Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Maybe the logo should be Thom Yorke on a cross

If you want to see something ridiculous, check out the Pitchfork review of Jonny Greenwood Is The Controller. Most normal people will ask, "Who is Jonny Greenwood, and why should I care?" The review then takes up something like 7 or 8 paragraphs to explain that 1) Greenwood is the guitarist for Radiohead, and 2) Radiohead is the greatest band of all time, especially because they continually deny that they're the greatest band of all time.

"I am not the messiah!"
"Only the true messiah denies his divinity!"
"What? Well, what kind of chance does that give me? All right, then I am the messiah."
"He is! He is the messiah!"

See how modest they are? Good thing there are people like Pitchfork around, to make sure that we really know that Radiohead is the best thing since Jesus invented sliced bread.

Here's the best part: this isn't a Radiohead album. It's not a solo album by Greenwood. What this is, if you're not blinded by adoration for a certain shrill, cryptic band, is a collection of reggae songs from the label's back catalog. Someone in management cajoled Greenwood into making the selections, even though Radiohead has basically nothing at all in common with reggae music.

It will sell like hotcakes, no doubt, because hipsters will buy anything related to Thom Yorke's cross-eyed mutterings. I am in the wrong business.