I feel me slipping in and out of consciousness
E. A Solinas | MD USA | 09/03/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Thom Yorke emerged with one of the best solo debuts of the past year, after a lot of people questioned whether he could stand out away from Radiohead. "Harrowdown Hill" is one of the best songs from that debut, here paired on a single with two previously unheard tracks.
The title song opens with some strums on a guitar, right before a shimmering wave of electronica goes right over it. And then Yorke starts crooning, "Don't walk the plank like I did/You will be dispensed with/When you've become inconvenient... They just want me gone/they want me gone."
The melody rapidly becomes a weary, slightly paranoid-sounding pop song, with solemn organ-like synth and delicate piano making it sound almost like an electronic dirge. But listen to the lyrics, and you'll hear some serious Yorke anger: He announces intensely that, "We think the same things at the same time/There are too many of us/So you can't count!"
If it sounds political, it is -- it's about Dr. David Kelly, a man who allegedly suicide after his political evidence sparked off a massive scandal and the government. But Yorke asks, "Did I fall/or was I pushed?"
Yorke tries out a more experimental, woo-woo sound in "Drunk Machine." It sounds pretty much the way the title suggests -- a sort of drowsier song full of weird noises, crackling and sharp beats. Then it builds in intensity like a haunted house imploding on itself.
Finally there's the extended mix of "Harrowdown Hill," which is still haunting, but somehow just not as satisfying as the original song. It's got more synth than is good for it -- especially those undulating waves -- and loses the organic edge that kept the original grounded. It's pretty, but not really moving.
This little single is dark from beginning to end, and even the addition of some bubbly beats can't take away from the frustration, fear and haunting quality in Thom Yorke's lyrics. "I can't take their pressure/No one cares if you live or die/They just want me gone," he murmurs over the beats.
And Yorke has a way with electronica, which seems to be his forte, a la "Kid A" from Radiohead. But where "Kid A" was chilly and spacey, this is dark and haunting. The undulating synth is annoying, but the sharp beats and experimental flourishes are beautifully done, and never sound cheesy or dated.
The "Harrowdown Hill" single is pretty brief, but deeply affecting. Can't wait to see what Yorke's next single will be."
Totally interesting
Luis Quiroz | Lima, Peru | 09/11/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I liked so much this one, because of Harrowdown Hill, I love that song since I heard in The Eraser album, simply brilliant! good single!"
Track Listings (3) - Disc #1