In rainbows
November 8, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Photograph: Johnny Vulkan
It’s been a month now since Radiohead finally released In Rainbow via digital download through their site after long years of waiting. At the moment I didn’t say much through the motel because I wanted the mediatic craze to descend a few degrees and I’m too much of a confused person to express myself properly, besides the whole album could be downloaded directly from their site so there was really not much I could contribute to the hype machine.
After listening to the album a few times (48 to be precise) I started noticing how certain songs from In Rainbows reminded me strongly to other songs and artists. Reading on several reviews and blogs I then knew I wasn’t the only one noticing those familiar sounds, several others were namedropping the same artists; Boards of Canada, Nick Drake, Elliott Smith. So basically, this is my late contribution to the Radiohead parade: A face to face comparison of five songs from In Rainbows and what it feels for me like their close relatives, you be the judge and if you happen to have some of your own I’d really love to hear them. Now without further ado:
Radiohead - Faust arp
The Beatles - Julia
While Julia feels soothing and whispering and Faust arp has an urgent vibe to it, both songs are utterly simple. Sharing a similar melodic structure and a sense of warming nostalgia. I’ve heard many people calling it a song in Nick Drake’s or Elliott Smith’s style but I personally think Julia is the more apt of all the comparisons I’ve heard of.
Radiohead - reckoner
Sebastien Tellier - la ritournelle [*]
This was noted by Belgian radio station, Studio Brussel, followed by an angry response from Radiohead fans when the station was only marking some similarities between the songs and the rabid Radiohead fans misinterpreted as accusing the band of plagiarism. I really didn’t find the comparison so scandalous and I can understand the idea of both songs sharing parallel universes. The lush and vibrant vibe, the loose drums (although reckoner’s are way superior to the ones on ritournelle) and the similarities on the jazzy chord progression make for enough similarities to pair both songs in familiar territories. Examples of descending chord progressions like the ones employed on this ones abound in rock and pop music but these two do share a certain romantic and melancholic tone on their notes. I have also heard many people mention a certain Frusciante influence on the guitars which I don’t find out of place either.
Radiohead - 15 step
Dave Brubeck - take five
It’s not actually the jazz standard of take five that I keep thinking of when I listen to Jonny’s guitar hook on 15 step but to another jazz song which I still can’t recall completely, yet, come to think of it, most jazz songs set on 5/4 tempo use these similar romp-shaking riffs. But then, I’m so dumb that you could keep spinning me several jazz cuts on this time signature and I’d still be too busy doing my epileptic brain dance to note differences between them songs.
Radiohead - jigsaw falling into place
Kashmir - surfing the warm industry
I can’t believe I still haven’t read a single review pinpointing a comparison between these two. It’s probably because not many people remember a mediocre band such as Kashmir or due to the generational gap between both bands’ target market but the songs similarities on the opening minutes are too strong to remain ignored: The acoustic-rock guitar approach to the main melody, the motorik beat, the deadpan vocal delivery. I happen to have formed a very negative opinion towards Kashmir so my fixation on this comparison kind of ruined my experience of the Radiohead track completely.
Radiohead - all I need
Boards of Canada - roygbiv
This was the most mentioned comparison I could gather from different sources. The very beginning of Roygbiv with it’s trip-hop beat and warbling synth line sounds like the basis for All I need’s rhythmic backbone. Both songs travel through very different soundscapes yet they also seem to share a certain soft anthemic girth.
Note: Sometime around noon this Friday (around 9-12pm in England), Radiohead will be doing a new webcast, the first one in 5 years. The band will be doing some live performances and spinning some of their favorite songs during 3 hours. I didn’t get the chance to see the first webcasts but as a music fan I have to say the individual musical taste of each member is exquisite and if I get the chance to see it completely tomorrow I’ll be trying to take note on the songs they play. Have a nice weekend everyone.
[*] search the net for this song
great post!! i haven’t heard the whole In Rainbows album yet -i was a VERYBIGFAN of ‘OK Computer’ and ‘Kid A’ and lost track after ‘I might be Wrong’-
this was the perfect time for me to start listening to them again, thank you miss moka
Really great catch on the Sebastian Tellier. I’m with you on that one. And yes, the Boards of Canada…
Nice post. My listening count is only at 8. I knew Reckoner sounded familiar.
What, Radiohead has a new album?! ;-)
finalmente !!
[...] Sebastien Tellier - La ritournelle (direct link, via moteldemoka) [...]
Nice comparisons.
