Radiohead's most recent LP King of Limbs seems to be, at the least, a polarizing album. I have heard people speak of it as the greatest album in the history of the world (paraphrasing an actual conversation). And also that Radiohead has lost it with Limbs as well as 2008's In Rainbows being far less than the standard that Radiohead has set for themselves. Granted, neither of these albums are OK Computer or Kid A but neither of those albums were Pablo Honey or The Bends. Radiohead IS Radiohead because of this. They don't have a definitive sound. You cannot lump them into a specific genre of music, they created their own. Every album is different from every other album.
I am not the biggest Radiohead fan out there by any stretch of the imagination but I thoroughly enjoy their music and their creativity. In Rainbows was one of my favorites from 2008. I really liked it at first and then it slipped into the background only to be re-discovered and fell in love with all over again with a rejuvenated level of respect. It has been similar for me with Limbs. Really liked it after I listened to it about 3 times in a row. The 1st couple of listens nothing overly stood out besides the beauty of it. The 3rd listen was similar but it started to feel like different layers in a dream. Then, going previously unnoticed and like the climax of the dream that turns it from ordinary into one that sticks with you, "Codex" happened.
At the very beginning when I heard the split second of his voice it felt as if it would go into this epic song of twists and turns and beats like something from Kid A. It abruptly stops before a keyboard comes in softly like it walked into a room it had never been to before but has always belonged there.
The lyrics are just as haunting as the music, which you can read below.
Sleight of hand
Jump off the endInto a clear lake
No one around
Just dragonflies
Fantasize
No one gets hurt
You’ve done nothing wrong
Slide your hand
Jump off the end
The water's clear and innocent
The water's clear and innocent
Is it about guilt? Is it about trying to make the wrong things right? Is it about suicide? Maybe that's why it's called "Codex."
Check out, this, one of my favorite songs of the year below.
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