Radiohead - The King of Limbs (v. New Thom Yorke solo album out!)

[Zantera]

Okey, i need some help.
This is a band i've really been trying to get into, but it doesn't seem to work.
So i need some recommendations (albums to start with etc.), feels like im stuck here.
I started with In Rainbows, then i gave OK Computer a try.
I haven't listened that much to them, but atm '15 step' is the only song i really love, and the rest doesn't stand out at all to me.
I really feel like Radiohead is the most overhyped band ever, but i really wanna give them a fair chance. :<
any tips?

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Listen to The Bends. It's not as experimental as OK Computer.

[Space Invader]

Listen to The Bends. It's not as experimental as OK Computer.

Very true, and the Bends is a great place to start.
But, I still think that OK Computer is better. Paranoid Android is one of the best Radiohead songs ever.

[Zantera]

I'll try with The Bends then, maybe i'm having a hard time to get into Radiohead, seeing as i'm a proghead?

[briang]

start with OK Computer. Yeah, it's their most famous one, but it's also their most accessible. And although Amnesiac is probably not a good place to start, do not forget that one. I think it's better than Kid A.

[KevShmev]

I haven't listened that much to them, 

  maybe i'm having a hard time to get into Radiohead, seeing as i'm a proghead?

Given those two statements, you probably need to listen to them a lot more than what you have already.  Back when I was a proghead (in the sense of prog being what I listened to 95% of the time), I had a very difficult time listening to anything new that wasn't prog, so it is likely that you are having the same problem.  Some bands I tried and failed getting into during that proghead phase, I got into big time once I was past that proghead phase...Radiohead was one of those bands.

Bottom line is, it can be a bit of a culture shock, so to speak, to listen to a band that doesn't sound like what you are used to listening to.

[InstrumentalFiasco]

Ok Computer is pretty much the coolest album ever.

[Fluffy Lothario]

Sounds to me like maybe, just maybe, you simply don't like them.

If you haven't listened to them "that much", give them a bit more time, if you feel it's worth it. But I can't see much point in wasting hours of your time pushing so hard if you've tried two of their albums and so little has clicked.

Put the albums away for six months or a year, see if they sound different later. This is how I got into Genesis and Yes.

[Zantera]

I gave them a lot of playtime yesterday, and i'm liking them more and more.
Even though several recommendations to start with The Bends or OK Computer, i went with In Rainbows again.
The reason was that 15 step is a song i really love, so i pretty much wanted to compare the rest of the album with that song.
Jigsaw Falling Into Place is an amazing song, maybe my favorite track with them.
Paranoid Android is a great song as well.
So i listened to In rainbows 2 times, then OK Computer 1 time.
Gonna listen to them some more today.

I think what made me doubt in the beginning is that Radiohead's music is kinda simple, yet it has lots of thoughts behind it.
I read on wikipedia that they've used LOTs of different instruments, and that's kinda interesting imo.
I'm reallly psyched about this band now.
And btw, i recognized the song Creep, i've actually heard Korn cover it on their unplugged album 2 years ago. xD

[Fluffy Lothario]

Haha, okay, well, never mind.

[kári]

A lot of people here have to realize that complex does not always mean good and simple does not always mean bad.

[Zantera]

Well, more 'simple' music such as Radiohead takes more to get into imo.
You really need to give it a lot of attention to hear those specific parts, meanwhile a band like Dream Theater has all the solo's/the wanking, and you don't really need to dig deeper.

[bodiesinflight]

Radiohead  >  Dream Theater
 

Sorry, had to be done 

[KevShmev]

Radiohead  >  Dream Theater
 

Sorry, had to be done 

But it's true.  Most on this forum will obviously disagree, but I think it is true. 

[kári]

I agree.

[brakkum]

hmmm, valid argument for sure, but i would disagree just due to personal taste. i enjoy a higher percentage ofr DT's stuff than Radiohead's, although the Bends is in my top 10 albums.

[Zantera]

Radiohead  >  Dream Theater
 

Sorry, had to be done 

Imo that's shit.
I neither agree or disagree, but you can't really compare 2 groups that plays completely different styles of music.
I'm not really that much pro ranking either tbh

[bodiesinflight]

The beauty of Radiohead's music is that it combines elements of several genres to create beautiful music, Radiohead went electronica out of nowhere in 2000 with Kid A.

