The Bends is often seen as Radiohead’s first “good” album, and it earns this distinction. Without letting go completely of the style of its predecessor, Pablo Honey, The Bends moves in a new direction and is much more adventurous. It contains some of Radiohead’s most well-known songs ("High and Dry", "Fake Plastic Trees") and some of their most meaningful, emotional work ("Street Spirit" and "Black Star").
Radiohead’s 2007 album In Rainbows somehow manages to go where none of their other works ever did. Musically, it occupies a middle ground between all of their other albums.
Who Was Elvis Presley? tells the story of the "King of Rock and Roll." He was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, during a hard time in history called the Great Depression. As a child, Elvis loved music, especially blues, gospel, and country. He mixed these styles to create a brand-new sound that made him very famous. The book talks about Elvis’s life growing up, how he became a music star, and how he changed music forever.
The Wall is one of the most important and impressive concept albums of all time, and marks the greatest height of Pink Floyd’s creativity. The album tells the story of Pink, a rock star who constructs a wall around himself as the result of his many struggles. It fuses elements of progressive rock, opera, and social commentary to create a uniquely rich and impactful story, as well as plenty of enjoyable songs.
Where to begin? OK Computer- Oknotok 1997 2017, an anniversary edition with B-sides and unreleased tracks, builds even further on the ideas of the band’s third album, OK Computer. Like the original songs, the B-sides and newly-released tracks represent a bleak outlook on the future, the emptiness of modern life, and conflicts between technology and man (seen in “Polyethylene, Parts 1 & 2” and “Palo Alto”).
OK Computer is frequently hailed as Radiohead’s masterpiece, and for good reason. The album never misses, from the opening guitar riff of “Airbag” to the final lyrics of “The Tourist”. OK Computer manages to be both more revolutionary and more easily palatable than most of Radiohead’s other works. The result is a stunningly beautiful and reasonably accessible album.
Radiohead’s 2001 album Amnesiac is a highly interesting listen. One of its most noticeable traits, apparent from the beginning, is the diversity of sounds presented by all the different tracks. “Life in a Glasshouse” and “Pyramid Song” are two examples of songs that are both more conventional music than much of the rest of the album. They incorporate elements of jazz, and they flow very naturally and are beautiful to listen to.
The King of Limbs is an album that highlights Radiohead’s well-known method of pushing the boundaries of music to create art that challenges the listener. This album is one of their most adventurous in that it resembles an “atmosphere” more than it does a conventional listening experience. The lyrics are cryptic and vague, giving rise to many interpretations.
A Moon Shaped Pool is one of Radiohead’s most personal works, an incredible feat when one considers that their discography includes albums like In Rainbows. However, A Moon Shaped Pool leans perhaps farther away from conventional rock than any other Radiohead album before it. It favors stripped-down piano arrangements and orchestral and choral elements that only elevate the impact of the beautiful lyrics and musicianship.
Paul David Hewson, better known as Bono, is the lead singer of the famous rock band U2. This book tells his life story—from growing up in Dublin, Ireland, to becoming a world-famous musician and someone who helps people around the world. It shares how he got the name “Bono Vox,” which means “good voice,” and how his band U2 became super popular, selling millions of albums and winning many Grammy Awards.
