Radiohead: The Greatest Band of All Time?

Discussion by Russ Israel

 

            A few weeks ago, I was riding my bike back to my dorm at around ten at night, listening to Kid A by Radiohead.  Towards the middle of the album, I found myself focusing more on my surroundings than where I was going, and I realized that whenever I listen to Radiohead I have the same emotional response.  That led me to think about why Radiohead is so good.  Whenever I speak with people about the band, I ask them, “why do you like them so much?”  The response I often is get is somewhere along the lines of,  “It’s Radiohead, they’re perfect!”  Or “they’re the greatest band ever!”  I’ve even been answered, “Because Thom Yorke is hot!”  But the latter doesn’t pop up too much…   In all of Radiohead’s glory, it seems that a lot of their fans can’t pinpoint one reason they are considered one of the most influential bands, or can’t articulately describe their attraction towards them.  A lot of music review websites do a pretty good job of it, but even then it is easy to disagree with their often pompous opinions.  In this article, I will attempt to deconstruct and explain the perfection of the god of all bands that is Radiohead. 

            Back to my bike ride that one night; I remember not being able to describe my feelings.  It was a weird mix of sentimentality, angst and depth.  Whatever those emotions were, I realized that I experience them regardless of the album that is playing.  I eventually came to the conclusion that the magic of Radiohead lies in the listener’s response to their music.  It is not their production, their lyrics or their melodies in particular that makes someone love Radiohead.  For example, after listening to one of their best songs, “Paranoid Android,” no one says, “that hook was so catchy!”  It is more a feeling of awe and content towards the entire song. 

            I guess what I’m trying to say is that Radiohead is a balance.  Front man Thom Yorke has set up the band and its recording process is such a way that no one aspect of their music stands out, yet none is subpar.  In Radiohead’s lyrics, Yorke doesn’t tell a story and he’s not describing his thoughts.  He is general enough about his feelings and experiences that anyone can relate to what he is singing, even if it is on the darker side.  He involves listeners with his words, but doesn’t distract them from the overall feel of the songs.  In addition, his clearly passionate vocals make it hard not to leave a deep impression on his listeners.  Radiohead’s songwriting is very original.  Each of their songs is like a journey, and you are always taken places you don’t expect to go because of their strange instrumentation and chord changes.  The band’s mixing and mastering also contributes to said journey, which allow listeners to be fully immersed in the sounds they create.  In all of their albums, they establish a complex system of unnatural sounds, organized into mesmerizing sonic layers to engage even the most jaded music lovers. 

            Radiohead is not perfect in every way; it’s all of their little perfections and imperfections that add up to make their music incredibly unique.  Their deeply emotional and often depressing songs capture their listeners because it mimics real life.  You are not taken away by how spot on every vocal harmony is, because life isn’t always spot on.  It is the sadness and flaws – the balance – that make listening to Radiohead so natural, and invoke such real, indescribable emotion.  When I listen to the band’s music, I am taken over by a sense of abnormality and nostalgia.  But that’s just me; everyone has a different response to music.  All I know is that the legend of a band instills a full and often overwhelming emotional response in its listeners, which no band can emulate.  To do that, your art must come from within, which is clear in Radiohead’s music. 

ARCTIC MONKEYS – WHATEVER PEOPLE SAY I AM, THAT’S WHAT I’M NOT

           

 

Review by Gil Israel

        Going into this album, I can’t say that I was particularly hyped. Even though I was fully aware that this album is considered a modern classic (it was on Rolling Stone’s 500 greatest albums of all time after all) and that it is adored by many, I still really didn’t want to take the time to listen to it. First off, even though the album has received significant critical acclaim, the Arctic Monkeys have become super main stream recently… even though they may still technically be considered an indie rock band… Though I don’t generally have a problem with more mainstream music, it just seemed kind of lame to me… like I would just be listening to a solid alt-rock album for 45 min; the kind of standard rock songs that just appeal to every average Joe on the street; the kind of standard rock songs that are often necessary to appeal to every average Joe on the street. Though I knew the songs would probably be decent, I just thought it would bore the crap out of me as it presented material that wouldn’t be bad, but that wouldn’t be particularly interesting.         

But I must say that when I listened to this album all the way through, nearly all my preconceived notions were proven false. The album turned out to be an exhilarating Sex-Pistol-esue punk/post-punk album with some really great song writing. It hits hard, and it hits fast – some songs even border on thrash metal – and I found myself frequently returning to it throughout the week. Though all the songs are pretty much based on a distorted guitar riff, there are enough changes in them to keep them dynamic and interesting. And lead singer Alex Turner’s description of British nightlife is fairly witty and entertaining for the most part.  

