A Moon Shaped Pool
by Radiohead

I will give it a week or so before giving it a score, because I don't want to jump to any conclusions first listen... that said, this is the first Radiohead release I've been apart of, and I've been blindsided. It's better than OK Computer, Hail to the Thief and In Rainbows. Only album I might like more than it is Kid A, and that's some high praise.

Burn the Witch - The moment I listened to this I felt opening track vibes. It's like an orchestrated 2 + 2 = 5. It's gonna get you hyped for sure.

Daydreaming - When I first heard this track, I thought it was one of the best things they've ever done. The way the synths and orchestration mix is beauty.

Decks Dark - So when this song comes along and is just as good, if not better? Yeah, I was blown away. The build-up of this track, along with the choir and vocals is amazing. It feels like a perfected Drunken Punch Up. Just an unbelievable track.

Desert Island Disk - My favorite of the two Thom played live with the acoustic. I'm happy that they didn't take out the acoustic and replace it with something else. Instead the rest of the track builds a soundscape around it that elevates it to a whole other level. Then the drums kick in and, yes Thom, I know what you mean.

Ful Stop - Radiohead turns it up here. The opening part of the song where the instruments and synths slowly tune in gets me so hyped it's unbelievable. Another soundscape is made by this song, but here it feels like I'm running as fast as I can. Why? Who knows. Yorke's lyrics kick in and the whole piece comes together. Then the instruments take center stage, and it gives me a Jigsaws sense of euphoria. I could spend hours describing this track. Unbelievable.

Glass Eyes - Feels like a Faust Arp, since it's the only track under 3 minutes and divides two epics (Ful Stop and Identikit.) That said, I love Faust Arp and that same love is found here with Glass Eyes. The piano starts it off with the instruments coming in with his lyrics makes me feel as if I'm looking into his head. It's worth saying, this track would be impossible without Jonny Greenwood. Thanks our lucky stars for his orchestration.

Identikit - One if the most anticipated tracks of the album makes an appearance. I spent years avoiding this one just because I wanted to hear the studio release first. This track, more than the rest, is built off rhythm. That said, it is still an excellent methodical piece. When the song makes that sudden change around 2 minutes in, it explodes in the best way possible. Once it comes back to Earth, you just have to appreciate what they've done with it. One of the best tracks on the album to this point.

The Numbers - Silent Spring, I didn't like as much. So maybe Yorke somehow read my mind and changed it from Silent Spring to The Numbers. The acoustic guitar is still there, but hearing it along with the Climbing Up the Walls esque orchestration and chorus changes it from a good acoustic track into one of the greatest tracks this band has ever put out. An epic that blows the rest out of the water.

Present Tense - This is a track I struggled to describe. I love the opening bit, reminiscent of Nude. A lot of build up on this one. The choir is great here, and the instruments back them up so perfectly. Jonny Greenwood does an amazing job with this track. He and Yorke drive this track as a prelude to...

Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor Rich Man Poor Man Beggar Man Thief - What a mouth full. Broken up synths remind me a bit of The Gloaming. Yorke's vocals seem to fly through the song. The instruments give an Amnesiac vibe. You and Whose Army? more so than others. The orchestration is once again done perfectly. Radiohead always does an amazing job with the penultimate track and this one is no exception.

True Love Waits - We've waited, alright. I'd only heard this track a couple times so I wouldn't dilute it if I heard it on an album. What we get is a Videotape esque edition. I like his vocals so much more here. He sing it like a dream. The piano is just melancholic enough for this song, which has gone from a nice love song into one of the saddest songs this band has ever released. The orchestration is still there, but mostly steps aside to give Thom his song filled with a beauty and emptiness that I haven't felt since Kid A. One of the only songs to ever make me cry and an amazing closer to the album.

Overall - Radiohead is playing like a band in their prime 31 years in. Through this time they've gone from the rock ballad of OK Computer and has released its equivalent here. I don't see them ending here, Thom and Jonny are working together more than ever. If they do, however, then this is a perfect album to leave us with.

Initial Impression - 10/10. This album takes me on an unbelievable journey from its hard pressed opener to its desolate conclusion. Radiohead faithful will love this album to death. (Edited)

From Kalos 05/29/2016 19:47 | #167193 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

AMSP is an album that "makes sense" in Radiohead discography at this point of their career, it's the "maturity chapter". It sounds like a lesson at the end of a parable: after 100 stories of cybernetic monsters under the bed, it's time to get naked and deal with a more human melancholy. Then AMSP is an important album for radiohead fans as well, given the sense of identification they have with this fantastic band. But has AMSP a similar importance for the world of popular music in general? I don't think so, it hasn't it in terms of impact (nothing new) nor in terms of quality (good songs but no standout). It's like..uhm..the first album of beatles, venerated as important because..yeah, it's the first album of an enormous band, but is not as important in pure terms of music.

I can't find anything THAT special among these tracks. However it is certainly a really pleasurable listening. I particularly like the liquid effect in piano and orchestration sounds, I mean, that almost Monet painting style in songs like "Glassy eyes" or "the numbers". It's like to see the sound of music reflected on lake water. For example, the wonderful middle section of Decks Dark makes me think of japanese suminagashi tecnique.
Apart of this, I enjoy the album because I'm emotionally linked to Radiohead, but there aren't particular peaks in innovation or songwriting. Some songs sound adventorous because of a great production, especially full stop and daydreaming, but their substance is far less interesting, and there's no much to explore in them. Often there are great music moments in not-that-great tracks (you know, the end of track 10)

I'm satisfied of Radiohead, this sober pop is intelligent for a band of their age. However, I think that the core of contemporary popular music is elsewhere

Now give me your "unhelpful" just because I don't love this album 8-)

To the people saying the rating is inflated:
To Pimp A Butterfly was the same way. This is a natural process. When a popular album comes out, the first people to listen to it and rate it are fans. Of course they'll rate it higher than the average person. And since there are a lot of fans of these popular artists, the rating becomes very high initially.
Don't worry about the rating. It'll go down. (Edited)

From LAF2 05/09/2016 02:26 | #165491 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

A quick timeline.

1. Album released
*6 hours later*
2. Top rated album on BEA

Jokes aside, I've heard side one and will listen to the rest in a few minutes. I'm impressed.

(Edited)

Come on guys. I love Radiohead, but after listening 5 times, I can't give it higher than a 7. Just being real. This LP is a depressing snoozer of an album with a couple of standouts. 10 out of 10? Ridiculous. Just so you know, this is what I rate the rest of their albums: OK Computer - 10, The Bends - 9.5, In Rainbows - 9.5, Kid A - 8, Amnesiac - 8, Hail to the Thief - 7.5, King of Limbs - 7.5, Pablo Honey - 6.5