Album Review: Radiohead – King of Limbs

You’ve got to hand it to Radiohead. We know they don’t like playing by the rules. But they’ve just gone and thrown the book at the law makers and burned it in their faces. And they’ve left themselves without even a hint of a singe.

Last time round they released a recording without a set price. Now, their 8th studio recording, The King Of Limbs, is out a day before its due date. Why? According to their web site, because, “it was ready.”

On first listens, (Madison Music Review has only heard this twice, breaking a cardinal sin; listen three times then have an opinion – but we needed to get this to you quick) this album is possibly going to be the most accessible Radiohead recording since OK Computer.

It seems to have learned from all that has gone before it.

This album shows that the Oxford band may still be rock stars but are no longer a rock band. They loop beats in with piano on the opener. They steal from dubstep in “Feral”. And their drums are now to the band, what their guitars were in the 90s.

Make your own mind up about Lotus Flower.  But “Codex” is a stand out track; what they get from the piano Coldplay can’t even dream. The first hint of an acoustic guitar comes on “Give Up the Ghost” — and it’s beautiful. “Separator” may whisper but it’s the perfect closing track.

Are there any surprises here? It’s surprisingly short. But within it is complexity and depth, you know by listening over and over again, your thirst for more will be quenched. This album will be played again and again by fans. And they will lead others to listen. Radiohead may have just bagged themselves a new legion of fans who don’t even know it yet.