To say that Radiohead was an integral part of my music loving history would be a huge understatement. In fact, they are arguably the first non-metal band that I listened to in a serious fashion. Albums such as The Bends and In Rainbows inspired me to not only venture outside of my comfort zone when it came to music listening, but they opened my eyes to how beautiful rock music could be when put in the right hands. Sure, at that point in my life, I would of told you that no other band was better than Radiohead; of course, having widened my musical horizons in the last 8 years or so in a pretty significant way, I now realize that Radiohead are simply a fantastic band that managed to break free from their brit-rock shackles and really carve out their own niche. They may not be the best band in the world to me any more, but they certainly are one of my favorite.
So I was a little disappointed when the band put out their 2011 album, The King Of Limbs. Not only was it the shortest LP the band had ever released, but it was also the least enjoyable upon repeated listens. Not since the band's debut has a Radiohead been less rewarding than The King Of Limbs. But, even though I was disappointed by that album, I knew deep down that Radiohead could definitely still put out music worth raving over; and that is exactly what A Moon Shaped Pool is.
To be completely clear, this album is not another In Rainbows or Ok Computer; in fact, if you're only a fan of the band's more rock oriented sound then I suggest you pass on this one, because there's very little in the way of traditional rock instrumentation here. Save for the rhythmic motion of a track like |"Identikit", most of this album relies on string sections and gentle atmospherics to propel each song. In short, this album is a patient one. It has nowhere to be but here, and it takes its time to unfold and make itself comfortable.
While this may make the album sound like a complete bore (and to some, it may be), in my opinion, A Moon Shaped Pool is everything that the previous album wasn't: warm, heartfelt, and rewarding. Songs like the beautiful "Daydreaming" or "Glass Eyes" rival such Radiohead classics like "Nude" for pure, unwavering beauty, and the more tense moments like "Burn The Witch" and "Indentikit" balance out the mood of the album and really show just how amazing this band is at playing as a unit.
And finally, we have the closer, a song that has been in the Radiohead canon for nearly 22 years, but just never found a home on an album, does just that here. And the result is an achingly sincere and near perfect track that sums up the emotions of the album perfectly. "True Love Waits" has been a gem hidden in the band's discography for so long, I guess it is only fitting that it ended up on the band's most patient and possibly most heartfelt album of their career.
10/10
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