In a photo-like finish, Paranoid Android is your next tournament champion (defeating Idioteque 66-64). The readers and interlopers of MerrySwankster.com have decreed: it is the best song in Radiohead's catalogue, as determined by a 65-team bracket.

Paranoid Android
OK Computer
1

We have some ideas for our next tournament, but, I must ask, "Do you?" In the comments, please.

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 11:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Radiohead tournament finals

Paranoid Android
OK Computer
1

Approbations:

NME - Greatest Tracks from 1996-2006
#3

Rolling Stone list of "500 Greatest Songs of All Time"
#256

Q Magazine greatest songs of all-time (Aug, 2006)
10

VS

Idioteque
Kid A
1

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Here's your final four. Results of the Round of Eight after the jump

Continue reading "And, then, there were four" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

So I can't be accused of electioneering, I wanted to inform readers that the fourth-round voting at our Radiohead song contest will end Saturday at 11:30AM.

We pretty much know who will be winning three of the contests, but, right now:

Karma Police 50% (19 votes)
Airbag 50% (19 votes)

Fascinating!

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Voting starts below

Notables
Lowest seeds remaining: Airbag (10)
Highest seeds ousted: Creep (1), High & Dry (2), 2+2=5 (2)

Album records

Pablo Honey: 0-6

Bends: 10-11 (1-1 in the third round) Remaining (1): Fake Plastic Trees

OK Computer: 20 - 6 (5-1 in the second round) Remaining (5): Karma Police, Paranoid Android, No Surprises, Exit Music (For a Film), Airbag

Kid A: 14-5 (2-3 in the second round) Remaining (2): Everything in its Right Place, Idioteque,

Amnesiac: 3-8

Hail to the Thief: 9-9 (0-3 in the third round)

B-sides 1-11 (Pearly* winning the play-in game)

More stats after the jump

Continue reading "Third Round Stats" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 05:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

No Surprises
(4)
OK Computer

Fun Wikipedia "fact": introduced the song to his bandmates and the members of R.E.M. on the R.E.M. Monster Tour. They were all gathered on 3 August 1995, in a dressing room in Oslo, Norway.

No Surprises Wikipedia entry

VS

Fake Plastic Trees
(2)
The Bends

Fun Wikipedia "fact": According to singer Thom Yorke, it is about Canary Wharf in London.

Fake Plastic Trees Wikipedia entry

Continue reading "Pink Floyd bracket: No Surprises (4) v. Fake Plastic Trees (2)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 05:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Karma Police
(1)
OK Computer
Fun WIkipedia "fact": Thom Yorke explained the idea of the lyrics to The Independent newspaper in 2006. "It's for someone who has to work for a large company. This is a song against bosses. Fuck the middle management!" He also said it was about those who are judgmental.[3]
Karma Police Wikipedia entry

VS

Airbag
(10)
OK Computer
Fun Wikipedia "fact": Ed O'Brien commented on the song's meaning, saying "It's about the wonderful, positive emotion you feel when you've just failed to have an accident; when you just miss someone and realise how close it was and stop the car and just feel this incredible elation. There's something joyous about it- life suddenly seems more precious."
Airbag Wikipedia entry

Continue reading "Pink Floyd Bracket: Karma Police (1) v. Airbag (10)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 05:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Third round results

Roxy Music bracket

Paranoid Android (1)

VS

Exit Music (From a Film) (6)

Pink Floyd bracket

Karma Police (1)

VS

Airbag (10)

Kraftwerk bracket

Everything in its Right Place (1)

VS

Idioteque (2)

Pink Floyd bracket

No Surprises (4)

VS

Fake Plastic Trees (2)

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 07:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"There There (The Boney King of Nowhere)"
Hail to the Thief
(3)

Sporting Equivalent - Chicago Bears: Fueled by a rhythm that is partly plodding and partly marching, these teams create an increasingly chaotic environment before pounding their opponents into submission.

VS

"Airbag"
OK Computer
(10)

Sporting Equivalent - Detroit Pistons: There are attempts at beauty, such as Thom Yorke’s rising vocal in the second verse, or Richard Hamilton rising for a jumper on the wing, but those are just segues into the grinding, industrial, wintry themes that are the trademarks of these teams.