At the end of the day DT have just ploughed out Prog Metal album after Prog Metal album and have never really changed their style drastically. I mean I love DT but they're hardly kings of variety like Radiohead are. Plus DT have had a couple of really dodgy albums to be honest whereas, with the exception of the debut album Pablo Honey (which is still good) Radiohead have produced consistently brilliant albums

So basically Radiohead are better because they've done more and their albums are always of an excellent standard

all this is obviously just my opinion

[faemir]

I picked up The Bends and OK Computer in Oxfam today (yes, I already owned them).

WHO THE HELL WOULD GIVE AWAY THESE ALBUMS?!

[Zantera]

Okey, a question for you guys who are more into Radiohead then me atm...
How's In Rainbows seen from the general fans PoV?
I always hear people talk about OK computer, The bends and Kid A, but never anything about this album.
Personally i love it.
Songs that stand out a lot:
*15 Step - My first 'love' song with Radiohead, it's a great song
*Jigsaw Falling Into Place - Maybe my favorite song with them, just love everything with it
*Videotape - One of the most beautiful/haunting songs i've heard, and it's still pretty simple

Just curious

[orcus116]

I think a lot of people really like it, though it's a bit too minimalist for my taste. Some great tracks but there isn't a whole lot to the album.

[KevShmev]

I think IR is generally considered by online Radiohead fans to be their 3rd or 4th best record (behind OKC and KA).  In fact, at a popular RH forum, they did their yearly favorite RH songs near the end of last year, and the order preference was:

Album Rankings

   1. OK Computer with an average of 12247 points
   2. Kid A with an average of 12161 points
   3. In Rainbows with an average of 11514 points
   4. Amnesiac with an average of 9247 points
   5. Hail to the Thief with an average of 8883 points
   6. The Bends with an average of 8158 points
   7. Pablo Honey with an average of 2388 points

[orcus116]

I'm surprised at The Bends being so low considering there are quite a few Grade A songs on the album. Even the lesser songs aren't that bad.

[KevShmev]

I'm surprised at The Bends being so low considering there are quite a few Grade A songs on the album. Even the lesser songs aren't that bad.

I agree, but it only had two songs in the top 30 ("Fake Plastic Trees" and "Street Spirit"), while the five albums above it on that cumulative list all had at least four in the top 30.  Here is the list:

The Top 100

1 Paranoid Android
2 There There.
3 Idioteque
4 Pyramid Song
5 How to Disappear Completely
6 Everything in its Right Place
7 Reckoner
8 The National Anthem
9 Airbag
10 2 + 2 = 5.

11 Street Spirit
12 Fake Plastic Trees
13 Let Down
14 Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
15 Lucky
16 Exit Music (For a Film)
17 Nude
18 No Surprises
19 Karma Police
20 Climbing up the Walls

21 15 Step
22 You and Whose Army?
23 I Might Be Wrong
24 Jigsaw Falling Into Place
25 Talk Show Host
26 A Wolf at the Door.
27 Like Spinning Plates
28 Optimistic
29 Kid A
30 Where I End and You Begin.

31 Just
32 Morning Bell
33 Bodysnatchers
34 Life in a Glass House
35 Videotape
36 Planet Telex
37 Knives Out
38 All I Need
39 Motion Picture Soundtrack
40 The Tourist

41 Subterranean Homesick Alien
42 My Iron Lung
43 True Love Waits
44 The Bends
45 Go to Sleep.
46 Dollars and Cents
47 Myxomatosis.
48 Packt Like Sardines
49 Sit Down. Stand Up.
50 Electioneering

51 House of Cards
52 In Limbo
53 The Gloaming.
54 Creep
55 Down Is the New Up
56 Sail to the Moon.
57 I Will.
58 4 Minute Warning
59 Gagging Order
60 Scatterbrain.

61 High and Dry
62 Last Flowers
63 Bangers & Mash
64 Polyethylene
65 (Nice Dream)
66 Faust Arp
67 Blow Out
68 Backdrifts.
69 Bullet Proof... I Wish I Was
70 A Punchup at a Wedding.

