Album Club: 06.09.2011: Radiohead - The King of Limbs [Archive]

WAD62

07-09-2011, 09:45

Right here we go…

Well as I bang on about there being a lot of good new music out there I’d better go for something new. So I’ve decided to have my own mini ‘mercury prize’, something released in the last 12 months, and something I believe to have given something worthwhile to the field of contemporary music.

I’d quite happily have gone with any of the following, amongst others;

Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
Bon Iver – Bon Iver
P.J Harvey – Let England Shake
Caribou – Swim
Fourtet – There is love in you
King Creosote & John Hopkins – Diamond Mine
Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx – We’re new here

…if you’d asked me on any given day last week it could have been any, hopefully these will get a chance with other posters. And now that Poly Jean has picked up the ‘real’ mercury prize, I’m sure ‘Let England Shake’ will get plenty of airings.

Anyway enough of my mental turmoil…and the winner is

Radiohead – The King of Limbs

Wiki;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_King_of_Limbs

Spotify;

http://open.spotify.com/album/3EkYAh7JiJNSUxzhVLJqnL

Amazon;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/King-Limbs-Radiohead/dp/B004NSULHM/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1315387705&sr=1-1

Here we have a band that refuses to churn out the same old stuff, much to the disapproval of their so called ‘established’ fan base. Perhaps they are lucky enough to be in a financially secure position, which allows them the indulgence of a little experimentation.

They’re obviously a band that keep abreast of contemporary music, and have been dabbling a little with newer rhythms over the last couple of albums, e.g. ‘2+2 = 5’ from ‘hail to the thief’, or even ‘15 Step’ from ‘In Rainbows’. With their 8th studio album they’ve gone the whole hog, amalgamating current dance floor electronic rhythms (dubstep, broken beat etc.) with more traditional analogue instruments, a modern day fusion of a kind.

It’s no surprise that a double remix of the album is due out next month, featuring track versions from Fourtet, Caribou, Nathan Fake etc. Their influence is obvious throughout the original album...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005HI7NJG/ref=oss_product

Anyway give it a go, try to forget your pre conceptions about the band, and try to listen to it standing up, you might find yourself bobbing about the living room before you know it…or you might just hate it! ;)

Tim

07-09-2011, 09:49

WAD62

07-09-2011, 09:53

Thanks Will, I have listened to this many times already, so could vote now! However, I'm going to try and clear my mind and listen with fresh ears and see what I think ;)
I must admit, I have never listened to it standing up before?

...I find it helps understanding the rhythms, which can seem a bit impenetrable at first, but that's probably just me being a bit slow, and anyway I like a bit of a bop ;)

John

07-09-2011, 10:22

I let you know my thoughts hopefully latter in the week. I no idea how I am going to get on with this as have not listened to Radiohead for a long time and will do my best not to make early listening judgements

Alex_UK

07-09-2011, 10:43

Thanks Will - an interesting choice. I have this, and all of the Radiohead albums that have gone before - but I won't say anything just yet! Should be an interesting one, and nice to see something modern and very different to the choices so far.

griffo104

07-09-2011, 11:17

Radiohead are a bit of an enigma for me. With my general preference in music I SHOULD like them but there's always been something stopping from getting on with them.

I need to try and get hold of this release and give it try. Hail To The thief was where I finally sort of gave up with them. Not sure if it's the complexity - I have plenty of complex music but there's just something there that just doesn't do it for me - maybe because I feel they are trying too hard at it ????

Will hunt it down and give it a try though.

Welder

08-09-2011, 08:02

I was looking forward to Wills pick for the Album Club.
I like a lot of the tracks he posts in the Listening Now thread. I wasn’t expecting this :(

If he had picked any of the artists he mentions as possibilities, bar the Fleet Foxes, I could have written something nice.
But he didn’t, he picked King of Limbs by Radiohead and a more pretentious pile of uninspiring drivel I have yet to hear from this band and I reckon they’ve pumped out plenty to choose from.

