…toilet trained and dumb,
When the power runs out,
We’ll just hum”
- My Iron Lung.
Thus began the Radiohead story. Certainly what kicked-off as a seemingly mediocre and immature yet penultimate debut with Pablo Honey (remember “Creep”?), Radiohead was no one-hit wonder as was anticipated. Their sophomore record “The Bends” in 1995 established the truly “Radiohead” genre in alt rock --- addition to media hailing it as “intelligent music”. Originality is the basis of fact in the record. Beauty is the apex. The futuristic and torturing lyrics carve a haunting and limitless imagery bringing to life war sequences and the “attitudes” of inanimate things. Thom’s voice is fragile and powerful, a soothing cocktail of clear pitches dissolved in his saliva.
“The bends” was recognized as their prototypical sound (with newer bands like Travis, Coldplay being inspired by them) with heavy layered epics like Just and the title song to vacant soundscapes of Fake Plastic Trees, miles and miles away from down-the-toilet indie and boisterous pop.
“The Bends” their first single from this album, starts with a suspenseful slight murmur for about 8 seconds…I’m still trying to figure out what it is! The song as a whole is an enthusiastic upsurge of Thom’s blatant emotions among the heavily layered tri-guitar attack of Thom, Jon and Ed, a euphemistically expressed angst of a runaway prisoner (they brought in the CIA/the tanks and whole marines to blow me away/ to blow me sky high). I simply love it. Cut in the similar vein as “Just” and “Black Star” with the former being a hard “pastiche” rocker with sandwiched electronic beats and the latter being a painful ballad with genteel climax and a sublime burning conclusion with lyrics complaining of the trysts with destiny.
“Planet Telex” is the radiant opener beginning with a whiff of electronic wind and followed by and acoustic intro of radiating vibes created by the synth. Not much in length but quite promising and impressive.
“High and Dry” is an overall favourite. It is beautiful with mellow, calm lyrics with a chorus that’ll remained glued to the memory. Thom’s juicy vocals skyrocket again to discourage the life of wannabes and fame- seekers who can sell their soul well for it. Maintains a steady pace with a dim saccharine-like feel, but has a dry and cold end.
Sorry, can’t describe “Fake Plastic Trees”. I’m too inarticulate to explain that because it’s my favourite. Its slow, depressing treading to the climax is sensuous later uplifting itself to utter despair. I love these lines “She looks like the real thing, she tastes like the real thing , my fake plastic love” --- I haven’t read anything more lovelier than this.
“Bulletproof … I wish I was” is the mellowest of all tracks with a lightly strummed guitar and retarded pace though it holds not much of importance though it would have served well as a B-side.
“Street Spirit (fade out)” is a slow, painful, vortex of deep emotion and spiraling instrumentation…a substance that won’t fade out. You could break out on this, consider the lyrics “cracked birds, dead eggs/scream as they fight for life/ I can feel death can see through its beady eyes.” It has one steady pace, which is unlike the other tracks.
“My Iron Lung” one of Radiohead’s popular pieces is a silent killer. Its frightfully torturing lyrics did grate on me at first but know I like it. It is beautiful and commands the real world as it is. With a clear distinctive of Radiohead’s scornful bite, it is the only one of its kinds.
Perhaps the least memorable tracks are “(Nice Dream)”, “Sulk” and “Bones”. “Nice Dream” is the stuff goodnight kisses are made of as it gives placid satisfaction.
“Sulk” has a sulked bite. Is it complaining about associate contemporaries? Could be. Though it is a bit empty, it’s a magnificent display of Thom’s vocals and sulked lyrics (Sometimes you sulk, sometimes you burn, God rest your soul, when loving comes). “Bones” is dry and poetically expressed and hard to define. Another recommended B-side by me.
That’s it. Those were the twelve tracks. Sometimes it really surprises me why boy-bands sell more and I’ll tell you the reason for one-such depression many millions suffer from (who else, fans of-course) --- it’s their FANCIFUL LOVE https://lyrics. God, rest their soul when the loving comes. (=that’s from Sulk).
Radiohead is relatively unknown in India as sales are mostly of modern pop and classic rock (consider the number of music reviews written in M and you’ll find the same lists of Ten Best Songs everywhere in MS). Their new album “Hail to the Thief” was released this June. Lucky I was indeed; I got a Radiohead T-shit free from Planet M with the purchase (I was surprised), wondering any fans out here though?
Radiohead are:
Thom Yorke - vocal/piano/guitar
Jon Greenwood - lead guitar/synthesizer/organ/piano/recorder
Colin Greenwood - bass
Ed O’Brien - guitar
Phil Selway - drums
Till then –
Immerse your soul in love.