Radiohead, “The King of Limbs”(Self-released)
The past week has been a roller coaster for Radiohead fans. First they learned thatsurprise! — the band would be releasing its eighth album online that weekend. Then came the news that the record was available for download one day early! And almost immediately, the Internet was swamped with hundreds of reviews, reactions and essays on “The King of Limbs.”
Did any of the reviews mean anything to Radiohead fans? No. They were going to download it regardless because they’re loyal like that.
I know, because I’m loyal like that.
We downloaded the record ($9 at ) on Friday and have been listening to it ever since. And now, the casual fans and the observers who have long wondered what the big deal is are checking reviews on Radiohead’s latest to see if it’s worth their $9 — or $48-$53, if they want the special-edition Newspaper Album.
And it’s not.
“The King of Limbs” isn’t a record for the casual Radiohead fan. That said, I can’t stop listening to it. It’s strange and off-putting. It’s the headphones record we expected. It’s dark and subtle. It’s unexpectedly sexy, too, not unlike the xx’s “XX.”
Radiohead’s intentional imperfections recall the days of Pink Floyd doing whatever it wanted. Listen to the jittery “Morning Mr Magpie” and the glitchy “Lotus Flower,” and you’ll hear it. While comparisons have been made to past records, this album has a personality of its own.
And while it’s easy to give Radiohead creative props for not resting on its laurels, I can’t wholeheartedly embrace the band’s new direction.
We like the strange, but maybe not the really strange? Ricardo Baca
G. Love, “Fixin’ to Die”(Brushfire)
G. Love has always incorporated the blues into everything he’s done, but the American art has never been so prevalent in his music than it is in “Fixin’ to Die,” the artist’s latest full-length.
The mostly stripped-down roots record showcases G.’s voice and guitar work, and the switch was very intentional. G. Love needed a change, and so this solo record — produced by the Avett Brothers in a church-turned-studio in Asheville, N.C. — is a reorienting of sorts.
The record is at its best when G. Love fulfills on his promise of a low-key affair. The hushed acoustic beauty of “Katie Miss” is a standout, and the banjo-tinted “Pale Blue Eyes” is a subtle stunner. On the more aggressive front is the foot-stomping, Bukka White- penned title track, one of the many songs that benefits from the Avetts’ backup vocals. The galloping “You’ve Got to Die” has G. Love switching verses with Scott and Seth Avett, and the Son House-written jam is another highlight.
The album’s least winning track is a cover of Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” which chips away at the mortar that holds the record together. A couple of other tunes, the hummable “Just Fine” and the party-starter “Milk & Sugar,” are affable G. Love tracks — though they don’t sound all that at home on “Fixin’ to Die.” If G. Love really wanted to strip it down and go all funky-like, he should have rocked it that way — and saved a couple of these jams for the next record.
But at 13 songs, “Fixin’ to Die” still has enough roots ragers to make it worth your while.
Ricardo Baca
