New Radiohead album, King Of Limbs - initial impressions?

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manicm

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Tonestar1:I know it's not supposed to make any difference whatsoever but the WAV file sounds a lot better than the ALAC conversion, far more open, better, bigger soundstage and more separation of the instruments. Hmmm am I going mad? Is the wine taking effect? Would be interested to hear any other comparisons between the two versions if anyone converted to ALAC to get the artwork.

I am mad too. ALAC just sounds a *bit* dull.
 

Gerrardasnails

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manicm:
6th.replicant:Well spotted.
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Enjoying the music, but the DL's not exactly iTunes-friendly - no artwork, album title or band name appears. I tried select-all and dropping the jpeg into the window, but it only adds the artwork to the first track. I assume there's not difference 'tween ALAC and WAV's sound quality?

It's not that it's iTunes unfriendly, it's that iTunes does not display artwork for WAV.

Spot on.
 

Gerrardasnails

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Gerrardasnails:manicm:
6th.replicant:Well spotted.
emotion-21.gif
Enjoying the music, but the DL's not exactly iTunes-friendly - no artwork, album title or band name appears. I tried select-all and dropping the jpeg into the window, but it only adds the artwork to the first track. I assume there's not difference 'tween ALAC and WAV's sound quality?

It's not that it's iTunes unfriendly, it's that iTunes does not display artwork for WAV.

Spot on.

Very slow download - 9 hours!!! A few fans like me, unaware that it was available yesterday!
 

Charlie Jefferson

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Gerrardasnails:Gerrardasnails:manicm:
6th.replicant:Well spotted.
emotion-21.gif
Enjoying the music, but the DL's not exactly iTunes-friendly - no artwork, album title or band name appears. I tried select-all and dropping the jpeg into the window, but it only adds the artwork to the first track. I assume there's not difference 'tween ALAC and WAV's sound quality?

It's not that it's iTunes unfriendly, it's that iTunes does not display artwork for WAV.

Spot on.

Very slow download - 9 hours!!! A few fans like me, unaware that it was available yesterday!

I thought it was available today too, but visited the official site yesterday for a peek, and there it was in all it's wav-file glory.

I'm scheduling a serious, loud listen sometime this evening, when the little ones are fast asleep.
 

6th.replicant

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Tonestar1:Also if you highlight the album, which is far easier, you can type in the artist and album name manually so it appears next to the rest of your radiohead stuff.

Right then, instead of opening the album on the desktop with iTunes - which delivers 8 separate 'unknown artist/album' tracks into iTunes - I added the album via iTunes -> File -> Add to Library -> selected KoL's tracks -> clicked Choose - voila, now have one 'unknown' 8-track album in iTunes. Then highlighted album tracks and went to 'get info/artwork' - no need to go via Advanced, on my MacBook Pro (OS X 10.6.6), an options bar appears if I 'two-finger'/right-click the track pad - and once again a window appears stating, 'iTunes cannot get CD track names that were not imported using iTunes...', irrespective of ALAC or WAV format.
emotion-7.gif


So, I highlighted the tracks, dragged/dropped the cover's PDF. Sorted. Then, as you suggested above, I simply highlighted each track and typed-in artist/album name - dur, didn't realise that was possible.
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Ta for advice.
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And KoL just gets better with each listen - particularly liking Feral (yoiks - house-shaking bass!) and Codex.
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(Still not hearing any difference 'tween ALAC and WAV...)
 

Simon Lucas

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Having my third listen now that the kids have gone to bed. I am far from staggered to find it gets better, and peculiarly familiar, with each listen.

It's not a great departure from anything Rdaiohead have done these last 10 years, but there's an elegance, a kind of aerodynamic quality, to the Radiohead sound that I find entirely seductive. The King of Limbs sounds heartfelt, abstract, universal and individual all at once.

Codex and Separator seem to be the outstanding cuts at the moment. Miffed to have to wait until mid-May before my vinyl version arrives - I presume the 600-odd 'small pieces of artwork' that accompany the two 10" records will be a jigsaw.
 

smuggs

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just ordered £30 one with mp3 nice round figure. Simon im not up with how pre-ordering gos cause amazon,hmv take the money when they send it. have these all ready got the £30. i like to have payed for it so i dont have worry in case i for some reason dont have £30 in my bank in 9 weeks.
 

