Few bands have as dedicated and rabid a fan base as Radiohead. I should know, they’re my favorite band. Everything they do or say makes it to the front page of every music blog known to man. Even music critics are a part of the Radiohead cult, according to Wikipedia, Ok Computer and Kid A topped more critics lists for the best albums of their respective decades than any other album. This is mostly due to the fact that over the years Radiohead has continued to change, evolve, and expand their sound with each new release. They never make the same album twice, every time it seems they have a winning formula they somehow subvert it and people still love them. So in typical fashion I had no idea what to expect from this new album. Would it be abstract and electronic? Orchestral and beautiful? Catchy and guitar based? The answer it turns out was orchestral and beautiful.

Lead guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Jonny Greenwood has become well known recently for his incredible scores for films like There Will Be Blood and The Master.  The amazingly detailed and intricate string work of the scores of those films carries into this album, with the other primary instruments being piano, drums, subtle electronics, horns, choirs, acoustic guitar, and the occasional bass guitar and electric guitar. This is definitely not a rock based album by any means though it is is a very low key, detailed, and introspective album. An album to listen to by yourself in a dark room when you’re having a bad day rather than one to party to. Yorke’s lyrics are depressing even by Radiohead’s standards. There’s an overwhelming sense of defeat and despair on the album and Yorke’s words and how he performs them are perfect for the sound.

I am still amazed every time that I listen to a Radiohead album how they just don’t seem to age like a lot of other bands. Their music still feels fresh, creative, and very in touch. Their tendency to change their sound has actually helped them in the aging process because they don’t sound like middle-aged men trying to rock out, they sound like middle-aged men having an orchestral mid-life crisis. Which is perfect.

The songs are all great, there wasn’t any that really stuck out to me as much weaker than the others. Opener “Burn The Witch” is frantic, tense, and yet still somehow catchy. “Daydreaming” is almost unbearably sad but in a beautiful way. Tracks like “Tinker Tailor”, “Glass Eyes”, and “Decks Dark” are massive and orchestral, with very epic and winding song structures. “Ful Stop” and “Identikit” are the most rock oriented of the tracks but they still incorporate horn sections and a lot of electronic manipulations. “Desert Island Disk”, “The Numbers”, and “The Present Tense” are all acoustic guitar based but each brings a drastically different flavor to the album.  The final song “True Love Waits” is a song the band has been playing live since 1995. Featured here over 20 years later finally making it on an album the previously aggressive acoustic guitar strums and fiery vocals from the live version have been replaced with delicately played piano and a soft heartbreaking vocal delivery.

Overall the album is pretty great. Sure it’s layback and more detailed than direct but I appreciate a band that is all about the little details.  It may not live up to their best work, but it’s still a great album.

9/10 Recommended for Radiohead fans. Honestly if you haven’t heard anything the band’s done I would start with some of their earlier work. This album is great but it’s very mellow and I wouldn’t say it’s the best introduction to the band. I do encourage you check them out though of course.