Radiohead’s ‘The King of Limbs’ [My 2 Cents]
Like a lot of you, I dropped the $9.00 for Radiohead‘s new album The King of Limbs, when it was offered up a day earlier than expected on Friday. What was it, last Monday when it was announced out of the blue that Radiohead would release a new album in the coming weekend? It’s quite a phenomenon the way this band can command the attention of the entire music industry at will. Their ‘pay what you want’ model for their last record, In Rainbows, generated all the buzz the last time around (can you believe that was more than three years ago? October 2007).
This time around, it was 0 to 60 in minutes last week as the word spread across Twitter and Facebook faster than it took for Lady Gaga to emerge from her Grammy egg. On Friday, the digital album made itself available, along with a video for track 5 on the album, “Lotus Flower” – featuring Thom Yorke’s avant-garde gyrations.
So I’ve listened a few times now, most recently during a run this overcast, dreary morning in Arizona. I think the album “hit me” most profoundly during this outing. Thing is, the band’s music – electronic, experimental, atmospheric – has a way of transforming your environment as you listen. It’s one thing to take in The King of Limbs sitting at your computer or in your living room. But it’s an entirely different experience listening to it out on the town, or running around the neighborhood. It makes you take in your surroundings differently – the cars that pass, the blowing trees, the faces of people walking by – with the filter of this album providing your soundtrack. It transforms reality… drug-like almost.
I enjoy the creativity in Radiohead’s music. It’s always an interesting listen – and it got decidedly more interesting post OK Computer, wouldn’t you say? When the 1-2 punch of Kid A and Amnesiac were released in 2000 and 2001, we knew the game had changed… or rather that Radiohead had changed up their game. We were free to come along for the ride, but don’t expect a smooth, orderly trip.
Gone are the sing along, epic, almost anthem-like songs like “Creep”, “Fake Plastic Trees”, “Let Down” and the like. Well, maybe some of you sing along to “Everything In Its Right Place”, “Like Spinning Plates”, and now “Morning Mr. Magpie”… but to my ears, the melodic stuff went adios with OK Computer.
So as someone whose musical taste spans across many many genres of music, I enjoy The King of Limbs because I enjoy bands that think outside of the box, who create completely unpredictable pieces of music that are hard to categorize.
The King of Limbs is another work of art by a band that plays by their own rules.
→ Visit Radiohead’s site to purchase The King of Limbs: http://www.radiohead.com/deadairspace/
The Friday Five: December 18, 2009
Friday Five : ˈfrī-(ˌ)dā,-dē ˈfīv : On the sixth day of every week I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five and drop a little knowledge and insight for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, sometimes there isn’t. Sometimes we have guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.
The Five:
Ani DiFranco – “Hell Yeah” (from Out of Range, 1994)
It’s been a while since an artist has appeared two weeks in a row. I lost touch with Ani somewhere after Revelling/Reckoning, but never lost love for her frank and beautiful songs. Out of Range was a record that came along at a turning point in my life, providing solace within its reflective songs.
Richard Hell & The Voidoids – “Love Comes In Spurts” (mp3) (from Blank Generation, 1977)
My memory of this song is tied entirely to the 1990 film “Pump Up the Volume”. I remember spending weekends at my friend’s house and watching marathons of it over and over.
Ugly Kid Joe – “Cats in the Cradle” (mp3) (from America’s Least Wanted, 1992)
I’ll admit to having this album primarily for the track “Everything About You”. When Tesla took their take on the Five Man Electrical Band track “Signs” all the way to number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, it became customary for the pop metal acts of the day to include a slightly obscure folk song in lieu of a power ballad. Ugly Kid Joe topped Tesla by taking the Harry Chapin classic all the way to number six.
Radiohead – “Karma Police” (from OK Computer, 1997)
This record took nearly 10 years to connect with me. When released in 1997, I was far too preoccupied with the Third Wave Ska and Indie Rock bands of the day to be bothered with Radiohead. I came back to the record after hearing the brilliant Kid A and now consider it to be one of my favorite records of all time.