71 Fog
72 Go Slowly
73 Black Star
74 Pearly*
75 Cuttooth
76 You
77 We Suck Young Blood.
78 How I Made My Millions
79 Fog (Again)
80 Pulk

81 The Trickster
82 Lift
83 Meeting in the Aisle
84 Up on the Ladder
85 Palo Alto
86 The Amazing Sounds of Orgy
87 Sulk
88 Anyone Can Play Guitar
89 Amnesiac/Morning Bell
90 Bones

91 Worrywort
92 I Am A Wicked Child
93 Thinking About You
94 Treefingers
95 A Reminder
96 Kinetic
97 Hunting Bears
98 Killer Cars
99 Permanent Daylight
100 Fitter Happier

[orcus116]

I'd easily put Just, Planet Telex, My Iron Lung and The Bends over a lot of those top 30 songs. Just might be my favorite song of theirs followed by You. I feel like they did alternative rock better than most straight up alternative rock bands, at least during the period in which it was relevant.

[KevShmev]

I have never been much of a fan of alt rock, which is probably my least favorite songs from The Bends are the most alt rock-sounding ones ("My Iron Lung," the title track and "Bones"). 

I am always surprised at how criminally underrated "Sulk" is.

[DannyVaz]

OK Computer didn't work?!

I think that you've got to really listen to Radiohead. If you wanna get into it, don't listen to it as background music. Set yourself up nice and cozy, put it on your stereo or headphones, and concentrate and enjoy on the musical amazingness. It's really an experience to listen to RH, they can put you in this...thing...it's amazing.

Kid A and Amnesiac are amazing as well, albums I'm hooked on till this day.

[Zantera]

I've given OK computer some spins, and i think im slowly getting there.
A little bit of what i think so far: (and forgive me, due to over listening radiohead lately, some songs sound like eachother, and therefor don't flame me for not hearing something you hear )

*Airbag - Cool opener, i've started to like it more and more every time i've heard it.
*Paranoid Android - My favorite from the album, really dig it
*Subterranean Homesick Alien - A bit of a grower, due to being after PA, im having a hard time deciding if its great or just good this far
*Exit Music (For A Film) - has a cool atmosphere, and it's also something im starting to like more and more
*Karma Police - A bit of a disappointment. Seeing as it's Radioheads most played song/most famous, i just guess i would've expected a bit more from it. It's good, but PA is far superior imo (compared)
*Fitter Happier - A skiptrack. I hate that fucking Microsoft Sam voice, therefor i just can't stand this. has nice lyrics tho, but that doesn't really save the song imo
*Climbing up the walls - I really like this song, can't put my finger on what makes i awesome tho ^.^
*No Surprises - catchy chorus, a cool song

The other songs (Let Down, Electioneering, Lucky & The Tourist) doesn't stand out that much to me YET.
Let me listen to the album a few more times, and just listen to those specific songs, and i'll give you a more honest opinion.

over n out for now

[DannyVaz]

Those last few grew on me like crazy after a while. And also, check out Exit Music live at Glastonbury, I believe. Unbelievable.

[millahh]

Let Down is one of a only a handful of songs to give me chills every time i hear it.

I don't look at FH as a song...I see it as a piece of postmodern art, that happens to be in an audio format.

[kári]

True Love Waits is very underrated imo.

[faemir]

I don't look at FH as a song...I see it as a piece of postmodern art, that happens to be in an audio format.

Good thing the 'lyrics' are on my nice big OK Computer poster 

[jag66]

Nice list (was that ateaseweb?)

my top 10 from a year ago or so:

1. pyramid song
reckoner
street spirit
how to disappear completely
lucky
airbag
paranoid android
let down
2+2=5
a reminder

[KevShmev]

Good to see you are coming around on Radiohead, Zantera. 

[Zantera]

Good to see you are coming around on Radiohead, Zantera. 

update:
Just bought OK Computer (together with LSFNY with DT) from the recordstore 2 days ago, then i went back and bought In Rainbows yesterday.
Gotta say In Rainbows is my favorite this far tho.
I like it more then OK Computer, because In Rainbows has more songs i love, and the sound is a bit more experimental i guess.
Jigsaw Falling Into Place, 15 Step, Videotape and Faust Arp are all <3 songs.
I think im gonna get into Kid A next, just wanna get more into the songs from OK Computer that i don't remember that much.

Another question...
I saw some clips on Youtube from the 'In Rainbows live in the basement', and even though it isn't a classic live album, i'm wondering if there's any live-album with Radiohead that's good?
Official i saw there aren't much released live with them, but i happen to have LOADS of live bootlegs.
Just don't wanna try them out randomly seeing as the sound may suck, and maybe there is a bootleg that's a bit more 'famous' because of the sound etc?
I'm just asking, seeing as my favorite live album by DT is a live recorded in Tokyo back in 95, and it isn't official as the Budokan live or Score.