Thom Yorke: Tomorrow's Modern Boxes | Album Reviews | Pitchfork
I wanted to see what you guys thought of the album, and how accurate y'all thought this review was. I hardly find myself agreeing. Although it is pretty undeniable that this pushes the ambient/electronic elements even further to the forefront, I don't think it should be thought of as a poorer album for it. Mainly I take issue with the reviewer seeming to conflate "most Radiohead-like" with best, as this shouldn't be how we regard Yorke's solo material, as being good only when it sticks closest to Radiohead.
I like the album for what it is, which to me is a little experimental in the sense that it has a fairly neutral tone throughout, or at least doesn't bring the ominous or despairing nature to the forefront as Yorke/Radiohead usually do, and not relying on distinct melody throughout but still maintaining its own kind of hooks and charm. It also may not seem, especially in the second half, that it has a discernible direction it aims for, but I like this kind of ambiguity the album has, personally.
EDIT: There may be a discernible tone here in melancholy, but it feels pretty subtle to me, or maybe it's just that I'm not used to hearing something like a bit of ordinary sadness in a Radiohead/Yorke album. And this is not a bad thing, I love Yorke's use of mainly drum machines, piano, and effects here. It feels tight for it, the whole album just flows.