U2 – “Get on Your Boots” (from No Line on the Horizon, 2009)
Every time I hear this track I can’t help but think it’s just a sub-par version of The Escape Club track “Wild, Wild West”. This release was disappointing to me, more for its lack of the caliber of songwriting that I’ve come to expect than anything else.
I showed you mine, what is on your five?
The Friday Five: October 16, 2009
Friday Five : ˈfrī-(ˌ)dā,-dē ˈfīv : On the sixth day of every week I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five and drop a little knowledge and insight for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, sometimes there isn’t. Sometimes we have guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.
The Five:
Shai – “If I Ever Fall in Love (a cappella)” (from If I Ever Fall in Love, 1992)
1992 was absolutely dominated by New Jack Swing crooners Boyz II Men; more specifically their monster single “End of the Road” which spent the better part of the summer and fall on the top of the Billboard charts. It was only a matter of time before record labels began searching for clones to cash in on the market. Enter Shai, a group of fraternity brothers from Howard University who fell into the business after handing a demo of “If I Ever Fall in Love” to a local DJ who brought the track to radio where it was an instant hit. The group struggled to match the success of the track, only coming close with the top 10 hits “Baby I’m Yours” and “Comforter” and fading into obscurity after that despite releasing several records in the years since.
Prince – “Chelsea Rodgers” (from Planet Earth, 2007)
Here’s the problem with writing a tune that name checks your current squeeze, when she’s gone and you’ve got a new Stella on your arm she might not take kind to you rocking a tune about your former. Now this is all hearsay as Prince and Chelsea both maintain that they were purely platonic friends, but you sure haven’t seen her ‘round since Bria Valente came on the scene. Regardless this track’s disco-funk inspired groove was a stand out on the otherwise groove-less Planet Earth.
The Afghan Whigs – “Creep” (mp3) (from Honky’s Ladder, 1996)
Greg Dulli is one morose motherfucker. The Afghan Whigs front man is also a genius taking TLC’s 1994 hit about a woman displeased with her current lover and “creeping” around to get some ass into the dark and, well, creepy place that Dulli is the master of.
Bee Gees – “More Than a Woman” (mp3) (from Saturday Night Fever, 1977)
I’ll admit this tune shuffled up and I started to dance in my chair. I’m going to let the music do the talking for this tune, click that link above and enjoy!
Radiohead – “Creep (radio edit)” (from Pablo Honey, 1993)
“You’re so very special” doesn’t quite have the ring and bite of “You’re so fucking special” but despite that this is the version – as featured in the video as well – that the kids went nuts for and catapulted the band to the uncomfortable heights they’ve eschewed in the years following the success of the single.
What’s creeping up in your shuffle this week?
Michael’s Year in (Ick)Music: 2007:
Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Write a Year-End Best of Column
I’ll be honest, the thought of figuring out a ‘Top 10’ for the year is far more daunting a task than I had imagined. So much so that I found it difficult to pare down the list to ten. Why is it always the top 10, anyway? In the spirit of non-conformity and as a big nudge to ‘the man’ here’s my ‘Year in (Ick)Music’
Before we get started, I’d like to note that both Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen are not on my 2007 list as I obtained copies of the UK release of both Back to Black and Alright, Still in 2006. While they certainly got tons of play in 2007 they remain last year’s news to my ears.
Now that I’ve got that out of the way, here’s…
Michael’s Year in (Ick)Music: 2007
Songs of the Year:
1. “F.U.N.K.”, by Prince – What “Chelsea Rodgers” should have been this is the funkiest track that His Royal Badness has graced us with in years. Hell, I don’t even care about the circumstances that it was released under. Here’s hoping that it’s not just another tease.
2. “No One Is Gonna Love you”, by Band of Horses – There is something so decidedly simple and beautiful about this tune. Ben Bridwell delivers the lyrics with such heartbreaking, self effacing honesty that you almost feel wrong for listening to his tortured soul.