            The Arctic Monkeys are clearly talented musicians and though Alex Turner gives off that Johnny Rotten vibe, the Artctic Monkeys are certainly better musicians than the Sex Pistols. One of the greatest songs on the album, “Perhaps Vampires is a Bit Strong But…” showcases the band’s musical ability at its best. The song moves through multiple sections, each with a guitar riff guaranteed to get you moving, and progressively builds in intensity until the drums take center stage, bringing the song to its climax. The song reveals just how hard and how well the band can jam and gives off the impression that it’s improvised, though in reality each section was probably arranged in excruciating detail…

            Though there are other standout tracks on the album such as “The View from the Afternoon,” and “Mardy Bum,” the best song on the album is the closing track, “A Certain Romance.” The only track that’s over the 5 minute mark, “A Certain Romance” opens with a ska type of rhythm and a melodic riff played up high on the neck before going into a Built to Spill kind of closing guitar crescendo. This song sounds less like a pop-punk song than all the other tracks on the album and more like a 90’s indie rock song, and I wish there were more tracks like it on the album.

            That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy the other tracks, however I must say that a lot of them sounded awfully alike, and would be quite difficult to differentiate from one another if played in shuffle or isolation. For me, that’s where the fault in the album lies. Most of the album was 2 – 3 min aggressive punk or punk derivative songs and it really could have used a bit more variety.

            However, I was still quite pleased with the Arctic Monkey’s debut album. Despite my initial reluctance, it provided hours of energy filled, air guitar playing, head banging listens, and I gained respect for the Arctic Monkeys which I hadn’t had previously. Not sure how/why it ended up in the 500 greatest albums of all time list though… (I mean it’s good, but of all time!?) So even though the album is close to 9 years old, if you haven’t listened to this album yet and think the Arctic Monkeys are kind of lame just like I did, then I would encourage you to give this record a go.

OVERALL SCORE:

 8.2

Pond Concert Review - Rock n' Roll Hotel - 10/17/14

Nicholas Allbrook, Lead Singer and Guitarist

 

Shiny Joe Ryan, Guitarist and Backup Vocals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review By Russ Israel

            One by one, afros and flannels began to appear on stage.  With a mob of people screaming behind me and trippy images projected in front of me, the scene of the Pond concert last night was truly unique.  I have been a fan of Tame Impala and Pond for a a few years, so I was very excited to see the latter play at the Rock n’ Roll Hotel in Washington DC.  I had seen some YouTube videos of the band’s live shows, so I thought I had a firm grasp on what the performance would be like.  However, once they started playing, I realized there was no way I could have anticipated Pond’s cosmic destruction of that venue.  It was an epic night…

            Walking into the concert hall, (although it was more like a room) I had no idea what the crowd would be like at this concert.  I had a feeling there would be some classic hipsters there, you know, denim, glasses, beards, more denim and the occasional nose ring.  But it ended up being much more diverse than that.  Audience member ranged from preppy GW students to seriously tattooed biker guys with spikes on their shoulders, hence the eventual mosh pit.  Nonetheless, everyone in the crowd reacted very similarly to the music.  “Let’s get rowdy,” said guitarist Shiny Joe Ryan at the beginning of the show, which sums up Pond the experience pretty perfectly.  I didn’t see one person throughout the entire concert who wasn’t bobbing their head or moving their body in some fluid manner. 

            As for the music itself, I was blown away.  The band played songs from Beard, Wives, Denim, Hobo Rocket, and Frond.  They even played one of my favorite B-sides, “Pond in a Park.”  Every song was a jam, and each was heavier than the one before it.  The music was constantly stimulating; the halftime breakdowns, the psychedelic synths, the echoed vocals and the overwhelming guitar effects made for a collection of sounds that only these five Western Aussies could have conjured up.  Front man Nick Allbrook’s wacky attire and stage presence added to the overall “not giving a damn” image of the band.  Watching them play, I just could not shake the feeling that these guys care about nothing but music.  They truly went all out – strumming their guitars as hard as they could, drum filling as fast as they could, and screaming as loud as they could.  These guys clearly put their passion and their hearts into their performances, which is refreshing nowadays when all most people care about is their profile pictures and how they look in their Instagrams (myself included…).   

