THE KING OF LIMBS

You release a pair of albums like OK Computer and Kid A, you set up a lot of expectations for every album you release thereafter. There'll be those who were stunned by both albums, elevate you to the status of genius, and immediately assume everything else you release will also be genius. There'll be those who liked them but assume that you have now peaked and will look at everything else with a jaded eye. And there will be those who just didn't "get it" and who look to new albums to prove that the hype is empty. You greatly reduce the possibility that someone will be able to come to your music without some pre-conceived notion of how good the music will be.

Myself, I hadn't really listened to anything Radiohead released after Kid A, so I had no idea where to expect Radiohead to be at this point, ten years later. Well, they have advanced since Kid A, but stylistically, they are not very far off. Electronics remain an important part of Radioheads sound, as do the thin, fragile vocals of Thom Yorke. And honestly, from my perspective, these are good things. Kid A never impressed me as it did others, but there was a cold, sterile, clinical feel to the music that, when I was in the right mood, could floor me.

Here, we have a bit more warmth than we did on Kid A, which for me makes this album more listenable more often. There is something of an organic sound to the electronics this time, and I think that the guitar playing helps a lot as well. We are still talking music that emphasizes musical texture over melody. And there is a fragility to this music, partially because of Thom Yorke's unique singing style where at times he almost mumbles, and partially because of the music is not incredibly dense, but this fragility is countered with a solid base on the drums that creates a really interesting dynamic.

Being more approachable is good, but this album rarely reaches any high heights for me. Thom Yorke's mumbling makes some of the songs seem to lose out on their meaning; there are no great revelations here. Still, nothing bores here either.

Unsure? Check out the track Feral. It is the most perfect build up of atmosphere in this album, I think, although it is also the shortest track.