Listen to the songs after the jump

Continue reading "Pink Floyd Bracket: There There (3) v Airbag (10)" »

Posted by Randall Monty at 03:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Karma Police"
OK Computer
(1)

Sporting Equivalent - Muhammad Ali: Many have lined up to face these juggernauts, only to be laid to wayside. The pace is not surprising: slow and calculated until you are worn out. And "This is what you get when you mess with us" is about as close to outright braggadocio that Radiohead gets.

VS

"The National Anthem"
Kid A
(5)

Sporting Equivalent - 1975-1976 Red Army Ice Hockey Tour: Fans and opponents weren't quite sure what to make of these teams the first time they stepped on the ice. They were bigger, meaner, uglier and carried with them wave of disaster total disaster. The two best Russian clubs skated to a combined 5-2-1 record, but many NHL proponents remained defiantly unimpressed.

Hear the songs after the jump

Continue reading "Pink Floyd Bracket: Karma Police (1) v The National Anthem (5)" »

Posted by Randall Monty at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Third-round previews

Pink Floyd bracket

Karma Police (1)

74% (23 votes) defeats Where I End and You Begin (9) 26% (8 votes)

VS

The National Anthem (5)

71% (22 votes) defeats (Nice Dream) (4) 29% (9 votes)

__

There There (3)

66% (23 votes) defeats You and Whose Army? (11) 34% (12 votes)

VS

Airbag (10)

80% (28 votes) defeats High and Dry (2) 20% (7 votes)

WINNER OF PINK FLOYD BRACKET TO FACE

Kraftwerk bracket

Everything in its Right Place (1)

73% (24 votes) defeats Bullet Proof (8) 27% (9 votes)

VS

A Wolf at the Door (4)

defeats 53% (18 votes) Subterranean Homesick Alien (5) 47% (16 votes)

--

Idioteque (2)

74% (26 votes) defeats Motion Picture Soundtrack (10) 26% (9 votes)

VS

How to Disappear Completely (14)

Roxy Music bracket

Paranoid Android (1)

90% (27 votes) defeats Lucky (9)10% (3 votes)

VS

Optimistic (4)

--

Exit Music (For a Film) (6)

71% (22 votes) defeats Planet Telex (3) 29% (9 votes)

VS

2+2=5 (2)

84% (26 votes) defeats The Tourist (10) 16% (5 votes)

WINNER OF Roxy Music bracket TO FACE Pixies bracket

Pixies bracket

The Bends (9)

VS

No Surprises (4)

77% (23 votes) defeats Morning Bell (5) 23% (7 votes)

--

Fake Plastic Trees (2)

63% (20 votes) defeats Pyramid Song (10) 38% (12 votes)

VS

Let Down (3)

68% (21 votes) defeats A Punch Up at a Wedding (11) 32% (10 votes)

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Notables
Lowest seeds remaining: You and Whose Army (14), Airbag (10), The Bends (9)
Highest seeds ousted: Creep (1), High & Dry (2), Just (3), Planet Telex (3)

Album records

Pablo Honey: 0-6

Bends: 9-10 (2-3 in the second round) Remaining (2): Fake Plastic Trees, The Bends

OK Computer: 15 - 5 (6-3 in the second round) Remaining (6): Karma Police, Paranoid Android, Let Down, No Surprises, Exit Music (For a Film), Airbag

Kid A: 12-2 (5-2 in the second round) Remaining (5): Everything in its Right Place, Idioteque, Optimistic, The National Anthem, How to Disappear Completely,

Amnesiac: 3-8 (0-3 in the second round)

Hail to the Thief: 9-6 (3-3 in the second round) Remaining: 3 (2+2=5, There There, A Wolf at the Door)

B-sides 1-11 (Pearly* winning the play-in game) Remaining: 0

More stats after the jump

Continue reading "Second round stats" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

All matchups below are no longer in play.

