radiohead's steady decline

[painbird]

i was a big radiohead fan. 'the bends' got me hooked and 'ok computer' sealed the deal. after waiting some years for a new album they put out the mess that is 'kid a' followed by 'amnesiac' and i wondered what happened? how does a band go from being so good to so bad in one album? i am all for change and experimentation but i don't think playing with a drum machine and moaning over distorted and unmelodic guitar work to be a change for the better. i was really hoping 'hail to the theif' would bring them full cirlce but it just sounded like a more guitar heavy 'kid a'. how do they still get rave reviews from the media when their music is no longer music but noises and odd percusions with thom yorkes constant search for a melody that he lost druing the 'ok computer' sessions?

does anyone else agree with this or am i just too stupid to understand their genious?


thanks for you time,
painbird

 

[Codasmd]

I too was hooked with the bends and OK...but I love all the later ones too.

I think Hail to the Thief is great. Personally, I just find the music to be so far from the poppy sh*t that gets played on the radio over and over.

I think they were allowed this freedom after the somewhat poppy The bends and the other one. I think the got their radio play with "anyone can play guitar" and "Creep" and were just given free reign.

Just my opinion. I'll be getting their new one...in five years or so.

 

[muzikool]

Rolling Stone put it best a couple of years ago when they had Radiohead on the cover. The quote went something along the lines of, "they had to destroy rock in order to save themselves." In a way, that's pretty much what they did. Johnny, their guitarist, has said that he'd rather play with the electronic stuff than pick up his guitar again if he had to choose one or the other. Apparently, they love the music they are making, and so do I.

"The Bends" and "OK Computer" were unbelievable, and I think that the only way they could top those albums was to do something completely different altogether. "Kid A" took some getting used to because of its uniqueness, and I have so much respect for the courage it took to explore new territory and risk leaving most of the fan base behind. I can understand how the turn they've taken wouldn't be satisfactory to everyone... especially die-hard rock fans, but to brand the new material as a "mess" won't garner much favor from Radiohead fans. They only got bigger in the U.S. after releasing "Kid A," and their popularity has continued to increase. I saw them perform last fall, and the show was amazing.

There really is a ton of talent in the music they are making now. Many bands have tried to imitate the style but don't have the imagination or technical skill to do it. Some critics believe that even U2 tried to accomplish with "Pop" what Radiohead has succeeded in doing... and that's pretty big bragging rights for Radiohead. My suggestions are these: open up a bit more to the new style and try to make yourself like it, and try to limit your expectations so that you won't be let down.

 

[painbird]

I really have given Kid A a lot of spins and I can't seem to get into it. I really liked the melodies on their past albums and you really don't hear that much on their newer ones. I am not a closed minded 'pop' music listener. I like to think I have a wide taste in music but I guess the newer Radiohead just isn't to my liking. Oh well.


mp3 rotation:
sigur ros - ()
wheat - per second per second every second
flaming lips - demos and unreleased
megadeth - youthinasia
jeff buckely - sessions
elliot smith - xo
the darkness - permission to land

 

[indyjones]

I agree painbird there is just too much wailing on the newer albums that in my opion it just sounds awful a shame and i am hardly restrictive to weird music as i am a massive fan of orbital and it dont come any weirder

 

[_kC_]

the bends will never be topped, a perfect mix of brillant songwriting/production/musicianship you could hear on ok computer they were trying too head away from that guitar style.. then came kid a, i downloaded a few copies on napster and eventually bought it on day of release, wasnt so into it at first.. thinking "what the hell have they done?"
then went too see them try and pull it off live at their first gig in warrington (UK)
and was totally blown away, i didnt think kid a tracks could be pulled off live, but so much power and grace, and as for the experimentation... id rather go deaf than listen too bands do the same **** every album year after year.. if you dont understand radiohead then your probably the kind of person who listens too the top40 chart and will buy records judging by what has the best advert...

weakest radiohead album for me.... amnesiac (although its still a little cracker)

 

[muzikool]

weakest radiohead album for me.... amnesiac (although its still a little cracker)

I'd have to go with "Pablo Honey" for weakest Radiohead album. It has some good songs, but the band is so much better than the album makes them out to be. There isn't a single track on that album that competes with "Pyramid Song" in my opinion.