Thom Yorke supergroup Atoms for Peace throw hypnotic dance party

Radiohead may be one of the most esteemed modern day bands, but their music tends to be fairly deep and progressive. It makes many demands of its listener. So for those who enjoy the Radiohead sound but wish they would just wig out and throw a dance party every now and again, allow me to introduce Atoms for Peace. The highly touted supergroup featuring Radiohead singer Thom Yorke, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, privileged Nashville by paying a visit to War Memorial Auditorium as a part of their Atoms for Peace tour.

Atoms for Peace singer Thom Yorke forged bold dreamscapes Thursday night.

It could be considered a minor upset that Nashville even got a date on this tour at all, given the fact that is a rare touring act playing a relatively limited run. Most of their dates see them sticking to the obvious large markets. So it was fitting that an upbeat and spirited crowd packed virtually every inch of War Memorial, and the band themselves put all they had into it. They went to work quickly, getting most of the songs from their latest album, Amok, out of the way early. Yorke broke out his trademark dance style, swishing and sashaying to and fro not unlike a narcolepsy patient. Flea, on the other hand, cut a much more imposing and dominating swath, galloping and strutting all across the stage, all the while wielding his bass like it was a sledgehammer or some deadly weapon.

Musically, they present a somewhat unorthodox approach. It's very hypnotic, chilled out dance music but relies on traditional instrumentation much more so than what you see from the majority of electronic artists today. So it's very organic, band based music but it's based almost entirely on percussion and rhythm alone. Nigel Godrich spends his time minding the keys, but there are a pair of percussionists. Joey Waronker serves as the band's traditional drummer, while Mauro Refosco does various odd jobs in terms of percussion, beating on a variety of drum pads and surfaces. Together, they create highly stylized and textured rhythmic patterns which form the backdrop for each song. Sometimes you might have a skittering, relentless barge of various drum sounds, and at other times the drumming might have more of a watery, rain drop type aesthetic to them.

As for Flea, Yorke said in an interview with The Daily Show's Jon Stewart that the main reason he wanted him in the band was because he plays bass like it's a lead instrument, and that's pretty much what you can expect from his performance. At times, it's almost too much to wrap your mind around with everything that's going on up there.

Bassist Flea lunges forward in a burst of awesomeness.

Accordingly, it took a few songs for the crowd to truly embrace what was going on and get into it, but once they did the place was electric. "Ingenue" was an early highlight, with the infectious main melody driven almost entirely by Flea's bass. Yorke, seated at the piano, let out gentle, lilting croons, while the leaky faucet drum style pervaded in the background. By the time they rolled out "Black Swan," every booty in the joint was grooving.

Although the band could pull of a variety of moods, they seemed to be their best when they were most entrancing and hypnotizing. Flea's bass on "Unless" rang out loud with a constant and pervading buzz that engulfed virtually everything in the arena; it felt like that bass was trying to take over the world. As the set wore on the band began to delve into their back catalog, bringing various cuts from Yorke's 2006 solo album The Eraser to life.

The opening of "Harrodown Hill" amped up an already giddy crowd even further, while "The Eraser" and "Feeling Pulled Apart By Horses" featured much heavier use of the guitar, adding some new elements into the band's sound. We also got the rarely played and awesome "What the Eyeballs Did," the B-side to their Default single.

But one of the most jaw dropping moments came at the end of the first encore, when Yorke's crispy, twinkling guitar combined with one of Flea's most assertive basslines and the bright, flashing white lights to forge a dreamy and spaced out rendition of Amok's title track that sent nearly everyone in the vicinity into a haze. One more sleepy rendition of "Atoms for Peace" during the second encore finally finished it off. Atoms for Peace's set was focused and there was little dicking around. They came in and simply laid down their law, and are doing it in a way that is much more inventive and highly stylized than most bands today.
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Related post:

Atoms for Peace - Amok album review 

Totally Unauthorized 2013 Mid Year Recap: Top 10 First Half Albums

With a series of smashing releases that pull from a wide spectrum of styles and genres, 2013 is shaping up to be a banner musical year. As each year seems to be getting better than the year before it, this era of music is beginning to stake its claim that it may be one of the all time best. Here are but a few of the best sounds on display through the year's first half:

10. Atoms for Peace - Amok

Thom Yorke has a clear sense of purpose, and this time he has friends to help him execute it. Yorke and producer Nigel Godrich's joy of concocting sublimely hypnotizing dancefloor electro-pop is almost equal to the bliss that comes from consuming it, resulting in a much more friendly and inviting offering than The King of Limbs. Flea and Joey Waronker provide an added emphasis on percussion and rhythm, giving Amok a fiercer bite.

