Return of the King

Radiohead, the pride of Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England, has returned to the musical stage once again with eight new tracks collectively known as "The King of Limbs". Released with very little advanced billing, "The King of Limbs" is currently available as either a digital download or on vinyl from the band's website, with a CD-version to follow sometime within the following month.

As a longtime fan of Radiohead, I was excited by the news of a new album. Furthermore, I was curious to hear what sound they would embrace, as their first seven albums have shown a progression from guitar-injected rock to near total electronica, and ultimately back to a delicate mix of the two. I've always favored their earlier works ("The Bends", "OK Computer") over albums such as "Kid A" and "Amnesiac", principally due to the presence of multiple guitars. As it turns out, "The King of Limbs" is heavy on synthesizers and fairly light on guitar, but the result is nonetheless captivating and quite an enjoyable listen.

"The King of Limbs" begins with the multifaceted "Bloom". In "Bloom", Thom Yorke philosophizes, "So I lose and start over, don't blow your mind with why" over a fluttering piano, a convergence of drum effects, and a final deluge of horns and strings. Next is "Morning Mr. Magpie", another song featuring Yorke's hovering voice floating like feathers over the crisp, frantic beats below. Track 3 is "Little By Little", an up-tempo percussion-infused tune that's rueful, darkly pretty, and classic Radiohead. "Feral" is the record's only instrumental track, and the seemingly untamed mix of cadence and flow gives credence to it's title. This is followed by "Lotus Flower", spotlighting Yorke's hauntingly beautiful vocals over an understated musical backdrop. "Codex" is a piano-driven piece that slowly pulls you in and gently lets you down. There always seems to be one quiet, gripping ballad on each Radiohead release (the last one being "All I Need" from "In Rainbows"), and "Codex" admirably fulfills that criteria for me. Next is "Give Up the Ghost", a quiet, acoustic love song, followed by the final track, "Separator", a breezy musing that glides easily over an ethereal instrumental.

After the first listen I wasn't sure how I felt about this album, but I've grown more intrigued and impressed each successive time through. Amongst the myriad of snappy beats and synthesizers lies something calming and serene that makes "The King of Limbs" rather endearing. In "Little By Little" Yorke reflects, "Little by little, hook or by crook, never be an artist, never get judged". It's quite clear after 8 albums of continually changing scope and complexity that Yorke is far beyond caring about judgement, and Radiohead continues to march to their own satisfyingly unique beat.