*** Post-1979 Album Draft - Commentary Thread ***

[Mithrandir]

That's about right for me as well - just can't get into King of Limbs but I really enjoy In Rainbows.

Mith, here are some you might like - "Fake Plastic Trees", "Street Spirit (Fade Out)", "Subterranean Homesick Alien", "No Surprises", "National Anthem", "Arpeggiator (Weird Fishes)", "Knives Out"

"Subterranean Homesick Alien" - ugh..sounds like a mediocre Pink Floyd cover band.
"Fake Plastic Trees" - 4:51 of boring..zzzzzzzzzzzzz not interesting at all
"National Anthem" - El Diablo summed this song up with his comment of "enormous amalgamation of everything boring in modern music."
"Arpeggi Weird Fishes" - I just hear noise that doesn't really sound all that interesting.
"Knives Out" - more boring music.

I didn't hear one really good hook or melody in any of these songs.

Radiohead are just not interesting at all to me. Too monotonous. Thom Yorkes voice just sounds blah and boring......snooze...

[senorsheep]

One measure of how great a band is IMO, is how difficult it is to rank their best albums.

Not too difficult for me.

1) The Bends - Memorable stand-alone songs from start to finish. Sometimes the best concept is no concept. Easy win.

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2) Kid A - You have to invest a lot in this one, and it's not always easy, but if you are willing and able, the payoff comes eventually. Anyone who says they "got" this on the first listen is a liar.
3) OK Computer - I understand the heaping of critical praise, but ambition is great only so far as it is realized, and OK does lose its way at times, IMO.

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4) In Rainbows - In fairness, I've only given this one a few cursory listens. It's on my "Give it another try someday" list.
5) Hail To The Thief - Ditto.
6) Amnesiac - I spend more time with this one than the previous two. Uneven, and often bewildering, but if you have an ear for electronica, there are some great moments here.

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7) Pablo Honey - Pretty raw, but it has some good songs, you can hear the potential for what's to to come.

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8) The King Of Limbs - Even they sound bored. LOL

[johnnya24]

Two Billy Squier albums drafted? Did not see that coming.

[X] 2 x Billy Squier
[ ] Lifes Rich Pagaent

[johnnya24]

One measure of how great a band is IMO, is how difficult it is to rank their best albums. Here's how I'd rank Radiohead's today:

OK Computer
Kid A
The Bends
In Rainbows
Hail to the Thief
Amnesiac
Pablo Honey
The King of Limbs

Rated up there with the greatest of all-time, which is about right.

OK Computer
In Rainbows ~ The Bends (depending on mood)
Kid A

Amnesiac ~ King Of Limbs ~ Hail To The Thief

Pablo Honey

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If you haven't already, you need to try the OK Computer / In Rainbows mashup:

1. Starting with the first track on OK, make a playlist that interchanges the first 10 songs of each record

i.e. 1st song from OK, 1st song from Rainbows, 2nd song from OK, 2nd song from Rainbows ... until you have 20 tracks on your playlist.

2. Add a 10 second crossfade (important)

3. Profit + mind (semi) blown.

[johnnya24]

I don't care as much for In Rainbows and King of Limbs, which are long on atmosphere and short on hooks. Most people I know that are really into them are stoners.

Am not a stoner, and really like both those records ... though I can see why stoners might also like them

Both records are heavily influenced by underground electronic and ambient music ... so I guess it helps to have some interest there. But In Rainbows has plenty of guitars, and some pretty amazing melodies.

In Rainbows in particular is full of hooks, but I think you need a degree of familiarity to appreciate them. It's definitely not an instantly accessible record. It's probably one of those records you get drawn back to time and time again just to see what everyone is on about ... and then it eventually clicks.

[Mithrandir]

Rated up there with the greatest of all-time, which is about right.

OK Computer
In Rainbows ~ The Bends (depending on mood)
Kid A

Amnesiac ~ King Of Limbs ~ Hail To The Thief

Pablo Honey

------------

If you haven't already, you need to try the OK Computer / In Rainbows mashup:

1. Starting with the first track on OK, make a playlist that interchanges the first 10 songs of each record

i.e. 1st song from OK, 1st song from Rainbows, 2nd song from OK, 2nd song from Rainbows ... until you have 20 tracks on your playlist.

2. Add a 10 second crossfade (important)

3. Profit + mind (semi) blown.

Are you really of the belief that Radiohead are one of the greatest bands of all time?

[johnnya24]

Are you really of the belief that Radiohead are one of the greatest bands of all time?

Is this the old Mith?

It's pretty clear they are in a league of their own from bands who have been around since the early/mid 90's. Arcade Fire are the only post 1990 band could eventually emulate Radiohead in terms of all round status ... they have a unique sound and an ambition to push boundaries while still remaining popular.

Metallica or U2 haven't made anything worthwhile since around 1990. REM have retired.

It's been hard for bands post-1980 to create a unique identity and maintain longevity, popularity and quality. Only 2 bands since 1980 have met all 4 of those criteria IMO.

[Pogues]

[X] 2 x Billy Squier
[ ] Lifes Rich Pagaent

I thought that was the one you were talking about. I'd only draft Out of Time or Automatic...so don't count on me to X that one off.

I feel as if I need to jump into the Radiohead conversation. I used to refer to them as a Top 5 favorite band. I really like Pablo Honey, Creep is a Top 5 song for me (of all songs...not Radiohead songs), I think The Bends is fantastic. OK Computer I still enjoy, but it's not quite as good as The Bends.

Then, they started getting to f'in weird. It's like (for me) they were a hot air balloon, and it sprung a leak from a small hole. I still listen to Kid A and Amnesiac now and again, but I don't enjoy them as much as I did at first...and as much as the first three. But then the little leak ripped open, and now it's just doing little fart noises as it plummets to the earth.

