For all those - now former -friends who did not know, yesterday marked the release of Radiohead's latest studio album: A Moon Shaped Pool. As I consider myself a pretty big Radiohead-head (we still don't have a lock on a cool follower nickname, sorry), I wanted to make sure I gave the album an early listen and review. For all those unfortunate enough to not have the album already. Poor saps. Without further ado, lets "dive" right in. Nailed it.
The First 24: A Moon Shaped Pool.
2:00 PM - The record officially drops.
3:45 PM - You know what would be a good idea? If I figured out what "7 PM BST" meant.
3:47 PM - 7 PM British Standard Time. Not "Bitching Sweet Tunes," as assumed.
3:48 PM - That's 2 PM Eastern Standard Time?! This record's already out?!
4:05 PM - Downloading issues. I'm having a hard time tracking this bad boy down. Of course on very legal websites where I "pay" for the pleasure of listening to this album.
4:08 PM - If I "were" (hypothetically) to DL this illegally, maybe now wouldn't be a good time. Radiohead is Britain's most valuable currency. I feel like they're going to shoot trespassers on sight.
4:10 PM - Decision made: we wait. I should be a good son, and spend time with my family.
4:12 PM - OH MY GOD THEY WON'T STOP TALKING.
4:15 PM - Distraction required. We're putting on a movie.
4: 20 PM - Bridge of Spies. Tom Hanks, what a treasure. I bet he had the new album yesterday.
4:30 PM - No seriously, I would pay to watch Tom Hanks watch paint dry. He's so damn charming. He's like a later phase Leo. So perfect. So "acty."
4:45 PM - Remember when they were in Catch Me If You Can together? That movie should have won all the Oscars. Some Tonys too.
4:47 PM - Thank God for TBS. It accounts for 62% of its programming time. And honestly, that's not enough.
5:00 PM - Why did this movie have to be on my computer? Why didn't I pick something on TV?
5:30 PM - Getting antsy. The movie is fine, but there's not really any suspense. You're not killing off Tom Hanks. He's fucking Tom Hanks.
5:35 PM - Facebook. I'll use Facebook on my phone.
5:38 PM - Oh My God, we get it. Everyone has a mother, congratulations.
5:50 PM - First mention of a bridge in this movie. Good to know that wasn't a metaphor or anything.
6:32 PM - "We did it, we survived!" The characters and my own general sentiment.
6:33 PM - OF COURSE. My dad immediately asks "if maybe I'd mind if he played us a song?" Is there a more polite way of declining then jumping through the living room window? Not seeing it.
6:35 PM - We're searching for a Hendrix B-Side. "Highway Chile." He assures me it's pronounced "child." I have my doubts.
6:36 PM - Fuck you Wikipedia.
6:38 PM - Still can't find it. My dad ASSURES me he listened to it the other day, on YouTube. I would pay so much money to hear/see whatever he watched.
6:39 PM - He always has a backup tune. Don Henley. "If Dirt Were Dollars." Keep an open mind Andrew, You can do it.
6:40 PM - SOMEONE GET ME A GUN.
6:42 PM - "I saw Jesus on the Plane, or maybe it was Elvis, you know they both look the same." Is this what Guantanamo is like?
7:01 PM - Escape. Apologize to my parents, I'm locking myself up tight in my room.
7:02 PM - Download this thing, whatever (COMPLETELY LEGAL) means necessary.
7:05 PM - IT BEGINS!
7:06 PM - 7:58 PM The first listen. Initial thoughts:
1) Burn The Witch - First single. It's about 3 days old now, so I've heard it about 35 times. Nice rock anthem, not very experimental, high replay value and easy tune to listen to. Can see why it's a single. Score: 7.9 out of 10
2) Daydreaming - Also already released. I didn't like this as much upon first listen, but it's grown on me. One of those songs that very perfectly encapsulates the title. Also, Paul Thomas Anderson video - amazing. I could watch Thom walk aimlessly for hours. I probably technically have now. THAT'S NOT SAD. Score: 8.1 out of 10.
3) Decks Dark - Starts off with almost a Beach House vibe. As soon as Yorke starts singing though, classic Radiohead. Especially the lyrics: "It's the last sound you've ever heard/ we are helpless to resist/in our darkest hour." Never thought I'd say this, but hearing someone scream that... makes me SO FREAKING HAPPY! Score: 7.8 of 10: possibly inflated because it's the first NEW track.
