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stev
Jan 22, 2013

Please be excited.



I feel like the mood has really turned against AMSP these last few years which surprises me quite a bit. As much as I love ALFAA it doesn't have anything on AMSP. Burn the Witch, Daydreaming, True Love Waits, Identikit, Present Tense and Ful Stop are still all timers for me nearly a decade later.


Eight years. gently caress. :smith: And I remember thinking the wait between TKOL and AMSP was torturously long.


After a second listen WoE feels like it exists in the space between Thom's solo work and the last album.

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BigFactory
Sep 17, 2002

Automata 10 Pack posted:

It’s good but it feels like there’s no concept behind it. Like they were just riffing out a bunch of songs and since they had enough that fit together for over 40 minutes it was time to release an album.

Isn’t that what most rock records are? Even most Radiohead records? Even the last Smile record?

triple sulk
Sep 17, 2014



It's hard to explain why, but AMSP just doesn't really do it for me any more. Again, it's all good music, but I'd rather spin Amnesiac or HTTT if I'm going to play an album of theirs. I'm also the person for whom Amok would probably rank in the top 5-6ish of all RH/Thom side projects though, so take my opinion strictly for what it is. That album kicked amazing amounts of rear end live, and the tickets I bought resale to one of the AfP shows were $13 each for relatively good seats.

Rageaholic
May 31, 2005

Old Town Road to EGOT

triple sulk posted:

It's hard to explain why, but AMSP just doesn't really do it for me any more. Again, it's all good music, but I'd rather spin Amnesiac or HTTT if I'm going to play an album of theirs. I'm also the person for whom Amok would probably rank in the top 5-6ish of all RH/Thom side projects though, so take my opinion strictly for what it is. That album kicked amazing amounts of rear end live, and the tickets I bought resale to one of the AfP shows were $13 each for relatively good seats.
:agreed:

I used to not like AMSP at all. Now I like it more, but it's not in my top favorite Radiohead albums. If I had to pick a top 5, it's Kid A, In Rainbows, OK Computer, HTTT and Amnesiac.

Amok is so good, too. I really wish I'd been able to see them live.

Jewmanji
Dec 28, 2003
AMSP is the only RH album that I've liked less with time (The Bends too, I suppose). I keep revisiting it once a year or so. The first three tracks and Present Tense are all great, but some of the others are just really flat for me.

Wall of Eyes reminds me a bit of the recent Animal Collective album Time Skiffs, which is not AC's most experimental album, but it has these very long, extended grooves on it. Just check out the first track and I think the comparison will make sense. The songs on Wall of Eyes are on average a bit longer than usual, and I definitely think have a looser structure than what we're accustomed to from Thom/Jonny- the end of certain songs seem to just be improvisational. The sleepiness comments aren't a total shock to me, but I love this new album a lot.

Shining Toaster
Sep 26, 2007

It's all boiling over...
(Yes I know, my avatar, it was funnier to me all those years ago with the whole trench coat/fedora goon thing but in any case let’s pretend it has no bearing here)

The only Radiohead-adjacent thing I’ve heard that I would call “sleepy” is Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes, none of The Smile’s output strikes me as sleepy at all. Wall of Eyes in particular actually hits as distressingly anxious, but even if that’s not the vibe you feel I think the arrangements are really loving interesting and I’m a little in love with all of it. A lot of that is Jonny Greenwood insisting that there be more “wrong notes” in everything, the man is a mad genius and that’s exactly what sets this work apart from something like Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes.

Though full disclosure, I also think The King of Limbs is severely underrated, so I might just be an idiot :shrug:

e: “Johnny” != “Jonny”

Shining Toaster fucked around with this message at 23:05 on Jan 27, 2024

SUNKOS
Jun 4, 2016


triple sulk posted:

It's hard to explain why, but AMSP just doesn't really do it for me any more. Again, it's all good music, but I'd rather spin Amnesiac or HTTT if I'm going to play an album of theirs. I'm also the person for whom Amok would probably rank in the top 5-6ish of all RH/Thom side projects though, so take my opinion strictly for what it is. That album kicked amazing amounts of rear end live, and the tickets I bought resale to one of the AfP shows were $13 each for relatively good seats.

