Song of the Day #10 - Radiohead - Bodysnatchers

As the ones of you who have read this blog a bit over the years might have discovered, I am a massive Radiohead fan. Or, that is, the last record, hm, that is just a bit blend. I hope they get back to things like this. Cause this, my darlings, is frankly brilliant. This whole concert where this clip is from is just totally and utterly brilliant, and maybe my favourite live concert of all time. Listen to the guitar riffs, the layers, the build ups, the corners, they way they tone it down just at the right moment, the bass riffs and the drum beats, the vocals and last but not least the energy in this room. These people are having A LOT of fun, and I am so so envious of them. This is almost musical heaven. Close to it at least. Oh, and I hope you get some joy out of it too ;) Have a good weekend!

Great covers: Weezer - Paranoid Android

I have been meaning to write about this one for at least a few months. Covers are strange things. They can give a whole new fantastic dimension to music or really just kill it. Me, I think that if a song is truly good, it will be fantastic almost whatever you do to it, as long as there are talented musicians doing the cover. When I saw that Weezer was doing Paranoid Android by Radiohead though, I was a bit scared for them and at the same time filled with anticipation. Weezer is a good band musically and I have heard a lot of good covers, but paranoid android is... well... grand, to say the least. The different parts, the singing, the solos... my oh my. You have to have guts and skills to take on something like that. I am however thrilled to tell them that they ACE it. It's brilliant and fantastic and give yet a new dimension to the song, even though it is also pretty true to the original. That is even more impressive than taking it to a new style.. Maybe.. I have to think about that some more. In the meanwhile, enjoy!

Radiohead - There There - Demo and finnished product

Wow. It must be great to be in a band when someone turns up with this Radiohead – There There (First Demo)

And then you have people like J. Greenwood to help add guitars and other things into this: Radiohead – There, There The doble guitars, ad ons and solos are just mindblowing. And yepp this people have worked together before, you can tell.

Great covers: Big band covers of Radiohead

Not surprisingly, I have heard many great covers of Radiohead-songs over the years and posted a few here as well, but this is the first time I have heard a big band do it. And this is just plain and simple very very cool. I love all the details of these songs, so it's very exciting to hear how they have incorporated them into their versions, but at the same time put their own touch to it. I also think that signifies good songs, when they can be translated into all kinds of genres and still sounds fresh and is interesting to listen to. Great stuff and proof of the presence of genius. And how proud one must feel to be celebrated with great covers like these. Enjoy and have a nice weekend. And I am sure more will come in time.

Great covers: Paranoid Android by YouTubers

I think I only can say one thing: Great music inspires! :) I am sure you all have seen it by now? It's been around for a few weeks, and now apparently Radiohead have watched it too as they posted it on their website.
Enjoy!

New music: Radiohead - Staircase

Nothing can make you happier than when your heroes step back into the role of heroes again. The last 3 hours I have constantly been watching and listening to this video. I am hooked. I am stupefied. I am dumbfounded. I stare. I stare. I listen. I listen. And occasionally I am trying to get some work done. I can't wait to see the rest of the live concert. Something tells me it's going to make me love The King of Limbs as well. Possibly. It's good to see more people than Mr.Yorke.

Thoughts on music: Me and Radiohead

This is an answer I wrote in a discussion about Radiohead and it's music in a message board tonight, and I think it sums up a lot of what I think about Radiohead and also the new album in context, so I want to share it with you as well:

