With a band like Radiohead, there are always expectations. Each album must be better than the previous and it has to be fresh. With the release of 2007’s “In Rainbows,” the band met these high expectations. The question is, though, did they meet those same expectations for their latest release, “The King of Limbs?”At only 37 minutes, the album is relatively short and it is almost saddening when it finishes. It opens with “Bloom,” a mixture of piano, drum, and electronic sounds with lead singer Thom Yorke’s sprawling vocals. It sounds like the band is underwater, the music echoes and the vocals soar.
A clear hit in “The King of Limbs” is “Little By Little,” which is on par with the band Portishead’s music. “I’m such a tease / And you’re such a flirt,” Yorke sings with the steady, low rhythm of guitar in the background. There is an exotic feel to song, which gives it an upbeat, but, at the same time, mellow sound. “Feral” is Radiohead tackling the recent rise in dubstep popularity. While the dubstep is rather subdued, it is noticeable along with other electronic-dance influences.
Radiohead’s single, “Lotus Flower,” is one of the best songs off of the album. Yorke’s voice stands out and his falsetto gives it its Radiohead feel. Like most of the songs on the album, “Lotus Flower” contains an electric and abstract feel. “Codex,” on the other hand, has is more piano-driven and ballad-like. “Give Up the Ghost” has a slow beat to it, but the beauty of it is Yorke’s layered vocals. The album wraps up with “Separator,” which sounds more like Radiohead’s previous work. The drums are consistent and the electric guitar sounds in all of the right spots, giving it a more uplifting feel. “If you think this is over,” Yorke sings, “then you are wrong.”
“The King of Limbs” sounds like Radiohead, but it has more of a contemporary, avant-garde feel to it. The album is hollow and it feels like the soundtrack to a dream. The length of the album is disappointing, but it is beautiful and haunting. There have been rumors that Radiohead is planning on releasing a companion album to “The King of Limbs,” and it almost seems like they are hinting towards it in their last song, “Separator.”
As for expectations, there has been mixed feedback on whether or not Radiohead has succeeded or failed. The fact is, however, that it doesn’t matter. Radiohead is an established rock band that can put out anything and make it sound heavenly.
The songs on “The King of Limbs” flow together magically, and while it doesn’t have a sharp edge to it, it has a personality of its own.