            Pond ended their set with the mesmerizing “Midnight Mass,” the last track off their most recent LP, Hobo Rocket.  It provided the sentimental, yet epic ending that perfected the evening.  To me, Pond’s performance was inspiring because they showed that you can make music that makes you happy, and others can enjoy it as well.  These are just a bunch of guys who like to drink beer and use fuzz pedals, but people love them and their music!  That is the real magic of Pond. Good thing I convinced my friend to drive me to this concert…

Hands down one of the best shows I’ve seen. 

GRATEFUL DEAD – AMERICAN BEAUTY

Review by Gil Israel

            This is not the Grateful Dead you may expect at first going into this album. This is not the hallucinogen fueled jam band that will meander through a half an hour version of “Darkstar,” nor is it the band that powers through psychedelic rock jams like “St. Stephen.” No. This album showcases a quieter, more conservative Dead. A dead that looks less towards the electric psychedelic blues-rock that was prevalent at the time and more towards the folk, the country, and Americana styles of years past. So when you see the bright tie-dyed Grateful Dead shirts, or the Steal-Your-Face skulls, or the pictures of them jamming with huge PA systems in front of thousands, you’ll probably be surprised when you listen to this seemingly mellow album. However, that being said, it’s a surprise that you’ll likely find quite pleasant.

            This album from front to back is like some sort of religious experience. Its blend of folk, country, and even gospel at times is quite soothing, and the often-surreal lyrics by Robert Hunter leave the listener feeling as if they are in some sort of Western fantasy world: a world filled with outlaws, magnificent fountains, sugar magnolias, and glass palaces. The twang-y acoustic guitars and gorgeous mandolin lines compliment the lyrics and keep you fully immersed in the world of this album, while the Dead’s three-part harmonies direct you through the journey and keep you from drifting too far afield in the Dead’s universe. What’s most admirable about this album is that without ludicrous amounts of reverb or delay pedals/effects or synthesized ambient drones, the Dead still manage to concoct a dreamy encapsulating atmosphere – not an LSD inspired atmosphere, but an atmosphere inspired by simple life on the countryside.

            Interestingly, it is the songs that deviate more from this folk/country style that threaten to break the atmosphere of the album the most. For example, after opening tracks “Box of Rain” and the second track “Friend of the Devil,” which do such an excellent job of establishing the aforementioned atmosphere, the track “Sugar Magnolia,” feels out of place. Unlike most of the other songs, the track is focused around a central guitar riff that pulls me out of the Dead’s folk/country bliss, and back into the Dead’s more familiar world of rock and roll. However, the next few tracks, “Operator,” and especially “Candyman” ultimately make up for this misstep and successfully reintroduce me into the album’s original and most pronounced ambiance.

            The only other track I feel that threatens to break the atmosphere is the album closer, “Truckin’.” Once again, though it is one the band’s most famous songs, and one of the only ones to make it onto the pop charts, it initially didn’t seem to fit with most of the preceding tracks. Though in isolation it is undoubtedly a great song, like “Sugar Magnolia,” it is much more focused on an electric guitar riff than most of the album, and seems to break the dreamy haze of the rest of the album with its chugging, and somewhat aggressive rhythm.

However, after listening to the lyrics of “Truckin’,” which serve as a reflection of sorts on the 1960’s, I’ve ultimately come to interpret the album and the placement of “Truckin’” in a new light. To elaborate, just as “Truckin’” in a song is a reflection of the 1960’s, perhaps the American Beauty album as a whole serves as an even greater reflection of the 1960’s. The album, through its mellow tracks and atmosphere illustrate the dream like blur of the euphoric and drug-addled counterculture of the 1960’s, while the abrupt change of pace and conclusion of “Truckin’” represents the abrupt end of the 1960’s with the onset of the 1970’s. Thus, I believe the whole album is in fact a microcosm of, as well as a farewell to, the 1960’s with its ultimate conclusion with the year of 1970 – the year the album was released. Perhaps then, “Sugar Magnolia” represents the times where the euphoria of the 60’s counterculture was interrupted with events such as the Vietnam War, Kent State shootings, and/or the other events.

Yet, whether my analysis is true or not, American Beauty is a great album full of rich folk instrumentation, luscious harmonies, and some great songwriting. If you interpret the album similarly to how I did, then it’s masterpiece, and if not, then it’s still pretty damn good.

OVERALL SCORE:

9.2      

CREAM – DISRAELI GEARS

 Review by Gil Israel

            Largely held as one of the greatest rock albums of all time, Cream’s Disraeli Gears certainly lives up to its hype. Released in 1967, the legendary summer of love, Disraeli Gears is a blues-rock psychedelic masterpiece that has clearly and deeply inspired nearly all psychedelic rock acts to follow.

