"RA D IOHE_AD IN/RAINBOWS" continuing discussion thread part iv

[LMP]

The beat goes round and round, guys.

 

[MrBrau1]

So if I didn't like HTTF, I won't like this?

2nd spin: it's more of the same tuneless, joyless music RH have been pumping out for years.

 

[xaviMF22]

sure. if you want.

or you can e-mail a couple versions at: joshuatreebaby@yahoo.com


Thanks.

you got mail

 

[LMP]

So if I didn't like HTTF, I won't like this?

How much of it did you not like?

This like a synthesis of bits of HTTT, The Eraser, and Amnesiac.

 

[xaviMF22]

New DAS

hard hats on..


hope you are enjoying listening to the download of In Rainbows.
its a relief to us all that finally its out there.
its been a mad couple of weeks.. as i'm sure you can imagine...

"I love pop music to death..... Most great composers rely on folk music. I rely on pop music.
I'm not saying I'm a great composer or that pop music is folk music. There's a whole endless thing going on out there.
You make your little pond but if your pond isn't connected to the river, which isn't connected to an ocean,
it's just going to dry up. It's just a little piss pool. I've lived too long to be happy in a pond."

I found this in WIRE magazine over a pint in the pub last night.. its Robert Wyatt
Thom

Thom

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

Anybody willing to send this album my way? I realize that it's available for more or less free, but inrainbows.com is a nightmare right now.

jasonccash [at] gmail.com

 

[lazarus]

Wow, that Jonny quote pretty much verified what I said about HTTT being more organic, except he said "performance based". It's nice to find out your opinion is actually fact.

Also, has anyone else noticed that Thom isn't singing very fully on this album? He only belts it out a couple times on the whole album, most of it sung very softly or in falsetto, and I have to say that's a rather large shortcoming when you think about it. I'm not expecting him to "go for it" as often as Bono, but still.

For all the tenderness that the album has (and that it one of the great things about it), it's pretty dispassionate compared to HTTT, where you're hearing Thom at full power on at least half the songs.

As for the song for song comparison, I don't think I'm being as harsh as some:

2+2=1 > 15 Step
Sit Down Stand Up < Bodysnatchers (this one's growing on me quickly, so this decision is more of a look into the future)
Backdrifts < Nude
Go to Sleep < Arpeggi
Where I End And You Begin < All I Need
There There > Faust/ARP
Puchup at a Wedding > Reckoner
Myxamatosis < House of Cards
Scatterbrain > Jigsaw
Wolf at the Door > Videotape

So it's a tie for me. I think song for song Rainbows is strong, but overall I find myself less impressed.

 

[lazarus]

"I love pop music to death..... Most great composers rely on folk music. I rely on pop music.
I'm not saying I'm a great composer or that pop music is folk music. There's a whole endless thing going on out there.
You make your little pond but if your pond isn't connected to the river, which isn't connected to an ocean,
it's just going to dry up. It's just a little piss pool. I've lived too long to be happy in a pond."

Strange that Thom quoted it, considering Radiohead are one of the most insular bands in memory, appearing to connect to nothing in pop music or pop culture whatsoever. Not that this a bad thing.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

Anybody willing to send this album my way? I realize that it's available for more or less free, but inrainbows.com is a nightmare right now.

jasonccash [at] gmail.com

incoming!

 

[namkcuR]

Just for shits and giggles

Everything In Its Right Place > 15 Step
Kid A > Bodysnatchers
National Anthem = Nude
How To Disappear Completely > Arpeggi
Treefingers < All I Need
Optimistic > Faust ARP
In Limbo < Reckoner
Idioteque > House Of Cards
Morning Bell > Jigsaw
Motion Picture Soundtrack > Videotape

Kid A: 7
IR: 2
Tie: 1

 

[Zoomerang96]

my flatmate wants a copy of this, but i can't upload it for him at the moment. could someone email me a link of the bundled package?

xavi?

thanks.

 

[namkcuR]

my flatmate wants a copy of this, but i can't upload it for him at the moment. could someone email me a link of the bundled package?

xavi?

thanks.

Don't you have your own link to the zip file from when you downloaded it?

 

[LMP]

Does anyone else think the running order isn't too great?

I'll tinker with it a bit when I have the time, but the placement of Arpeggi and slow 2nd half hurt the cohesion of the album for me.

Song-by-song though, this is arguably their strongest album to date. Yes, even OK Computer and Kid A have a few tracks I can do without.

