Radiohead - The King Of Limbs

papain · 02-18-2011, 11:57 AM

(to those expecting a rock revival): sorry, no catchy, cliche trived three minute pop songs with anticipatory anxiety before the off-key riffs anymore. that stuff is for the birds and the man-boys still living in the 80s and 90s, respectively.

(to those with expectations a little too high): it's wrong of us to expect godliness out of a band which abandoned its arena-rock roots over a decade ago. we have to appreciate the minutiae and wind ourselves up for a fourth and fifth time listening before we can hope to pick up on some sort of meaning.

("Bloom"): I really like the 8-bit reverberations.

(in reference to the album as a whole): the beats are unsteady but fire rapidly like a 1,000 bats out of a hellish trove in upper-forest England. ghosts whispering as you walk on an old beaten path which has killed the spirit of millions, but w/ an 80s retro twang to it, suggesting that the tales of ol' persist in new age machina. some of the songs are more subdued (give up the ghost)

flying lotus and remnants of there will be blood bookmark songs and add a little flavor, reminding us of the age we live in and the direction that music is spiraling aimlessly towards, for better or for the best.

(the song SEPARATOR): the beat loops and loops and doesn't reach the desired crescendo, but rather each separate musical element enters, enveloping the voice which is magnified and tunnels upwards out of the dirt for air. amazing what an on-key touch of the keyboard, and some slightly positive stroke of the guitar, can do for a beat and a voice swallowed in desperation.

(in summary): it's like death is imminent, no? or acceptance of old tales of yorkshire? middle age glorification? (didn't mean there age, though that could work. Beowulf and King Arthur, those middle age folks). no clear amazing expansive, positive beat to hum to, but who cares. 80s retro and orchestral expansions permeate and diffuse howling vocals, while off-rhythm beats and steady reflective guitar strings keep order aligned. but prince cacophony rules the day in many minutes of this unique little 8-track album.

do not bother placing it in line w/ any of the others. as is there custom, this one is unique and separate, and should not be analyzed for sake of top 100 ranking systems or to garner more hits for a pundit page. true fans will only hurt there heads making the typical kid a comparison.

but let your opinion be your own, and enjoy the album.

these are just my thoughts.

davidenk0 · 02-18-2011, 11:58 AM

I listened to it this morning and now I'm listening to it again, it really grows on you on second listen, I think it's a pretty good album, maybe their 4th best behind the Bends, OKC and Kid A. The only bad thing I can say about it is that is a little bit short, if Hail to the Thief had way too many songs this album should have one of two more. Still, the songs are well put in the album, it begins with some songs that reminded me of Thom's solo work but after Lotus Flower it sounds more like Radiohead. What I don't know is how are they gonna play this songs live because looks like Phil and Ed won't do anything in some songs.

debaserr · 02-18-2011, 03:42 PM

it's too early to make a judgement for me.

early favorites: Little by Little, Lotus Flower, Feral, and Seperator.

I wonder if they are hinting at more material with the lyrics "if you think this is over then you're wrong" from seperator. possibly the track that "seperates" the two releases? they recorded for 18 months and this album is 37 minutes long...

Phantom Limb · 02-18-2011, 03:43 PM

I'm going to reserve judgement on this album for now. It has a different feel from other Radiohead albums and I can tell that to fully understand it i will need to listen to it a few times through.

Sparky · 02-18-2011, 04:29 PM

I like Lotus Flower a lot.

I feel like this is there least-accessible album so far, which might be a good thing, but this album will have to get a lotta more plays before i can really give any type of judgement.

Quote:

I wonder if they are hinting at more material with the lyrics "if you think this is over then you're wrong" from seperator. possibly the track that "seperates" the two releases? they recorded for 18 months and this album is 37 minutes long...

That would be sweet, i could definitely see radiohead do something like that.

Roland · 02-18-2011, 05:42 PM

I actually thought that myself maybe at midnight the second release will occur.

Zer0 · 02-18-2011, 05:45 PM

Nearly finished listening to it and i must say that it's a very good album. 'Give Up The Ghost' is the standout track for me so far, it's a very haunting song. However there seems to be something holding the album back from being brilliant. Even though the album is short and sweet it sounds a little bit incomplete, like they have more to give. But if the rumors are true and if the title of the last song 'Separator' is a hint, we could have The King Of Limbs part II with us pretty soon.

FaSho · 02-18-2011, 06:07 PM

Amazing album, even on first listen. Codex is already one of my favorite Radiohead songs.

Thom Yorke · 02-19-2011, 02:00 AM

I never like to rate an album so quickly. I obviously loved it though. My early favourites are Bloom, Codex and Give Up The Ghost.

Thom Yorke · 02-19-2011, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eric generic

I wonder if they are hinting at more material with the lyrics "if you think this is over then you're wrong" from seperator. possibly the track that "seperates" the two releases? they recorded for 18 months and this album is 37 minutes long...