I don’t know many Kashmir songs, but this one also makes me think of other Radiohead songs. So I would say that ‘Jigsaw’ reminds me of Radiohead ;-)
That Boards of Canada track makes me think of ancient Tangerine Dream.
Faust Arp also has some Nick Drake-ish kinda string arrangements.
And again another nice post on Motel de Moka!
[...] You can read the rest of this blog post by going to the original source, here [...]
I’ve been listening over and over again to the new Radiohead also, and haven’t posted about it yet, because I just have too many thoughts. However, this is an excellent assessment and one I hadn’t pondered yet. Thanks for sharing…!
wow. that reckoner comparison is crazy!
I’m surprised you didn’t comment on how much Videotape sounds like the song Neon Bible on the new Arcade Fire record. They both share the same melody, and there’s a point on Videotape where you can almost hear him say “Ne-on Bi-ble”
Fantastic post!
Oh no the indie self ellected cognascenti spoil another album with their intellectual warbling…oh dear 10 points to all for spotting similarities with other records wow you msut be really happy with yourselves but doesn’t nearly every record sound similar to another. go check out your fav records they are bound to sound similar to others. Or was the whole pont of this article and the posts a grandoise intellectual pat on each others backs from sad gits stuck in their bedrooms with nothing better to do……..
“Bodysnatchers” is the opening riff from Queen’s “Now I’m Here.” Well, after being force-fed coffee and then waterboarded.
i think you mean “coffeeboarded”, limmo.
and what’s with p. “nothing better to do?” the saddest loneliest people in the world are the ones who leave long nasty messages on blogs. all the rest of us want to do is seek out interesting posts with good music like this one while we’re at work or elsewhere.
beautiful :)
Faust arp reminds me wolf at the door
“… a grandoise intellectual pat on each others backs from sad gits stuck in their bedrooms with nothing better to do……..”
I never get a grandiose intellectual pat inside bedroom. *sniff*
I need to do a radiohead post too… (You ought to see my over inflated self important when it comes to music. heh…)
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Bubbachups Nov 9th, 2007 at 3:44 am
What, Radiohead has a new album?! ;-)
This is all so last month. hah.
Faust arp to Julia?
slightly close…
but try Pink Floyd’s ‘A Pillow Of Winds’
much, much much, closer.
I’ve climbed that hill! I don’t like the new Radiohead album but maybe I’ll give it a second chance after this. Cheers.
great comparisons! love your work.
hey,
bodysnatchers reminds me of pearl jam (yield), thom is doing eddie vedder until jonny pulls an “edge” in that incredible bridge, with thom following in bono howling style.
but maybe it’s just me..
i like that kashmir song, i’ll check them out.
nice weblog, just discovered it (thank marco raaphorst)!
Faust arp —–Road trop’in (RHCP)
much, much much,much, much much,much, much much,much, much much,much, much much closer. ;p
k’finally listen to in rainbow. It’s ok. not mind blowing.
- Nude keeps bringing me to U2’s “with or without you” melody, in Anthony and Johnson texture. I am thinking “Bird Gehrl”. The bridge keeps telling me of some other song that I suppose to know.
Jigsaw Falling into place is pretty.
Overall the album seems distance to me, …but I have to listen again.
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Pandora has a great podcast discussing various meter. Including 5/4.
http://blog.pandora.com/archives/podcast/2007/09/meters_time_sig.html
Quote: “a mediocre band such as Kashmir”
Well David Bowie and Lou Reed likes them so much that they chose to participate on Kashmir’s latest album …..
Everyone to their own taste :)
Uhhh, this is going to be complicated… :D
But not to worry, Moka has yet to confront me (probably punch me in the face…) for implying Radiohead is a bit “so-so”.
blasphemy! ough, my eyes!! please make it stop!!!
[...] see also: In rainbows image: nastylittleman.com/NYT [...]
this album is very nick drake and flaming lips. its just soooo dreamy! i cant stop listening to nude without wanting to cry…
David Byrne interviewed Radiohead’s Thom Yorke for Wired Magazine about Radiohead’s In Rainbows, an album that was released on a pay-what-you-care-to basis online. The conversation is fascinating — as is anything that David Byrne is involved with. Byrne is not only my all-time favorite musician, he’s one of my favorite thinkers and writers too (and a kick-ass blogger besides). Wired’s done a great job with the online presentation of the piece, adding in audio from the interview and video of Radiohead performing.
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/12/18/david-byrne-and-radi.html
http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/magazine/16-01/ff_yorke?currentPage=all