 

[Zoomerang96]

anyway

i like the album so far, however i'm devastated with what they did with videotape.

i can't even listen to it. it's like turning a girlfriend into a friend. it doesn't work.

i loved videotape, and now that it changed on me, i want nothing to do with it.

that's a bit harsh and overdramatic, but my point stands.

the rest is great though. i love the production for once. i haven't really been a fan of nigel at all up until... now i guess.

 

[powerhour24]

Having always been a more grounded fan of Radiohead than those who worship them, I've been enjoying the album, but I'm not blown away, although it has gotten better on the second listening, I think there are definite standouts (Jigsaws Falling Into Place is times I don't even know how many) and it's certainly stronger than Amnesiac, maybe even HTTT, time will tell. They seem to be combining their 2000's electronic influence with almost post-rock instrumentals, I like the entire melancholy feel of it (great contrast with the title) but I do pine for more rockers ala OK Computer and The Bends, not that I want them to recycle sounds, just rock some more.

 

[namkcuR]

Does anyone else think the running order isn't too great?

I'll tinker with it a bit when I have the time, but the placement of Arpeggi and slow 2nd half hurt the cohesion of the album for me.

Song-by-song though, this is arguably their strongest album to date. Yes, even OK Computer and Kid A have a few tracks I can do without.

I don't agree at all. I think a lot of people here are seeing/hearing this record through 'OMG NEW RADIOHEAD' goggles.

To say that it's song-for-song stronger than a collection including Paranoid Android/Exit Music(For A Film)/Let Down/Karma Police/Climbing Up The Walls/No Surprises/Lucky/The Tourist or a collection including Everything In Its Right Place/How To Disappear Completely/Optimistic/Idioteque/Morning Bell/Motion Picture Soundtrack or a collection including Planet Telex/High And Dry/Fake Plastic Trees/Bulletproof(I Wish I Was)/My Iron Lung/Just/Black Star/Street Spirit is just very sketchy for me. It's not even close, for me. IMO, there are two songs here that stand up with the rest of RH's catalog - Reckoner and All I Need.

 

[lazarus]

Song-by-song though, this is arguably their strongest album to date. Yes, even OK Computer and Kid A have a few tracks I can do without.

As underwhelmed as I am, I can't help agreeing with that, LMP. It has the highest low point of any Radiohead album. There are at least 2 from each album I either outright skip (I never liked My Iron Lung or Climbing Up the Walls), or slog through in the interest of listening to the whole album.

Here, there's nothing I would skip. Not even debatable.

And for the hell of it:

Everything In Its Right Place > 15 Step
Kid A < Bodysnatchers
National Anthem < Nude
How To Disappear Completely < Arpeggi
Treefingers < All I Need
Optimistic > Faust ARP
In Limbo < Reckoner
Idioteque < House Of Cards
Morning Bell < Jigsaw
Motion Picture Soundtrack > Videotape

Rainbows wins 7-3, and I'm not 100% I like Optimistic that much.

If you really want to lay it on the line, take Fitter, Happier and another one (I chose The Tourist) out and stack 'em up:

Airbag > 15 Step
Paranoid Android < Bodysnatchers (yougottaproblem?)
Subtrerranean < Nude
Exit Music < Arpeggi
Let Down > All I Need (this one KILLED me. Sophie's Choice)
Karma Police > Faust ARP
Electioneering < House of Cards
Climbing Up the Walls <Reckoner
No Surprises > Jigsaw
Lucky > Videotape

a tie? could it be?

of course I always thought OK Computer and The Bends were like Sgt. Pepper's & Revolver. One is more of a comprehensive masterpiece, but the other has stronger individual songs.

 

[ShipOfFools]

I agree, there's not very many places I would skip in this album. The low points for me are really Faust (which is mostly a filler track) and Videotape (a disappointment after hearing the live versions.)

It's better than anything else post Kid A, that's for sure.

 

[Zoomerang96]

...but I do pine for more rockers ala OK Computer and The Bends, not that I want them to recycle sounds, just rock some more.

i can agree with that.

bangers and mash and up on the ladder would have been welcome additions for that reason.

 

[namkcuR]

I must be missing something really big. Bodysnatchers is better than Paranoid Android? Arpeggi, plodding and relatively uninteresting, is better than Exit Music AND How To Disappear Completely ? House Of Cards is better than Idioteque? Jigsaw is better than Morning Bell?

I really think you guys will think at least a little differently when the 'OMG NEW RADIOHEAD' excitement wears off. I'll give IR another listen with earbuds tonight. We'll see if anything else blows me away the way Reckoner is.

