Radiohead- “Supercollider” / “The Butcher”

On these two new Record Store Day tracks to drop from Radiohead, I find myself scratching my head. It’s not because these tracks are bad, though. I actually think these tracks are great. I’m just left wondering why the tracks, for me, seemed to surpass a lot of the material on the King of Limbs [...]

RADIOHEAD SUPER

On these two new Record Store Day tracks to drop from Radiohead, I find myself scratching my head. It’s not because these tracks are bad, though. I actually think these tracks are great. I’m just left wondering why the tracks, for me, seemed to surpass a lot of the material on the King of Limbs so easily. These seemed to just be instantly enjoyable. Both develop really well, but let’s rely on the audio review below for the details.

Are these tracks for you? Find out in this review.

Review: Radiohead- “Supercollider” / “The Butcher”

Stream: Supercollider / The Butcher

  • http://www.facebook.com/funcrusher Greg

    why why didnt they put these tracks on KOL!! that was silly i would have put either of these on KOL over “ferel” great tracks. im glad to hear something that interests me more then KOL

  • http://twitter.com/sirlagsalot Max

    I really like these audio reviews. It is great to hear what you are talking about in the review.

  • Conor

    The Butchered King of Supercolliding Limbs.
    1.Bloom
    2.Morning Mr Magpie
    3.Little By Little
    4.Feral
    5.Supercollider
    6.Lotus flower
    7.The Butcher
    8.Codex
    9.Give Up The Ghost
    10.Separator
    Just a thought.

  • finalmattasy

    My guess is that Radiohead have come to the conclusion that they have pioneered some good stuff within pop. Now that they’re well established and in a “post hunger” mode of life; I think they’re willing to simply riff off of their past work… which is just fine with me.
    So, in the sense that In Rainbows riffed off of OK Computer, I think that KOL riffs off of Kid A.
    Kid A will probably be the greatest album, in my opinion and the band’s, that they’ll ever have made. But that doesn’t change the fact that a bunch of smart talented dudes, re-imagining the moods/sonics of their past works, will still prove to be a consistently exceptional listening experience. KOL is great. These songs are great. Radiohead is a great band.

  • Richard

    In Rainbows is the best album they ever released, second place must me ok computer

  • http://www.last.fm/user/Colt_R Ron’s Lizard

    Thom is all about his unchill dubstep career now

  • Mark

    @Greg Because they were completed shortly after KOL was first released.

  • Michael

    I agree. These two tracks would have fit well on the King of Limbs. It would have given the album the much needed density that makes other Radiohead albums enjoyable. I think it was Thom that said The Butcher didn’t fit with the album, however I disagree. It could have easily taken Feral’s spot. I think Supercollider would go great after Lotus Flower and is a better segway into Codex. Although Radiohead recorded Supercollider after KOL was released, I would have happily waited a few more months to have these two additions on the record.

  • B-Rad

    Totally agree here, especially on The Butcher, King of Limbs was a big disappoint for me, a still virgin Radiohead fan of only Ok Computer and Kid A listens. Vocals on Butcher are just spell-binding.

  • Tiger Fisher

    Can you put the number ratings in the description?

  • Cameron

    I felt that Supercollider’s length was just fine, and that it would have fit perfectly in the middle of King of Limbs.
    The Butcher is pretty magical as well.

    I’m very sad that these two tracks weren’t on King of Limbs, since I think they are superior to pretty much every song on it.
    Oh well.

  • Christian

    I personally like the butcher as much as my top 2 TKOL songs (Lotus Flower, Little By Little), mostly because I love when Radiohead does incredibly eerie/moody songs, Hence me liking Little by Little so much. Anyhoo, great review, other thing I wanted to say was that Supercollider was just meh for me.

  • Dan

    If they would of put these songs in the KOL and took out some of the less favorable ones. It could of been a really great album instead we just get a good one.

  • Nat

    good review, there are a lot of advantages in the audio review

  • Havi

    I think it was better than the king of limbs but none of the tracks where better than “lotus flower”

  • michal

    I think that live version of supercollider is better

  • Sean Nelson

    I was disappointed in the King of Limbs album. They hit the ball but it just didn’t quite make it out of the ball park. In my opinion, a seldom let down. Couldn’t find the unique flavor. Frail. However, these new tracks create new light and hope.

