Read all about it. Radiohead are to release a newspaper album.
The King of Limbs won’t really be taken seriously as a newspaper album proper, until it’s injuncted by a footballer, prints its first apology or has a reader’s letter about the crossword being laid out wrong. It is in its way typically ground-breaking from the band no-one is calling The English Mogwai.
You’ll remember in 2007 they issued the beautiful In Rainbows as a pay-as-you-feel-like-it endeavour.
This time, 625 pieces of artwork by regular collaborator Stanley Donwood, will be released with two 10’’ vinyl records in
May. Least surprising point of information - it’s a broadsheet newspaper in keeping with the band’s mindset. They were unlikely to base it on the Daily Star.
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There are probably enough online newspaper reviews of this actual newspaper album. In this era of instant download, you can provide your own review below or post it on your blog. The most shocking aspect was not the band skipping the usual three months of pre-release hooplah, unless you count bassist Colin Greenwood blogging for Index on Censorship. It was not the band announcing last Monday the album, produced as usual by Nigel Godrich, would be available for download on Saturday and then blindsiding everyone by sticking it on their website on Friday. No, here comes the real zinger. The shockeroonie to end all shocks. Radiohead released a video for the track Lotus Flower, involving a choreographer. Not just any choreographer. Wayne McGregor CBE whose groundbreaking work for Ballet Rambert, Scottish National Opera, at la Scala and the Pompidou Centre has won him awards for excellence in the field of contemporary dance. His latest project seems to consist of asking Thom Yorke to clap his hands and jump around in The Homepride flour man’s hat and a white shirt. Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli will not be in touch. The Lotus Flower clip was directed by Garth Jennings, of Hammer & Tongs, who did Blur’s famous milk carton vid for Coffee and TV. And if you agree with Not the Nine O’ Clock News “Nice video, shame about the song” ethos, these Radiohead tributes are for you. Here is Thom Yorke dancing to:-West London Dubstep producer Caspa: Ace of Base’s Black Sea: Rammstein’s Sonne: Daft Punk’s Aerodynamic: Beyonce’s Single Ladies: Thom Yorke meets Peter Serafinowicz: * KC and the Sunshine Band’s (Shake Shake Shake) Shake Your Booty: The rather inevitable Rickroll: What has been called Benny Hill of Limbs:Can’t imagine a band as web-literate as Radiohead will be able to avoid all of these. They have already warned of the dangers of videotape. Just as fans and bedroom critics will have posted their own review of the King of Limbs by now, it follows that anyone with access to iMovie or even just a bowler hat and an inclination to do it, will have created their own version of Lotus Flower. It’s unlikely to prove the Downfall of the band. McGregor, the resident choreographer of the Royal Ballet, may be less impressed.
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