By: Darien Campo
Staff Writer

Sunday, May 8 finally brought us the release of Radiohead’s long-anticipated ninth studio album “A Moon Shaped Pool.” In only 11 tracks this 25-year-old band shows us that not only can they still write music to rival their greatest works, but they’ve only gotten better at it.

The album is 11 tracks long, a few of which are songs fans have been waiting to hear on a studio release for years. “Identikit” was first played live in 2012, “Burn the Witch” has been teased since 2003, and “True Love Waits” has been a concert-exclusive fan favorite since 1994. These are only three of the fantastic songs brought by Radiohead’s newest release.

This album makes prominent use of the London Contemporary Orchestra under multi-instrumentalist Jonny Greenwood’s composition. In fact, the instrumentation in this album hearkens back to earlier eras of Radiohead’s discography. For the fans who have been concerned the band has moved too far into electronic, looping music, you’ll be happy to hear that AMSP features many songs that make full use of all five band members on their classic instruments. Songs like “Decks Dark” and “Identikit” lovingly combine their old five-piece rock sound with the electronic influence of Radiohead’s later career.

We can compare Radiohead’s albums all day and try to rank which release is the best, but AMSP is above that. “A Moon Shaped Pool” shows us that Radiohead has grown. This album is mature, it is strong, and it is the accumulation of years of experience from five insanely talented musicians. Though the album doesn’t drive you to dance, it sure does beckon you with a wink and a nod, asking you to come out and join it on the floor. The album moves you physically, as well as emotionally. Every member of Radiohead gets their chance to show off what they’ve learned over 25 years and nine albums, and together they flex and flaunt their musical prowess. “A Moon Shaped Pool” is emotionally draining, sonically astounding, physically grooving, and compositionally spectacular.

Once again, Radiohead has shown the world that they are some of the most powerful musicians alive today. You don’t even have to like them to appreciate the artistry of this album. “A Moon Shaped Pool” will be a monolithic feat in the history modern rock, trust me when I say you do not want to miss this one.

Contact the author at dcampo13@wou.edu