Radiohead: What happened?

The electronic experimental sound is not the problem on their last albums. The new songs are really bad. 

I really enjoy their last couple of albums, I like the direction they've taken.

I have a little exaggerated by speaking of bad songs. Radiohead  didn't write very  bad things, simply because they have good taste. I like that cover of one of the best Smiths song. A big influence of the band.

I Heard OK Computer (and Grandaddy Sophtware slump) when they came out and at a point when most progressive music seemed at its lowest ebb in the mainstream music media.. for me, i heard echo's of something which connected with elements of bands like VDGG and king crimson.. they also caught a feeling of the time (which later was manipulated into EMO- so my kids told me..) and resonated personally. I do rate their music though i dont listen to much of their music these days (my son passed me 'in Rainbows' which i did really enjoy) and Thom Yorkes recommendation of Sigur Ros turned me on to them before they became massively popular. I like Early Porcupine tree and have seen SW a few times live (and enjoyed the show- how could such a fantastically talented band of session players not be fantasic!) but am increasingly  (and sadly)un-impressed by his recorded output. Are either Progressive?? I think Radiohead are progressive but not 'Prog' whereas SW is increasingly 'Prog' and yet becoming less progressive.

Lyrics which reflect personal dissapointment, sadness, introspection, loneliness, alienation from society or/and environment do not make something 'Emo'!!! otherwise much of Peter Hammill, Scott Walker, Nick Cave, Roy Harper, Keith Reid (Procul Harum), Barclay James Harvest or Moody blues lyrical output would be considered Emo! Lots of songs over generations have been written about and address these themes and that of depression.. The mildly Gothy 'Emo' youngsters that my children were and hung out with just looked for music and lyrics that reflected their own awkwardness and 'sense of being' at that age (as did we when we were that age).. most moved on quickly to metal of one form or another or just grew out of it.. One or two didnt and there are some truely sad and awful stories but it is not the music or fashion that caused the issues it was the eternal need of young people to connect with something which reflects how they feel inside.

There is also this genre called 'Shoegazing' (or have i gone completely nuts again?) which i dont quite understand but i have heard it used in reference to what early Radiohead were about.. not sure.. think it could apply to quite a few of the more 'down' sounding and lo-fi bands of the 90's (like Grandaddy, Mercury Rev etc)
The Bends is probably the lp which has most of those 'Alt rock' elements and is certainly lyrically the scratchiest, itchiest howling teenage angst of all which is why i can see that it could be related it to 'Emo' as a genre. In OK Computer it all became more adult, more focused less senselessly thrashing about in the dark.

Cosmiclawnmower wrote: There is also this genre called 'Shoegazing' (or have i gone completely nuts again?) which i dont quite understand but i have heard it used in reference to what early Radiohead were about.. not sure.. think it could apply to quite a few of the more 'down' sounding and lo-fi bands of the 90's (like Grandaddy, Mercury Rev etc)

Svetonio wrote: LearsFool wrote: (...) And, remember for once, emo is a punk style, and the vocals are melodramatic. Since when is Radiohead punk? And is there anything about Thom Yorke's vocal style that suggests melodrama? No. (...) LOL! Thom York's voice was so unique at that time that there was none needed for him to use that melodramatic trash. Though, there was that punkish influence in their 90s songs and you simply can't deny that.

Emo? Shoegazing?