9. Wayne Shorter - Without a Net

If you can make an album like this at age 80, hats off to you. The former saxophonist from the groundbreaking jazz fusion outfit The Weather Report still packs a punch, supported by one of the best backing bands in the business. Without a Net sees Shorter presenting a mind warping but a set of original tune and reinterpretations of old classics, along with a jaw dropping 23 minute collaboration with the Imani Winds quintet.

8. Deerhunter - Monomania

Very few people who would have guessed Deerhunter would release a grimy dive bar rock and rock and roll record in the year 2013. Even fewer would have expected them to pull it off well, yet here we stand with one of the year's best records, albeit in a dramatically different tone from the band's past offerings. Bradford Cox has come into his own as a magnetizing frontman, and the sound is presented with such an honest clarity and sense of humanity that one can't help but be caught up in the undertow.

7. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

Daft Punk's latest album feels like an event.  The French electronic duo have ditched house for a 1970s inspired funk/disco sound, and have brought along plenty of collaborators for the party. It's hard to decide which is more fulfilling: getting down with Pharrell and Panda Bear, or jamming out to stories of the olden days with famed producer Giovanni Giorgio. One thing is certain: Daft Punk's shindig doesn't sound like it's ending anytime soon.

6. Bad Religion - True North

When a song called "Fuck You" is one of the more mellow pieces on an album, you know you'd better hold on to your ass. They may be pushing 50, but Bad Religion's crackling intensity has lesser bands pushing up daisies. The lyrics are as socially conscious as ever, as Greg Graffin urges personal self development above all else. After a long wait, Bad Religion has finally made a record that can stand against their best work.

5. The Knife - Shaking the Habitual

It's hard to decide which is more en vogue in 2013 -  electronic duos releasing comeback albums, or electronic duos releasing albums somewhere around two hours in length. The Knife decided to do both. It's tough to say the entire opus is a gripping listen, it's a guarantee that The Knife's exotic vision never gets dull.  In an industry that thrives on the flow of new ideas, the importance of their work cannot be understated.

4. Savages - Silence Yourself

Before this album, I couldn't stand anything post-punk. This band forced my mind open. I'd have to dig deep to think of higher praise to give a band than that. This all-female outfit present their subject matter from a woman's vantage point, but do so with the straightforwardness of men. Jehnny Beth's impassioned shrieks combine with Gemma Thompson's razor edged guitar and Ayse Hassan's propulsive bass to forge one of the year's most explosive releases.

 3. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City

Pop music is often considered disposable, but Vampire Weekend doesn't see why it has to be that way. Modern Vampires of the City contains slick enough hooks to land most of its tracks on the radio, but there are deeper forces at work here. Nods toward religion, history, and death couple with fresh approaches to the band's songwriting to present an convincing argument that pop music is not only a respectable institution, but also a vital one.

2. Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork

It's said good things come to those who wait. Six years is no short interval, but Josh Homme and crew made it worthwhile by dropping this undeniable gem of an album. ...Like Clockwork widens the band's sonic footprint by masterfully presenting moody atmospheres, tripped out soundscapes, and smooth doses of Trent Reznor inspired sensuality. The fact that they manage to craft so many distinct styles so well makes this one of the can't miss albums of 2013.

1. Steven Wilson - The Raven That Refused to Sing (and Other Stories)

Eclectic 1970s style prog freakouts. Basslines that burrow into your brain. Spacey, chilled out astral washes, Pink Floyd style. Demented King Crimson scales and battering ram drum work. Jazz fusion freakouts. Haunting flute and acoustic guitar combos, along blazing solos from guitar prodigy Guthrie Govan. It's all capped off by one of the most touching piano ballads in recent memory, and structured around the theme of supernatural ghost stories. And that's without even mentioning the genius mind of Steven Wilson pulling the strings like a master puppeteer. Best wishes to anyone putting out an album the rest of the year. The Raven That Refused to Sing (and Other Stories) sets the bar for music releases in 2013.

Atoms for Peace gives Thom Yorke chance for one more encore

It's no secret that Radiohead brainchild Thom Yorke has been mesmerized with electronic music since the 2000 release of Kid A, but his efforts to refine the sound has provided one of the more intriguing storylines over the years. This time he's got some new guys around him -- the principals being Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, former R.E.M. drummer Joey Waronker, and producer Nigel Goodrich, best known for his work with Radiohead.

