Free Verse

The Fall

The trees shake off their weathered leaves,

Shedding their clothes in preparation for the long sleep to follow.

They are tired from living vibrant and green.

They need their rest.

The trees have completed another long day of work,

Having filled the fruit stands of the world with their labor.

Now all they want is peace and solitude for their cold night.

They will stand in the wind,

Their branches shivering,

All the while dreaming of the glorious summer,

And when it has come and is over,

They will don their bed clothes again.

The King of Limbs

Those of you who know me know I like Radiohead. For months I waited for the new record, and when I downloaded it last Friday, I was initially disappointed. The weird, chaotic mix of noises and percussion at the beginning of the opening track, "Bloom", had me worried that the band had gone batty. Then I remembered that at first I thought the same thing about Kid A, Amnesiac, and Hail to the Thief. By the third listen I understood the song, and suddenly the chaos made sense. That's how this whole album is. That's Radiohead. The first four tracks are especially alienating if you don't know what Radiohead is about, but they're worth the trouble. With The King of Limbs, Radiohead seems to be not writing cohesive, traditional songs, but rather trying to translate feeling into music. Unlike previous records in which songs would often elevate in intensity and end with a powerful boom, this album is soothing and chill. It invites you to close your eyes and just let it fill you. I had high hopes for this album, and they have been, for the most part, met. I give it 3.5/4.