4) Desert Island Disk - Slow acoustic tune. Great to hear that they aren't 100% dedicated to pure techno-tronica-tation stuff. They can also kill a simple, calm, folk song. It just kind of falls short though. Good, but doesn't go anywhere great. Jazzy back-half helped, but didn't go far enough. Score: 6.5 out of 10.
5) Ful Stop - Not a huge fan of the first portion of this. For some reason I can't really get behind music that sounds like a 56k modem and TRON fucking on acid. I know, I have some musical growing to do. Worth it all though for that second half flourish. Score: 7.3 out of 10.
6) Glass Eyes - What a beautiful start. I don't know if Thom knows how nice it is to hear him clearly singing. It's a blessing. A great tune but quite sad. Maybe not something to listen to in your childhood home, that's being remodeled, after several glasses of wine. First song I'm pumped to come back to. Score: 7.1 out of 10.
7) Identikit - I like it, but I'm a bit turned off by the numerous voices in the background, almost too much. If I wanted several voices talking at once, I'd go back to my parents downstairs. But that chorus though... "broken hearts make it rain;" so solid. I love being so happy as Thom cries about unfathomable sadness. Hooray! Score: 7.4 out of 10
8) The Numbers - Getting very psyched that so far we haven't had a "bad" track. This is so far the best harmony of new and old styles. Piano discord doesn't overshadow everything. Good balance. And "Cell-Oh;" raging strings on the second half? Be still my heart. Score: 8.1 out of 10.
9) Present Tense - Awesome guitar riff AND Thom moaning to start the song? Clean up on aisle boxer briefs. This album is really hitting its stride. "Don't get heavy. Keep it light, keep it moving." Besides the heart wrenching lyrics, the tunes themselves are at least holding true to that. Score: 8.2 out of 10.
10) Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor Rich Man Poor Man Beggar Man Thief - Now that's a title I can't wait to repeat a bunch to fellow Radio-philes. This song is my jam. Start to finish, love it. Got a quasi NIN vibe, but the perfect mix of vocals, beats, and melody. Definitely favorite so far. Score: 8.4 out of 10.
11) True Love Waits - I know this song. Not this version, but this is definitely a Radiohead song. I like this version though. Melancholic, but beautiful. No doubt about it. Score: 8.0 out of 10.
7:59 PM - Imaginary post-coitus cigarette
8:00 PM - What the hell album was "True Love Waits" on? Google, let's dance!
8:01 PM - I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings. I wonder if there's anything else interesting on this I don't know already.
8:47 PM - DEAR GOD. Where did the last 45 minutes go? Damn you Wikipedia Hole!
8:48 PM - To the early reviews!
8:55 PM Thom broke up with his partner of 20+ years? Yikes, No wonder this album came off so "happy."
9:10 PM - Johhny Greenwood had a side project called Junun?
9:11 PM - Oh Christ on a Cracker, it's with an ALL Indian band?
9:12 PM - http://junun.co.uk/ I will give $20 to anyone who can tell me straight face that's not the best album cover art ever.
9:18 PM - I'm not trying to find more of this, am I?
9:23 PM - The documentary is online. There is a documentary of this.
9:26 PM - Fuck it, I'm downloading the documentary.
9:28 PM - This is going to take a while. Whiskey time.
9:30 PM - My dad is still awake. Unexpected, Well, he looks tired...
10:48 PM - I can now say I've watched over 20 minutes of Dio. Live.
10:50 PM - Whiskey is kicked. I wonder why. Switching to wine.
10:52 PM - Nice.
10:53 PM - Download is at .08%. How are more people not the proud owners of Radiohead's guitarist's Indian sitar band side project's documentary? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.
10:55 PM - Back to Tinker Tailor. "TTSSRMPMBMT" (for short?)
11:15 PM - Still firmly believe this is my favorite off the album so far. But, "True Love Waits" is the perfect closing song. I don't know if it's because it's already been around for 16 years or so, but I think it will be one of the album's longer lasting successes.
11:16 PM - Bed.
8:45 AM - My parent's still think I'm asleep. God Bless us.
8:47 AM - re-listening to "Ful Stop." I think this was my least favorite so far.
9:00 AM - Still not a huge fan. I really like the ending, but the first two minutes are somewhat tough to get through. Definitely easier on the second and third try. My heart already might be warming.
