Radiohead caught once again, in first ‘bloom’

I wrote this. For a friend. I wanted to avoid words like 'groovy', 'brooding', 'lilting' and phrases like 'uncharted territories', most of them staples in music reviews and some in descriptions of Radiohead's music.
Also I barely had any ideas of how to describe the package that is TKOL, the effect the whole thing has, the experience each song is, so please pardon the complete n00biness of it.
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 Radiohead caught once again, in first ‘bloom’


When it comes to bands exploring new sounds, no one’s dropped a bigger bomb than Radiohead, when they released their mind-bending album Kid A in 2000. Their persistence and continued experimentation in that direction has led to it becoming the sound that they and only they can be identified by immediately.

In their last release, 2007’s In Rainbows, it seemed they had perfected the foreboding, moody song that brought you down and left you wondering. King of Limbs continues on that trajectory with its loops, samples, hushed whispers and frantic chants. The album opens with Bloom, a personal favourite, with its clashing drums and synthesizer hook that moves just a step behind the drums, trying to catch up and making wonderful music in the process. The groovy sound connects Bloom with Little by Little and Lotus Flower on the album, easily the most pop Radiohead could sound. Lotus Flower especially is a great track; the brooding bass grabs your attention, Thom Yorke’s crooning runs rings around you. All he wants is the moon on a stick he declares, creeping into your head. On Little by Little, the repetitive chants appear with the band shuffling words and drum beats into each other, exhibiting the signature unstable Radiohead energy.

Morning Mr Magpie and Feral try to deviate, jump the tempo with their rushed rhythm and bass. Accusatory lyrics and intimidating noise, they stick out on an otherwise mellow collection. The slower tracks are the gems as I always feel to be the case. Codex with its lilting keyboard bass takes you through space as Yorke’s voice floats around, convincing in his urging for an escape. The slightest hints of a guitar being plucked pepper Give Up the Ghost, with forgiveness and reconciliation being its theme. Separator is a nice, upbeat conclusion to the unusually short album (just eight tracks).

It’s a sign-off track, talking about going back to a familiar place, finding old comforts and being pleased by how liberating it is. But then they warn you, “If you think this is over then you’re wrong”. The message couldn’t be clearer: If you think Radiohead is done charting unknown territories with their music — you’re wrong.
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Hope that weren't corny.
This first appeared in Deccan Chronicle on July 16, 2011 Link

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