You've probably heard them but just in case you haven't I highly recommend the b-sides from the AfP singles that didn't make it onto Amok, they're excellent. Some other stuff floating around too. That was a really great side project and it's a shame only one album came from it.

Barry Foster
Dec 24, 2007

What is going wrong with that one (face is longer than it should be)
Daydreaming is enough on its own to make AMSP a great album

And there are other excellent tracks on there too

But Daydreaming, goddamn

Jewmanji
Dec 28, 2003

SUNKOS posted:

You've probably heard them but just in case you haven't I highly recommend the b-sides from the AfP singles that didn't make it onto Amok, they're excellent. Some other stuff floating around too. That was a really great side project and it's a shame only one album came from it.

Thanks, I'd never heard these Magic Beanz is great. I'm always chasing that high that I got from The Eraser. If you haven't heard this, you should:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI0Gdne3ON4

Dugong
Mar 18, 2013

I don't know what to do,
I'm going to lose my mind

Barry Foster posted:

Daydreaming is enough on its own to make AMSP a great album

And there are other excellent tracks on there too

But Daydreaming, goddamn

Completely agree. Daydreaming is one of my favourite Radiohead songs. It’s up there with Idioteque and Everything In Its Right Place. I adore the ending of Tinker Tailor and True Love Waits as well.

Freaquency
May 10, 2007

"Yes I can hear you, I don't have ear cancer!"

Barry Foster posted:

Daydreaming is enough on its own to make AMSP a great album

And there are other excellent tracks on there too

But Daydreaming, goddamn

I will stan eternally for The Numbers

shoeberto
Jun 13, 2020

which way to the MACHINES?
I think AMSP is just too loaded emotionally. It's kinda draining. There are movies I've loved that are the same way. I can't just watch them at the drop of a hat, it feels more like an investment. That's the difference between AMSP and the older albums for me.

Sir Lemming
Jan 27, 2009

It's a piece of JUNK!
First impression is I like this a lot and probably better than the first one. Then again I think I liked ALFAA better the first time I listened to it and then later I was like "hmm this does kinda drag in places". So I dunno, we'll see.

Also I somehow missed, before, that Bending Hectic is describing some kind of car crash and it's so much more chilling now, and the first part keeps my attention better than it used to, knowing how it's going to end.

Jewmanji
Dec 28, 2003

Sir Lemming posted:

Also I somehow missed, before, that Bending Hectic is describing some kind of car crash and it's so much more chilling now, and the first part keeps my attention better than it used to, knowing how it's going to end.

Same. It almost feels like a new Exit Music to me.

Framboise
Sep 21, 2014

To make yourself feel better, you make it so you'll never give in to your forevers and live for always.


Lipstick Apathy

shoeberto posted:

I think AMSP is just too loaded emotionally. It's kinda draining. There are movies I've loved that are the same way. I can't just watch them at the drop of a hat, it feels more like an investment. That's the difference between AMSP and the older albums for me.

Agreed. It's my very favorite, but I can't just listen to it any time. The mood needs to be right for that one.

Meanwhile I can listen to In Rainbows or Amnesiac anytime.

Volte
Oct 4, 2004

woosh woosh

Sir Lemming posted:

Also I somehow missed, before, that Bending Hectic is describing some kind of car crash and it's so much more chilling now, and the first part keeps my attention better than it used to, knowing how it's going to end.
I think it's even darker than that. The slings and arrows part evokes that famous speech from Hamlet, where Hamlet is contemplating suicide:

quote:

To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?
The song starts out describing coming up to a hairpin turn on a mountainside, then in a frozen moment in time he sees the two possible outcomes playing out simultaneously ("I swear I'm seeing double"): let go of the wheel and go over the edge, or force himself to turn. In the climax, the moment passes, and he triumphantly forces himself to turn.

BigFactory
Sep 17, 2002
Seeing Bending Hectic live was super intense. The crowd had been pretty dancy up to that point and when BH started everyone stopped to listen what was going on.