It's not hard to see who the dominant influence is. Amok has already drawn a smattering of comparisons with Thom Yorke's 2006 solo album The Eraser, and for good reason. The key differences are that Amok is much heavier on analog elements, features a much more spastic and diverse rhythm section, and also showcases the fact that Yorke has made many strides in production and arrangement of composition since then. Many of the synths that come in over the top are pure sex for your ears, able to dominate songs in ways they never had been before.

A great example is "Inguene," which opens with one of the album's thickest synth patterns. It sounds like something from Boards of Canada's Music Has the Right to Children, while projecting a serious sense of groove and swagger. Meanwhile, opener "Before Your Very Eyes" dazzles the ear with its pulsing synths, while introducing more and more layers as it goes on. Not to be outdone, lead single "Default" opens with an infectious rhythm, leading into one of the most blissful pure electro-pop songs on the album.

Of course, one of the key areas where Amok stands apart is in its sense of groove and swagger. Songs like "Dropped" and "Stuck Together Pieces" have prominent, well defined basslines, but "Reverse Running" is the only song that approaches the gold standard rhythm awesomeness of "Lotus Flower" from the previous Radiohead album King of Limbs. With its warm, open bass tones, oriental inspired guitar lead, and Yorke's spiraling vocals, it's an easy standout.

The title track and album closer is easily Amok's most unique song. Its ghostly and ephemeral opening sets the scene for Yorke's fleeting phantasmal images. It showcases an uncanny knack for progression with a shimmering keyboard riff coming in near the end, all structured around one of the album's best basslines.

In comparison with King of Limbs, Amok is much more straightforward and less meandering, but not as deep. In general, the meat of the album is laid on the surface of most songs. This makes it more accessible than the last couple Radiohead albums, but leaving less to discover on repeat listens. In addition, it doesn't do much to push forward the sound that Yorke and his various companions have developed via various side projects over the years, expect that he now has the best bass player behind him he's probably ever had.

Yet despite some flaws, it is still a well thought out and well composed composed electronic pop album that delivers large doses of sensuality while also being capable of conveying a downcast and detached vibe. In short, it's a great dish for anyone craving more of Yorke's patented sense of rhythm and style.

Score: 86/100

Totally Unauthorized's Most Anticipated Albums of 2013

As satisfying as it is to close the page on another year, it's never too soon to start surveying what the new year will bring us. This year doesn't boast as impressive a list as the one we had at this time last year, but there are still more than a few heavy hitters primed to get music fans salivating. In no particular order:

Arcade Fire - TBA

Montreal indie rockers Arcade Fire can lay claim to having released one of the most revered albums of the previous decade with 2004's Funeral. But their contributions to the current decade are none too shabby either. 2010's The Suburbs was one of those rare albums that bridged the gap between the Pitchforky indie world and that of the mainstream, having snagged the coveted album of the year award at the Grammys in what was a colossal breakthrough for the entire independent universe. Few details have been unveiled about its encore, except that the band is aiming for a end of year release. It would be no surprise if it was an album that once again redefines the status quo.

Atoms for Peace - Amok
February 26

Radiohead's Thom Yorke has never been one to sit idly by. Following the mixed reception of 2011's King of Limbs, he's gotten back to work with a new side band, Atoms for Peace. But he's hardly the only heavy hitter involved in the project, which also includes Chili Peppers' bassist Flea and producer Nigel Goodrich. "Default," the album's lead single, indicates a very chill electronic vibe (not surprisingly), but its B-side, "Watch What the Eyeballs Did" exposes a bit more experimentation with a wall of brass horns providing a subtle mood and coloring, while an infectious bassline roars beneath. With this exotic lineup, Atoms for Peace seems primed to deliver one of the first big blows of 2013.

Nine Inch Nails  - TBA

Among the many accomplishments Nine Inch Nails's Trent Reznor can point to is that he popularized an entire genre of music and brought it to the mainstream with with a series of releases beginning in 1989 and culminating a decade later with The Fragile. He hasn't confined himself to Nine Inch Nails however. With his quality work with various side projects, as well as the praise he's garnered for his film score work, Reznor has established himself as a one of a kind mind in the music industry and cementing a place for himself within its annals. Now, it appears more NIN work is headed our way, possibly sometime around summer. It will be a point of great interest to see what direction Reznor's creative juices will flow following the band's hiatus that occurred after their supposed final tour in 2009.

