I have never really been a huge Radiohead fan, but I have always looked forward to hearing when a new album is going to come out because you can always count on them to progress in one way or another. To go from the days of ‘Creep’ and Pablo Honey to an album like OK Computer is quite an admirable growth spurt to say the least. Most of the time however, their music doesn’t connect with me. Some songs do here and there, but overall the finished product doesn’t end up being my cup of tea – including OK Computer funny enough, even though I can see why it’s such an important and admired album. Most of their fan base has kept the faith the past few years while seeming to enjoy them less and less – the cries of disappointment seem to get louder and louder as each album comes out – not counting the last album In Rainbows (my favorite from them) which most seem to put right up there with OK Computer. But then there wasHail to the Thief (which I really liked) and now The King of Limbs which seems to be making the fanboys nervous. But why? I have no idea. I personally do not understand how the meandering melody-lacking albums like Kid Aand Amnesiac are treated with such high esteem – while this album is greeted with such disappointment when to my ears this is what they were truly aiming for when those albums came out. But I digress. The bottom line is even though this is no OK Computer nor is it In Rainbows, it’s another lovely step forward for the band. From the stuttering frantic dance beats and soaring vocals of ‘Lotus Flower’ to the crunchy campfire sing along of ‘Give Up the Ghost’ to the ghostly fluttering jazz-rock of ‘Bloom’, this is a perfect, short, otherworldly 37 minute album covering only eight tracks. And not to mention the album highlight, the gorgeous closing track ‘Separator’, with Yorke’s voice carrying the melody right at the forefront, it’s romantic optimism peaking about 2:40 in with the melody and lyric “And if you think this is over / Then you’re wrong / Like I’m falling out of bed from a long and weary dream / Finally I’m free of all the weight I’ve been carrying.” It’s a beautiful, compact statement of confidence, and of having the power completely in their hands to do exactly what they want to do. Like any great true artist who wouldn’t even imagine of painting the same painting over and over, Radiohead (like Björk) can be counted on for always pushing the envelope, for trying something new, for taking a brand new canvas and starting over each and every time. They never re-invent themselves, they re-invent their music, and with it re-invent the music scene and the hoards of current and budding musicians who undoubtedly take inspiration from their shifting direction. The mark of true artists. I highly recommend this album – a thing of skeletal beauty.