Radiohead's drastic change in 1999-2000?

Safe to say that Kid A/Amnesiac comes off as IDM with horns and de-tuned pianos? I read that Ed & Jonny were not initially on board with this change in direction, but they swallowed their objections and got to the other side of it in the end.

 

Well, would Kid A have been a one-off and they would have returned to what they were before that, Radiohead might be considered relevant still today.
IMO they did the same self-conscious commercial suicide as Pearl Jam did when they released "No Code".
Currently spinning "The Bends" and realize how much I miss the band that released that & O.K. Computer, but nothing lasts forever. At least we got those 2.

 

I'm all for adventurous Radiohead. The Bends bores the crap out of me.

 

I understand if Kid A and Amnesiac aren't your thing, but I think it's foolish to say those two albums are the start of some spiral into irrelevancy. They haven't done anything in 3 years and I'd say they're still one of the most relevant "rock" bands out there these days, whatever that may mean to someone.

Kid A is my favorite Radiohead album, but I do agree that Bends and OKC are top tier material. I even thought AMSP was dreadfully overrated by fans and critics alike. It bored me to tears.

 

I think Kid A to In Rainbows were all great albums. Their latest two offerings not so much. It would be nice if they went full circle back to writing indie songs again though.

 

That's the great part about this particular little orchestra. They decided to morph in 2000 into something else.

Major parts I miss about traditional Radiohead vs what you call "adventurous Radiohead"
- Thom Yorke has a fantastic vocal range & voice + melody writing capabilities, most of that is lost in a wilderness of blip.blop stuff & whining
- The Bends & O.K. Computer consist of a set of superbly crafted tracks that sound "ordinary" at first but if you listen beneath that you realize the complex arrangements
- Johnny Greenwood used to play superb guitar, whatever he does on Kid A & post that beats me, no guitar can be heard. Maybe he toys with fun boxes that makes fun noises?

 

Agreed. Whatever one might think about their change in direction, Radiohead has endured arguably more than any of their other original peers. In fact, I would argue that their willingness to shift gears helped to keep them fresh heading into the 2000s, even if they're no longer breaking down barriers at this later stage of their career.

I'm only a moderate Radiohead fan, but I regard OK Computer and Kid A as their creative peak. I lost interest after In Rainbows, but I never lost respect for them. Sometimes bands/artists go off in a different direction that isn't satisfying to all of their old fans. We can either accept what we're given or we can move on to something else that interests us more, but there's little point in bemoaning it. (No doubt, our old friend rjp will be along presently to complain about how Radiohead became the Thom Yorke band after OK Computer, trading their guitars in for samplers.)

 

If you can't hear any vocal melodies or guitar post-OK, then you have not been listening. Even King of Limbs has those things, even though I am not a fan of that one.

 

My favorite Radiohead albums by far.

 

They aren't? There's still a lot of demand for them and buzz whenever they put new music out.

 

I agree, King Of Limbs was probably at the same time their most anticipated release, and the biggest letdown of their career. I cannot tell you how many times I have tried to like that album.

 

Amen.

Thank God for Coldplay. It's where all we Bends and Computer fans went when Raidiohead went all 'art'.

 

Correct, Radiohead are today relevant to those who consider their 2000- post output as their best. Myself bought physical CD's (remember them?) in mid 90-s and at least I was on board for what they were doing then. I will never criticize them for the great long-spanning career they have. They probably made the right decision at that time but can we agree that pre/post 2000 they are basically different bands?

 

Even Coldplay have strayed away from that 'The Bends' type of music and few albums back now though.

 

Thank god for Coldplay. Words I never thought I would read when discussing Radiohead. Kid A and No Code my favorite albums by Radiohead and Pearl Jam respectively. Love the first two but The Bends and OK Computer were clearly leading to Kid A, all the steps were there to see. Wasn't that big of a departure, King of Limbs on the other hand.

 

really? Coldplay are almost as bad as Maroon 5 in terms of selling their soul to the lowest common demoninator pop music.

Coldplay were once a respectable band but that pretty much all went out the door around the time the 2000s became the 2010s. They lost all credibility and became a whipping band. Radiohead is Peter Gabriel, Coldplay is Phil Collins.

 

I don't even know where to begin.

First, I don't want any band I love to put commercial success over their artistic vision. Even if I don't like their vision, I value authenticity over everything else. How boring it would be if artists went the safe route every time.

Ironically, Kid A and No Code are my favorite albums by both respective bands.

Secondly, commercial suicide? Radiohead and Pearl Jam? Really? Think about that for a second. They have arguably the two most faithful and rabid fanbases in all of modern rock. They would both instantly sell out worldwide arena tours today. I have no idea where you get the idea that Radiohead aren't relevant today. Check their Reddit subscription count even if you want social media proof. It rivals Kanye's following.

 

Well, I don't think so. All The Bends & O.K. Computer fans are probably still sticking with Radiohead trying really hard to like each new release, at least myself.
As this does not materialize, it gets frustrating, but like I wrote earlier, Radiohead are a different band post 2000 probably not getting much airplay with their new releases?

 

I do not agree.

 

Coldplay have an undeniable gift with a hook, though.

Oh, and King of Limbs is one of my favourites, I like all the Kid A onwards LPs. Bends is good, OK Computer is too patchy for me.

 

There was no way they were going to equal, much less top "OK Computer" with a follow-up release, so really their only artistic option was to break the wheel.

 

I think if Coldplay had called it after Viva La Vida, their reputation would be strong, but they went full on into housewife pop and it alienated their earlier base. Radiohead could be too much at times, but I'd take Thom Yorke at his most pretentious and abstract than Chris Martin singing "Paradise" and literally getting upstaged by Beyonce at his own Halftime Show. Thom would never humor that idea

 

Ok people, great to see that Radiohead are still relevant, and these threads generate discussion. I realize that there's no support for The Bends & O.K. Computer fanbase here, and I will repeat myself: I have never blamed Radiohead for their great achievements long-spanning career as artists, they have done better than most.

 

The post Kid A album Hail to the Thief was recorded mostly live and features recognizable guitars and such.

 

Kid A went to #1 on both sides of the Atlantic. In Rainbows sold 3 million copies. Can I have some of that "commercial suicide" please?