In 2009, Radiohead leader, Thom Yorke, Red Hot Chili Pepper’s Flea, Brazilian percussionist Mauro Refosco, Beck and R.E.M. drummer Joey Waronker and Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich formed a group called Atoms for Peace. They toured together performing Yorke’s solo album, “The Eraser” and a handful of new songs plus a few Radiohead tunes. After that tour in 2010, they had a three day recording session. The result would eventually become, “Amok.”
Released just a shade over a year ago, “Amok” got mixed reviews. One opinion found it, “…a collection of agile, minimalist rock songs with a handful of interesting but ultimately superficial electronica flourishes”^ Another review stated, “…[it] feels strangely static and contained, giving a perpetual sense of jogging in place.”^^ I can understand both of those critiques, however, I am on the side of really digging the electronica layered beats. Truthfully, this is Thom Yorke through and through. It feels like it picks up where the 2011 Radiohead record, “The King of Limbs,” left off. Of course, I liked “The King of Limbs,” and then grew more and more to love it. Radiohead’s musical twists and turns in the past decade have been completely satisfying to me. In my opinion, Radiohead is one of the best bands of this century. They are certainly in my all time top ten favorite bands. So it should come to no surprise that in my book club I find “Amok” to be top shelf .
amok adjective :possessed with or motivated by a murderous or violently uncontrollable frenzy.^^^ Whilst I don’t think the theme of this album is that of killing and manic delirium, I do think it is darker rather than lighter and speaks to someone whose life or parts of his life have run amuck. Each song offers someone questioning themselves or a situation or life in general. This is the underrated brilliance of Thom Yorke; his lyrics are vivid and poetic. Last September I did a project for a friend where I created my own individual and therapeutic expression of a circumstance in my life that was amok. I used the Radiohead lyrics of Thom Yorke as my canvas. It was a very healing and fulfilling exercise. Yorke continues his prolific writing on “Amok:”
Reverse Running
“Why would you even ask?
I’ve forgotten who I am
Snakes uncoiling
Pressed up to the glass
All the things that you shouldn’t ask
But you see through me”
Before Your Very Eyes
“The god of the window
was passing you by but you really want this,
Then know”
Unless
“While my heart keeps returning
I am lost, I am weightless
With my arms by my side
I am hope, I can break this
I am rust, I am waiting
I am here, I am weightless.”
And the entire lyrics of Stuck Together Pieces
“Our stuck together pieces
The joke is I don’t need this
You can hardly tell the difference
Well I know but I don’t care
Grown up together pieces
Our stuck together pieces
A load of near misses
Aw shucks, you got me
You can have anything that you want
Except the thing you really want
Go back to where you came from
Go back to what you know
Our stuck together pieces…
Why be rain when you could be sun?
Why tie yourself to anyone?
Why be here when you’d be somewhere else?
Well I know but I don’t care
You don’t get away
You don’t get away so easily…
Mirror, mirror still the prettiest
To all points of the compass
Just tell us where the money is
On stuck together pieces
And a load of near misses
And a load of near misses
Well I don’t want any trouble
but my brain is in a tangle
You don’t get away
You don’t get away so easily…”
Again, I relish Yorke’s storytelling. The compliment of the other musicians(Flea is always on point)on this record offers many highlights. With the combination of the rich, textured sounds and the choice words, “Amok” creates a desirable outcome for me–listening pleasure.
^http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/atoms-for-peace-amok/2985
^^http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/17632-atoms-for-peace-amok/
^^^http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amok
365, Album of the Day 2014 