SUNKOS
Jun 4, 2016


Jewmanji posted:

Thanks, I'd never heard these Magic Beanz is great. I'm always chasing that high that I got from The Eraser. If you haven't heard this, you should:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI0Gdne3ON4

I forgot that existed! Thanks for reminding me :) Gonna listen to Rabbit in the Headlights for the first time in eons now too.

Volte posted:

I'm so confused about all the descriptions of this album as "sleepy", or any Radiohead music for that matter. Read The Room is sleepy music?

Yeah, that track is the opposite of sleepy music, the riff is really sinister and the track reeks of anxiety and dread. I have a feeling that might be their next choice of single? My only issue is the final third where the song change sounds a little goofy imo. They had this fantastic riff they were building up and set such an incredible mood and style and then suddenly it's just jangly guitar and kinda jamming? These guys are the professionals, not me, but if there's one thing Thom excels at is finding really dark and moody synth sounds and I think that would have been a better end to the song rather than completely changing the mood and ditching that excellent riff. Alternately I'm sure Jonny could have concocted a really dark string section to build up and close the track as well. As it is however, it's a bit of a head scratcher. Might see if I can chop that final section off in Audacity in a way that doesn't sound terrible.

On a somewhat related note, remember when AMSP was considered a beach album? :haw:

BigFactory
Sep 17, 2002
It’s not?

Volte
Oct 4, 2004

woosh woosh
I like the two part nature of Read the Room. Kind of reminds me of Transatlantic Drawl in that way.

hughesta
Jun 12, 2012

i know its super duper kooper
cool like up the bitches snitches

Automata 10 Pack posted:

It’s good but it feels like there’s no concept behind it. Like they were just riffing out a bunch of songs and since they had enough that fit together for over 40 minutes it was time to release an album.

It's funny because this is exactly how I feel about ALFAA, while I think WoE is pretty strongly linked thematically through all the lyrics about surveillance and paranoia

Volte
Oct 4, 2004

woosh woosh
I think both albums are pretty thematically in line with most of Thom's writing, which is to say loosely connected via a thread through both abstractly personal songs and songs about the news and society in general, with The Smile definitely leaning into the latter a lot harder than Radiohead tends to. The lyrics of that lost In Rainbows-era song Bodies Laughing (as sung on the last Smile tour) revealed it to pretty explicitly be about that bizarre UK fad of "happy slapping" that was in the news circa 2005-ish so I'm not at all surprised that they shelved it as being thematically totally wrong for In Rainbows, while equally not being surprised that The Smile dragged it back out. Looking forward to hearing a studio version of that one actually.

Sir Lemming
Jan 27, 2009

It's a piece of JUNK!
The intro of "Under Our Pillows" reminds me of the intro to "Thin Thing" so now I'm calling it Thicc Thing.

Automata 10 Pack
Jun 21, 2007

Ten games published by Automata, on one cassette
the smile made melon smile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXeLuZ9SUSM

Automata 10 Pack
Jun 21, 2007

Ten games published by Automata, on one cassette
dang, killed this thread with Fantano

Anyways after listening this a whole bunch it’s themes clicked with me. It’s like the same political themes from that late 90s Radiohead but from the perspective of the billionaires and celebrities rather than the consumer class. I dont think the “Wall of Eyes” is the surveillance system but how public opinion and perceptive can be built and used as a shield for the elites.

Automata 10 Pack fucked around with this message at 15:14 on Feb 13, 2024

Pontificating Ass
Aug 2, 2002

What Doth Life?
Anyone ever have one of those days where you want to listen to, specifically, Radiohead's "The National Anthem" and when do you you realize it might be the best song ever made. Look, I know there are a lot of good songs out there, but... goddamn

Bismack Billabongo
Oct 9, 2012

Wet
It’s a good song. I would say it is not a top three song on its album though (Morning Bell, Kid A, How to Disappear)

Bismack Billabongo
Oct 9, 2012

Wet
The new Radiothread Meta is ranking each albums songs from best to worst instead of ranking each album from best to worst

Pontificating Ass
Aug 2, 2002

What Doth Life?

