6 replies to this topic

[RunningTerrapin]

Has anyone ever noticed that the ending to Pearly is almost idenitical to the ending of Reckoner? 

 

Has anyone ever noticed the guitar chord sequence of Knives Out is similar to Paranoid Android?

 

Has anyone else spotted anything?

[Xenodude]

Maybe not as theoretically similar as your examples, but Staircase and WIEAYB always felt like cousins to me. Also, there's a similar guitar riff shared in There There and Go Slowly.

All in all, though, I think the band does a pretty good job of keeping things pretty fresh.

[Swarley]

I also get the connection between Staircase and WIEAYB. They have the same vibe (which is probably the reason why both are favourites of mine) but they don't sound alike.

When I hear Cut A Hole I always recognize Go Slowly in it.

And Codex is definitely the relaxed little brother of Pyramid Song. Similar structure, lyrics and instrumentation.

[Xenodude]

This is definitely a stretch, but what the hell. Cut a Hole is almost like a slowed down version of Wolf at the Door--just the way it's a constant barrage of lyrics and the way the melodies work is sort of similar.

[REDIPSKCOLC]

yeah I've noticed. My one friend thinks Knives Out is unlistenable because of the Paranoid Android similarity, I think he's a moron missing out on a good song.

 

I Will (LA) version sounds like a rip off of I Will.

[nudist]

I definitely agree about Paranoid Android/Knives Out. When I try playing the former on the piano, I always end up messing up and merging into the latter by accident.

[mnkcarp]

There are a lot of similarities between There There and Jigsaw. 

 

Some songs seem alike to me because of the similar guitar tunings or chords used.  Or maybe I just end up playing them together often, especially the non-standard tuning songs, like Airbag and Nice Dream (tuned the same, some similarities but I doubt anyone would have necessarily paired them).  Quite a few similar chords used in Fake Plastic Trees, Bulletproof, and Exit Music, but I don't find the songs similar at all. 

 

What is fascinating when you start playing the songs is learning how creative the band is with time signatures.  There's a reason Radiohead songs have a lot more staying power than a typical pop tune (okay there are hundreds of reasons) and part of it is that they don't get stuck in 4/4 time.  As a result, the melodies and rhythms don't have to get forcefed into that very limiting time structure and the songs can be deceptively complex.  Add that complexity to the incredible musicianship and emotive expression the band ooze, and you have something rich enough to sustain your interest for a good long time. 

 

Album-wise there are lots of similiarities among the guitar driven first three, a definite pairing between Kid A and Amnesiac, and again similiarities in the last three, with a definite arc into something new in TKOL (and beyond, hopefully).  I think the new unreleased songs have been fantastic and pushing ahead in that TKOL aesthetic.

 

Wait... what was the question?