That's the popular rumour. Then again many people also interpreted Videotape as meaning it was the end of Radiohead.

View Poll Results: What do you think of The King Of Limbs?
Brilliant	36	21.43%
Good	69	41.07%
Average	30	17.86%
OK	12	7.14%
Poor	12	7.14%
Terrible	9	5.36%
Voters: 168. You may not vote on this poll

02-18-2011, 03:42 PM	#13 (permalink)
debaserr eat the masters Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 5,470	it's too early to make a judgement for me. early favorites: Little by Little, Lotus Flower, Feral, and Seperator. I wonder if they are hinting at more material with the lyrics "if you think this is over then you're wrong" from seperator. possibly the track that "seperates" the two releases? they recorded for 18 months and this album is 37 minutes long... __________________ Last.FM

02-18-2011, 05:42 PM	#16 (permalink)
Roland Groupie Join Date: May 2010 Location: Scotland Posts: 38	I actually thought that myself maybe at midnight the second release will occur. __________________ " I hear thunder, but there's no rain"

02-18-2011, 05:45 PM	#17 (permalink)
Zer0 ∞ Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Ireland Posts: 3,792	Nearly finished listening to it and i must say that it's a very good album. 'Give Up The Ghost' is the standout track for me so far, it's a very haunting song. However there seems to be something holding the album back from being brilliant. Even though the album is short and sweet it sounds a little bit incomplete, like they have more to give. But if the rumors are true and if the title of the last song 'Separator' is a hint, we could have The King Of Limbs part II with us pretty soon. __________________ Last FM \| RYM \| The Final Sound

02-18-2011, 11:57 AM	#11 (permalink)
papain Groupie Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 1	(to those expecting a rock revival): sorry, no catchy, cliche trived three minute pop songs with anticipatory anxiety before the off-key riffs anymore. that stuff is for the birds and the man-boys still living in the 80s and 90s, respectively. (to those with expectations a little too high): it's wrong of us to expect godliness out of a band which abandoned its arena-rock roots over a decade ago. we have to appreciate the minutiae and wind ourselves up for a fourth and fifth time listening before we can hope to pick up on some sort of meaning. ("Bloom"): I really like the 8-bit reverberations. (in reference to the album as a whole): the beats are unsteady but fire rapidly like a 1,000 bats out of a hellish trove in upper-forest England. ghosts whispering as you walk on an old beaten path which has killed the spirit of millions, but w/ an 80s retro twang to it, suggesting that the tales of ol' persist in new age machina. some of the songs are more subdued (give up the ghost) flying lotus and remnants of there will be blood bookmark songs and add a little flavor, reminding us of the age we live in and the direction that music is spiraling aimlessly towards, for better or for the best. (the song SEPARATOR): the beat loops and loops and doesn't reach the desired crescendo, but rather each separate musical element enters, enveloping the voice which is magnified and tunnels upwards out of the dirt for air. amazing what an on-key touch of the keyboard, and some slightly positive stroke of the guitar, can do for a beat and a voice swallowed in desperation. (in summary): it's like death is imminent, no? or acceptance of old tales of yorkshire? middle age glorification? (didn't mean there age, though that could work. Beowulf and King Arthur, those middle age folks). no clear amazing expansive, positive beat to hum to, but who cares. 80s retro and orchestral expansions permeate and diffuse howling vocals, while off-rhythm beats and steady reflective guitar strings keep order aligned. but prince cacophony rules the day in many minutes of this unique little 8-track album. do not bother placing it in line w/ any of the others. as is there custom, this one is unique and separate, and should not be analyzed for sake of top 100 ranking systems or to garner more hits for a pundit page. true fans will only hurt there heads making the typical kid a comparison. but let your opinion be your own, and enjoy the album. these are just my thoughts.

02-18-2011, 11:58 AM	#12 (permalink)
davidenk0 Groupie Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 10	I listened to it this morning and now I'm listening to it again, it really grows on you on second listen, I think it's a pretty good album, maybe their 4th best behind the Bends, OKC and Kid A. The only bad thing I can say about it is that is a little bit short, if Hail to the Thief had way too many songs this album should have one of two more. Still, the songs are well put in the album, it begins with some songs that reminded me of Thom's solo work but after Lotus Flower it sounds more like Radiohead. What I don't know is how are they gonna play this songs live because looks like Phil and Ed won't do anything in some songs.

02-18-2011, 03:43 PM	#14 (permalink)
Phantom Limb Chocolate Homunculus Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 1,293	I'm going to reserve judgement on this album for now. It has a different feel from other Radiohead albums and I can tell that to fully understand it i will need to listen to it a few times through.

02-19-2011, 02:00 AM	#19 (permalink)
Thom Yorke Music Addict Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,848	I never like to rate an album so quickly. I obviously loved it though. My early favourites are Bloom, Codex and Give Up The Ghost.