New Radiohead album, King Of Limbs - initial impressions?

[Alec]

Simon Lucas:

"Gimme the tune. Do I like this tune? Does it sound like another tune that I like? The more familiar it is, the better I like it. Hear those three notes there? Those are the three notes I can sing along with. I like those notes very, very much. Give me a beat. Not a fancy one. Give me a GOOD BEAT - something I can dance to. It has to go boom-bap, boom-boom-BAP. If it doesn't, I will hate it very, very much. Also, I want it right away - and then, write me some more songs like that - over and over and over again, because I'm really into music."
Frank Zappa - The Real Frank Zappa Book

The more I read this thread, the more this book is nagging at me.

My apologies for my simpleton ways and for differing from you in what I want from music. Edited due to poor syntax.

Sigh.

EDIT - But the boy can move http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfOa1a8hYP8

 

[BillDay66]

Listened to it 5-6 times straight through now, really wanting to get it, but have come to the conclusion that it really is self indulgent twaddle and the thought crossed my mind that had they not made OK Computer, I very much doubt they'd have a recording contract any more. As noted earlier, someone got a new drum machine for Xmas and threw in some random sounds for good measure.

In my experience if I like an album on first listen, then I probably wont like it much in a week or so, the growers are the ones you keep going back to - I didnt like Ok Computer much to start with but regularly go back to it now - put this down to it being experimental / edgy / different / interesting BUT they remembered to include some tunes / melodies / hooks, which seems to have been forgotten on their more recent stuff.

Incidentally, I don't think you can compare Coldplay to Radiohead in a disparaging way - they make different types of music. Coldplay are indeed much more accessible than Radiohead, surely that doesn't automatically make them bad or any less worthy though?

Just my opinion on what it sounds like.

 

[djsid]

Sorry Radiohead fans, just wanted to put in my own opinion of the album, Iam still recieving death threats from a David Sylvian forum from last year for dissing his Mannofon album (an album of absolute unlistenable nonsense(IMHO)) oh, and there are some pretty irate Mike Oldfield fans after me aswell for calling him a one hit wonder, sometimes you just cant say anything bad about peoples work even when it sucks. Its not that I dont like Radiohead, I love them, its just that I was left a little dissapointed by the album and everyone here seems so positive about it, I felt the need to coax a little negative criticism from somewhere for the sake of balance, just to make sure we are all talking about the same album. I pay good money for my music so if it sucks, Iam gonna tell it like it is! You can always ignore me.

 

[Red Dragon]

maxflinn:
surely even die hard radiohead fans must accept that this is a poor effort at making an album? come on guys, only 8 tracks, one of them being decent (codex) and the rest just self indulgent dribble, erratic, lazy, thrown together (probably in a few days) and thom yorke sounds like he's drunk, i can't understand a word of what he's howling/whining/mumbling etc..

and what's all this about the band evolving? this is musical regression.

how can anyone seriously suggest that this twaddle is somehow something deep, arty, edgy, absorbing etc. its poop

With all due respect Max, judging by what you listen to on the thread where you post 'what you are listening to' your taste is much more, let's say, mainstream and commercial, so you were never going to like this album...which is fine...it's not your thing.

But it's is a bit self indulgent to assume that other fans will agree with you...I obviously don't and this is what makes this forum interesting. I think it's a chellenging album with some good and not so good tracks, like most albums, but at least it's an album that tries out new things, pushes the boundaries and doesn't repeat old methods or stay in safe territory...gotta respect them for that surely ?! I have a feeling it will appear high on many favourite album listings at the end of the year too...

 

[Anonymous]

Red Dragon:maxflinn:
surely even die hard radiohead fans must accept that this is a poor effort at making an album? come on guys, only 8 tracks, one of them being decent (codex) and the rest just self indulgent dribble, erratic, lazy, thrown together (probably in a few days) and thom yorke sounds like he's drunk, i can't understand a word of what he's howling/whining/mumbling etc..

and what's all this about the band evolving? this is musical regression.

how can anyone seriously suggest that this twaddle is somehow something deep, arty, edgy, absorbing etc. its poop

With all due respect Max, judging by what you listen to on the thread where you post 'what you are listening to' your taste is much more, let's say, mainstream and commercial, so you were never going to like this album...which is fine...it's not your thing.

