By Michael Zduniak |
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For those who are not already familiar with Radiohead, they were initially a very melodically and emotionally charged band. In their most recent offerings, however, they have taken a much more electronic, sterile and emotionless approach. And while it has been an artistic and logical progression for the group, it still leaves me cold and with something to lament. No matter what, I still miss that Radiohead of old. They were a band that could bluntly accuse the world of everything wrong with it, and yet still inspire one to see the world's paradoxical beauty in the sound of their music all the same. And while their most recent productions have retained the same sense of social criticism and art, the manner in which they have achieved it is quite different. The beautiful melodies and the emotional magic they once had have long since departed, being replaced by mechanically produced algorithms of sound and cold, distorted mumblings. And so, as much as it might still be art and have much worth, the Radiohead I loved and knew so well is no more. |
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So, where does this leave a once rabid Radiohead fan and avid music lover? The change in Radiohead's music is something I do indeed lament and believe is an unfortunate occurrence, but it is also something I will get over with some time. On the other hand, what their change exemplifies and truly does bother me is that it seems as though rock as well as the 20th century artistic culture have become so narrowly focused on radical revolution and change as the primary method of expanding music's language that they have lost sight of the benefits of subtle change and the use of the familiar in their art. And thus, in modern music, such devices have ceased to be. Things were not always this way. Previous to the beginning of the twentieth century, music as well as art can be seen to have progressed in a rather plodding manner-one that did not allow for much to change. Each period of music would have its own 100 years and then the next movement would come along to be accepted and then explored. This was simply how it was done-the Baroque period begat the Classical; Classical begat Romantic; and so on. Then we come to the twentieth century, and suddenly musicians and artists alike are no longer content to simply explore ideas drawn out by those before them. Instead they must now either create their own utterly new ideas or expand on others in such a grand way as to still revolutionize them nonetheless. And it is with that spirit, I feel, that rock as well as many of its Twentieth Century musical contemporaries such as R&B and rap, have been created and in fact embraced. Revolution truly is the very essence of rock as well as the other aforementioned styles, and as such, many people have successfully employed rock as an apt vehicle for change. Artists such as Elvis, Alice Cooper, and even Dr. Dre have all taken things to the extremes in their own unique way, pushing social boundaries and revolutionizing how things are done in both the social and musical world. Thus, in many ways it is easy to see how Rock, Rap and Radiohead have come to not only embrace change, but to go so far as to make the central focus of their art. But it is in this pendulum swing, from Beethoven to the Beatles and on to Radiohead today, that the problem lies. Art and humanity once needed a serious jolt from its obsession with conformity and the familiar, and much of that jolt came in the form of 20th century music and art. However, we are now a long ways away from such times and have now grown to the point where revolution and change are an integral part of both our music and our lives. Thus, I think we have now come to a point where the pendulum needs to begin to swing back toward the center. Our society and music no longer need the jolt they once did and have already gotten the most we can out of this mode of thought. Each day that we continue to look to revolution and change as the only means of expressing our ideas (both musically and otherwise) is a day we continue to severely limit our expression and lose the chance to express something new. The pendulum has come that far. It is time to start going back. In the end, what I am asking for in this article does not necessitates that our appreciation of change or revolution in music stop nor does it require that all of our bands start sounding any more similar than they already do (I mean, how many boy bands and Creed's can we handle?). It simply suggests that we broaden our idea of what can make music interesting and incorporate that into our formula for music. I certainly hope that our musicians will always seek to be unique and push the envelope. But, I also hope that when they find a sound that is not only revolutionary but beautiful as well (such as my case-in-point Radiohead's The Bends or OK Computer), they will pause their stalwart march toward musical change and renovation to sit back, enjoy and explore the sound they have found for a bit, and let us do the same. I won't, however, hold my breathe for OK Computer 2 anytime soon, but I can always hope. :)
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Text © 2002 The Scene Los Angeles
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