It all went Pete Tong for Radiohead after OK Computer and The Bends. I appreciate that they are probably trying to be diverse and experiment with new ideas but like most experiments, I would rather they waited until they got it to work before sending it off to market.

I’ll get my coat and go and join Andre I think :lolsign:

The Grand Wazoo

08-09-2011, 11:49

Hmmm, Radiohead.
I truly believe they are one of the most over-rated bands ever!
I like Pablo Honey - an album they admitted was directly lifted from the Pixies recipe book.
I quite liked The Bends.
After that, to me, things got worse & worse, so normally I'd say no thanks, if invited to buy one of their albums.

However, they've sold over 30 million albums, so they're obviously catering to someone's taste! According to the big Wiki: "OK Computer is often acclaimed as the landmark record of the 1990s" This might well be true but I can't help thinking there's an awful lot of people buying their records just lately in the hope that they might be returning to form.

But in the spirit of what Album Club is all about, I gave this record much more than what I would normally consider to be a fair crack of the whip, and have now listened to it 5 times as a complete work and I've also picked out various tracks to play several times over individually.

There's a bit of a theme there with the 'complex rhythm thing', isn't there! Most of the attempts at this seemed rather jarring and ill-conceived to me. I'm no stranger to complex interwoven and sometimes 'nested' poly-rhythmic sounds - try listening to some Jack Dejohnette, Elvin Jones or, particularly, Frank Zappa (of course!) especially the work Vince Colaiuta did for him.

I found that often, rather than complementing each other, the rhythms were working against each other in a way that went rather beyond counterpoint and the effect was just that it made much of the album hard to enjoy.
The tracks that didn't suffer so much from this were just rather unremarkable in a let the music wash over you sort of way. Something that annoyed the hell out of me was that I was made to constantly keep hoping that Thom Yorke might look up from his shoes, open his mouth properly and start singing!

It's been an interesting exercise for me to listen to this, but I'm afraid it scores just a 1 from over here!

keiths

08-09-2011, 14:22

Sorry to continue the negativity...

Radiohead are a band that I've tried several times to get into. An ex-girlfriend was very into OK Computer? when it came out, so I listened to that many times back then (not so much since - until recently, the only copy of that I had was on minidisc) and also have 'Kid A' on CD which rarely gets a spin.

The amount of hype that surrounds them together with the ridiculous adulation they received (maybe they still do?) from 'Q' magazine (OK Computer? "best album of all time" - give me a break :lol:) isn't something that endears me to them either.

However, in the spirit of Album Club, I've given 'The King of Limbs' a fair chance (3 listens all the way through) and really cannot say I enjoyed any of it. Thom Yorke must have the most annoying voice in music today and the more experimental tracks just sound just that - unpolished experiments.

Sorry Will - just one star from me (and to be honest, if there had been a zero stars option, I'd have probably used it :eyebrows:)

griffo104

08-09-2011, 14:31

However, they've sold over 30 million albums, so they're obviously catering to someone's taste! According to the big Wiki: "OK Computer is often acclaimed as the landmark record of the 1990s" This might well be true but I can't help thinking there's an awful lot of people buying their records just lately in the hope that they might be returning to form.

I know a few Radiohead fans and I'm convinced they buy their albums simply for the point you've made above.

Some bands need someone, a producer, guru or something to put their arms around them and say "stop being silly and get back to making proper music that you are good at". this sums Radiohead up for me. Vanity albums doing what they want and fan base hoping another OK Computer will come along.

I've only given it one listen at the moment and I wasn't 'properly' listening so I'll give it more listens before giving it a full judgement but...

I just think they are trying to be too clever and intellectual over their music rather than actually playing from the heart.

I suppose it doesn't help that I'm one of the few who never understood the fuss over OK Computer.

As to Thom Yorke - I don't actually mind his singing style - but I'd rather listen to him on Unkle's Rabbit in Your Headlights than his band's own musical leanings.

WAD62

08-09-2011, 15:05

Perhaps I'm in the minority, as I found OK Computer to be just that OK..and not much more, and Pablo Honey and the Bends to be rather formulaic indie...it's their later stuff post OK computer that interests me more.

