That’s not a criticism, it’s a mark of how far this band has come, and how their best work always seems to be in the present rather than the past. “No Surprises” (also from “OK Computer”) brings more cheers from older fans but the pretty-ditty sounds childlike, while “Planet Telex” (the opener from 1995’s “The Bends”) was a rock benchmark at the time, but now feels like an afterthought.
Radiohead’s ’90s material might still have the biggest emotional pull, but feels slight next to such fresh, forward-thinking work. But the band’s latter-day reinvention as an off-kilter dance-music troupe was also on display, especially during the irresistibly filthy groove of “Lotus Flower” and a vicious version of “Idioteque” - a staple in Radiohead’s show since the 2000 release of “Kid A,” a song which, 16 years on, still manages to sound ahead of its time. “A Moon Shaped Pool” felt heavily informed by singer Thom Yorke’s recent breakup with his partner of two decades, and took on a somber tone as a result. They opened their show with five consecutive new songs from this year’s “A Moon Shaped Pool,” including the juddering, tension-addled “Burn the Witch,” the chilly but gorgeous soul of “Decks Dark” and a noisy, electro-funk juggernaut called “Ful Stop.” It’s a ballsy opening salvo that exhibits more daring and creativity than most bands could whip up in an entire career.
In contrast, Radiohead are forging impressively (and relentlessly) forward. On the very same night as Radiohead’s show, a reconstituted Alice in Chains were also croaking out an oldies-heavy set in New York. This week alone has seen the Soundgarden/Pearl Jam-offshoot Temple of the Dog announce a tour and a Guns N’ Roses reunion wheeze into New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. A doubly impressive stat, given that ’90s-rock nostalgia is currently at full tilt. Over the course of their 24-song, 135-minute set, they played just five songs from the decade that made them stars. If they thought more like accountants and less like musicians, Radiohead could fill out stadiums, night after predictable night, if they agreed to play the whole thing front to back.īut Radiohead are a rare beast in music - one that refuses to give more than a glance to their illustrious history. The Brit quintet are booked to play one more night at the arena Wednesday.
The crowd reaction to this album track bordered on ecstatic, serving as a reminder of just how fondly their fans regard this critically and commercially successful masterwork. On Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, Radiohead played the song “Let Down” - from their wildly successful 1997 album “OK Computer” - for the first time in a decade.
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