Enough time has passed since the innovative release of Radiohead's seventh album "In Rainbows" as a pay-what-you-want download. It felt like a true event, a historical moment in music (and internet) history. There weren't any reviews available prior to the album's release. No "leak culture". Everybody got to hear it at the same time, critics included. The listeners could judge for themselves. Then came the general consensus: the band had done it again. All the waiting, the hype, justified. Remember, this is the same band that brought us 1997's "OK Computer" and 2000's "Kid A", two albums placed among the best ever recorded by critics and music fans alike. In short: people expect a lot from Radiohead.
So what was to come next? Apart from the usual rumours, all listeners had to go by were two download-only tracks in the form of "Harry Patch (In Memory of)" and "These are my Twisted Words". These songs were nice stand-alone pieces, but they didn't satisfy that underlying hunger for a new, full-length Radiohead LP. Finally, on Valentine's Day, Radiohead released a typically cryptic message on their "Dead Air Space" blog: "THANK YOU FOR WAITING". The post contained a link to preorders of the new album, which would be released the same week in a similar fashion to "In Rainbows", this time as a paid download. Like the last record, an extravagantly packaged, deluxe version of the album is also available. As soon as the album was made available for download on February 18th, the rush of critic and fan first impressions followed.
"The King of Limbs" sounds like Radiohead as we now know them post-"OK Computer". This is their shortest album at eight tracks spanning just over thirty-seven minutes. It's also a logical follow-up to "In Rainbows" in that it's simple, accessible, brief. Their electronic lean is ever-present too. Most of these tracks are dominated by a repetitive beat structure matched to subtle guitar melodies, and, of course, Thom Yorke's charismatic vocals. The most logical point of comparison is actually Yorke's solo album, 2006's "The Eraser", in that "The King of Limbs" is quite minimalist. It doesn't sound as packed as Radiohead's past work. Sadly, it doesn't sound as passionate either. There isn't a moment here as powerful as, say "Nude" or "Reckoner" from their last album. "Lotus Flower" and opener "Bloom" come very close. These are the strongest two tracks on the album, mainly because they progress and evolve more than the other tracks, and they have clear peaks. Yorke's stronger vocal performances on these songs also help.
Everything else can simply be described as "solid". Read: there is not one bad track here, but there's a worrying lack of defining moments. Most of the songs on the album comfortably retreat into a single hook or melody. It's a sad thing, but the songwriting on "The King of Limbs" comes across as some of the least adventurous in Radiohead's career. The result is a good album, not a great album. Radiohead will always unfairly be held up to their past work. The quality of "The King of Limbs" is excellent by any other band's standards, but the problem with being repeatedly brilliant is that people will always expect you to be game-changing.
Radiohead's work has a funny way of making you reconsider its value as time goes by. Many people who initially dismissed "Amnesiac" and "Hail to the Thief" came back around. Similarly, fans are always changing their minds about the order of their favourite Radiohead albums. Hopefully, with time "The King of Limbs" could reveal itself to be much more. You only have to take heed of Yorke's final warning at the album's close: "If you think this is over then you're wrong".
"The King of Limbs" is out now. You can download it from The King of Limbs website.
