"Moon" Waxes And Wanes Poetically

Radiohead, alternative rock's iconic chameleons, have done it again. "A Moon Shaped Pool," their ninth studio album, is a case study in the unpredictability of life and the inevitability of its many changes. To herald the album's impending release, the band erased their entire digital past from the Internet, making a commercial statement as well as a symbolic one. It was less about a marketing ploy -- though the buzz in its aftermath was certainly warranted -- and more about hitting the refresh button on their vision and their career.

It's tricky to rank or compare the sum of "A Moon Shaped Pool" to any of Radiohead's previous music. "Pool" isn't as rock-forward as their early albums or as symphonic as their middle work, but it splits the difference beautifully. Without question, these songs are compelling, but they don't break new ground or change the game like many of the band's past releases. Admittedly, the scale of objectivity might be tipped; the Radiohead of the '90s isn't quite the same as the Radiohead of the '00s or the current decade. Yet somehow, every song on every album unmistakably reflects their style and sound, and this collection is no exception. It's truly a sign of successful experimentation and evolution that the band's artistic core has remained so remarkably intact over the years.

Still, even above-average Radiohead is better than most bands at their best, so "Pool" rightfully earns its place in their discography as an illuminating step sideways rather than forward. Recurring themes of uncertainty, disillusionment, heartbreak, paranoia, and misplaced passion converge to form an accessibly angsty existential crisis that only a Radiohead album can deliver. When regrouping in the wake of personal struggles, starting over isn't a one-step process, and many of these new tracks feel like the resonant echo of lead singer/songwriter Thom Yorke's inner monologue as he weighs which path to follow. Across the album, Yorke's inimitable vocals wring the meaning out of every lyric, rewarding us with haunting interpretations of common sentiments. While I was initially surprised that the band chose not to include their rejected Bond theme for "Spectre" (a great Radiohead song that just didn't fit the franchise), it would have disturbed the natural flow of the album.

This atmosphere is ultimately sustained by the way that several tracks seemingly blur from one into the next. "Daydreaming" is a sweeping, almost disorienting ballad that's the auditory equivalent of its namesake, while "Decks Dark" and "Identikit" feature lush choral backing and fuzzy instrumental distortions that manage to be both magical and melancholy. Such combinations are no easy feat, but Radiohead continues to spin fresh variations on those motifs. Even on the edgier tracks, the band knows just which triggers to pull. "Burn The Witch" patiently builds its raw nerves into a delirious crescendo, and "Present Tense" has a vivid urgency and immediacy befitting its title, thanks to Yorke's lulling words and the spiraling melodies. "Tense" also supplies us with one of the album's most startlingly frank lyrics -- "It's no one's business but mine that all this love could be in vain" -- followed by refrains of "In you, I'm lost." It's a one-of-a-kind feeling that listeners could easily direct toward the band as yet another of their riveting musical journeys carries us away.

Just as "Pool" looks inward lyrically, it also does so musically by revisiting older flourishes. "Ful Stop" (yes, with only one L) is a mesmerizing track in its own right that proves the band's ongoing knack for uniquely stylized song titles. "The Numbers" even shares a few elements with the band's contribution "Talk Show Host" from the 1996 "Romeo + Juliet" soundtrack (it's hard to believe that was 20 years ago!) The songs' guitar licks and chord progressions are eerily similar, but "Numbers" builds nicely on itself with swelling string orchestrations before the parallels become too blatantly obvious. Closing track "True Love Waits," a staple of the band's live performances for years, is finally cemented here as a proper album cut. It's a lot different than how you're probably used to hearing it; this bare-bones arrangement is just Yorke and a piano, but it's no less affecting.

The inclusion of "True" also acts as a perfect bridge to span the band's multiple eras, proving their longevity as well as their fluidity. There are many things to listen for in "A Moon Shaped Pool" -- in fact, it takes a few listens to fully absorb all of its intricacies -- but as always, there is only one Radiohead.