But it's is a bit self indulgent to assume that other fans will agree with you...I obviously don't and this is what makes this forum interesting. I think it's a chellenging album with some good and not so good tracks, like most albums, but at least it's an album that tries out new things, pushes the boundaries and doesn't repeat old methods or stay in safe territory...gotta respect them for that surely ?! I have a feeling it will appear high on many favourite album listings at the end of the year too...

you're not wrong there rd, however i do like radiohead and own several of their albums so could be considered a fan.

but i stand by my comments, the king of limbs is poor imo, it's just too offbeat and quirky, most of the songs lack any rythm, only codex grabs my attention with it's beautiful melody, the rest just don't do anything for me, they don't engage me..

maybe it's just me (though evidently not) but i think music should seduce me,draw me in to it. but tkol asks me to try and understand what it's about, and after several frustrating listens i still i haven't a clue..

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

You can say many things about KOL, but lacking "rythm" or even rhythm isn't one of them.

 

[Red Dragon]

maxflinn:Red Dragon:maxflinn:
surely even die hard radiohead fans must accept that this is a poor effort at making an album? come on guys, only 8 tracks, one of them being decent (codex) and the rest just self indulgent dribble, erratic, lazy, thrown together (probably in a few days) and thom yorke sounds like he's drunk, i can't understand a word of what he's howling/whining/mumbling etc..

and what's all this about the band evolving? this is musical regression.

how can anyone seriously suggest that this twaddle is somehow something deep, arty, edgy, absorbing etc. its poop

With all due respect Max, judging by what you listen to on the thread where you post 'what you are listening to' your taste is much more, let's say, mainstream and commercial, so you were never going to like this album...which is fine...it's not your thing.

But it's is a bit self indulgent to assume that other fans will agree with you...I obviously don't and this is what makes this forum interesting. I think it's a chellenging album with some good and not so good tracks, like most albums, but at least it's an album that tries out new things, pushes the boundaries and doesn't repeat old methods or stay in safe territory...gotta respect them for that surely ?! I have a feeling it will appear high on many favourite album listings at the end of the year too...

you're not wrong there rd, however i do like radiohead and own several of their albums so could be considered a fan.

but i stand by my comments, the king of limbs is poor imo, it's just too offbeat and quirky, most of the songs lack any rythm, only codex grabs my attention with it's beautiful melody, the rest just don't do anything for me, they don't engage me..

maybe it's just me (though evidently not) but i think music should seduce me,draw me in to it. but tkol asks me to try and understand what it's about, and after several frustrating listens i still i haven't a clue..

I take your points Max and will have to beg to differ in opinion on this one I guess. I do think that you may be trying too hard to read too much into it. Like someone said earlier...it's just music, it doesn't have to have a deep and meaningful message, maybe it does have, but I haven't tried to find it.

But I am finding the more I listen to it,the more it grows on me and the more elements I like...even Bloom that I didn't like at the start is sounding good now...and I'm hearing some interesting references and similarities to other bands I like too (Blue Nile for one)...

 

[Anonymous]

Charlie Jefferson:You can say many things about KOL, but lacking "rythm" or even rhythm isn't one of them.

a minor spelling mistake on a post is forgivable, but a band recording a whole album in a manner that would keep a crack audio forensic investigation team busy for a month isn't..

 

[Anonymous]

Red Dragon:maxflinn:Red Dragon:maxflinn:
surely even die hard radiohead fans must accept that this is a poor effort at making an album? come on guys, only 8 tracks, one of them being decent (codex) and the rest just self indulgent dribble, erratic, lazy, thrown together (probably in a few days) and thom yorke sounds like he's drunk, i can't understand a word of what he's howling/whining/mumbling etc..

and what's all this about the band evolving? this is musical regression.

how can anyone seriously suggest that this twaddle is somehow something deep, arty, edgy, absorbing etc. its poop

With all due respect Max, judging by what you listen to on the thread where you post 'what you are listening to' your taste is much more, let's say, mainstream and commercial, so you were never going to like this album...which is fine...it's not your thing.