9:02 AM - Breakfast. Strawberries. I feel like I need cream to make this a more Radiohead approved breakfast. All we have is butter.
9:03 AM - I officially debated a Butter and Strawberries bowl for too long.
9:25 AM - Mom needs a quick favor. Clouds are swirling overhead.
10:05 AM - Well, now I remember what it feels like to move 500+ pounds of mulch and topsoil bags. I can't wait to feel like I pulled my torso muscle tomorrow.
10:25 AM - Car ride back into the city. Lets see how much Radiohead dad can stomach.
10:32 AM - Dad taps out to track 2, "Daydreaming." "I wish I could like them, it's just, I don't." Well, at least he wasn't ambiguous about it.
10:34 AM - Black Keys. Everybody likes the Black Keys.
11:22 AM - Back in the apartment, computer awake.
12:15 PM - Round Two, COMPLETE!
1:03 PM - Round Three COMPLETE!
1:04 PM - Debating the use of excited caps. Is listening to an album three times in under a day cause for a celebration? I think its more a cause for a shower.
1:05 PM - Editing time. Play me on Thommy Boy!
1:10 PM - Nope, this is not music to focus too. Let's do a nice summary instead.
1:11 PM - 2:00 PM - Final thoughts Recap:
1) Burn The Witch - Great song. I feel like it's going to get lost in the shuffle under some much more musical songs, but I'm still randomly humming it/singing "low-flying panic attack" a lot. I'm pretty sure that's not going to be a good thing once I leave the confines of my apartment.
2) Daydreaming - I wasn't sold on this song originally, but the more I listen to it, the more I love it. Got to be in my top three for the album. It's a little more avant garde (and hence easy to blow off right away) but it just encapsulates its own vibe so well. Glad the video will give it replay value too.
3) Decks Dark - I was worried I rated this song so highly because it was the first new song on the CD. Don't think that's the case. It's a great song, and doesn't have many dead patches throughout. Going to be a nice song to play for friends who like "Burn the Witch," but are turned off by "Daydreaming." So, the majority of humans.
4) Desert Island Disk - I think it's a nice break from the more expansive songs, and a needed one for the album as a whole. I just don't think it's particularly amazing. Good but not great. I stand by that.
5) Ful Stop - Growing on me, but the ambient stuff in the first two-ish minutes is tough. It's getting better on repeated listens, but I don't know if other people will give it that much effort.
6) Glass Eyes - Beautiful song. I don't think I was paying enough attention to the words AND the melody before. It's very beautiful. I can definitely see Sean Bean dying in a movie with this playing in the background.
7) Identikit - Big swing since my initial listen. I was kind of put off by the layered vocals before, but I don't think it's as big a turn off as earlier assumed. And the entire "broken hearts make it rain" section; just wonderful. In that soul crushing despair kind of way.
8) The Numbers - I was really into the background dissonance before, now I think I'm less excited. It still feels the most "Radiohead-y" song to me. Can definitely see it slipping into their earlier catalog and fitting right in. Good song, but I keep forgetting it on these listens. Probably not a good sign.
9) Present Tense - I think this song suffers in album location. I don't care enough about "The Numbers," and I really want to get to "Tinker Tailor Long Song Name." But it's a beautiful song. And although I'm kind of ignoring it now, I think it has some serious staying power.
10) TTSSRMPMBMT - I just had to cut and paste the ABBREVIATION to this song. This is why sometimes even I can't defend Radiohead. That aside, this song is my go-to favorite. Love the beat, and Thom's voice kills it. I could use like 20 less seconds of static at the end though. We get it, noises.
11) True Love Waits - This is just a beautiful freaking song. Heartbreaking, touching, gorgeous. But I feel I'm going to have to be in a certain mood to search it out. And since that mood seems to be "break-up/puppy death" I'm hoping it doesn't happen too often. Bummer.
Overall, album gets an 9.2 out of 10. There's really not a weak track on here. Couple of dead spots on particular songs, but there's not one piece of music that misses the mark completely. Much better then King of Limbs, and I feel that we'll recall 75% of these songs fondly when we look back on the collective works of the band. That's freaking awesome. My only complaint, I want more. Looks like I'll need to wait until the full release in June. WITH BONUS TRACKS! Because I think we need another 3500 words about this CD! Heck Yeah!
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