            Of course, this album contains some of what we-would-considere-clichés throughout, namely the track “Sunshine of Your Love,” as well as tracks with that traditional blues rock structure. However, when one actually sits down and listens to this album all the way through, these “clichés” suddenly vanish. “Sunshine of Your Love” actually sounds original and powerful as the album’s second track, with its crunchy power chords and proto-stoner rock pentatonic riff, and sounds like three young dudes experimenting with traditional rock structures instead of rock-legends merely plying a “classic.” The blues structures too throughout the album, though still recognizable, still manage to sound original as the guitar tones are bathed in reverb and delay and the lyrics of psychedelic bliss are front and center. For example, tracks like “Blue Condition” though a simple blues, is one of the album’s most enjoyable and unique tracks, with Ginger Baker’s mellow voice and the distorted guitars expressing the blues in a modern way distinctly crafted for the psychedelic age.

            There are some moments however when the tracks come a little too close to that blues cliché. For example, “Take it Back” sounds like a very traditional blues based rock song and doesn’t seem to add anything especially new… However if all else, it’s still a well-executed blues-rock tune, albeit not the most groundbreaking or genre challenging.

            And we all must remember that though our cliché monitor may go off at certain points during this album, these are the guys that invented the hard-rock/psychedelic rock cliché in the first place! When they first created this album in the late 60’s, such a blend of the blues and psychedelia was downright progressive; for them, it wasn’t a cliché, it was true innovation! In fact it was so innovative, that there are still multiple bands who are ripping off that Cream sound! (looking at you Wolfmother and Temples…).

            Since this album is considered a classic, it would be pointless for me to go on highlighting all the great things about it that so many others have pointed out before me. However I will say that though it is considered a classic, I didn’t actually realize how good it really was until I extensively listened to it. At a brief 34 minutes, it’s a breezy, catchy, trippy, yet powerful album that presents those damned rock clichés in their most primordial and unhinged form – a form that somehow, and for once, makes them sound fresh.

OVERALL SCORE

9.7    

Mother Earth’s Plantasia

Review by Russ Israel

            In 1976, Mort Garson released one of the most unique pieces of music ever recorded.  Mother Earth’s Plantasia is an album that is fun, relaxing and relentlessly entertaining.  Garson wrote the album for plants, yes plants.  He did not claim that it would help plants grow or make them more beautiful.  All he said was that plants and plant lovers would really enjoy the album.  A first glance at the album cover put me under the impression that I was about to listen to some weird, ambient recordings of a colony of ants crawling up and down a tree.  In reality, the album accomplished something more different and creative than that. 

            The instrumentation of Mother Earth’s Plantasia is synthesizer.  That’s it. Garson uses only a Moog analog synth to make his sweet soundtrack for plants, which seems like it could get repetitive.  However, being a Julliard graduate, the artist’s immense knowledge of music allows the album to be like nothing you would anticipate.  That is clear right off the bat with the first track, “Plantasia.”  It is a great introduction because it is subtle, but states what his goal is for the album – he wants to comfort you so that you can develop your character and realize what traits you want to grow into, like a plant would (sort of).  I may be over-analyzing Garson’s work just a smidge, but I feel there is both musical and emotional depth to the album. 

            Throughout, Garson’s layers and layers of synthesizer soothe the mind, and take the listener on a sonic journey.  During songs like “Mellow Mood for a Maidenhair,” I felt like I should have been levitating just a few inches above a grassy knoll, so that its verdant fur would be just tickling the back of my neck and arms.  The artist sets up a gentle environment with his tones and natural chord changes as to make the listener feel safe to spread and be their true self. 

            Garson dips in and out of certain genres, including jazz, pop, and classical.  Combining those styles with his unique arrangements (synth on synth on synth) results in his own genre that probably influenced electronic artists who listened to him.  “Symphony for a Spider Plant” shows off his ability to write counterpoint in the most baroque sense of the word.  The Latin jazz influenced “Swingin’ Spathiphyllums” sounds like something from the soundtrack of a Super Mario game.  Yet on top of all of these diverse and fun arrangements, Garson sprinkles airy and legato melodies, which seem to invoke deep human emotion, not only feelings towards plants.  These melodies are what really tie the album together.  Without them, Mother Earth’s Plantasia might seem like two music nerds jamming on their new keyboards they just got for Hanukkah.  Garson’s genius lies in his ability to match the jocular with the serious, the fun with focus, and the light with the heavy. 

