I do like- no, love the coherency of this album and it's natural progression. The only thing I can only really complain that the album could have been even better with a few more songs.
You really think so? The general consensus seems to be that this album is too short but I think I'd have to disagree with that. I pretty strongly feel that the brevity works very well for this particular album. Many of the songs tend to feel like they wander around but never really end up too far away from where they started. This is really offset by the short length. Start adding 10-15 minutes on this and I think it would probably start to become overbearing even if everything added was of the same quality. The meandering nature that a lot of the songs have would be shifted more into focus and listening to the whole thing would become a bit more difficult.
If improvements were going to be made I would say they should be to the songs that are already here. A lot of songs, especially in the first half of the album, could really use a bit of variation. Just a slight shift in tempo or dynamics could do wonders for the flow of the songs on an individual level.
|
| |
Perfect example: take Lotus Flower at about 3:20. There is a really beautiful 25 second segment where the beat abruptly subsides and the keyboards suddenly shine through. It's a really powerful moment that is almost akin to the clouds on an overcast day suddenly parting to reveal the warmth of the sun. It has a certain quality of immediacy, like a moment of clarity or self-awareness. Things like that on every song could've really pushed this album to the next level as opposed to just more material.
kubrick typing
Haha, sorry. I tend to get kind of carried away. I never really intend to make excessively long posts but once I start on something, I kind of just spill out everything that's going on in my head. I do realize most of it won’t get read but idk… call it a compulsion.
|
| |
Album Rating: 4.0
completely agree with your words on lotus flower
|
| |
Album Rating: 3.5
it's like in this one english class i took the teacher would always tell us to reach an "aha! moment" in our essays. every kubrick comment is an aha! moment
|
| |
Album Rating: 4.0
I don't know if somebody has mentioned this before, but i love when the static at the end of "codex" transforms subtly into the sound of birds
|
| |
Album Rating: 4.0
I think it happens in Bloom as well
|
| |
Album Rating: 4.0
Oh snap! you're right but it's at the end of magpie
|
| |
Album Rating: 4.0
Seeing as a magpie is a breed of bird.
|
| |
it's like in this one english class i took the teacher would always tell us to reach an "aha! moment" in our essays. every kubrick comment is an aha! moment
Lol thanks =) Pretty sure one of my high school teachers used to say the same thing actually.
Seeing as a magpie is a breed of bird.
Wait. Really? How did I not know that.. I'm in a fucking Ornithology class.
|
| |
Album Rating: 2.5
Kubrick, I love Radiohead. I don't expect instant gratification from them at all. And I agree that on exploration and analysis the majority of the strength of their music lies in the subtleties. That doesn't change the fact that when I listen to this, as I have done numerous times in order to place it in the context of various criticisms and reverence, I don't hear something that I enjoy.
And honestly, I think the 'whispers' suggestion is silly for just the same reason. Fans of this band who enjoy their 21st century material are very unlikely to be disliking TKoL purely on the basis that it didn't sit well on first listen. Radiohead fans tend to be a little bit more - and frequently far too - analytical.
|
| |
still haven't listened to this
I blame glassjaw, defeater, and protest the hero
|
| |
Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
Honestly if this album had "Harry Patch" and "Twisted Words" on it, it would be a 5 for me
|
| |
Album Rating: 4.5
Twisted Words would fit so perfectly on this album
|
| |
Album Rating: 3.8
actually strizz, that's pretty genius
|
| |
Album Rating: 2.5
the first thing i thoguht when i heard this was that twisted words sounded a lot like it
|
| |
And honestly, I think the 'whispers' suggestion is silly for just the same reason. Fans of this band who enjoy their 21st century material are very unlikely to be disliking TKoL purely on the basis that it didn't sit well on first listen. Radiohead fans tend to be a little bit more - and frequently far too - analytical.
Very good point. I haven't been part of the fanbase for all that long (8 months?) but I think you're probably right in your assertion that Radiohead fans tend to be more on the analytical side. So I can definitely see merit in your argument that most true Radiohead fans wouldn't just toss this aside if they didn't instantly connect with it.
I think my main intention with my comment was more in the juxtaposition between "screamed" and "whispered" greatness as opposed to making an arrogant taunt towards those who didn't "hear the whisper" so to speak. My attempt at cleverness was really just me trying to express my feeling that TKOL is still a great Radiohead album, but in a way that is much less dramatic and readily apparent than a lot of their previous efforts. Although their other releases all have plenty of subtleties, I feel like they also have a healthy dose of dramatic, theatrical moments around which many of the subtleties build. On this album, however, all of the bells and whistles have essentially been muted and what's left to enjoy (for me at least) is the atmosphere and progression. I think we can all agree that the album ends in a much different place than it begins. My enjoyment comes directly from the experience of taking the journey from start to finish and soaking up the atmosphere that is creates.
I guess my point is that there are a lot less peaks and valleys on this album relative to their other albums. It clearly has a different aesthetic and approach which will always be divisive. I definitely see how it would be quite difficult to enjoy this album if you don't enjoy the progression and there's nothing wrong with that. My comment was more directed towards the people who didn't hear what they wanted to hear and snap-judged it (those people definitely existed based on how many angry comments I saw all over the internet within a couple hours of the release). That clearly doesn’t apply to you though.
|
| |
Part 2 is called 'Urethra Franklin: Prince of A Labia'
|
| |
Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off
Lotus Flower is like one of the best songs Radiohead has done in quite a few years. Supreme.
|
| |
Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off
What ar you referring to?
|
| |
Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off
Ah OK.
|
| |
|
|
