I like the first three songs, and "Present Tense", and the last song a lot. The rest are mostly forgettable, save a few moments of clarity.
There is some melodic perfection in this album... as always with this group. There are also some quality hooks, and some beats that are more than just 'intriguing'. Some of this is truly substantial, meaningful. Half of it is disposable new-age tinkering.
I wish I could have more of a rock band from the group. This is so processed that it's actually, literally, not a band playing music together. It sounds like Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood got together for a project electro, and then invited Phil Selway for some good features... Every time Colin comes in it feels out-of-place, and there's no recognizable sign of Ed anywhere. The piano is too piano to be Radiohead (what the fuck is that Chilly fill on "Daydreaming"?), the guitars are different and don't really work.. There's a good deal of what sounds like Jonny doing new chords for their sake, which no longer impresses. "Daydreaming" has some excellent stuff, really Radiohead -- but there are definitely off moments there too. The end of that song is pure Kid A though, which we need more of.
The first three songs as introduction are bruising, the last song gifts perfection, and we get some good moments along the way.... But in total this is a sub-par album relative to the Radiohead canon. It's still nice work.
I note the drop to the 3 in "Daydreaming", which completely saves Radiohead as Radiohead. Thank God for that drop, which could not have been more nor less.
I note the wooping chorus in "Present Tense", especially in that beautiful 7th and then the step down.
The triplet-suspension complex in the "Daydreaming" melody.
The perfect melody of "Decks Dark" laid atop the uber-groovy line.
The riff at the end of "Decks Dark"-- very strong.
Along with that piano stepwise ascent in "Daydreaming" (clearly the most notable song on the album), there's the clumsy strings at the end of "Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor Rich Man Poor Man Beggar Man Thief".
They sent the album off perfectly for me ~~ memory of who the group is through time, for all time. Identity. Calling themselves by name. After such a distant album they ended compassionately, stoking my love again, invoking a warm pleasure of the heart.
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