This is my favourite Radiohead album since 2003’s wonderful Hail to the Thief, and yet it still finds itself down in 13th
place on this list. That fact probably
says quite a lot about my frustrations with Radiohead over the last decade or so. They’ve always commendably, and uniquely,
grown and evolved – just not necessarily in ways that have been to my
taste. A Moon Shaped Pool has some of the same elements of drifting
melancholia as In Rainbows and,
particularly, King of Limbs – and it
certainly eschews both the electro-muscle of Kid
A and the adventure-rock of OK
Computer. But this manifestation of Radiohead’s post-rock odyssey is a less
electronically-led journey than their last couple of records (and, therefore,
is more suited to my aural palate). The
core here is made up of Jonny Greenwood’s orchestral arrangements, which soar
when needed but are never excessive, married with simple but brooding guitars and
piano. Thom Yorke’s voice is, of course, amazing across
the whole album, providing the emotional resonance that Radiohead always possess, whatever direction they’re headed
in. Objectively, everything that Radiohead have ever done has been amazing,
but subjectively, it’s been a long time since I personally enjoyed a Radiohead record this much. A Moon
Shaped Pool has got some outstanding moments. And yet, given that this is one the best
bands in the world, this still isn’t quite what I want from them.
sample track: Daydreaming