But it's is a bit self indulgent to assume that other fans will agree with you...I obviously don't and this is what makes this forum interesting. I think it's a chellenging album with some good and not so good tracks, like most albums, but at least it's an album that tries out new things, pushes the boundaries and doesn't repeat old methods or stay in safe territory...gotta respect them for that surely ?! I have a feeling it will appear high on many favourite album listings at the end of the year too...

you're not wrong there rd, however i do like radiohead and own several of their albums so could be considered a fan.

but i stand by my comments, the king of limbs is poor imo, it's just too offbeat and quirky, most of the songs lack any rythm, only codex grabs my attention with it's beautiful melody, the rest just don't do anything for me, they don't engage me..

maybe it's just me (though evidently not) but i think music should seduce me,draw me in to it. but tkol asks me to try and understand what it's about, and after several frustrating listens i still i haven't a clue..

I take your points Max and will have to beg to differ in opinion on this one I guess. I do think that you may be trying too hard to read too much into it. Like someone said earlier...it's just music, it doesn't have to have a deep and meaningful message, maybe it does have, but I haven't tried to find it.

But I am finding the more I listen to it,the more it grows on me and the more elements I like...even Bloom that I didn't like at the start is sounding good now...and I'm hearing some interesting references and similarities to other bands I like too (Blue Nile for one)...

i guess so..

i'm not saying music has to have a deep meaning, but it's some compensation if it does in the absence of engaging, rhythmic melodies. least that's how i see it

 

[Red Dragon]

maxflinn:
Charlie Jefferson:You can say many things about KOL, but lacking "rythm" or even rhythm isn't one of them.

a minor spelling mistake on a post is forgivable, but a band recording a whole album in a manner that would keep a crack audio forensic investigation team busy for a month isn't..

My point exactly Max...you're over analysing this album to the extreme !!! Audio Forensic Investigation Team ??!!

 

[Anonymous]

Red Dragon:maxflinn:
Charlie Jefferson:You can say many things about KOL, but lacking "rythm" or even rhythm isn't one of them.

a minor spelling mistake on a post is forgivable, but a band recording a whole album in a manner that would keep a crack audio forensic investigation team busy for a month isn't..

My point exactly Max...you're over analysing this album to the extreme !!! Audio Forensic Investigation Team ??!!

clicky

 

[Red Dragon]

maxflinn:Red Dragon:maxflinn:
Charlie Jefferson:You can say many things about KOL, but lacking "rythm" or even rhythm isn't one of them.

a minor spelling mistake on a post is forgivable, but a band recording a whole album in a manner that would keep a crack audio forensic investigation team busy for a month isn't..

My point exactly Max...you're over analysing this album to the extreme !!! Audio Forensic Investigation Team ??!!

clicky

OMG....but I don't think the point of this orginisation is to disect an album and deliver it's meaning ??!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Red Dragon:maxflinn:Red Dragon:maxflinn:

Charlie Jefferson:You can say many things about KOL, but lacking "rythm" or even rhythm isn't one of them.

a minor spelling mistake on a post is forgivable, but a band recording a whole album in a manner that would keep a crack audio forensic investigation team busy for a month isn't..

My point exactly Max...you're over analysing this album to the extreme !!! Audio Forensic Investigation Team ??!!

clicky

OMG....but I don't think the point of this orginisation is to disect an album and deliver it's meaning ??!!!

i was thinking more along the lines of figuring out what thom yorke was saying/singing

, i can't understand a word of it

i love codex though, listening to it now, beautiful melody

and i guess lotus flower has a bit of rhythm, just a bit

 

[Amyl Right Mate]

I think it's good. To me it felt immediately familiar and didn't take any "getting into". It's another solid Radiohead album, nothing more too say except that it's refreshingly short.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Amyl Right Mate:I think it's good. To me it felt immediately familiar and didn't take any "getting into". It's another solid Radiohead album, nothing more too say except that it's refreshingly short.