3. “Just Fine”, by Mary J. Blige – This one snuck in at the close of the year. I’ll tell you that the first time I heard this I listened to it at least three times. Something about the lyrics really just grabbed me. This is a different Mary than we’ve seen in years and it’s a great to hear her belting out an upbeat track.
So I like what I see when I’m looking at me
When I’m walking past the mirror
Don’t stress through the night, at a time in my life
Ain’t worried about if you feel it
Got my head on straight, I got my vibe right
I aint gonna let you kill it
You see I wouldn’t change my life, my life’s just Fine…4. “Good Life”, by Kanye West featuring T-Pain – Not many artists can get away with releasing three singles within a few weeks of each other and have them all blow up the way the first three tracks from Kanye’s Graduation did. And while I cringe at almost everything that has the tag “featuring T-Pain” this was the exception. It’s hip-pop at it’s best. And I’d be remiss if I did not give you guys the video. These are the type of videos that make me actually miss when MTV showed videos.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmX9ci9Fczw 450 400]
Cover Songs of the Year:
1. “Don’t Stop Believing”, by Petra Haden – This is an easy one. Take a beloved song that’s inclusion in the closing scene of “The Soprano’s” put it back in the hearts and minds of just about everyone and add the ethereal voice of Petra Haden and you’ve got a masterpiece.
As a bonus, this video is too good to not share
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kXbHf1SwGk 450 400]
2. “Valerie”, by Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse – Nearly every track on Ronson’s solo debut is a smash, but this track stands head and shoulders above the rest.
3. “Hard Sun”, by Eddie Vedder – Though it stands on this list as the cover that almost no one knows is a cover, this track shows the power of Eddie’s voice.
Albums of the Year:
1. Cease to Begin, by Band of Horses
2. In Rainbows, by Radiohead
3. 100 Days, 100 Nights, by Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings
4. Planet Earth, by Prince
5. Magic, by Bruce Springsteen
Honorary Mention: Finding Forever, by Common; Graduation, by Kanye West; Chase This Light, by Jimmy Eat World; Kala, by M.I.A.; Version, by Mark Ronson; Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, by The Foo Fighters; Sky Blue Sky, by Wilco.
Underground Hip-Hop Double Blast of the Year:
Ahead of the Curve, by Lateef & Z-Trip
From the Corner to the Block, by Galactic
Pete and I both fell upon the Lateef & Z-Trip release around the same time and he beat me to the punch featuring them here. Between that and the stellar release of the jam-band favorites Galactic (featuring many of the underground hip-hop communities finest) my faith in Hip-Hop was well and alive.
Best Live Show of the Year:
Dave Matthews Band at New England Dodge Music Center, August 4th. – The wife and I make a yearly pilgrimage to see Dave and the boys and I’m not sure if it was the great seats or the overall vibe of the show but it was the best since MSG in Dec of 2002 (when the Godfather of Soul, James Brown joined the band for a 15 minute jam on “Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine”).
Best New (to me) Artists
Alice Smith – I foresee her blowing up in 2008. With her soulful yet rocking tunes she’s sure to win over fans.
Amel Larrieux – I had loved Groove Theory and a last.fm friend pointed me towards he solo releases and I’ve since become a full on advocate.
The Brothers Johnson – One of two (realated) ‘digging in the crates’ finds for 2007, this act lays down some of the funkiest grooves ever committed to tape.
Saul Williams – I had heard his name before but never had the opportunity to listen and with the free release of “The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!” I’ve become an instant fan. I’d highly suggest everyone taking the chance to listen as it’s still a free download.
Shuggie Otis – As Pete said in a previous post, this is like “Prince 1.0”. Shuggie not only displays great musicianship and songwriting but he is one of the more underrated guitarists of the last few decades.
In Conclusion
As Pete said in conclusion of his year in review, I can’t wait to hear what 2008 has in store and look forward to sharing it with you.
Happy New Year!