My take on Radiohead's King Of Limbs

I’ve taken a couple weeks to let it digest a little, but I’m finally ready to put my thoughts on the new Radiohead album, King Of Limbs, down on paper – or on screen. Or whatever.

It seems like most of the people I talked to shortly after Limbs was released (a day early!) had a very similar reaction. First: Um, this sucks. Then, later: OK, this is pretty damn good!

While I didn’t hate the album upon first listen, it did definitely grow on me. At first I found it hard to be completely blown away by any particular songs – there are no all-out rockers that we ate up on In Rainbows (e.g., "Bodysnatchers," "Jigsaw Falling Into Place," etc.). In fact, Limbs features hardly any guitar at all, and most of it (especially the first half) sounds like it could be a Thom Yorke solo project. (Sorry, Ed O’Brien.) So nothing jumps out right away like the group’s masterful previous release.

But dig a little deeper and things come more into focus.

The second half of the album is really where it shines. “Lotus Flower” starts things off with a great Radiohead bass line and eerie feel. “Codex” – my favorite track on the album – is chilling and reminds me a lot of “Pyramid Song” off Amnesiac. Wrapping things up is “Separator,” which to me sounds the most like a full-band Radiohead song on the album.

After admitting to myself that I liked King Of Limbs, I still feel frustrated by it, like many other Radiohead fans. It clocks in under 40 minutes, with only eight tracks. Rumors abound about whether there will be a “part 2” to the album. When purchasing the “Newspaper” version of the album, it’s noted it will come with two vinyls. I’m not a vinyl expert, but it seems like they’d be able to fit this album on one record. And then there’s the final track of the album that repeats “If you think this is over, then you’re wrong.”

I don’t know if Radiohead will release a second part or not, but it would be nice. I enjoy King Of Limbs very much, but it definitely leaves me wanting more!

In relation to other Radiohead albums, I would probably rate Limbs middle-of-the-pack. Read my previous album rankings here. It would probably slide into the fourth or fifth slot for me -- definitely can't crack my top 3. But I don't think it's their worst album, either.