            Sometimes, success lies in simplicity, and Garson’s semi stripped down work shows that it’s not about the bells and whistles, but about the writing.  He could have arranged these songs for an orchestra, a jazz ensemble or a solo acoustic guitar.  But when you give a classically trained performer and brilliant songwriter a brand new Moog synthesizer, they’re going to use it to its maximum potential. 

            To take a step back, Mother Earth’s Plantasia is a really interesting album.  The layers of synth, bossa beats and real melodies make for an incredibly satisfying listen, whether you are a plant or a person.  

Overall Score:

9.6

DR. DOG – Be the Void

Review by Gil Israel

            Though music criticism as a whole is a wonderful thing, there are just some times when I completely don’t understand it. As a given, things already get a little dicey when it comes to critiquing/judging art. After all, as true with all art, some people may really enjoy the work in question while other may hate it. It may deeply connect with some, while viscerally repulsing someone else. But, even so, very often people can generally agree when something is at least or good or bad. Sure they’ll disagree on the nuances, but most people will say that The Shawshank Redemption for instance is a good movie, and that something like Birdemic is simply bad (unless you count the it’s-so-bad-it’s-good thing).

            That’s why for the life of me, I can’t understand what the high and mighty music critics have against poor Dr. Dog – a Philadelphia based band that’s made enjoyable indie rock since around 2000.

When you scan the web for some of their album reviews, and though some of them on some select websites are positive, on many websites, and especially the websites that carry a bit of hubris, all their albums have been destroyed. I mean, it’s not even like their albums got mediocre ratings – that would be more understandable. No. Instead their albums have been trashed! If you don’t believe me, look it up. And be sure to check the sites to which I am namelessly referring (you should know who I’m talking about). I’ve listened to Shame, Shame and thought it was fantastic. I’ve listened to their previous discography, though not extensively, and enjoyed all of it. I don’t understand how this band has some worse ratings then some truly terrible acts out there.

            To present a anecdote of sorts, when I first got Be the Void, Dr. Dog’s second to most recent album, a year or two ago, I innocently looked up reviews for it at some of these reputable websites. As you are probably expecting, the album did not receive positive criticism, and at times, the criticism just seemed plain mean. Yet, being open/naïve enough to take this review with credence, I wasn’t expecting much when I finally decided to really listen to this album.

Yet, despite my negative preconceptions, to my delightful surprise I found this album fantastic. Every song on it is a winner. The melodies are beautiful, the harmonies are spot on, and the instrumentation is gorgeous. Without a doubt, this is an album where though most people may not like it to the same degree I did, most would agree that it is definitely a solid album.

Many critics focused on the fact that Dr. Dog was a bit all over the place on this album. Like they had too many ideas – too many styles – and overly tried to cram them all in on this album. Though I will agree that this album is certainly diverse, for me this is part of what made the album. Though the album opens with the mellow folk tune, “Lonesome,” as the album progresses we’re met with some 60’s inspired surf/garage rock, some electro indie pop tunes, some anthem like sing-alongs, and even some hesh psychedelic rockers (see “Warrior Man”). Yes, this is definitely a lot of ground covered, but it was this kind of dynamism that kept the album interesting, engaging, and still enjoyable listen after listen after listen…

And though Dr. Dog certainly make use of a wide pallet of rock song styles, it’s this amalgamation that defines and makes Dr. Dog the great band they are. Even though they don’t limit themselves to a particular style, every song on this album still definitively sounds like a Dr. Dog song – an accomplishment critics should be applauding, not condemning.

And yes, as I read over and over again, Dr. Dog are certainly inspired by and draw from a similar trick bag as many bands that have come before them (i.e. The Beatles, The Band etc.), but let’s be real, what modern band doesn’t do that? To me, Dr. Dog doesn’t take from their influences any more than any other indie band on the scene and as I said earlier, every song still somehow uniquely belongs to Dr. Dog and Dr. Dog alone. Despite some similarities, no music fan would ever confuse a Dr. Dog on this album for a Beatles song, a Band song, or whatever else they said. It’s just simply, and wonderfully, Dr. Dog.

Thus, to wrap up, this album is full of great songs of different styles and feels that you will definitely enjoy at least to some degree. As a lesson to leave you with, don’t always take music criticism from sources you respect to heart. Don’t immediately write off an album that got terrible reviews because sometimes you might just completely disagree…

OVERALL SCORE:

8.6