Bismack Billabongo posted:

The new Radiothread Meta is ranking each albums songs from best to worst instead of ranking each album from best to worst

:getin:

Sand Monster
Apr 13, 2008

Bismack Billabongo posted:

It’s a good song. I would say it is not a top three song on its album though (Morning Bell, Kid A, How to Disappear)

Fair. For me, it's one that is significantly better live, though.

Bismack Billabongo
Oct 9, 2012

Wet

Sand Monster posted:

Fair. For me, it's one that is significantly better live, though.

They did it at one of the two shows I saw them at and tbh without the brass instruments it was a little lacking. I get why it would be an ordeal to wrangle that but yknow.

Phil also didn’t do the cool drum part at the end of All I Need and I could have strangled him for it

Bismack Billabongo
Oct 9, 2012

Wet

Morning 🔔
🧒 A
How To 🫥
Idioteque
The national anthem
Everything in its right place
In 🦵 o
Optimistic
🌲 fingers
Motion picture soundtrack

Bismack Billabongo
Oct 9, 2012

Wet
Pyramid 🎵
Life in 🥃 🏡
👍 😵‍💫 🍽️
I might be 😑
Packt 👍 sardines in a crushd tin can
🔪 out
You and whose army?
💸 and cents
Pull/pulk revolving 🚪
Hunting 🐻
Morning 🔔 amnesiac

Bismack Billabongo
Oct 9, 2012

Wet
Weird 🐟 🐡 🐠
Reckoner
15 Step
Videotape
All I need
Faust arp
Nude
Bodysnatchers
🧩 falling into place
🏠 of 💳

Hackers film 1995
Nov 4, 2009

Hack the planet!

edit:
creep
the national anthem
idioteque
everything in its right place
how to disappear completely
morning bell
optimistic
motion picture soundtrack
kid a
in limbo
treefingers

Hackers film 1995 fucked around with this message at 04:51 on Mar 28, 2024

SUNKOS
Jun 4, 2016


Pontificating rear end posted:

Anyone ever have one of those days where you want to listen to, specifically, Radiohead's "The National Anthem" and when do you you realize it might be the best song ever made. Look, I know there are a lot of good songs out there, but... goddamn

It is a banger. Am I right in thinking the song started with Thom having that bass riff and they went from there? Really cool and I love the horns and weird vocal effect (what is that?!) and the Ondes Martenot (I think?) providing the eerie background atmosphere. I can't imagine the song without the brass live however, there's enough people in the band that someone could provide them via keyboard/samples because we've come far enough that they sound good so it's weird to omit such an integral part of the song. I think it would be a better contribution than Jonny fiddling about with a radio but hey v:shobon:v

Speaking of, I feel like Trans-Atlantic Drawl is very much the companion track to that song and I love that they dial the brass up to 11 and let Jonny do his thing on guitar throughout. Shame it's so short (and I really wish Thom didn't make those goofy noises at the start) but it's in the same vein and really fun imo. I think these two along with Idioteque and Myxomatosis are ideal live songs, and I'd lump the original version of Ful Stop in there too since that was insanely good live.

I'm guessing the answer is probably no, but does anyone know if they've ever performed Trans-Atlantic Drawl live? Can imagine an extended version of the first half of the track being really fun.

HD DAD
Jan 13, 2010

Generic white guy.

Toilet Rascal

SUNKOS posted:

Am I right in thinking the song started with Thom having that bass riff and they went from there? Really cool and I love the horns and weird vocal effect (what is that?!)

Yep, according to interviews Thom had that bass riff kicking around since he was 16. He also played it on the studio version, as opposed to Colin.

The vocal effect is a ring modulator, which can produce a whole host of crazy noises - including the voice of the Daleks from Doctor Who!

Jewmanji
Dec 28, 2003
I believe a ring modulator is what's used on the Myxomatosis bassline, right?

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Costco Meatballs
Oct 21, 2022
gently caress can you imagine waiting 20 years to unleash that bassline on the world? Just living in fear you are in a supermarket and you find that Timbaland got around to doing it first? It's Blue Orchid level of how has nobody put this in a song yet

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