Radiohead Discussion Thread

[lazarus]

^^ Well said.

EDIT: I hate it when you do this ^^ and then get stuck at the top of the next page.

So make that

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[Auhiz]

I just bought Pablo Honey but the bashing in this thread has convinced me to exchange it rather than open it. Thanks.

 

[phillyfan26]

Yorke has said that Airbag and Lucky were meant to be happy songs. I agree with that, they're both very much: shit happened that almost fucked me up and I'm still alive and happy about it.

 

[u2popmofo]

There is certainly legitimacy to that argument. I personally have never seen any joy in Radiohead, but rather a kind of dejected fortitude. The world is callous and irreparable; the only way to combat it is simply to persevere. Thus Radiohead is certainly dour, but not defeatist. Even a line like "immerse your soul in love" to me is an acknowledgment that society will not reciprocate. It is despondent but in a very comforting way - a theme that I think Hail to the Thief is highly adept at capturing. Kid A functions the same way to me; environmental catastrophe is looming, and it will not play favorites. For me that sort of unabashed cynicism is brave - it is not pandering to anyone, which is likely why we see so many people come into these threads and complain about Thom's general outlook.

You need to to post more, this is good stuff.

 

[cdisantis83]

I feel compelled to bump this, simply because I do not want to seem to have sunken the thread.

...and perhaps also to wonder why "Talk Show Host" was not included on The Bends instead of "Sulk."

 

[lazarus]

...or My Iron Lung.

 

[phillyfan26]

Yeah, Sulk and My Iron Lung are the low points of The Bends.

 

[lazarus]

Sulk at least has a Bono-level, powerful vocal from Thom.

My Iron Lung don't have much of anything.

 

[cobl04]

It's too hard to rate Radiohead, too hard.

Yorke has said that Airbag and Lucky were meant to be happy songs. I agree with that, they're both very much: shit happened that almost fucked me up and I'm still alive and happy about it.

Airbag being apparently about that "wonderful feeling you get when you've just failed to have an accident" and Thom saying if this happens to run out onto the street, screaming "I'm alive!!" I think is a 'happy' thing. Lucky, whilst it sounds somewhat depressing is the opposite in the lyrics... but it's a different approach. Taking/turning a negative situation etc into an absolute positive.

Personally I find Radiohead's music somewhat cathartic. Like How to Disappear Completely. When I'm in a rut, I'll go and listen to it and feel better. It's just what you need sometimes. I think a lot of the 'happiness' is there, just in a more melancholy way. Like the end of Videotape, "no matter what happens now / you shouldn't be afraid / because I know / today has been the most perfect day / I've ever seen" shows it a bit.

This is why I also think some of the Floyd comparisons aren't that far off the mark; it may not be there in the music, or lyrics or whatever, but it's there in the muted hope in the lyrics and the way the songs balance music and lyrics. Take Dark Side of the Moon, there's some real heavy shit going on in the lyrics, but it's balanced by some more uplifting music. Brain Damage/Eclipse, there's nothing really happy going on there, but the music is incredibly uplifting. I find the same with Radiohead. A song like No Surprises, for example. Very heavy lyrics, but the tune is beguilingly pretty. The lyrics to Motion Picture Soundtrack don't paint a happy picture, but geez is it beautiful when those strings kick in.

I feel compelled to bump this, simply because I do not want to seem to have sunken the thread.

...and perhaps also to wonder why "Talk Show Host" was not included on The Bends instead of "Sulk."

Yeah, Sulk and My Iron Lung are the low points of The Bends.

...or My Iron Lung.

Wrong, all wrong. Where's fitz?

 

[Zoomerang96]

my iron lung is blistering, especially live.

if you don't think so, you're a stupid idiot. that's right. a stupid idiot.

 

[cdisantis83]

Airbag being apparently about that "wonderful feeling you get when you've just failed to have an accident" and Thom saying if this happens to run out onto the street, screaming "I'm alive!!" I think is a 'happy' thing. Lucky, whilst it sounds somewhat depressing is the opposite in the lyrics... but it's a different approach. Taking/turning a negative situation etc into an absolute positive.

I would interpret songs like Airbag and Lucky as defiant rather than joyous, largely on account of surrounding songs like No Surprises and The Tourist, which in my mind subsume any positivity. OK Computer I think is searching for a fundamental social change; being alive is not enough for fulfillment - there must be a transformation in day-to-day life. Even a song from that era like Nude promotes such a theme: "Don't get any big ideas...there will be something missing." Kid A and HttT then continue the theme of radical social change. That is just my interpretation, of course.

 

[FitzChivalry]

Where's fitz?

Why? What did I do???

 

[lazarus]

Apparently you're supposed to help defend My Iron Lung.

Don't bother.

 

[FitzChivalry]

Ehhh. I'm tired of defending 'My Iron Lung' and 'Sulk'. I've said my rant before and it's never changed anyone's mind, so why bother.

I love 'Sulk'. It has, is and always will be one of my most beloved Radiohead songs. That's all that matters to me. Nothing has changed on my end or on you guys' end; and I'm fine with that.

 

[lazarus]

I love Sulk, at least.

 

[u2popmofo]

Ehhh. I'm tired of defending 'My Iron Lung' and 'Sulk'. I've said my rant before and it's never changed anyone's mind, so why bother.

I love 'Sulk'. It has, is and always will be one of my most beloved Radiohead songs. That's all that matters to me. Nothing has changed on my end or on you guys' end; and I'm fine with that.

Same here. It always surprises me that the people who hate songs from The Bends and HTTT never get tired of bringing it up though.

 

[phillyfan26]

The Bends was my favorite RH album for a while. It's fallen to third now, but that's mosty because of my increased appreciation for IR and OKC. It's still damn good.

 

[joyfulgirl]

Same here. It always surprises me that the people who hate songs from The Bends and HTTT never get tired of bringing it up though.

There actually isn't anything on either record that I don't like a lot though neither is my favorite. Radiohead don't really put bad songs on records.

 

[u2popmofo]

There actually isn't anything on either record that I don't like a lot though neither is my favorite. Radiohead don't really put bad songs on records.

Agreed.

 

[cdisantis83]

It is not that I dislike Sulk, but rather I feel that Talk Show Host would have fit perfectly in the #11 slot as a precursor to Street Spirit. Black Star and Sulk, though both strong tracks, are too similar to appear back-to-back, in my opinion.

 

[intedomine]

My Iron Lung

 

[cobl04]

Yeah, Sulk was what I was referring too fitz.

Personally for me the low points on that album are the grungier tracks, like Bones and Just. Nice Dream is pretty unremarkable.

Just is easily my least favourite on there.

For HIMYM fans, season three has an ep where (Nice Dream) plays throughout.

Black Star is my favourite from the Bends.

 

[intedomine]

Nice Dream

Arguably, Yorke's greatest vocal in my opinion. Song took a while to grow, but probably my favourite off Bends.

 

[lazarus]

I never understand why Nice Dream and Bulletproof get such little props. Both beautiful pieces of music and vocals.

 

[cobl04]

Bulletproof is gorgeous.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

"Radiohead Drop Maddeningly Vague New Album and Summer Tour Hints"

Pitchfork: News

 

[joyfulgirl]

 

[Dalton]

Indeed.

 

[phillyfan26]

I enjoy how Kanye and Miley are both pissed at Thom for not meeting with them backstage at the Grammy's.

 

[Dalton]

I enjoy how Kanye and Miley are both pissed at Thom for not meeting with them backstage at the Grammy's.

You'll laugh until we get pictures of Tupac busting a cap in Thom's ass while he's in Brazil.