Radiohead - The new Pink Floyd?

[Cluster One]

I was just thinking... everywhere I've heard them mentioned, Radiohead is referred to as the "new Pink Floyd"- does anyone notice any similarities? Or like them?

[Wing'd Icarus]

I certainly enjoy the music of Radiohead..but I wouldn't go as far to call them the new anything...they're a breed of several different types of music.

[thorin13]

i agree. i think dave said it best when he said they deserve to be radiohead and not the next pink floyd or something along those lines.

[Cluster One]

You're right, Thorin. Although if I had to make a direct comparison, I'd say Radiohead is a lot more experimental. If you don't believe me, listen to Everything In Its Right Place from Kid A.

[thorin13]

oh yeah i've heard it. great song. have you heard the version on the live album. its awesome when they sample the voice to make its own kind of instrument. and they expand the song quite a bit. good stuff.

[FloydWright]

I think Radiohead is far more musical in focus than the lyrical works PF is most famous for. Notice that Thom Yorke obscures his voice a lot of the time, and even when he doesn't he is not as clearly understandable as the Floyds. He uses his voice more like a musical instrument than anything.

But sometimes they get a bit close to Floyd-like pieces. Kid A has the most similarities, to my ear.

"How to Disappear Completely" reminds me of "Comfortably Numb" (especially the powerful, keyboard-heavy version on PULSE). I even did a story where I tied the two through the events of ITAOT; it's here on the forum.

"Idiotheque" sounds like a description of Mr. Waters--reminds me of Animals. Very fierce, lots of references to societal breakdowns...and a very interesting, disdainful stance towards weakness: "Who's in a bunker, who's in a bunker?" Not to mention the spine-tingling line "Throw him in the fire, throw him on!"

"Morning Bell" and "In Limbo" could be similar to Mr. Barrett's later work (from "Jugband Blues") forward. "I'm lost at sea, don't bother me...you're living in a fantasy world." Not to mention the eerily familiar guitar at the end of "Morning Bell"...

[Cluster One]

I love both those songs, but I don't like the rehash of Morning Bell on Amnesiac. Do you like Radiohead? Just asking because I saw you in the Sawdust Demon thread.

Floyd On!
C1

[thorin13]

i think its fair to say everyone who has participated in this thread is a fan. i don't like the rehash of morning bell too much either.

[FloydWright]

Yes, I am a Radiohead fan--at least, OK Computer forward.

As for the "Morning Bell" rehash, I'm not a huge fan of it, although I do like the reprise of "Release me...release me." I think the eerie, SB-like guitar in the first version is chilling.

[thorin13]

you don't like the bends. i can understand pablo honey. but the bends? its so good.

[Cluster One]

Yeah, especially Just and Fake Plastic Trees. Why don't you like The Bends?

Cheers,
C1

[Cluster One]

Originally posted by thorin13
you don't like the bends. i can understand pablo honey. but the bends? its so good.

Exactly.

[comfrtably pink]

radiohead r great they are like late PF.
if u want a band thats like the early and psychedelic PF u should try porcupine. i didnt hear them, but they soppose to be good.

[thorin13]

you must mean porcupine tree. they are a great band. only their (mostly guitarist and singer steve wilson) eariler stuff really sounds like pink floyd. especially "voyage 34 phase one" which completely rips off the riff from another brick in the wall. but even the stuff that has the full band and doesn't sound too much like pink floyd is great. they are releasing new album in sept. check them out.

[Cluster One]

Huh. Have to check them out.