Radiohead did the thing. [Burn the Witch]

[bury the year]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI2oS2hoL0k

 

This is a song that's been long in the works, and I'm so glad that they've finally released it. If this is a harbinger of what the ninth album'll be like, I'm very pleased. Wasn't a big fan of TKOL, as it seemed too... well, too Thom Yorke and not enough the rest of the lads. But that's just me. Anyone have their own thoughts to contribute?

[.Rai]

New one. And album's out in two days.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTAU7lLDZYU

 

This is a rare time when I can say that Radiohead sounds like Coldplay, and not the other way round. Coldplay's always been influenced by Radiohead's introspective rock, but Burn The Witch is easily one of the most melodic things Radiohead have done, which is a far more Coldplay-like characteristic. Hell, the new song, Daydreaming, takes this to a complete new level: it is basically identical to a Coldplay song. I don't mean this in a bad way, since I do love Coldplay. Just pointing out a subtle change in modus operandi for Radiohead. Loving the direction though.

 

Other random comparisons I'd like to make:

 

- Burn the Witch is pretty similar to (Arcade Fire's touring violinist) Owen Pallett's The Riverbed, another great song.

- The chiptune synth lead in Daydreaming that comes in about 3:16 or so could pass off as a Disasterpeace track. I mean, it's literally in the same key and arppegiated similar to Disasterpeace's Puzzle.

[Susie]

I guess the Coldplay comparisons explain why im not the biggest fan of either tracks, still looking forward to the new album.

[bury the year]

- Burn the Witch is pretty similar to (Arcade Fire's touring violinist) Owen Pallett's The Riverbed, another great song

 

...wait, Pallett is with Arcade Fire? Weird, I have In Conflict and have listened to it umpteen times, but never made the connection. (And yeah, Riverbed is so great. Same with I Am Not Afraid.)

 

And I'm not a fan of Daydreaming so much. Feels like it could be abridged 1:30-2:00 and have just as much impact. Wanders a bit too much for my taste.

 

@Rai: Burn the Witch has been a song that they've cobbled together over the past 8-10 years. Not surprised that they've evolved it a bit to match current trends.

[.Rai]

...wait, Pallett is with Arcade Fire? Weird, I have In Conflict and have listened to it umpteen times, but never made the connection. (And yeah, Riverbed is so great. Same with I Am Not Afraid.)

 

And I'm not a fan of Daydreaming so much. Feels like it could be abridged 1:30-2:00 and have just as much impact. Wanders a bit too much for my taste.

 

@Rai: Burn the Witch has been a song that they've cobbled together over the past 8-10 years. Not surprised that they've evolved it a bit to match current trends.

Yeah, Pallett's done the strings for most of their records. I agree with Daydreaming. I like the song, but I think it wanders for a bit too long. Bit self-indulgent in its own atmosphere.

[.Rai]

I'll have to give the album a few more spins before coming to anything conclusive, but decent album overall. Relatively plaintive, reflective (as the album title evokes). I think people will find it hard to come to a good conclusion, just because of the hype surrounding the whole album. Those who didn't like Daydreaming will probably enjoy this album less. It's a very accessible Radiohead album. Probably one of the most accessible, bar something like The Bends.

 

Although, I have to say, James Blake's new album easily overshadows Radiohead's release for me this week.

[Susie]

Im almost through with A Moon Shaped Pool and yeah I have to say that Im really not into it at all, the whole album feels too plain, dull, and just feels like Radiohead are pointlessly noodling around with the basics, but not in an enjoyable way. Ill admit that Burn the Witch has grown onto me a little bit and I liked the song Ful Stop but other than that yeah not into this one. Might give it a few more listens but I doubt ill be into this one.

[bury the year]

So I finished listening to AMSP on the ride in to work today, and while I definitely like it better than TKOL, not sure it competes with the "holy trinity" of OK Computer/Kid A/In Rainbows. It does noodle around a bit too much for my tastes, but I think it'd be worth it for me to listen a few more times. Decks Dark was one of the songs that really grew on me after listening a few times, same with The Numbers.

[Susie]

So I finished listening to AMSP on the ride in to work today, and while I definitely like it better than TKOL, not sure it competes with the "holy trinity" of OK Computer/Kid A/In Rainbows. It does noodle around a bit too much for my tastes, but I think it'd be worth it for me to listen a few more times. Decks Dark was one of the songs that really grew on me after listening a few times, same with The Numbers.

 

Id place TKOL above AMSP simply because at least TKOL had some interesting ideas and sounds going for it but never felt fully realized (I still did enjoy it though) whereas AMSP feels completely senseless and self-absorbed with only two exceptions that I mentioned.

 

imo

Kid A > Amnesiac > OK Computer > The Bends > Hail to the Thief > In Rainbows > The King of Limbs > A Moon Shaped Pool > Pablo Honey.

[bury the year]

Id place TKOL above AMSP simply because at least TKOL had some interesting ideas and sounds going for it but never felt fully realized (I still did enjoy it though) whereas AMSP feels completely senseless and self-absorbed with only two exceptions that I mentioned.

 

imo

Kid A > Amnesiac > OK Computer > The Bends > Hail to the Thief > In Rainbows > The King of Limbs > A Moon Shaped Pool > Pablo Honey.

Wow, that's pretty brutal. For me, something like this (order within tier is pretty rough):

 

Tier I: In Rainbows > Kid A > OK Computer

Tier II: Amnesiac > Hail to the Thief > A Moon Shaped Pool

Tier III: The Bends > The King of Limbs

Tier Bleh: Pablo Honey

 

Only really good songs on TKOL for me were Separator and Codex.

[~NOiSE~]

Finally got the album a couple of weeks ago and it rules. Indentikit is such an awesome song. 

[Susie]

Yeah Im just gonna give up on this album, Ive given it like 10 tries by now but I just fail to understand what the appeal for this new album is and I find it harder and harder to tolerate each listen. The album still just feels plain, dull, and lifeless with the exception of a few segments here and there that arent worth trudging through the insane amounts of underwhelming boredom, its drowned in its own accessibility, theres tracks that basically lead to nowhere (im looking right at you Daydreaming), and it lacks much dynamics or emotion outside of some melancholy feeling that I can get from just about any Ambient album in my collection. This is the first Radiohead album ive disliked since Pablo Honey and honestly AMSP is only better than it by an inch or two.

 

I know I might sound like a broken record but I figured that id just say this one last thing because I did say that id give it more tries and I did, but no matter how hard I try I just dont get this album at all. And im also part of a very small minority who just cant stand it at all, ill admit though that some of the scores from the people who didnt like it are way too low (seen people give it like 10/100 and stuff). Yeah sorry but I tried my hardest with this one and I still came out with nothing at all. Still will say that Burn the Witch rules, I like how it starts out really peaceful and calm and innocent but then devolves into some messed up discordance at the end, that ending always gets to me, even though it is a bit too melodic in my opinion for Radiohead and is far from being my favorite track from them I still like it a fair bit.