I did think it would be a bit of a marmite selection...;)

ikaruga

09-09-2011, 19:30

An album I'm very familiar with and listening to again as I type this to make sure Im happy with what I say.

I love the polar opposite opinion they garner, almost akin to Apple. They're so successful that so many people love to hate them. Athough I know you guys on here are a little more mature than to head down that route just to sound 'cool' to be a hater. :eyebrows:

Onto the album. Well it's like the majority of theirs for me, some absolutely classics and a fair amount of listenable filler that over time slowly gets better but never raises itself to great heights. Bloom and Codex are in the classics category that will sound as good 10 years later to my ears.

Morning Mr Magpie is shuffles along with the noodly grove that Radiohead seem to do so well. But doesnt really excite much. Little by Little much the same. The d&b tinged Feral plods along rather nicely but again not really elevating to any great levels. Then we go rather dull for Lotus Flower, nothing to write home about here. But Codex hits the spot, and then some. Deep, emotional and rolling. The highlight of the album for me.

Not much else to say about the other tracks without repeating myself.

Whole album is very indicative of what Yorke is listening to at that time, as it always has been with Radiohead, not to mention the dubstep producers he's collaborating with. You just need to look at the Radiohead Top 10 office tunes on their website to see where they're getting influence from - and I proudly say a couple of my mates have had their tunes in that top 10 not so long back (Macc & dgoHn).

In Rainbows was better but this is still ok.

Hope I've captured the essence of the album club with this post! I've voted 3 out of 5. Bloom & Codex are worth the money alone.

Thing Fish

09-09-2011, 19:51

I have 'OK Computer' which I aquired because of the hype that surrounded the band at the time and quite enjoyed it. But to be honest the king of limbs just didn't do it for me.

John

09-09-2011, 20:51

I given it a few listens whilst I do hate it I be suprised if it stays in my collection For me a 2 sorry

MartinT

09-09-2011, 20:59

Well, I have tried. There is something about the whiny voice of Thom Yorke that makes me think of The Smiths - constant and unrelenting downbeat misery. More positively, I like some of the instrumentation very much and the whole is crafted with obvious care. I really should like Radiohead as my tastes lean that way, but somehow for me the whole is less than its parts.

There is much worse music around than this, so even though it doesn't inspire me, it gets a 3.

Tim

10-09-2011, 00:34

Well I have all Radiohead's albums, but the only two I play with any regularity are The Bends and OK Computer, in fact 'Fake Plastic Trees' and 'High and Dry' are firm favourites. I got this album blind and TBH honest it was a mistake and I didn't like it first play and it hasn't really improved since then - in fact it's going the other way, the more I play it the less I like it and I find it a little frustrating that such a talented band (IMO) felt inclined to produce what to many is such an uninspiring album.

I did listen to it with fresh ears and tried headphones and speakers, but I just don't get it all (sitting or standing!). There doesn't seem to be any natural flow or structure to the music, more like a self-indulgent jamming session. I'll keep it short as the majority have pretty much said it all, but I will give it 3 stars, as I'm feeling generous and I quite like the beat in 'Little by Little' and the piano in 'Codex', but overall it's my least favourite Radiohead album.

griffo104

12-09-2011, 10:18

Having given it a couple of more listenes it's not as bad as I first thought, in fact it has some very good moments and I'm sure if I listen to it more some of the other bits will grow on me.

As other's have mentioned there's a lot worse music out there and these guys are all excellent musicians and are in a position where they have total artistic control over their output - which is always a nice place to be.

I've given it a 3.

I still think they would be better with someone sensible overseeing them.

The Grand Wazoo

12-09-2011, 20:11

So how about this theory then?

When you run out of ideas, the only thing left is to turn to technology.

(No axe to grind one way or the other - just a little bit of healthy devil's advocacy!)

MartinT

12-09-2011, 20:28

Oooh, vicious. Some of the most brilliant minds have created wonderful technology. Engineers versus scientists, etc.

