They're back with a vengeance and their eyes are set on once again dominating the field of experimental rock. Radiohead dropped the single appropriately titled "Burn the Witch" last Tuesday which will be featured on their upcoming ninth studio effort A Moon Shaped Pool. If the album resembles this track even slightly we are in for a game changer, a late studio release parallel to or even greater than In Rainbows.
This is where things really get interesting, if the album manages to uphold the quality and subtle genius of "Burn the Witch" we could face a release equal to OK Computer. That's big. Being such a die-hard fan for that 1997 record, I am praying Radiohead delivers. Unto the actual single at hand which is most likely the best to be released since Reckoner. It's a perfect mix of jaw-dropping beauty and unease as Yorke delivers some of his most melodic performances to date coupled with Radiohead's iconic unsettling sound. The pace is lighting quick and draws you in instantly. The string arrangement utilizes "Col Legno" to create a percussion like sound by striking the string with the wood of the bow instead of using the actual hair of the bow. This tool solves one of Radiohead's greatest faults which plagued them on their 2011 release King of Limbs as they relied too heavily on a manufactured and synthetic sound. This new use of the classic arrangement has given Burn the Witch a electronic vibe without stripping it of its organic feel. This decisive step could prove to be massive as the band may have found a way to mix both the uneasy tech feel of Kid A with the beauty and accessibility of In Rainbows. With a more organic backdrop, Yorke's vocals feel as though they are given more breathing room. His falsetto is suited much better to this new natural percussion and only shines further when coupled with the soaring string melodies which are offered throughout the single.
The lyrics only further the band's undeniable talent as song writers. Much like the instrumentation, there is an explicit call to the unsettling and worrisome. Radiohead is warning us of the downfall which "groupthink" can lead to. Take into account the political climate in Europe and North America, one can only draw a comparison between the "witch" and Syrian refugees. Islamophobia is reaching a critical state, and these displaced non-extremist civilians are being used as a scapegoat to further hateful rhetoric. We all need to watch someone hang from the gallows to feel as though we are doing something about the current war on terror. Yorke sings of this with great effect.
"Stay in the shadows
Cheer the gallows
This is a round-up
This is a low-flying panic attack
Sing the song of jukebox that goes
Burn the witch
Burn the witch"
Radiohead has always been a band bent on relevancy, refusing to whither away into cheap reunion tours and countless re-releases. Their attention to modern political climates along with inventive releasing strategies have kept them at the very forefront when discussing alternative music. I am indescribably excited to give A Moon Shaped Pool a listen which has literally just released as I am writing this final paragraph. I am certain I will be giving it several listens this upcoming week and will put in my two cents when I've had time to properly digest the work. Fingers crossed it's a masterpiece; only with a band like Radiohead can you permit yourself to have such high aspirations.
