More than any other great contemporary rock band, Radiohead subtly shape-shifts themselves from album to album, carving new soundscapes with their guitars, bass runs, percussion, intoxicating loops and poignant lyrics.
And, of course, Thom Yorke's vibrant falsetto.
On their ninth studio album and the first since the underrated "The King of Limbs" arrived in 2011, Radiohead furthers the sort of warm, rhythmic, tender sound they perfected on "In Rainbows," combined with the electronic atmospherics they reveled in on the groundbreaking "Kid A."
Luckily for Radiohead fans, "A Moon Shaped Pool" ranks right alongside "Kid A" and "In Rainbows." Captivating string arrangements and an altogether orchestral sound establish new sonic territory for the band, even if elements of previous albums are at play.
Counter-balanced against this sonic beauty are the words, which brings up another essential aspect of Radiohead's genius: creative tension. It's amped here, all the better for the songwriting.
Lyrically dark and foreboding with a sense of paranoid, despondent urgency, "A Moon Shaped Pool" is a gorgeous album that, like much of Radiohead's finest output, rewards repeated listens.
Listening to a Radiohead album is like sifting through pretty beach rocks and shells, rinsing them with water and seeing glittery colors come to life as you shake, thumb, rinse, repeat. And when you find those colors, you feel as if they're just for you, alive for your eyes.
Radiohead makes music that feels like it matches our inner spirit, our bright dreams and fevered worries. In this album of dreamers never learning and broken hearts, where we mess up everything and search for solace, the songs themselves have rarely felt darker in the Radiohead world.
But for a cerebral band, they have lots of soul, and that's becoming more apparent as they age, moving away from the arena-worthy, guitar-crescendo stylings they enjoyed at first. Some fans still long for that band, but thankfully that sound is long gone in favor of something deeper.
The introduction to "A Moon Shaped Pool" came with two singles, the driving persistence of "Burn the Witch" and the more intimate "Daydreaming" tracks that actually sound a little different than the rest of the 11 songs here.
"Ful Stop," pounding and hypnotic, is a standout song, as is "True Love Waits," which almost feels like a meandering piano bar tune. The latter song works because of the disarming lyrical honesty and naked soul-baring. It's a perfect closer to the album.
A few of these songs have been around for a while in the Radiohead universe. The chiseled quality of perfectionism paid off huge for the band and for listeners.
"A Moon Shaped Pool" is one of Radiohead's best albums, worthy of your time and devoted listening.