The Grand Wazoo

12-09-2011, 20:44

It really isn't meant to be vicious Martin, just a spark for a little bit more discussion maybe?
I don't intend to definitively state that technology is bad, or that it's use stifles creativity, or even that Radiohead are washed up!

MartinT

12-09-2011, 21:26

S'ok, was taken in the spirit you meant it :)

WAD62

13-09-2011, 07:46

So how about this theory then?

When you run out of ideas, the only thing left is to turn to technology.

I seem to recall Roger Waters responding to a similar allegation in 'Live at Pompeii'...which was 'The technology doesn't play itself' ;)

...or words to that effect anyway, and that was 39 years ago! :)

griffo104

13-09-2011, 09:31

I seem to recall Roger Waters responding to a similar allegation in 'Live at Pompeii'...which was 'The technology doesn't play itself' ;)

...or words to that effect anyway, and that was 39 years ago! :)

Actually think with a lot of modern technology it may well be possible for it play itself :ner:

Get a few computers, loaded, set them off on a random sequence of notes and at what point would they make meaningful music ? I'm sure the likes of Steve Reich has thought about stuff like that :scratch:

Be quite easy to get something loaded on to a computer so it knows about notes and counterpoint, etc..

WAD62

13-09-2011, 12:02

Actually think with a lot of modern technology it may well be possible for it play itself :ner:

It's an analogue computer, and it's called a pianola, been around for some time...still I suppose it upset the 'granddads' of the day then too...;)

griffo104

13-09-2011, 13:21

It's an analogue computer, and it's called a pianola, been around for some time...still I suppose it upset the 'granddads' of the day then too...;)

Very true. didn't a US composer actually do music specifically for the pianola (or am I making that up ?)

MartinT

13-09-2011, 13:36

I think Sorabji wrote piano music that couldn't be physically played by a human?

griffo104

13-09-2011, 13:41

Just googled it and it seems Nancarrow did music for the player piano. thought I knew it from somewhere :)

The Grand Wazoo

13-09-2011, 16:59

Pat Metheny did an album recently that was supposed to have been played by automatons.

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(Short documentary type thing)

Tim

13-09-2011, 17:09

Pat Metheny did an album recently that was supposed to have been played by automatons
I have this Chris, can't say I'm overly impressed, only played it twice :scratch:

The Grand Wazoo

13-09-2011, 17:17

From what bits of the album I've heard, the concept is far more thrilling than the execution.

The opposite to the theory I posited above could be demonstrated by FZ where he turned to technology because he couldn't find musicians who could play his most complex pieces.

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Before he died, he found some who could play it

sDI5Ci_7YL4

keiths

13-09-2011, 17:23

I have this Chris, can't say I'm overly impressed, only played it twice :scratch:

That's once more than I did :doh:

The Grand Wazoo

13-09-2011, 17:24

Conlon Nancarrow was a big influence on FZ

WAD62

12-10-2011, 15:34

In Summary;

Well after 3 weeks we still only have 31 posts and half of them were about the use of technology in music...odd that Radiohead are 'attacked' for that, and Tangerine Dream somehow escape scott free...Very revealing that one ;)

So with the massive accrual of statistical data available...err the grand sum of 13 votes, we can draw the following conclusion;

1. - 4
2. - 1
3. - 4
4. - 1
5. - 3 (just one more and we'd have had perfect symmetry :doh:)

Some people hate Radiohead and everything they stand for (whatever that is, I just thought they were a current band from Oxford), some people used to enjoy Radiohead but can't get their head round their more recent work, and some people are pretty happy with them as they are.

Anyway for those interested the double remix of the album is available now, I'll report back after a listen.

RichB

13-05-2012, 18:54

So another late vote on the album club for me, I downloaded this from the band when it was released and originally was left a bit cold by it then the final track 'Separator' come on and I understood completely. This track just sums up what Radiohead is all about for me, the whole thing is underplayed and an materpiece in minimalism... the last couple of mins of separator Jonny brings in a subtle guitar lick which just ties the whole track together, they needn't play any more or less.