I love Thom Yorke's voice...but the group just got goofy artsy. And I just can't get into goofy artsy.

One of the greatest bands of all time? No. Grammy's might say otherwise, but I sometimes wonder if they just handed them to Radiohead for their goofy artsy-ness.

[johnnya24]

I thought that was the one you were talking about. I'd only draft Out of Time or Automatic...so don't count on me to X that one off.

That was a pretty hard decision.

I can see why people moved away from Radiohead when they started to experiment more and expand their sound. But then again, bands that don't develop their sound turn stale and lose relevance. If they kept churning out The Bends, no-one would be interested.

I still look forward to hearing what Radiohead will do with their next record ... not really having a clue what it will sound like. That's pretty rare for bands with 8 records and 20 years already behind them. That just doesn't happen anymore. I put Arcade Fire in that bracket also (potentially).

I liked Green Day for a long time. But they just don't really have the potential to interest me anymore. You just get the impression that everything they record from American Idiot onward will sound like a rehash of everything else they have recorded. I love Pearl Jam, but I know exactly what I'm going to get these days - a fairly straight laced rock record. Their 2013 release was really quite good, but it's everything I expected ... 2 x guitars, bass, drums and vocals. It's good, it was enjoyable, but it's not exciting or particularly interesting compared to other music out there.

[Mithrandir]

Is this the old Mith?

It's pretty clear they are in a league of their own from bands who have been around since the early/mid 90's. Arcade Fire are the only post 1990 band could eventually emulate Radiohead in terms of all round status ... they have a unique sound and an ambition to push boundaries while still remaining popular.

Metallica or U2 haven't made anything worthwhile since around 1990. REM have retired.

It's been hard for bands post-1980 to create a unique identity and maintain longevity, popularity and quality. Only 2 bands since 1980 have met all 4 of those criteria IMO.

No not the old Mith

I am not of the opinion that just because a band is thought by some to be the best of a certain time frame that they should be elevated to GOAT status. A pretty good band in a mediocre era of music does not equate to all time great

Rush has a unique sound and they have always pushed boundaries and have always been popular. If Rush meets your criteria, then why wouldn't you say they rank among the best of all time?

[johnnya24]

No not the old Mith

I am not of the opinion that just because a band is thought by some to be the best of a certain time frame that they should be elevated to GOAT status. A pretty good band in a mediocre era of music does not equate to all time great

Rush has a unique sound and they have always pushed boundaries and have always been popular. If Rush meets your criteria, then why wouldn't you say they rank among the best of all time?

Sure Rush have a hardcore of dedicated fans ... like Iron Maiden, Abba etc. But they aren't popular or relevant to today's audience, nor are creating music or sounds that are pushing any boundaries (or trying to). You like Rush in the same way I like Pearl Jam. I expect good tunes. I don't expect to have my mind blown. They have their box, and they are pretty much stuck in it. Radiohead, Arcade Fire ... I don't know where they are. That's what makes them special.

Rush is fairly straight laced 70's prog proto-metal rock music, in much the same vain as when they started out. I think Snakes and Arrows is a terrific rock record, but it's not pushing any boundaries.

16 year old kids aren't rushing out to hear the latest Rush record. Though a certain segment of 50 year old white males are

[Pogues]

Sure Rush have a hardcore of dedicated fans ... like Iron Maiden, Abba etc. But they aren't popular or relevant to today's audience, nor are creating music or sounds that are pushing any boundaries (or trying to). You like Rush in the same way I like Pearl Jam. I expect good tunes. I don't expect to have my mind blown. They have their box, and they are pretty much stuck in it. Radiohead, Arcade Fire ... I don't know where they are. That's what makes them special.

Rush is fairly straight laced 70's prog proto-metal rock music, in much the same vain as when they started out. I think Snakes and Arrows is a terrific rock record, but it's not pushing any boundaries.

16 year old kids aren't rushing out to hear the latest Rush record. Though a certain segment of 50 year old white males are

The question should be then...will 16 year old kids be rushing out to hear the latest Radiohead record or Arcade Fire record in 20 years?

[Mithrandir]

Sure Rush have a hardcore of dedicated fans ... like Iron Maiden, Abba etc. But they aren't popular or relevant to today's audience, nor are creating music or sounds that are pushing any boundaries (or trying to). You like Rush in the same way I like Pearl Jam. I expect good tunes. I don't expect to have my mind blown. They have their box, and they are pretty much stuck in it. Radiohead, Arcade Fire ... I don't know where they are. That's what makes them special.

Rush is fairly straight laced 70's prog proto-metal rock music, in much the same vain as when they started out. I think Snakes and Arrows is a terrific rock record, but it's not pushing any boundaries.

16 year old kids aren't rushing out to hear the latest Rush record. Though a certain segment of 50 year old white males are

What does Rush' popularity in today's music scene have to do with a discussion of GOAT band? The greatest band of all time, LED ZEPPELIN, aren't relevant to today's audience either Rush's last album "Clockwork Angels" is a blast of hard rock. Probably their best album in 30 years, so they still can make a damn good record.

As far as pushing boundaries goes, that might not always be a good thing.

I just don't see the fascination with Radiohead. And the more i think about them, the more they seem to fit the same mold as Rush does in that they have a dedicated group of followers, probably white males in their 20's and 30's..and are they relevant to today's music scene, i don't know...except Radiohead are darlings of the all-important critics

[BuckyBuckner]

Radiohead are extremely overrated. They are far from the greatest band of all time. To suggest they are is laughable.

[Mithrandir]

Radiohead are extremely overrated. They are far from the greatest band of all time. To suggest they are is laughable.

See the "new " Mith and Bucky agree quite often