Airbag > 15 Step
Paranoid Android > Bodysnatchers
Subtrerranean > Nude
Exit Music > Arpeggi
Let Down > All I Need
Karma Police > Faust ARP
Climbing Up The Walls > House of Cards
No Surprises = Reckoner(I think Reckoner is brilliant, but I can't bring myself to let it defeat No Surprises)
Lucky > Jigsaw
The Tourist > Videotape

OKC: 9
IR: 0
Tie: 1

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

How To Disappear Completely < Arpeggi

them's be fightin' words...

 

[phanan]

Song-by-song though, this is arguably their strongest album to date. Yes, even OK Computer and Kid A have a few tracks I can do without.

I can understand what you're saying, but as an entire piece, it doesn't touch OK Computer.

And if you use the song-by-song approach, I don't think it beats The Bends. I may or may not be in the minority on that, I don't know, but that's my opinion anyway. While not as cohesive as OK Computer, the songs on that are just brilliant all the way through.

 

[SeattleVertigo]

It's way too early for me to compare this to previous Radiohead efforts. But I'm listening through for the 6th time, and I think it's just a beautiful album. I'm very pleased with their effort.

It's funny, because I see some folks criticizing the record for this reason or that, but I'm just not attached to them having to come out with music of a certain style. This is a great gift of music.

 

[lazarus]

For those who are surprised by my ratings, I've said repeatedly that I'm not a huge fan of Kid A. That doesn't mean I don't like it, I just like everything else save for Pablo Honey a lot better. How to Disappear bores me to tears. I NEVER liked that song. Idioteque I respect more than enjoy listening to. And I prefer the Amnesiac version of Morning Bell so it's hard for me to enjoy the Kid A version very much. Paranoid Android was always a bit too proggy for me. I think there are at least 5 stronger songs on the album.

Phanan, I do agree with you about The Bends though. I reach for it more often than any other Radiohead, and it probably is their strongest set of "songs". Of course, Radiohead has become a band where songwriting is only one part of their brilliance. I wouldn't call Kid A great songwriting by a longshot, but it's amazing anyway.

 

[grbounds]

I don't get how Radiohead can seemingly do no wrong.... I was pretty excited to hear the new album, but after about 5 listens I still just don't get it. Keep in mind my favorites are The Bends and OK Computer respectively, and that I don't enjoy the electronic nonsense. I just don't get how this kind of music can get people so worked up and make them cry, etc. That's almost comical to me. Bodysnatchers is badass, but the rest of the album doesn't come close to touching anything they did on The Bends/ OK Computer. I'm not bashing those who love it, I just don't understand it. For me this is Kid A part 4. Well, maybe slightly better then a Kid A part 4.

 

[thetitans2k]

I find this new album a little boring. Theres nothing really upbeat. I wish they would still write songs like fake plastic trees.

 

[SeattleVertigo]

I don't get how Radiohead can seemingly do no wrong.... I was pretty excited to hear the new album, but after about 5 listens I still just don't get it. Keep in mind my favorites are The Bends and OK Computer respectively, and that I don't enjoy the electronic nonsense. I just don't get how this kind of music can get people so worked up and make them cry, etc. That's almost comical to me.

Hasn't made me cry yet, but I do think it's really beautiful.

I don't have any preconceived notions of what a new Radiohead album should be like. I don't feel like they have to revisit the "glory years" of OK Computer or The Bends or anything like that. It's all gravy from here on out. I'm really happy to see what kind of musical journey they go on. They've earned that kind of trust and respect from me.

 

[lazarus]

 

[Lancemc]

A few thing.

Laz, it's impossible for me to tell this early in the game, but currently, if I were forced to choose, I'd have to go with HTTT over In Rainbows. It's simply more ambitious, has great highs (and lower lows, but they're still interesting if nothing else), and a more accomplished production design and mix. And by that, I mean the production decisions made on this album benefit the songs and direction better than they do on In Rainbows.

In Rainbows is a collection of 10 solid or even stellar songs, but something got fucked up in the studio, and I'm currently having a damn hard time getting past that barrier. Most of the decisions just seem to go completely against my own instincts of how things should sound.

Not to mention a complete lack of passion in most songs, and Thom's lazy delivery time and time again, a complete turn-around from many of the live performances.

 

[LemonMelon]

Not to mention a complete lack of passion in most songs, and Thom's lazy delivery time and time again, a complete turn-around from many of the live performances.

Are you joking? The band sounded bored to tears throughout Hail To The Thief. It explained why most of it was simply a worse retread of things they had already done. The band actually sounds like they give a damn about recording music again, which is the most exciting part of all. Plus, Thom doesn't sound like he's dying anymore, which always helps.