I think to completely get Radiohead you have to see them live, as I have done twice... Once in the fantastic Empress Ballroom in Blackpool on a dull and rainy night and again at Edinburgh's Meadowbank Stadium on a balmy summers eve, when played live the band inject all of the songs with so much passion that you cant help but dance your ass off... none of the tracks on this album you'd readily dance to but then live its a totally different ball game. Mrs B didnt really get Radiohead, she reckoned it would be a miserable shoe gazing gig until I dragged her along to see them... she said it was like a really cool rave and hasn't put down King of Limbs or In Rainbows since. btw I consider In Rainbows to be their dark side of the moon rather than OK Computer.

Reid Malenfant

28-05-2012, 18:12

Barry

28-05-2012, 19:14

Conlon Nancarrow was a big influence on FZ

I didn't know Nancarrow was an influence on FZ, but it wouldn't surprise me.

I like his String Quartet as performed by The Cronos Quartet:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41OJTDqvRxL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

But I digress, I have never liked Radiohead and could never see what the fuss was about. Whilst I like 'miserable' music, Radiohead are too far in that direction for me.

My only experience is with their 'OK Radio', which I loathed and have heard no more. As such I cannot really take part in this poll, but if I could, I expect I would give the 'King of Limbs' a very low score. :(

sparrow

28-05-2012, 19:27

Was listening to KOL on vinyl a few weeks back..enjoyed it immensly especially the track Feral..

Gmanuk101

30-05-2012, 07:00

Use of technology etc give me bloody break you lot, I got the same old arguments whenI was at music school many years ago and it's tired and trite an argument in all respect, if you think that people who turn to technology have less musical ability than those who do not then you will be stuck in the dark ages, which you are all welcome to.

Back to the actual point of this thread, this albums quite good, I also downloaded it at the time for 1p from the band's website (music industry take note your outdated business models) and it took a while to grow on me, but it is minimal and very subtle indeed.

Interesting that a lot of the comments cite OK computer etc, only one person mentions Kid A and not one person Amnesiac (try listening to Piano song). my cuz who is a brilliant folk guitarist in New York rates this album and track as on of the best they have done, just to throw in some old school musical opinions ;)

Pre conceptions do nothing for music, they just let it rot

The Grand Wazoo

30-05-2012, 07:21

......if you think that people who turn to technology have less musical ability than those who do not then you will be stuck in the dark ages, which you are all welcome to.

I don't think anyone said that at all. What I suggested was that they may have turned to technology because they ran out of ideas. There was no mention of musical ability whatsoever. There was also no condemnation of technology.

Pre conceptions do nothing for music, they just let it rot

Album Club is precisely about not having preconceptions & I don't think anyone who posted here demonstrated that they had any, did they?

MartinT

30-05-2012, 07:47

Indeed, the whole idea of Album Club is to introduce music to others and not have any preconceptions before listening. I think the vast majority of members have done exactly that and commented accordingly.

Gmanuk101

30-05-2012, 09:57

So griffo104's comments and also the latter of Barry's do not say this. Have I mid read their comments?

Gmanuk101

30-05-2012, 10:00

And of course each to their own of course no mallace intentend :)

WAD62

31-05-2012, 11:25

Ooooh, this is from a while ago as it's marks out of five :eyebrows:

I think I might have to investigate Radiohead a bit further, this got a solid 4/5 from me :) I seem to remember listening to OK Computer many years ago, but I was deep in conversation & probably didn't pay it a whole lot of attention...

Hi Mark, knowing your enthusiasm for electronic music I think you should give TKOL RMX albums a listen, a bit of a curate's egg but there are some worthwhile remixes...Caribou and Fourtet's efforts are particularly worthwhile.

Hi Graham, I've been away from the site for a while, good to see a new member with a bit of taste...;)

As for the 'Ran out of ideas and turned to technology' remark you are still guilty as charged Mr Wazoo...particularly as I recall you giving Tangerine Dream a big score :)