Hm.,,, Let's see... I don't think I have been clear enough in either my blog post or the last post here. I guess I am just not used to writing to people who (like me) have such detailed knowledge of Radiohead's music + I haven't really had the time (or now for that matter) to sit down and explain all the details in the relationship between me and Radiohead's music. That can literally take hours, I think :) First of all, I get the feeling that you think that I am one of those who only like the easy accessible things, though "I might be wrong". The songs I choose as examples was very random and the first ones that came to mind as I was writing. One of the things I like most about Radiohead is their diversity and that they have done pretty much everything from punk to very very strange experimental electronica via jazz... etc. People who master song writing to that scale is truly brilliant geniuses to me. (And don't forget Jonny, I am a huge fan of his and most of the time think that he is more brilliant that Thom when it comes to solo stuff, he's a 9,5 out of 10 while Thom is around 9 for me. The combination of the two of these brilliant minds and of course the others makes the magic for me. Anyhow, isn't arrangements a big part of song writing? to me it is at least, and easily the part I enjoy the most when I am writing music with my band. The thrill of finding the perfect bass line, the right rhythm combination between two guitars, the right use of cymbals on the drums. Not to mention the build up's. Radiohead are masters at that and one of the things I admire them most for. So far there has never been a dull moment in what they have made and they have such an amazing ability to do the right things at the right time, take the bass out for two bars here and put in a squeak there. I am grinning as I am writing. Clearly the most inspirational music for my own work. And I don't only mean in the more poppy or main-streem songs if you wish... Now I am scared of coming with examples, because I love all the songs for different reasons and it would, as I said, take years to explain why.
When it comes to rhythmical interplay, I must disagree, even though I haven't heard all the details yet. There are far more exciting things on other songs, like for instance Pyramid song (of the top of my head).There might be more exciting bass lines on TKOL though...But the drums are fairly boring, and stay the same all through the songs, though very groovy :)
I never said Ok Computer did strike me right away, it took me some time to like that one too. And I think 98% of everything they have done from PH to IR has that grace feeling and brilliance. TKOL might get there, but I have a feeling it will take me way shorter time to decipher and figure out, and than a lot of the thrill is gone for me. Hm... But... Again.. I love different Radiohead songs for different reasons. I love Pop is Dead for it's brilliant gitar solo and "devil-may-care" attitude and "2+2=5 for all it's different parts, and "Sail to the moon" for the lovely feeling of being in the middle of the night and the amazing presence that has, I love Kid A(Kid A) for the beautiful spider web of sounds and well calculated beeps and squeaks. Did I make myself clearer? :) I am a tiny bit enthusiastic about this topic. And sorry for being off topic to this thread!

New Music: The King of Limbs - Radiohead

Every time there is a new Radiohead album this happens to me, I know that it's coming and I am not looking forward to it.

It's been like this since Kid A, I think. The first 4-15 times I listen to the album I don't really like it. I kind of hate it to be honest.

And this comes from a woman who has Radiohead's music in her heart-blood and brain core.

And I know that after a while the pieces of the puzzles will fall into their place and I will start to love them all like little babies, one after the other. I love the fact that it's music that I can dig into for years and still find new stuff, but at the same time it's a horrible process to get that far. This time I am also more scared that I have been in years.

To be very honest, I wonder what Ed O'Brien has been doing through most of the recording of this album. As a first listen a lot of the songs sounded like they could come from a Thom Yorke solo album.
I miss the layers upon layers of guitars, guitars in general and Mr. J. Greenwood's influence of the music. And I missed the brilliant arrangements and the excitement of different parts (On songs like Arpeggi, 2+2=5, All I need etc ). It all turned me quite sad.

Thankfully it is now slowly getting better. I am starting to see snippets of things I love here and there... Hear details that I know comes from them all, or I at least believe so.
I am starting to get used to the idea of an Radiohead album that is this stripped down. It took me some time. It also helped a lot to imagine the songs being played live in my head. That adds a energy that I think is somewhat lacking.

Pieces of brilliance that I have found so far includes: Codex in general, except a bit of a boring piano riff, the amazing first long tone that Thom sings, it's almost like Liam Gallagher on his best, there is some kind of double depth to the voice. Last night that song made me get chills for the first time, that must be a good sign.

I love that there are guitars coming in on Separator just when the song is starting to become so boring that I almost want to turn it off. That's a tiny piece heaven right there.

I love the middle section of Bloom in opposition to the rest of the song. I can hear a lot of Greenwood solo stuff there somehow. And I love Thom Yorke, but I want them both.
In general there is a lot of lovely groovy drums and bass playing, but it could have been even more exciting and in different time figures and stuff. Hm. But I am getting there.

Starting to love the guitars and rhythms on MorningMrMagpie also now. hm...
And I have loved LittleByLittle since the start.


Darn it. I am loving more and more of this. I think I am getting there again. It seamed impossible 24 hours ago. Sigh :)

And I really want to hear an interview with them now.

Are you now thinking. Radiohead? New album? where and what? You can click here

New Music: The Winchell Riots

Sometimes it seams like all the good music in the world comes from one great place. And the last few days it's been all Oxford for me. First of all with the great Radiohead of course, but then I also remembered that other favourites of mine Youthmovies are also from Oxford. I was sad to read that Youthmovies have decided to split up, but at the same time I found a remix they had done and of course had to listen to the band that they had remixed. And oh hey ho and hallo!! hehe. I am in love with The Winchell Riots, maybe I won't be in a few days or tomorrow, but the first impression is just over the moon, and that is very seldom that I will say that! It in many ways remind me of some kind of Radiohead light, it has that great vocal and the great guitars and the fantastic rhythm and vibe. Oh yes, I love this.

I will come back with more detailed descriptions later, if I keep loving them as much as this and that is very likely :) But for now, I give you these links:
Spotify

And here are tons of clips from YouTube, I am still exploring myself. But so far I have loved every note. So let's enjoy!