Red Dragon

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Working through my first play of the album...and it's...well...very Radiohead...which means I absolutely love the fact that I have no idea what is going to happen next (on first listen anyway), it's unpredicatble, experimental, atmospheric, rapid, energetic but also chilled somehow...Thom Yorke's vocals fabulous so far...great production too...highly recommended for what it's worth, so enjoy everyone !!

Another favourite album the wife will file under My Weird Stuff !!!
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Charlie Jefferson

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Simon Lucas:
Having my third listen now that the kids have gone to bed. I am far from staggered to find it gets better, and peculiarly familiar, with each listen.

It's not a great departure from anything Rdaiohead have done these last 10 years, but there's an elegance, a kind of aerodynamic quality, to the Radiohead sound that I find entirely seductive. The King of Limbs sounds heartfelt, abstract, universal and individual all at once.

Codex and Separator seem to be the outstanding cuts at the moment. Miffed to have to wait until mid-May before my vinyl version arrives - I presume the 600-odd 'small pieces of artwork' that accompany the two 10" records will be a jigsaw.

I've had an in-car listen today, and I agree about the sound of it and the standout songs. Isn't Codex a great vocal melody and a wonderful piece of music?

Yes, the album is one of those growers.

Little ones now in bed, so time for a hi-fi listen.
 

Red Dragon

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Having given the album a good few listens now sice my first comment, I have to say the second half of the album (or side two on the vinyl probably !) would be my prefered selection but overall it hasn't hit my like OK Computer did (mind you, neither has another album since that release to be honest) but I imagine it is a grower like Kid A and Amnesiac proved to be.

Still a fabulous record though and best release of the year so far imo...(which isn't saying much in February but probably will top many polls at the end of the year too !) Look forward to hearing what people have to say about the vinyl package...
 
A

Anonymous

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Sorry Guys. Not a massive Radiohead fan but have liked some of their stuff. Have watched the hype surrounding KoL and curiosity got the better of me so I downloaded it.

To me this album is a bit "emperor's new clothes". Just don't get it. Truely painful in parts.
 

djsid

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I would like to comment on the album too, sounds to me like they have bought a new drum machine and they are going to use it. Its a pile of twoddle, good for insomniacs though, better than valium, the audiophiles will love the rythms, the fans will probably just fall asleep listening to this but strongly deny it. They are better than this........not much though, I would recommend listening to the last two Talk Talk albums if you want to know how good Radiohead could have been if they stayed on the path.
 

Charlie Jefferson

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djsid:I would like to comment on the album too, sounds to me like they have bought a new drum machine and they are going to use it. Its a pile of twoddle, good for insomniacs though, better than valium, the audiophiles will love the rythms, the fans will probably just fall asleep listening to this but strongly deny it. They are better than this........not much though, I would recommend listening to the last two Talk Talk albums if you want to know how good Radiohead could have been if they stayed on the path.

Okay, the easy answer would include phrases like "horses for courses" and "one man's meat is another's poison", but when you referred to Talk Talk I had to credit your critique with a tad more insight than the previous correspondent and offer a more nuanced response.

Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock have undoubtedly been reference points for Radiohead since at least Kid A, but they aren't some sole benchmark by which any non-guitar dominated music should be judged or compared. Radiohead's vast stew of influences post -Ok Computer, would surely be far broader and take in, let's say Miles Davis, the Warp label's repertoire of artists, Thomas Ades, the Flaming Lips/Mercury Rev and Jive Bunny(!). To name but a fraction.

I really don't think you would have to be an "audiophile" (whatever that is) to love the rhythms, or that fans will unduly succumb to the arms of Morpheus on listening to the album, but you seem to have bought into the anti-hype strain of criticism and thereby denied yourself a wonderful experience.

Take a longer look and not just a cursory glance. It just might change your mind.
 

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