD Album - Is it okay for me to say..
« Reply #3 on: May 09, 2016, 04:15:52 pm »

Yeah, I agree that an artist should do their thing and not write for the audience. But you also shouldn't abandon what got you that audience. Tossing your fans a bone every once in a while isn't a bad thing is it?

I often wonder if I would be a YES fan if it weren't full of little ditties by Jon Anderson. He seems to have the talent to somehow insert a tiny bit of melody into controlled mayhem.
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kylenz

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Re: New RADIOHEAD Album - Is it okay for me to say..
« Reply #4 on: May 09, 2016, 09:08:08 pm »

Right about now it wouldn't hurt them at all to have somebody say THEY sound like Coldplay. ;) ;D :o :)

Funny, a long-standing joke about Radiohead is that they haven't done anything good since 'Yellow'!  ;D
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Keri

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Re: New RADIOHEAD Album - Is it okay for me to say..
« Reply #5 on: May 10, 2016, 03:56:25 am »


I often wonder if I would be a YES fan if it weren't full of little ditties by Jon Anderson. He seems to have the talent to somehow insert a tiny bit of melody into controlled mayhem.

I've got some Radiohead but I'm not a fan, I am a fan of Yes and Jon Anderson for me is an essential element. His optimism, vision and bubbly inspiration fills even the most obtuse lyrics with warmth and humanity. I don't feel any of that with Radiohead.
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