Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool

Yeah, the synth in 'Identikit' is a great moment, although I love that entire section of the song completely. One of those moments which caught my ear on the first listen.

Ful Stop is a real beaut, and Decks Dark. Tinker Tailor sets up a great atmosphere and it's got a nice riff, but it seems to evaporate somehow, 2/3 into its progression.

'Tinker Tailor...' is the weakest track on the record for me, but I still like it plenty.

Played it a few times now, the title suits it.

I'm a bit confused about this album so far. As mentioned upthread it's kinda hard to remember the melodies of the songs, but imo it also feels like melody isn't really what "occupies" or is central or w/e to Radiohead these days (also true for TKOL which i like lot). I mean, AMSP "sounds" great but it also sounds like a Johnny Greenwood album. He shows up everywhere and "interrupts" whatever the rest of the guys are doing. Happily surprised about Identikit and esp True Love Waits which I thought would be awful.

Do you guys think this album will appeal to people who weren't previously Radiohead fans? My friend came back to me saying he was left with a bit of an 'is that it?' feeling.

I'd say so. It depends on what they are fans of, obviously.

I dunno, I find 'Burn The Witch', 'Identikit' and 'Decks Dark' quite catchy, actually!

I have a friend who doesn't rate Radiohead at ALL (he mostly listens to ambient/contemporary classical/celestial jazz stuff) and this is their only album I would want to play for him, I think he may even actually LIKE "Daydreaming" and "The Numbers"

comparisons:
- 'desert island disk' sounds like neu! (the ambient bits) and faust (the off meter acoustic bit)
- jonny likes dubby kind of production stuff still, its cool
- speaking of steve reich kinda moments, in the right channel on 'the present tense" there are some looped vocal bits that sound v similar (for v short bursts) to his tape loops pieces like 'come out' or 'it's gonna rain'
- 'ful stop' almost works a fleetwood mac song
- the piano on 'true love waits' reminds me of the way a lot of ambient piano bros like eluvium do their piano

the weakest track for me is the 'the numbers', it feels too familiar. too 'optimistic' (like you can stone cold sing the verses and it's not a hair out of place)...in addition to the stairway comparison, though it does pivot to something more novel towards the end.

Younger friends who don't care about Radiohead are interested in this record.

I discovered "Zuckerzeit" for myself about 2 months ago, think this sits alongside. I like both, think I prefer the Cluster one at the moment.

"The Numbers" reminds me of the last Julia Holter album (as do several moments on the album actually).

I really got into 'The Numbers' recently. I have a new favourite each time I play this one.

I dunno, I find 'Burn The Witch', 'Identikit' and 'Decks Dark' quite catchy, actually!

"Identikit" is the only song on the album that I think of having a really infectious, indelible vocal melody. "Tinker Tailor" has a striking, interesting melody. I don't think of the other tunes as bad but it is usually something other than the vocal melody that brings me back.

I'd say that Yorke is, to an extent, the weak link on this, but fortunately the arrangements usually bail him out. The first half of Identikit really suffers from that in general - really spindly, sparse Radiohead songs have never really worked for me, they're very unforgiving of Thom's voice, and it's easy to see how they could have fucked that one up in the King of Limbs era. But that song really comes into its own in the second half when the other elements come in. For all the talk about the orchestration, the choral bits are incredible.

Older live clips of "Identikit" do feel like they have a little more energy.

it really picks up with Ful Stop and Identikit.. especially that "broken hearts" bit during Identikit, a highlight of the album. that latter half of the album finally sort of clicked for me yesterday, off of the momentum of that chorus

I had this on again earlier, and the moment on 'The Numbers' when the strings come in is just... fucking hell! What a record.

Is anyone lucky enough to be going to any of the upcoming gigs? I would have made the trip to London if I could have got a ticket.

Whoever said 'The Numbers' reminded 'em of Led Zeppelin is pretty OTM. It's like the chords of in the second part of 'Stairway' mixed with the 'Kashmir' strings.

True Love Waits might make it into my Radiohead top 5. always loved the live version/s but this.. Jesus.

Is anyone lucky enough to be going to any of the upcoming gigs? I would have made the trip to London if I could have got a ticket.

I am gonna see them at Primavera Sound in two weeks

"broken hearts make it rain" is a both great and hilarious lyric imo

Yeah, written down it's such a daft, teenage lyric, but it's context and delivery make it work.

why oh why am i not going to primavera this year??

I didn't appresh the "broken hearts / make it rain" double-entendre until I watched older clips of Yorke dancing while singing it live, now I agree that it is v.poetic & sweet

another very 'poetic' bit of the album for me = the conceit of "Desert Island Disk"/'different kinds of love are possible', which projects an amusing image of Thom Yorke as single & ready-to-mingle

the piano on 'true love waits' reminds me of the way a lot of ambient piano bros like eluvium do their piano

― 6 god none the richer (m bison)

are you talking about the primary part or the sort of unhinged, background tinklings? the background stuff sort of recalls Charlemagne Palestine's "sliding fifths" style of (fluid) playing... sort of like Mick Turner's solo music.

....sort of

Whoever said 'The Numbers' reminded 'em of Led Zeppelin is pretty OTM. It's like the chords of in the second part of 'Stairway' mixed with the 'Kashmir' strings.

― Turrican

Yep, riffing is very Jimmy Page-esque when he uses acoustic guitars, reminds me of the Led Zeppelin III. Strings and laughs at the end seem like a reference to I Am the Walrus as well.

Strings remind me of Curtis Mayfield too.

Strings in Glass Eyes are very Debussy. It's a great piece if you're in the mood for it... would love to hear an instrumental only take.

I didn't appresh the "broken hearts / make it rain" double-entendre until I watched older clips of Yorke dancing while singing it live, now I agree that it is v.poetic & sweet

Which two meanings are you thinking of? Almost seems line there could be 3:

- broken hearts/tears
- divorce settlements
- making money selling albums that appeal to sad people (I don't really think that's true but the popular perception of radiohead's music is that it's for miserable people)

- choosing between kano and rain

- game 6 of 2015 nba finals

http://i.imgur.com/SuqlDWS.jpg

Strings on "The Numbers" seem to come straight out of here for me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3WeNexb2a8

this album is a grower, huh?

Ha, I was thinking I was kind of done with it...

haha... well I'm only on 7th listen or so

anyone ever come up w an excuse for the album title?

Nah, they're talking about a person named moon (Keith?) and how they influenced the game of billiards

― 6 god none the richer (m bison), Monday, May 9, 2016 12:24 PM (1 week ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

well it's either a pool that's shaped like the moon or a pool shaped by the moon

something to do with the tide being affected by the moon... I dunno... guess we discussed all this up thread.

duno if it's been mentioned upthread but apparently identikit starts of with the mumbling of

A moon shaped pool
A desert cold
You love me
Now I know that there’s no more me
Whole me

well I guess I was never into radiohead for the lrx

I buy into the Keith Moon theory

lots of 'love/relationship' lyrics huh?

Huh, I would have never known those were the words if I hadn't read them.

xp people are calling it a breakup album right?

Ful Stop has a line something like "why should I behave if you can't" which is a bit ouch.