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Airbag"
OK Computer
(7)

Most Self-Indulgent Lyric: "I am born again"

VS

"High and Dry"
(2)

Most Self-Indulgent Lyric: "All your insides fall to pieces / You just sit there wishing you could still make love"

Posted by Randall Monty at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"You and Whose Army?"
Amnesiac
(11)

Most Self-Indulgent Lyric: "You and whose army? / You and your cronies / You forget so easily"

VS

"There There. (The Boney King of Nowhere.)"
Hail to the Thief
(3)

Most Self-Indulgent Lyric: "Just cause you feel it doesn't mean it's there"

Posted by Randall Monty at 09:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"(Nice Dream)"
The Bends
(4)

Most Self-Indulgent Lyric: "I call up my friend the good angel / but she's out with / her ansaphone"

VS

"The National Anthem"
Kid A
(5)

Most Self-Indulgent Lyric: "It's holding on" (x5)

Posted by Randall Monty at 09:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

"Karma Police"
OK Computer
(1)

Most Self-Indulgent Lyric: "This is what you get / when you mess with us"

VS

"Where I End and You Begin"
Hail to the Thief
(9)

Most Self-Indulgent Lyric: "X' will mark the place / like the parting of the waves / like a house falling in the sea"

Posted by Randall Monty at 09:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For your edification, there is no more voting on the entries below. That ship, she has sailed.

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 02:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Karma Police

defeats

Blow Out

28-5

Where You End and I Begin.

defeats

My Iron Lung

16-13

(Nice Dream)

defeats

Killer Cars

23-9

National Anthem

defeats

Talk Show Host

18-14

You and Whose Army?

defeats

Electioneering

24-6

There There. (The Boney King of Nowhere.)

defeats

Dollars and Cents

23-8

"Airbag"

defeats

"Bones"

29-2

High & Dry

defeats

How Do You?

31-2

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 09:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Airbag"

It started out as Radiohead's homage to DJ Shadow, and ended up being one of the great side 1, track 1s of all time. (Although, let's be realistic here, Keith, it's no "Teen Spirit".)

VS

"Bones"

Beginning with some werid, wavy pedalwork, then opening up into one of the best basslines Colin Greenwood has ever laid down. Great harmonizing screams in the far background, as well. Thematically, it's another dip into the well that will (seemingly) never run dry.

Continue reading "Pink Floyd Bracket: Airbag (7) v. Bones (10)" »

Posted by Randall Monty at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

High & Dry

If you thought Thom was melancholy before! Sacre bleu. I always felt this song was the one that ensured Radiohead would have its mainstream fanbase. A simple, yet beautiful song that underscores the band's predilection for breaking up even in the simplest songs with a little rawk.

"All your insides fall to pieces, you just sit there wishing you could still make love."

VS

How Do You?

Here's Thom employing the bratty vocal effect that pretty much disappeared by The Bends. One of the few Radiohead songs that could be categorized as angry (though many could be also tagged "indignant"). A short song, but it nonetheless, upon revisiting, shows glimpses of the future with an odd piano tromp and guitar hysterics.

Continue reading "Pink Floyd Bracket: High & Dry (2) v. How Do You? (15)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

(Nice Dream)

VS

Killer Cars

Continue reading "Pink Floyd Bracket: (Nice Dream) (4) v. Killer Cars (13)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Karma Police

VS

Blow Out

This is the song -- whose opening sounds a bit like Sleater-Kinney's "Jumpers" -- that will lose to Karma Police.

Continue reading "Pink Floyd Bracket: Karma Police (1) v. Blow Out (16)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

There There. (The Boney King of Nowhere.)

VS

Dollars and Cents

Continue reading "Pink Floyd Bracket: There There (3) v. Dollars and Cents (14)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Electioneering

VS

You and Whose Army?

Continue reading "Pink Floyd Bracket: Electioneering (6) v. You and Whose Army? (11)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

National Anthem

This song might be the most "Kid A" song out there. Anchored by the circular baseline, it combines outerworldly theremin, sparse Yorke vocals, and a mix between what sounds like movie clips and fat brass. This is the big song that anchors Radiohead's fourth proper CD.

VS

Talk Show Host

Oh, the controversy. The sun will set on this unkind world before differing minds will agree on where to place this song in the Radiohead oeuvre. Some think the song is the linchpin in the Bends-OK Computerprogression, others think its something new, but something borrowed. This song finds the band a little less straight-ahead rock, and a little more calculated.

Continue reading "Pink Floyd Bracket: National Anthem (5) v. Talk Show Host (12" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

My Iron Lung

VS

Where You End and I Begin.

Continue reading "Pink Floyd Bracket: My Iron Lung (8) v. Where You End and I Begin (9)" »

Posted by Keith O'Brien at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)