I've listened to it no more than 6 times and it sounds very Radiohead to me. I haven't even had a chance to play it at home just through my iPhone. It will continue to grow on me.

Max, I have questioned yours and others music and film choices before. Someone mentioned The Darkness in favourable terms a while back and I also remember that someone else actually thought that The Road To Perdition was a good film. However, I would not badger on about my view being the correct one as there is not a correct view. You don't like this album and think that apart from one, maybe two tracks, it's terrible. Great. You are not correct though. Nor are we who like it. However, you write posts as if you have the defining view on it.

 

[BillDay66]

Amyl Right Mate:

it's refreshingly short.

 

[Anonymous]

Gerrardasnails:Amyl Right Mate:I think it's good. To me it felt immediately familiar and didn't take any "getting into". It's another solid Radiohead album, nothing more too say except that it's refreshingly short.

I've listened to it no more than 6 times and it sounds very Radiohead to me. I haven't even had a chance to play it at home just through my iPhone. It will continue to grow on me.

Max, I have questioned yours and others music and film choices before. Someone mentioned The Darkness in favourable terms a while back and I also remember that someone else actually thought that The Road To Perdition was a good film. However, I would not badger on about my view being the correct one as there is not a correct view. You don't like this album and think that apart from one, maybe two tracks, it's terrible. Great. You are not correct though. Nor are we who like it. However, you write posts as if you have the defining view on it.

yea i put justin hawkins in my top 3 list of rock vocalists, along with robert plant and axel rose, i remember both you and andrew had a good giggle at my choices, then a few weeks later plant and rose were voted in the top 3 rock vocalist of all time in some poll, rolling stone or nme or something, just goes to show everyone doesn't appreciate the same things, and of course there is no correct view, yes, i also thought the road to perdition was quite a decent movie

...

i'm not sure why you interpret my views as defining gerrard? they're just views like anyone else's. i think radiohead have let themselves down, codex shows me that they still have the magic but the rest of the album is not very good imo, it's like it was rushed and is too self absorbed, just my views

 

[Red Dragon]

maxflinn:
Gerrardasnails:Amyl Right Mate:I think it's good. To me it felt immediately familiar and didn't take any "getting into". It's another solid Radiohead album, nothing more too say except that it's refreshingly short.

I've listened to it no more than 6 times and it sounds very Radiohead to me. I haven't even had a chance to play it at home just through my iPhone. It will continue to grow on me.

Max, I have questioned yours and others music and film choices before. Someone mentioned The Darkness in favourable terms a while back and I also remember that someone else actually thought that The Road To Perdition was a good film. However, I would not badger on about my view being the correct one as there is not a correct view. You don't like this album and think that apart from one, maybe two tracks, it's terrible. Great. You are not correct though. Nor are we who like it. However, you write posts as if you have the defining view on it.

yea i put justin hawkins in my top 3 list of rock vocalists, along with robert plant and axel rose, i remember both you and andrew had a good giggle at my choices, then a few weeks later plant and rose were voted in the top 3 rock vocalist of all time in some poll, rolling stone or nme or something, just goes to show everyone doesn't appreciate the same things, and of course there is no correct view, yes, i also thought the road to perdition was quite a decent movie

...

i'm not sure why you interpret my views as defining gerrard? they're just views like anyone else's. i think radiohead have let themselves down, codex shows me that they still have the magic but the rest of the album is not very good imo, it's like it was rushed and is too self absorbed, just my views

I think the 'Road To Perdition' mention was a dig in my direction Max...ah sure, opinions are like ***holes, everyone has one !!! lol

 

[bretty]

I've had the album for a few days, now, and i've given it a fair few listens. My initial impression, that it was very poor, hasn't changed. I'm a huge Radiohead fan, BTW, who has everything that they've released (including Australian and Japanese imports of their albums and singles, up to 'Ok Computer') so i'm not a Radiohead-Basher!

