That quote from The Guardian’s Mike Beaumont is meant to be an insult, but I see it as a compliment. Fair enough, even when considering the upward-climbing piano of “Pyramid Song,” the New Orleans funeral of “Life in a Glass House,” and of course, the free-ranging trumpets, trombones, and saxophones of “The National Anthem.” So let’s call it caveman jazz - jazz overseen by a frontman who has no formal music training at all (let alone jazz training) jazz where the horn players are merely instructed to “Just blow, just blow, just blow!” jazz that’s “Mingus-in-a-tumble-dryer racket.”
“Sail to the Moon” from Hail to the Thief (2003)Īny purist of the genre would scoff at us calling Radiohead a jazz band. Mary Kate McGrath “DROPPED FROM THE MOONBEAM” (Ominous lullaby) “My Iron Lung” foreshadows the more experimental future for the band, showcasing their uncanny ability to write a song that contains many movements and moods yet still remains cohesive. The song is also a clear homage to the grunge acts that shaped their early sound, moving between soft verses and a furious guitar bridge that unmistakably nods to Nirvana’s “Heart-Shaped Box.” Radiohead wanted to show that they stood on their own as part of the massive musical movement, but also that the grunge throne was not one they sought to inherit. The iron lung described in the lyrics represents how “Creep” gave them mainstream success and therefore life, but also wonders if it will hold them back and prevent audiences from taking them seriously as artists. The band was well aware of this, so as a response to their reputation, they released “My Iron Lung,” a song that lyrically and sonically acknowledges grunge as formative for the group, then expresses frustration over its limitations. The smash success of “Creep” didn’t help. In the early ’90s, grunge dominated the airwaves, and with the release of Pablo Honey, many critics shrugged off Radiohead as British imitators of the genre. “Paranoid Android” from OK Computer (1997) Dan Caffrey “UNBORN CHICKEN VOICES IN MY HEAD” (Science-fiction short story) As any fan can attest, one of the best things about listening to Radiohead is disagreeing about Radiohead. If you feel we totally missed the boat, leave your 10 favorite gateway songs in the comments section below. And if you can get behind all 10, you just might be a convert.īut that’s just our opinion. If you can get into at least one tune, chances are you’ll find a whole lot more of them to like throughout their discography. Like all of our In 10 Songs features, these aren’t necessarily the 10 best Radiohead songs, but the ones we feel best represent the many sides of the band while also unveiling their sometimes hidden accessibility.
But to dismiss it entirely would be to miss out on sci-fi landscapes, wild experimentation, hook-filled grunge, and even some dance beats here and there. That’s because it’s easy to categorize their music as serious, self-important, and depressing - and it is, sometimes. Take it.įor some of us, it takes a while to get into Radiohead, if we ever get into them at all. This article was originally published in 2016, but we’re dusting it off for Thom Yorke’s birthday on October 7th.Įver felt overwhelmed by an artist’s extensive back catalog? Been meaning to check out a band, but you just don’t know where to begin? In 10 Songs is here to help, offering a crash course and entry point into the daunting discographies of iconic artists of all genres. The post Radiohead in 10 Songs appeared first on Consequence.
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