RADIOHEAD: A Moon Shaped Pool (ATMOSPHERIC ROCK,Alternative Rock): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Disregarding any commercial constraint, Radiohead continues its way with a ninth album. After two last opuson which the different opinions were very divided, it is with circumspection that begins the listening of "A Moon Shaped Moon" and its 11 tracks for 52 minutes of music.

If the past experimentations of Radiohead had put off more than one, 'Burn the Witch' will quickly rally a good number of suffrages by attacking with a sound base made of jerky strings, on which the voice at the limit of the rupture of Thom Yorke comes to settle, the title going up little by little in power. On the other hand, the continuation takes immediately a more atmospheric, more intimate character, being situated somewhere between Shearwater, Anathema and Talk Talk. The keyboards take the lion's share, with a huge work on the sounds which pass cheerfully from the symphonic orchestra to the electro, proposing a very particular atmosphere, at the limit of the despair ('Desert Island Disk' or the symphonic 'Glass Eyes') or of the cosmic evanescence ('Full Stop'). This last title takes however another turn in its second part, at the limit of the psychedelism.

Ultra-clean arrangements, guitars not very present, sober, dark and efficient rhythm section, the style proposed by Radiohead on this new production navigates between alternative rock, post-rock, atmospheric rock and ... progressive rock! Proof of this is the summit of the album that constitutes 'The Numbers', hypnotic track that can be listened to on several levels because of the multiplication of the sound layers, and in particular of a particularly inspired bass playing. Compared to all this, the end of the album, and in particular its last two tracks, sounds almost banal but constitutes nevertheless a soothing coda, ideal conclusion of a remarkable album.

And if the desire to start listening to an album again after its last bars constitutes a good calibration of its value, then there is no doubt that "A Moon Shaped Moon" is to be considered as a great record, difficult to classify certainly, but so brilliant! - Official website

RADIOHEAD

A MOON SHAPED POOL

AUTRE LABEL

ATMOSPHERIC ROCK