I can't see any redeeming tracks on this album. A lot of people like 'Codex', but to me, it's just an inferior version of a song they did ten years previously and to much, much better effect: Pyramid song. That brings me on to the fact that a lot of people are claiming that this album is a progression for the band. It really isn't, they did the 'electronica' bit 10 years ago with 'Kid A' and 'Amnesiac'. Both of those previous albums are superior to 'King of Limbs', even though neither of them were consistently strong.

I also find it strange how music critics are so hesitant to say that anything Radiohead does is rubbish. I read a review where it was claimed that Radiohead had only put 8 tracks on the album for our benefit, because they realise that we're all to busy to listen to a full album!!!!! WTF??? There's only 8 tracks because they didn't have enough good tunes to put 12 on there!!!

I hope the band realise, before the next album, that when they pick up their guitars, or even throw a piano in, they create brilliant work. When they go 'plinky plinky plonky' on a synth, and have Yorke singing through a ball-gag, they don't.

One last thing: the above is my opinion, many will disagree and that's absolutely cool. That's what music's all about.

 

[6th.replicant]

FWIW, still enjoying TKOL after a week.

BTW, when I play Feral, it pauses briefly when 11 seconds in. Is the pause 'part of' the track or do I have a glitch? Anyone else hearing the same? Ta

 

[tosh]

Think your spot on Bretty.Seen Radiohead 15 times since 94 so i'm a massive fan. Just think they are bowing down to Thom Yorke and wasting one of the best guitarists of our generation

 

[SonofSun]

Big Radiohead fan here, I don't think the album is that good. But if people love it...... great!

Maxflin, if you don't like it, don't listen to it, btw people who love it won't be interested in your opinion.

I am sure there is one thing that will unite us all on this forum. Justin Hawkins is an absolutely bobbins novelty act!

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

I've had a night off from KOL, and listened instead to:

1) The King Is Dead - The Decemberists
2) Schubert's Piano Trios
3) The Deep Field - Joan As Policewoman

Great tunes, layers of ideas and fantastic harmonies in abundance. And yet it's made me crave the sweet neuroses of KOL all the more.

 

[Red Dragon]

Charlie Jefferson:I've had a night off from KOL, and listened instead to:

1) The King Is Dead - The Decemberists
2) Schubert's Piano Trios
3) The Deep Field - Joan As Policewoman

Great tunes, layers of ideas and fantastic harmonies in abundance. And yet it's made me crave the sweet neuroses of KOL all the more.

Interesting that you should mention Joan As Policewoman as I was giving that a blast earlier, along with Goldfrapps Felt Mountain and found these two albums sharing similar territory and overtones with the KOL album, tho I have to say they are both easier on the ear and a more comfortable trip than the Radiohead release, I still find myself returning to KOL and finding new textures and depth to the album.

There is no doubt it's a grower and an acquired taste that's not for everyone (evidentally) but I for one have not written it off yet as a weak addition to their fabulous back catalogue...

 

[BenLaw]

bretty:

I hope the band realise, before the next album, that when they pick up their guitars, or even throw a piano in, they create brilliant work. When they go 'plinky plinky plonky' on a synth, and have Yorke singing through a ball-gag, they don't.

Also 'Tosh': "Just think they are bowing down to Thom Yorke and wasting one of the best guitarists of our generation."

I assume people listened to Thom Yorke's 'Eraser'? Same problems. It's deeply frustrating that a talented guitarist is wasted, a talented drummer is replaced by a (not very good) drum machine and Yorke, who can give heartbreaking emotion to (interpretable) lyrics mumbles and whines away. I have no interest in having to look up lyrics online. I don't know if he can't be bothered to sing properly, or is too wasted (as he's looked last few live appearances I've seen him), or has ruined his voice a la Liam Gallagher through overuse and poor technique.