Great covers: Amanda Palmer does Radiohead

I have heard about these covers for some weeks now, but haven't really found them anywhere online (Maybe I haven't really looked hard enough either..:) But anyway, here one is at least. The great Radiohead covered by Amanda Palmer and her ukulele. I love the title on the album, that alone almost reveals that this is a very cool record. It is: "Amanda Palmer Performs the Popular Hits of Radiohead on Her Magical Ukulele" Here is a link to her version of Idioteque. To even think about doing such an electric piece of music on something simple as ukulele is impressive enough, but she also actually do a very good job. I wish I could hear the rest of the album!

Modeselektor and Thom Yorke - The White Flash

This is a song I have been listening to a lot lately. It has some of the greatest drums and bass I have ever heard in my whole life. What is also very clear to me is that Thom Yorke has listened a lot to Modeselektor when he made his solo album, and at the same time it's quite clear that he must at some point has been involved with the process of writing this song as it sounds a lot different from most other Modeselektor stuff and somehow a bit Thom Yorkeish. To summarize: it's a great result of a great collaboration. I have tried to listen to Modeselektor a lot after this, but somehow it's not the same without mr. Yorke. Guess it is the magic touch somehow. Well, enjoy.

Spotify link and Youtube:

Thom York's gig in Cambridge

On the 26th of February Thom Yorke took to the stage in Cambridge where i also played some new songs. I am of course always excited about new things from that part of the musical landscape, but I must admit the new songs sound a bit blend, but you also have to have in mind that I usually don't like Radiohead/Thom Yorke songs before after a while and I can all ready feel myself liking Lotus Flower and These Are My Twisted Words a lot more now than when I heard it for the first time. One of the people that added comments on the ateasweb, commented on the exact thing as I always think: These songs need to be "greenwoodified", meaning that we need Jonny Greenwood to have a go at them too and then they will turn out to the brilliant mix that is Radiohead. If these songs will even be part of Radiohead? Who knows what Thom will do with them. The new Radiohead album is said to be out in not too long, so very excited about that :D Right now the songs to me sound a little like things I have heard Thom Yorke do so many times before.. same chords, same way he plays them, same melodies.. It's good, don't get me wrong, but I need more than this. I was truly excited when I heard Airbag at the end of the set and all the beautiful melodies in it.. :) Of course, it also helps to listen to this version of These Are My Twisted Words compared to the one that was released a while ago. Then you can see what will happen to the others too.

Here is a link to the page where you can see videos from the concert :)

15 albums of my life

This is really a facebook thing, but since I wanted to share it with all of you, I put it here, and this will also end up in facebook notes, so all is good :)


Think of 15 albums that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life or the way you looked at it. They sucked you in and took you over for days, weeks, months, years. These are the albums that you can use to identify time, places, people, emotions. These are the albums that no matter what they were thought of musically shaped your world. When you finish, tag 15 others, including me. Make sure you copy and paste this part so they know the drill. Get the idea now? Good. Tag, you're it!


---------------------------------

As chronological as possible

A-Ha - Hunting High and Low
This is the first album I remember buying at the age of 6 and I totally loved it. It was the perfect clever pop-synth of a 6 year old. Still love the album

Guns n' Roses - Use the illusion I
I think this started my craziness for guitars and guitar solos. Amazing rock album and I still love it. November Rain is still one of the greatest albums ever made. Perfect for a 12 year old :)

Nirvana - Live in NY MTV acoustic
This changed the whole way me and all my generation looked on music I think, though we didn't heard about Nirvana before Kurt was dear, I think ;)

Aerosmith - Living on the Edge
Oh, how we loved Crazy and Cryin'. Record listening and taping of videos onto vhs when I was 14.

The September When - Hugger Mugger
Opened my eyes for the great Norwegian band The September When and made me go out and buy everything they ever made and obsessively love it forever and know all the lyrics. Nice for a 15 year old.

Alanis Morisette - Jagged Little Pill
Girlpower in a cool way not the stupid spice girl way. Lovely for a 16 year old.

Blur - Blur
This album opened my head and ears to a whole musical world. I had never heard anything like the guitar on Essex Dogs, and still love it.

R.E.M - New Adventures in Hi-Fi
Started my relationship with R.E.M. I loved this album and we liked it so much that we even used it for a theatre performance, how advantage of us ;)

Radiohead - Ok Computer
Amazing, mind numbing, and so so filled with love on all levels.

Kent - Isola
Bought on a Swedish gas station outside Gothenburg on the way to Praha by bus with my high school senior class. Listened to it all the way there and back. Turned out to be the foundation of a friendship a few years later.

Jeff Buckley - Grace
So beautiful, so clever, so sad. Bought in Poland on another study trip and listened to all the way home.

