A Moon Shaped Pool / Conclusions

Released 8th May 2016
I bought it: twice! When I realised pre-ordering the CD from their website didn’t come with a download version, I bought a download version too. Well played.

Where I was…
Bringing us up to date, I’ve been living in York for the last four years, and am now married to the man I met five years ago. I mentioned this in 10 Years 10 Albums, but my main way of listening to music is either at work or on the train to work, neither a great environments for giving something my full attention. I always told myself I’d never put Radiohead on my commuting playlist as I don’t want them to just become the soundtrack to my daily drudgery. But with little other options, that’s how I first heard A Moon Shaped Pool.

What I thought then…
When Burn The Witch came out it was immediately clear that Radiohead were having a laugh again. Listening to the album on repeat covered a few journeys to Leeds and back, and my only real gripe was, after waiting years for a studio version of True Love Waits, the one we were finally given was...not what I thought it would be. But the songs that preceded it were rich, rewarding and a strong reminder of why I love this band so much.

What I think now…
This album mixes the focus, intent and playful experimentation of their last few albums into a polished whole. Gloom and love, intimacy and isolation, it’s all here. I’m so glad they’re still making music, let alone music like this. And True Love Waits sounds a hell of a lot better when not listening to it on a train.

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Let Me Hear Both Sides - Conclusions

This didn’t contain as many revelations as 10 Years 10 Albums did. Listen to every song released by my favourite band? It was never going to be a chore. Even if this was the first time I’d played a few of these albums in ages, so many of the songs were old favourites.

I was surprised how down on Amnesiac and Hail To The Thief I was, as I don’t remember having strong feelings against them at the time. Saying that, even the albums I like the least have songs I love. Including Pablo Honey? OK, songs I like.

In September I’m going to see Radiohead for the fourth time, in Berlin of all places, and listening to all this has got me even more excited and impatient for that weekend to arrive. I cannot wait to see the new songs mixed with the old and for them to move me to tears all over again.