Sunday, September 14, 2008

"Blow Out" / Radiohead / Pablo Honey

I have to give my wife credit for buying this Radiohead CD way back when before they somehow became the be-all-end-all of modern music.

Although, to be fair, my wife had a habit back then of buying CDs for the one "hit" song (like this, this and this - thank God for itunes, huh?), so she just bought it for "Creep" obviously. Not that that's anything to be ashamed of, as obviously many, many people did the same.

I know it's been mentioned and discussed a bit, but it really is amazing that what looked to be another 90's alternative one-hit-wonder somehow blossomed into a full fledged juggernaut.

I remember hearing "High and Dry" and "Fake Plastic Trees" off of The Bends back in the mid 90's and thinking it was interesting to hear from Radiohead again, as I fully expected not to. Then one summer's day I caught the video for "Paranoid Android" and was completely blown away, causing me to rush out and buy OK Computer, perhaps the best CD released in the 1990s and still one of the best ever.

Love! Love.


Then, holy shit, the hype went into overdrive, and this is where Radiohead and I parted ways. With great fanfare they released Kid A and Amnesiac on the same day (a douchey move in itself - Correction: not on the same day - actually a year apart.) and I remember some of my coworkers being in such a lather to buy these that they slipped out of work to run to the store the Tuesday they were released.

When I finally got around to listening to them, I had a full on ..."Meh". I was OK with that, and I know some of my best friends and people who's musical tastes I respect very much will disagree with me here, but I find them to be boring now. The worst part of it all is the critics and hipsters absolutely fawn over whatever these guys put out, giving anyone who doesn't like their stuff the ol' Emperor's New Clothes, condescending "Oh, you just don't get it" response.

Radiohead has reached the point that they could put out an entire CD of feedback and test pattern noises and it would be hailed as revolutionary, futuristic genius, and I just find it all really really dull and annoying. Sorry. That's one reason I don't get into the big Coldplay pile on, either. To everyone who says they are just making a living on what Radiohead used to do, I say "Yeah!" Radiohead used to put out lovely, mellow stuff like Coldplay does now. Dammit, somebody's got to have melody and proper song structure! Lay off Apple and Moses' Daddy!

Anyway, enough with my Radiohead issues. I'm really hearing this song for the first time myself, and I like it. Judging by the many Youtube clips, it seems to be a pretty popular track of theirs too. It starts off with the good old, dreamy Radiohead we used to know, all falsetto singing and noodlely guitar, until they turn the petals on at 1:22 and start in with the "loud" part of the "soft/loud" structure that made "Creep" so successful.

Yorke comes back in with the second verse at 1:48, but he full thoated now, and they keep the distortion turned up now. Nice. Then, they drop completely down at 2:16, almost to a whisper in what serves as a short bridge of sorts. Then the song ever so slowly builds back up, adding a little bit of instrumentation at a time, until 3:12 when they begin the longest, awesomest guitar note I've heard.

I mean, this thing starts out sounding like an air raid siren, and keeps going, and going and going, slowly ascending in pitch all the while. Just when you think it will finally stop...no. It keeps on and keeps on, with the drum and bass going the heck off behind, until it finally releases at 4:27 or so. That's over a full minute of straight, Sonic Youth-esque noise, and I loved it. I'm willing to bet that's a concert highlight, and just to prove it, I found a clip of them preforming "Blow Out" from 1994. (Wow, Tohm Yorke hasn't changed a bit, has he? yeesh)

Overall, I'm happy when itunes give me a new discovery, and this is just found money right here. Well done Radiohead, and I'll still hold out hope that one day you will bring the fuckin' rock again.

MP3
http://www.mediafire.com/?fqm4apqvvxy

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ahem,
Kid A - October 3, 2000
Amnesiac - June 5, 2001

It's unfortunate you find their recent works too challenging. Now if you'll excuse me, my shift at the coffee shop is about to start.

B. Mo said...

Whoops. Must of had them confused with G'n'R (or Bruce Springsteen).

The rest of the general idea of pretentiousness still holds, however.

THE MERKIN MAN said...

Nice pick, especially since it is not the typical Radiohead fare of late.

I, too was not impressed with Kid A or Amnesiac when they were released, but enjoy both of them very much today. I understand your frustration with the reaction many get when they say they do not like Radiohead's (especially the recent) work. I get the same thing when I say I don't really care for Arcade Fire. I feel like someone is going to punch a hole in my cool card unless I proclaim they are the best band ever. . .

Oh, and Coldplay: people do not poo-poo them for using melody and structure, but for using the same formula over and over and over and over again. At least give Radiohead, like them or not, credit for going into some new territory every now and again.

If you like the rockin' Radiohead, you should check out their last two albums -- especially Hail to the Thief.

Mike said...

Creepy band with a few really good songs. I admit I get creeped out easily but all I can say is if I'm driving alone at night on roads I don't know, I don't ever put on some radiohead.