Between an annoying cold and starting a new job, I'm a wee bit behind on the old Friday Night Jukebox, so without further ado....
As the Wikipedia entry for both this week's artist and this week's album are just slightly shorter than Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace (truly an exaggeration), my half-assed research for this post is really half-assed with me reading the introduction to both and that's about it. Radiohead formed in 1985 in Oxfordshire in the U.K., starting out as your basic alternative band and having a measure of success in the early nineties. The band became critical darlings in the late nineties with a series of albums that pushed the limits lyrically and musically of what a pop band can do. They experimented with the way albums were released, and released one album online whereby fans could pay what they felt the album was worth (somewhat surprisingly, it was a commercial success). Through the years Radiohead has won six Grammy Awards, sold over 30 million records, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019. For their career, Radiohead has released nine studio LPs, of which six have reached #1 in their native U.K. and two have hit the top here in the United States. For whatever reason, aside from this week's tune the band's seminal albums have never struck a chord with me (had I but world enough and time, they may have), but I have a great deal of respect for what they have tried to accomplish both musically and economically.
Fun Fact: In a real rarity in the music business, the original incarnation of Radiohead is still intact, thirty-six years since they first began. While several have done solo albums and side projects, the five remain committed to continuing to record and tour together.
"Optimistic" was released on their album Kid A in 2000, though it was not released as a single (oddly enough, because my introduction to it was a video on MTV). The album eventually reached #1 in both the U.K. and the U.S.
It's easy at first listen to be drawn to "Optimistic" by the tribal drumming, but over time the amalgamation of the rhythmic drumming, the Gregorian chant like intro, the pop vocals, and some good old-fashioned electric guitar sears its way into your consciousness and stays with you for a lifetime. The lyrics are disjointed noise (though frontman Thom Yorke has said the chorus was inspired by his partner's encouragement when Yorke felt the band was not reaching its potential as she told him that trying the best he could was good enough), but it's no matter: somehow between the music and Yorke's vocals the song's gist comes across. This one definitely isn't for everyone, but if you occasionally want to take a walk on the avant-garde side of pop music "Optimistic" is an excellent stroll down experimental lane. A great piece of work by a band pushing the outer limits of their talents.
Lyric Sheet: "I'd really like to help you man/I'd really like to help you man/Nervous messed up marionette/Floating around on a prison ship..."
Enjoy:
Republican = Racist
Peace,
emaycee
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