My Bloody Valentine - TBA
Pretty much any day now

Remember Loveless by My Bloody Valentine? Remember how influential it was at the time, how dizzying it all was? How it summed up not just a genre, but an entire subset of a generation as a whole? Remember how they never followed it up? There's a good chance you don't. Many of today's hip youngsters weren't even born when that disc was released in 1991, but now the band is on the cusp of finally releasing new studio material. They've been deliberately opaque about an actual date or details, but perhaps that's fitting for a band that's been shrouded in the mist of history and expectations as My Bloody Valentine have been. The mastering stage is apparently complete, so it shouldn't be long before the band breaks its silence.

Steven Wilson - The Raven that Refused to Sing (and other Stories)
February 25

It takes no small level of trust to insert Mr. Wilson on this list, given that the last several releases he's been involved with are somewhat spotty, but he must be given his due. The announcement of the oddly titled "The Raven that Refused to Sing (and Other Stories)" came as a bit of a surprise given that his last solo album, Grace For Drowning hit shelves just over a year ago. "The Raven that Refused to Sing (and Other Stories)" will mark his third solo release in five years, and is said to focus on supernatural themes and lyrics. The 12 minute lead single "Luminol" is largely instrumental and is bolstered by a flowing infectious bassline, while offering a heavy helping of solos on almost every instrument imaginable. 

Bad Religion - True North
January 22

As a band that's been around since the Reagan era, Bad Religion have long ago cemented their principles. They helped reign in the era of pop punk that dominated the 90s and have stuck around long enough that most people aren't sure what constitutes punk today, or if it even still exists. What is certain is that the band's 2010 album, The Dissent of Man, was a tasty concoction consisting of driving melodic rock and roll complemented by politically conscious lyrics. The title song of True North has been issued as its lead single and promises more of the same.

Earl Sweatshirt - Doris
TBA

When they aren't grabbing critical acclaim they're at least grabbing headlines, and Odd Future isn't looking to let up in 2013. Since there's no telling when Tyler will deliver Wolf, or if it will be worth the wait, Earl Sweatshirt has positioned himself as Odd Future's best hope going forward. The 18-year-old rapper certainly has a lot on his mind, as evidenced by the introspective lead single "Chum." Earl's emergence has signified an infusion of new blood into hip hop, and his ideas are already shaking up the scene.

Autechre - Exai
March 4

Out of all their IDM contemporaries, Autechre have always been the most experimental, dissonant, and challenging. Often described as being heavily influenced by computers and technology, Autechre's output has often sounded like something you would physically have to be a computer to enjoy. However, the British duo have typically found a way to extract method from the madness, and the crackling cacophony tends to morph itself into something beautiful. There is no other artist on earth who does anything quite like Autechre and they'll be doing plenty of it in 2013, given the announcement that Exai will clock in at an astounding 2 hours.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - TBA
Spring 2013

Yeah Yeah Yeahs have been through quite an evolution. They started off with a very grimy, low key indie rock sound with an obvious Brooklyn flair, before morphing into the shimmering electro-pop found on 2009's It's Blitz! Not may details are known about their upcoming fourth full length album, but if Karen O is successfully able to work her magic once again it will be an extravaganza you won't be able to take your eyes off of.

A$AP Rocky - Long Live A$AP
January 15

The hype for A$AP Rocky has been building since his high profile signing with RCA in 2011, and has been riding the mixtape circuit while his fame and fanbase increases every day. He possesses a veteran presence and savvy on the mic that belies his youth, and his debut LP features plenty of today's best and brightest stars. Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Skrillex, and Big K.R.I.T. are but a few guest stars he's brought along. Add to that the hype Long Live A$AP has already garnered, including a best new music tag from Pitchfork, and it appears certain that this will be the first key release of 2013.

Orphaned Land - TBA
TBA

For Orphaned Land, it's been a long journey from their dusty black metal roots to progressive metal. For their fans, it's usually a long journey from one record to the next, as the acclaimed Israeli metal outfit usually takes about five or six years between albums. This time around, though, they appear to be bucking the trend, as recording has already commenced on the followup to 2010's The Never Ending Way of ORwarriOR. That album snagged this site's album of the year award that year. The new album will be the first since the departure of guitarist Matti Svatizky, who left last year for what he termed as personal and professional reasons. Orphaned Land is aiming for a midyear release.