  • Juju

    I wish you would give us little samples of the music you were talking about on your youtube channel. There are probably some copyright laws keeping you from doing it though, still, would help me follow what you’re saying a bit.

  • http://www.youtube.com/user/CactusAM Cody

    It’s still that drawn-out, lethargic sound from King of Limbs…
    Supercollider is SEVEN minutes long…o_o; and it doesn’t go ANYWHERE..
    It just drags out to an anti-climatic end (just like King of Limbs did).

    The tracks aren’t bad, it’s just after trudging through King of Limbs I want something exciting from Radiohead and all they’ve done is put out two tracks that are more of the same. =\

  • Kevin

    I dont think these tracks were meant to be separated, but there clearly was a separator. When reviewing King of Limbs as a whole, the above tracks included; the King of limbs comes across as a more clear and definitive statement. Radiohead riding another wave of amazing creativity. As good as “Limbs” is, it still feels like a warm up. Something that will serve as a snack before the feast. These 2 songs serving as yet another limb, could there be more.

    P.S.

    Dont forget about “These Are My twisted Words”. Another amazing track that came from those very sessions.

  • tsuppy

    But seriously, Radiohead is awesome and all, but there just comes a time when you don’t want to listed to them any more. That’s all.

  • admin

    Yeah, it’s copyright issues keeping me from doing it. Plus, YouTube’s rules.

  • Ben

    hey buddy did you hear the news?
    its track reviews

  • playmusicallday

    In retrospect I guess the songs that stand out to me the most on KOL are: Bloom, lotus flower, codex, give up the ghost, and separator. That’s really 6 out of 8 that I really like. I guess maybe it wasn’t so bad after all. 6 out of 8 strong tracks aren’t bad. When I say “strong”, I mean as soon as they hit me I liked them there was nothing about them that I had to get used to, they were just good to go right out the gate. I really don’t like the morning mr. magpie one. Not feelin it. Little by little is pretty cool but again i’m just stating the instant vibes I get listening to the tracks. Maybe it’s an instant after I let them digest a little bit and came back after a two or three week break. Sometimes it’s hard to get perspective on a piece of work if you’re forcing it down your throat. I prefer to listen to something for a day maybe or at least a few listens and then put it down and come back and see if there was anything that may have unconsciously resinated with me. So that when I do listen to it again it’s like “Hey this sounds familiar and good. I like it. “

  • playmusicallday

    5 out of 8 correction. Oh and i like the 2 on the single. Prolly butcher is the better one for me. I think they could have fit on the album just fine but who knows whether or not they’re supposed to be there. I would really like to hear Radiohead do some stuff from the old school. I can’t really count how many times I’ve seen them and they’ve never once played Polyethelene parts one and 2. I love hearing strike big chords and play chromatic riffs like they do in that song! Its one of my favs mos def. That was a great B-side released on the airbag single and never got the love it deserved. Also, I’d like to hear them delve more into the style of “the amazing sounds of orgy” which was a b-side on the pyramid song single… i think. Any how search it if you’ve never heard it. It’s got a really creepy sound to it and I love the brushes on the snare and the percussion work with that african style tube sounding thing. The giant bass kick drum, well it’s more like the kind that is used in an orchestra or symphony, has a great sound on that song as well. Its eerie and sexy in and has some of Thoms best vocal work in my opinion.

  • Aquarius121

    I actually didn’t really like these tracks at all. I just miss his voice…it takes forever for any song to get going and then it’s just blah.

    I loved “Codex,” “Give Up the Ghost,” “Separator,” and “Lotus Flower.”
    Unsurprisingly, that’s because those are the more lyrical songs that actually somewhat have a point.

    I’m not really one for subtly built up songs I guess. I’m impatient :(

  • http://theherofeed.com toymachine

    Personally I feel like “The Butcher” is like a scrapped song from Greenwood’s “Bodysong” that Thom slapped some vocals over.

    Basically I think Supercollider is the superior song in every way.

  • paranoidandroid1010101101010

    I like both these tracks a lot as a Radiohead fan. I don’t think they’re as deep as tracks of The King of Limbs though. Supercollider and The Butcher are pretty straight forward and both have great build up, but there’s not that extra layer the The King of Limbs has. So yeah they are good. If you like these you should check out the song “Staircase” they released in their From the Basement session. Its amazing.