Radiohead?

Tangerine

OK, so what's the big deal? I'm not asking this sarcastically I really want to know.

I truly don't get what all the buzz is about, they haven't put out anything new since '03 and yet people are calling PJ a "has been" and irrelevant. Which doesn't really bother me, to each his own, but I'd like to know why RH seems to be more accepted while PJ are not. Are they really that good? If so, what would you recommend to someone who only knows Creep?

We're thinking about doing Lolla again next year and it sounds like the general consensus is that Radiohead will be the most likely headliner. While I will NOT sit for hours waiting for the major headliner and miss several acts that I'd like to see next year (unless PJ were there again which isn't going to happen) I would like to at least know some of their stuff for when we're sitting way in the back--or at least know that I don't like them and not waste my time.

lowlight10

OK Computer is an incredible record, beginning to end.

The Bends is hit or miss. there are some great tracks and some terrible stuff, IMO, but probably the easiest stuff to like.

after that, I would go Hail to the Thief. great record. Punch Up and There There are some of their best stuff.

KidA and Amnesiac are very tough to like if youve only heard Creep. you wont like it at first. Optimistic, Idioteque, I Might Be Wrong, National Anthem--all great stuff.

the first time you listen to this stuff, make sure you do so on headphones. totally different and youll catch stuff your ears never could on speakers.

Its Evolution Baby

I would start with the Bends as it there most accessible CD and then move to OK Computer which is there best. If you see them live they will play about 3 songs each from these albums.

If you enjoy those and want a challenging listen then move on to Kid A. Amnesiac and Hail to the Theif are both great but they are not essential like the other 3 are.

Essential Songs besides Creep which is a rarity these days are:
My Iron Lung
Fake Plastic Trees
Just
Street Spirit (the best song)
Lucky
Paranoid Android
Karma Police
No Surpirses
Idioteqhe
Optimistic
National Anthem
Everything In It's Right Place
Knives Out
Pyramid Song
2+2=5
There There
I will let others take over from here...

Its Evolution Baby

To answer your question about the buzz, I think its mostly due to the fact that they challenge there fans and critics with each album and do not put any emphasis on sales. In that regard they are just like PJ, except Radiohead pushes the experimantaion as far as any mainstream band has ever done. When you listen to the Bends you will be shocked that 5 years later the same band made KidA. Plus they can duplicate the experimantation live which shocked me when I saw them.

Whether you like them or not once you listen to them you have to respect them. But I like that they don't care what anyone thinks!!!

thunderDAN

Tangerine wrote:

OK, so what's the big deal? I'm not asking this sarcastically I really want to know.

I truly don't get what all the buzz is about, they haven't put out anything new since '03 and yet people are calling PJ a "has been" and irrelevant. Which doesn't really bother me, to each his own, but I'd like to know why RH seems to be more accepted while PJ are not. Are they really that good? If so, what would you recommend to someone who only knows Creep?

We're thinking about doing Lolla again next year and it sounds like the general consensus is that Radiohead will be the most likely headliner. While I will NOT sit for hours waiting for the major headliner and miss several acts that I'd like to see next year (unless PJ were there again which isn't going to happen) I would like to at least know some of their stuff for when we're sitting way in the back--or at least know that I don't like them and not waste my time.

Honest to god I used to hate them. I couldn't understand why people got so worked up about them. But now I consider them one of my favorite bands. I'm not sure how it happened but they are something of an acquired taste. I see those guys as a band who actually make music. It's hard to discribe their sounds. You might say Pearl Jam is a rock band with guitars, but you can't really label Radiohead. They make sounds from real instruments and mix them with other sounds. I first started to dig their sound when I heard their live CD and other live recordings. It's one thing for a band to make these crazy sounds on a CD but its a whole other thing to actually create them live and in concert. I love Pearl Jam for different reasons than I love Radiohead. Here are some songs that really turned me onto Radiohead, and since we both like Pearl Jam, mabye by trying them out for yourself it might shed some light on why some people love them.