Elliott Smith - XO
Not sure if this was the first one I bought of Elliott, but I pretty soon loved all his stuff and this is one of the albums I love most of all.

Travis - The Invisible Band
Remember buying it and sitting on the train station and thinking how much I loved ever song.. Amazing :) Sparked my whole love for Travis.

Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not Amazing energy and cool guitars and vocals. Just a very very good debut album

The Raconteurs-Broken Boy Soldiers /Consolers of the Lonely Bought these two at ones. Lovely nice to the soul, deep, blues sound from the heart. listened to this all through the summer of 2008.

Radiohead at the Grammys

Sometimes old institutions and traditions needs a bit of shaking up, and not surprisingly did Radiohead just that when they played at the Grammys last night. 15 step was performed by Thom and Jonny and The USC Marching Band. . Amazing stuff!! I wish it had been better sound at this clip though so I could hear the details. Hope someone posts that later, while we wait for that: here.

And OHH!!! The won Best Alternative Album! YEEEAH!!

Australian awakening and Great covers: Sia - Paranoid Android

Grettings from an extreemly snowy Norway! Been out walking through lots of snow with guitar, bakcpack and handbag for two days now.. Sigh.. Good to be home..

Sia is another of the great Australians.. I was really glad I found out that it was her singing Electric Bird. I have heard that song for so long and wondered who it was. On Spotify I found this amazing version she does of Paranoid Android. The intensity of her voice in this one reminds me a bit of Beth Gibbons and Tori Amos and the strings in the bakground is perfectly "sick", strange and creepy.. Might be the best Radiohead cover I have ever heard. Gives me chills :) Here

Music: 7 Worlds Collide - What a supergroup

7 Worlds Collide is a supergroup based around Neil Finn from Crowded House. It was apparently around about 8 years ago. I didn't hear about it then, but I got to this time around. Yes, because two of the members are from Radiohead: Ed and Phil. There are also people from Wilco involved as well as Johnny Marr from The Smiths and KT Tunsall. I give you two interviews with a VERY happy Ed O'Brien and a also quite happy Phil Selway. Also a little sneak peak from the studio. They are actually releasing an album from the whole thing and I can only imagine how wonderful it must be to be surrounded by all that talent at the same time. It must he crazy exciting. And also.. it's summer down south now :) And all they make from it goes to Oxfam :)

Music: Dailymotion (an alternativ to YouTube, and what a great one!)

Wow!! I just found the most amazing alternative to YouTube. It's almost completely similar. The only difference is that's everything has crystal clear sound and picture because it's all in HD or at least HQ!! Here are some examples:

Radiohead's Reckoner live:

01 - Radiohead - Reckoner
Uploaded by andybe29

Travis - Something anything:

TRAVIS - "Something Anything"
Uploaded by Cooperative-Music

Radiohead + JayZ mix by Hovahead

I am not usually a rap-fan at all but Jay-Z is a great guy and there is no doubt about it. I really love the way he samples and produces and completely love his song "99 problems". I also really love Radiohead as you all know by now, so a mix between a Radiohead song and 99 problems is almost ultimate joy. I think I have heard about this guy that mixes Jay-Z and Radiohead before but was reminded about it thanks to the great Radiohead-site: At Ease.com. The artist is Hovahead and his experiments with Jay-Z and Radiohead songs can be found at his MySpace-page. My favorite so far is National Problem that is a mix between National Anthem and 99 Problems, but it might be because I haven't heard a lot of the Jay-Z tunes. I just realized though that I really like the way Jay-Z raps, and with Radiohead in the background it's quite magic. Enjoy or just try something new :) Oh and I love how Radiohead takes over the All I need mix :)

Guitar: Turtorials for songs by Radiohead

Have you ever wanted to play some Radiohead songs on guitar and only found strange, wrong, uncomplete versions on the Internett? Well, here is your savior. Warrenmusic on YouTube has a lot of great tutorials. Everything is well explained and totally right (I haven't seen all, but looks very good so far). He explains very well what to do, and also tell you all the tabs / chords. I can wait till I get strings on my acoustic guitar again. I am gonna dive right in :) Thank you so much!!

Film: Meeting People is Easy

This might not come as a shock to you people, but Meeting People is Easy is about Radiohead. It was filmed during the crazy crazy Ok Computer thour in around 1998. I think they toured at least for 2 years constantly, if not more. It's an amzing film, just by how it's filmed, colors, use of cameras etc. but it's also a very very sad film about how you can slowly loose control of yourself and who you are after that madia craze for a few years. Amazing thing, even if you are not as Radiohead obsessed as some people ;) A very smart person put it out on YouTube, so you can go to this profile and watch the whole thing there. Enjoy and be prepared to feel uneasy and a bit sad but also see a lot of beauty and hear a lot of beauty...