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npjnpj
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 05 2007
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 2720
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Topic: Radiohead and Progressive Posted: December 03 2016 at 01:33 |
I'm
slightly curious about the attitude of a lot of members on this site towards
Radiohead. It seems that the general consensus is that they are not
progressive. I'm basing this impression on a lot of comments I've read in several forum threads. Now, I haven't listened intently to Radiohead in the past, but I've
caught up with some of their albums recently, and they seem to incorporate a
lot of factors that I would rate as just that.
Most importantly, to my ears they don't sound like anyone else that I could
name off-hand. The composing and time signatures are very unusual in a lot of
cases, the instrumentation and arrangements are pretty singular (as far as I
can tell from my experience), and the plentiful effects seem very carefully
placed and in context with the songs. I'm impressed with the care and thought
that seems to have gone into these songs.
To my way of thinking this adds up to a progressive band that experiments with
a lot of new things and don't seem to be emulating or incorporating anyone
else.
So why are so many people here so certain that they're not progressive, in the
way it's defined or understood here?
Edited by npjnpj - December 03 2016 at 01:38
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Kespuzzuo
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 13 2016
Location: Santiago
Status: Offline
Points: 652
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Posted: December 03 2016 at 05:53 |
The progressiveness of Radiohead depends on which album are you listening to, that band likes to play multiple genres:
Pablo Honey: Alt Rock The Bends: Alt Rock, slightly progressive Ok Computer: Art Rock/Alt Rock with Progressive Rock influences Kid A: Progressive Electronica Amnesiac: Progressive Electronica with a bit of Jazz and Rock influences Hail to the thief: Art Rock/Alt Rock with Progressive Rock and IDM influences In Rainbows: Art Rock/Alt Rock, slightly progressive The King of limbs: IDM, Rock with syncopated drums A Moon Shaped Pool: Art Rock with Progressive rock/Krautrock/Symphonic influences
I think the band doesn't like to be called progressive because they think that when people say progressive, they think of bands with ELP organs, Genesis-inspired acoustic/clean guitar parts and Hipgnosis/Hipgnosis-inspired album covers
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WeepingElf
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 18 2013
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 373
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Posted: December 03 2016 at 10:13 |
The point is the difference between progressive music (music that progresses in some way past what had already done) and progressive rock (the genre). Radiohead are progressive in some ways, but not really part of the genre, even though there is some affinity to it.
Edited by WeepingElf - December 03 2016 at 10:13
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... brought to you by the Weeping Elf
"What does Elvish rock music sound like?" - "Yes."
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Barbu
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 09 2005
Location: infinity
Status: Offline
Points: 30845
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Posted: December 03 2016 at 21:41 |
They are, no doubt.
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Blacksword
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 22 2004
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 16130
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Posted: December 04 2016 at 06:20 |
They are obviously progressive even if they're not actually progressive rock. People who dismiss them as unprogressive, probably ironically listen to a lot of prog rock that actually isn't 'progressive'... if that makes sense...
I think their alt rock/indie roots don't sit well with many 'prog traditionalists'
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Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy!
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Guldbamsen
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin
Joined: January 22 2009
Location: Magic Theatre
Status: Offline
Points: 23098
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Posted: December 04 2016 at 06:31 |
I'd call em progressive but not a prog band. Know quite a few who feel similarly regarding Radiohead.
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“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- Douglas Adams
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Man With Hat
Collaborator
Jazz-Rock/Fusion/Canterbury Team
Joined: March 12 2005
Location: Neurotica
Status: Offline
Points: 166178
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Posted: December 04 2016 at 16:03 |
I think the music speaks for itself.
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Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect.
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Tom Ozric
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 03 2005
Location: Olympus Mons
Status: Offline
Points: 15916
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Posted: December 04 2016 at 22:13 |
Guldbamsen wrote:
I'd call em progressive but not a prog band. Know quite a few who feel similarly regarding Radiohead. |
Precisely
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TheLionOfPrague
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 08 2011
Location: Argentina
Status: Offline
Points: 1048
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Posted: December 09 2016 at 18:34 |
They're art-rock for me, not prog.
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I shook my head and smiled a whisper knowing all about the place
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WeepingElf
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 18 2013
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 373
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Posted: December 11 2016 at 14:31 |
TheLionOfPrague wrote:
They're art-rock for me, not prog. |
Fine. They were the first band to whom I saw the label "new art rock" attached, but I am not sure whether "new art rock" is a thing at all. Judging from what is considered "new art rock" by the (German) music press, I feel that this "genre term" is pretty meaningless. (What do RPWL have in common with Radiohead?) Also, it seems as if the term "new art rock" only exists in Germany ;)
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"What does Elvish rock music sound like?" - "Yes."
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