Why people love this album

I've been noticing that listening to this album as a whole is far more enjoyable
than listening to each song on their own, which is quite unusual for a Radiohead album.
This album is not only supposed to be kind of an autobiography of Radioheads sound as a band over the years
but also because there is some sort of narrative present throughout:

>Burn the Witch
socially/politically critical song like you'd expect from a HTTT-era Radiohead song

>Daydreaming
This song makes the previous track look like an act.
A hero who puts on a mask in front of the masses to change the world and this song shows what is going on behind it.
Throughout the song you can hear his own voice echoeing left and right, like he's constantly trying to hold onto his
"stage persona" of a strong man who cries out for a greater goal.
[spoiler]2:17 and ESPECIALLY 3:56 sound like his memories of Rachel and his struggle to forget about them[/spoiler]
Incredibly soulcrushingly sad song.

>Decks Dark/Desert Island Disk [spoiler]I consider these 2 pieces of one bigger song[/spoiler]
Song about approaching the inevitable, the lack of realization when it's already too late and potential poor decision making.
There is this feeling of repetition present in DID, like Thom is licking his wounds by
Decisions perhaps worse than what he went through.
"You know what I mean. Different types of love are possible."

>Ful Stop
Thom reflecting back on what he's gone through with Rachel [spoiler]or perhaps other loved/close ones?[/spoiler]
disguised in a socially/politically critical song. "you really messed up everything"
[spoiler]0:28 sounds like anger and hateful thinking trying preventing you from focussing on the greater image.[/spoiler]
[spoiler]yet he seems to win the upper hand and the tone of the song stays the same[/spoiler]
(1/2)

(2/2)


>Glass Eyes
Once again Thom takes off his mask in a song about social anxiety

>Identikit
Melodramatic song about Heartache

>The Numbers
Thom tries to protest against global warming but the music [spoiler]3:14[/spoiler] hints at self doubt and
memories/personal issues creeping back up on him, preventing him to focus.
The powerful guitars/strings kicking in in the second verse [spoiler]3:32[/spoiler] represent his desperation.
In the end he actually gives in and sings along with the strings and choir in the background. [spoiler]4:38[/spoiler]

>Present Tense
Yet another representation of naive thinking but here there's a much bigger focus on denial,
told in [spoiler]as the title already gave away[/spoiler] the present tense.

>Tinker Tailor
Socially/Politically critical song

>true love waits
Thom is finally giving in and quickly shows us that he'd throw away most of his values to find love again. "I'll drown my beliefs"
The rest of the lyrics, at least in relation to the rest of the album, further showcase how depression
can cause people to throw away important things because of emotional thinking.
It was actually supposed to be a melancholic and bittersweet lovesong at one point but turned much more depressing in the AMSP version, too.


So yea, I noticed a pattern here.
I feel like Thom sees himself as someone who tries to cry out for justice
or at the very least tries to fulfil a purpose but he's being pulled back by his own personal problems every step he makes.

It seems like this album is supposed to mark an end of an era, sort of.
They tried a spectrum of different sounds and have now hit the point where it seems okay to reflect on their history in retrospective.
I feel like the production does this a lot of justice, yet they still manage to drive this narrative through the song writing.

All of the above is why I believe that [spoiler]IF you consider that the album should be enjoyed as a whole[/spoiler] an 8/10 rating doesn't do it justice

and I totally forgot about spoilers not working here.
Well, I guess this still makes for an interesting discussion, at least

iiin you i'm LOst

i really don't think you should harp on critics' numerical scores. reviewing an album like this within a week of its release is a little silly anyway. if it truly has that full album quality to it, it will have lasting appeal as one of the greats.

I pretty much agree with your post but give me a break, sonically the album is alot like in rainbows but more mellow.

Dreeeeamers they neeeever learn

>sonically like in rainbows

not really understanding that.

>BTW
HTTT

>Daydreaming
IR

>Decks Dark
sounds like OK Computer to me

>Ful Stop
TKOL

>Glass Eyes
IR

>Identikit
sounds like a mix between TKOL and Kid A

>The Numbers
Kid A (reminds me a lot of Optimistic)

>Tinker Tailor
Amnesiac and a bit of HTTT (the rythmic white noise)

>True Love Waits
The bends and OK Computer

please be aware that I'm not saying they represent these albums as a whole, just that the production/composition kind of hints at them.

People keep saying this but I really don't hear it. It's more sparse, atmospheric, disjointed, orchestral, moody, etc...

You're full of shit. I'll give you this, Daydreaming has a chord progression similar to motion picture soundtrack so that's something. But the Ok Computer era is long gone, not even ful stop which has guitar arragements sounds like something from that era.

I don't know what the fuck you were smoking or if you need to take your autism pills.

Thanks for reminding me that MPS was from In Rainbows, user.

the lyrics to present tense really get me, plus that part were thom and the choir goes OOOOooooooOOOOO

Distance
Distance
It's like a weapon
Like a weapon
Of self defense
Self defense
Against the present
Against the present
Present tense

I won't get heavy
Don't get heavy
Keep it light and
Keep it moving
I am doing
No harm
As my world
Comes crashing down
I'm dancing
Freaking out
Deaf, dumb, and blind

In you I'm lost
In you I'm lost

I won't turn around when the penny drops
I won't stop now
I won't slack off
Or all this love
Will be in vain

what a load of drivel

you don't think decks dark sounds even vaguely okc-ish?

i cant believe how beautiful it is

I should say that the first 2 posts were mere opinion pieces and that I had to delete some stuff like "I think that" in the sentences because the text was already fuckhuge and I could barely fit it into 2 posts.

If anything I was hoping to evoke more discussion on the actual music and meaning behind the tracks instead of the usualy "10/10" "WORSE THAN TKOL" shit.

Major cringe. How's the eighth grade going?

FACT: present tense is the best song n the album.

I remember when I did this with Demon Days. You'll grow up some day.

I can't understand the majority of the lyrics on this album.

i don't get you people, to me, this album doesn't sound like OK Computer, In Rainbows or Kid A at all, this way too different, those folky acoustic song are something else... in fact present tense, desert island and such doesn't sound like radiohead at all to me.. its weird

I agree. At the 3 minute mark or so it's really pretty like the best parts of in rainbows.

correct oipnion

>I won't stop now
>Won't slack off
>Or all this love
>Will be in vain

That whole bridge is probably the feelsiest moment on the whole album.

>le it's bad because it's popular meme
how's eight grade going

It's Amnesiac as shit tbqh. Don't see much OKC here. Maybe a bit of 2nd half of TKOL.

objective track rankings-

1.present tense
2.burn the witch
3. identikit
4.decks dark
5.the numbers
6. true love waits
7.daydreaming
8.glass eyes
9.ful stop
10. tinker tailor
11. desert island dick

i'm glad people are realizing how great Present Tense is. Top 5 Radiohead song for sure

yassss yasssss

Present Tense is fucking amazing. One of the goat Radiohead songs. I could die after the 5th time Thom sings 'in you i'm lost'.

so. damn. beautiful.