News For Radio Heads (...Radiohead)

The year is 2009. Worldwide panic is not at a Cold War level yet, but things are getting a little crazy. Old people complaining about health care, soldiers dying overseas in what many people believe to be a senseless war, and the world almost destroyed due to swine flu, which was really just a bad cold that people blew out of proportion. But what else? This: an innovative rock band from England, known as Radiohead, continues to cause a stir in the music business. Because they are such legends and have such a mass following, that they have the power to trick and tease and plug and unplug new music.

Those cheeky bastards.

Of course, Radiohead is one of the most dominant bands in the world, even after their early 90's debut, and they continue to amaze and astonish audiences around the world. It seems as though they'll never hit a "prime era", because they've been great since their beginnings. And now, after seven records, many world tours, and being hailed as the future movers and shakers of the world, the band has released two songs that signal debate: a new record? just singles? merely songs? TRIBUTES? RADIOHEAD, PLEASE TELL US YOUR INTENTIONS!

"Harry Patch (In Memory Of)" came out last week. No big buzz beforehand, just a song released on Stereogum with millions of comments and Internet quarrels that follow the post. It's a slower tune about the last surviving WWI veteran, Harry Patch. He died recently, you know. What a war. And I'm not just saying that just because it was a "war". I've done my research. When I can't sleep at night I watch "The Great War In Colour" on YouTube. History buff, right here. Anyway, here you go:

Radiohead - "Harry Patch (In Memory Of)"

The next: "These Are My Twisted Words". Thom Yorke's vocals kick in about 3/4's of the way through, but the instrumentals are what reigns supreme throughout it. Again, a Stereogum hot post. Here you go.

So what's to be said about Radiohead in the later years of this decade? Mischievous? Obscure? Just in so much power, and so aware, but so humble, that they can rule the world with their wit? This is madness. But if it's so wrong, then I don't want to be right.