Mixgrill has entered a new phase. It is enhancing, renewing, getting stronger.
With this article we inaugurate a tribute to remixes and new performances of well-known artists’ songs. The effort is collaborative even though each article will be "signed" by some members of the editorial team. Hoping for the longevity of the column, except for our own imagination and research, we call on your expertise and knowledge, you that are our readers and supporters (info@mixgrill.gr, contact the author, and direct comments below the article). The aim is not a complete and totally accurate record of all the cover versions of an artist or band’s songs - which is particularly difficult. Mostly we will try to find out, that means... to hear, how neglected songs enhanced and gained reputation and how well-know songs changed - for good or not.
We begin with Radiohead. Last year the British band released new material after absence of four years in which its members preferred to deal with parallel music projects and social and political events. Radiohead’s carrier through the years deserves careful observation. From the first discs with hit singles, reaching global recognition with "OK Computer" and then they destroy everything to start again. They never stay static. They pass from rock to melodic electronic music and get lost somewhere inside the universe of bits. The interpretation and evaluation of their quest is up to you.
With this article we inaugurate a tribute to remixes and new performances of well-known artists’ songs. The effort is collaborative even though each article will be "signed" by some members of the editorial team. Hoping for the longevity of the column, except for our own imagination and research, we call on your expertise and knowledge, you that are our readers and supporters (info@mixgrill.gr, contact the author, and direct comments below the article). The aim is not a complete and totally accurate record of all the cover versions of an artist or band’s songs - which is particularly difficult. Mostly we will try to find out, that means... to hear, how neglected songs enhanced and gained reputation and how well-know songs changed - for good or not.
We begin with Radiohead. Last year the British band released new material after absence of four years in which its members preferred to deal with parallel music projects and social and political events. Radiohead’s carrier through the years deserves careful observation. From the first discs with hit singles, reaching global recognition with "OK Computer" and then they destroy everything to start again. They never stay static. They pass from rock to melodic electronic music and get lost somewhere inside the universe of bits. The interpretation and evaluation of their quest is up to you.
But how did other artists treated Radiohead’s work?
Not surprisingly, "Creep", their first great success from their debut "Pablo Honey" (1993), has the lion's share in our records:
by Karen Souza, in jazz rhythm
by Richard Cheese, in his known dance rhythms
by Korn, in an acoustic version
by Damien Rice, also in an acoustic version
by Moby, in a slightly heavier version
and by The Pretenders, with the heartbreaking voice of Christine Hynde
The album "The Bends" (1995) comes next from where are the following songs:
"Just" by Mark Ronson,
and "Street Spirit" by The Darkness in a more metal approach
"OK Computer" (1997) is one of the disks milestones at least of the 90’s. From its songs we stand out the following:
"No Surprises" in an excellent performance by Amanda Palmer
"Exit Music (For a Film)" in an elongated version by The Cinematic Orchestra
"Paranoid Android" in a ten-minute audio pleasure by the pianist Brad Mehldau
"Electioneering" by Cold War Kids
and of course "Karma Police"
by Dresden Dolls (of Amanda Palmer that we encountered also before)
and by The Brown Derbies, a band from the University of Brown, in a stunning a capella version
Various other performances of songs from their other discs have also been presented in concerts from which stand out:
"Everything in its Right Place" ("Kid A", 2000) by The Roots
and "All I need" ("In Rainbows", 2007) by Bat for Lashes (ie Natasha Khan) with a breathtaking orchestration
Aggregated discs with remixes on Radiohead are the following:
"Exit Music: Songs with Radio Heads" (2006) (worth listening despite the daunting critique of Pitchfork),
two discs with remixes of entire "OK Computer":
by reggae and ska musicians of the collaboration of Easy Star All-Stars entitled "Radiodread" (2006) and
"OKX" (available for free here) published by the music blog Stereogum in the ten years’ anniversary of the release of "OK Computer" (2007) with the participation of groups like The Twilight Sad and Cold War Kids
and "TKOL RMX 1234567" (2011) where their entire last album "The King of Limbs" (2011) is remixed.
Finally, as an additional gift, we suggest you to write in youtube "Radiohead 8bit". You will find a large list of songs digitally processed to sound as if they come out of your old Nintendo Game Boy.
With the valuable contribution-participation of: poromenos, Lena and lsim.
The sketchs come from the video clip of "House of Cards" and the work of Argentine artist Gastón Viñas that visualize "A Wolf at the Door".
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