- I Might Be Wrong
-Airbag
-There, There
-Where I End and You Begin
- Everything in its Right Place
-Karma Police
-Dollars & Cents
- You and Whose Army?
-Street Spirit


Atleast download this concert from New York in 2003. It's a soundboard show and has a ton of good songs. Just try it out and mabye it will open new doors for ya!

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=E7RX3058


Here is another one from Warrington,UK in 2000. This is my favorite and hasn't left my CD changer in 6 years.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QH7HPA6F

Funkdog

I think most music critics & fans feel Radiohead is more influential and experimental than Pearl Jam. Because of that they get tons more praise. Is their praise justified? Hell yes it is. But I understand the anger about PJ because they get classified as a standard Rock Band, nothing too influential on the current/future scene, blah blah blah. That's all BS, because in my mind PJ is the greatest band to walk the earth. However, they have a sound that is influential in many ways, unfortunately it's done in a bad way (i.e. creed, nickleback, all other bands who are horrible knock offs of PJ.) Because of this I think PJ doesn't get the credit they deserve. They definately have an original style and they're the only band that was huge in the early 90's grunge scene that's really still relevant. That to me should justify some kind of praise. Radiohead's an amazing band with an amazing sound. I just have a hard time compairing the 2 to each other. I do agree PJ merits more admiration from critics around the globe. I doubt they'll ever get it though. As long as they keep touring and writing songs I'll be a happy camper.

stu gee

I love all their stuff, OK Computer and The Bends are two of my favourite ever albums, but if i really had to ask people a question like 'what's the big deal?' then id just accept they werent really for me, no band is for everyone!!

Tangerine

I'll definitely check these out and thanks thunderDan for the link to the live show.

And to stu_gee I understand your point of "if you have to ask" but I'm pretty open to all music. I listen to almost everything from classical to heavy metal (with the exception of straight country and modern gangsta rap). I'm sure I've heard other Radiohead songs before but the only one that comes to mind when I hear their name is Creep. I'm sure there's something I'll like from them. Who knows maybe I'll love 'em more than PJ.

SweetHarmonics

them being British pretty much seals the deal ifyouknowwhatimean

lastexit

Radiohead is phenomenal. If you don't like good music there's always Seven Mary Three.

Prioronfire22

I dont get the radiohead craze.

catefrances

Junkhead Aic wrote:

I dont get the radiohead craze.

that's okay. not everyone does.

Prioronfire22

And the thing is it's not like I haven't tried I bought OK Computer expecting to be BLOWN AWAY, but it was just okay for me. I don't think they are bad by any means, but by the way my friends and some online buddies described them I guess I expected too much.

catefrances

Junkhead Aic wrote:

And the thing is it's not like I haven't tried I bought OK Computer expecting to be BLOWN AWAY, but it was just okay for me. I don't think they are bad by any means, but by the way my friends and some online buddies described them I guess I expected too much.

i guess maybe you did. but OK computer blows me away.

Blind Melon

Kid A (the CD and track) is where it's at. Idioteque live as well... ch-check that out.

thunderDAN

see this whole topic and the replys that follow are the reason people like Radiohead. Everyone has a different reason for liking Radiohead. At their shows it's not like most bands where they play a famous song and everyone goes nuts; everyone of their songs is someone in the audience's favorite song. Pearl Jam is alot like that, but PJ has alot of radio hits where Radiohead had one, and most of the diehard fans don't even want to hear that song if they go to a concert of theirs. They play "Creep" mabye 1 out of every 10 shows, and nobody cares becuase if you are going there expecting to hear the only song you know of theirs, you won't like the rest of the show anyway.

I can pop in a Radiohead cd that I have listened to for 10 years and still find new things I like about it. I can pick out things I haven't heard before, or hear it in a new light. Their songs are mostly about human feelings and emotions so I can relate to them differently depending on my life at the moment.

I love Radiohead