Anyone Can Play Guitar

In this week's contentious episode, the two dig into Amnesiac. Austin makes the case that this album is actually better than Kid A, while Nick calls "Packt" Radiohead's least impressive opening track. The majority of time is spent analyzing "Pyramid Song," which leads to a discussion of everything from "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" to Doctor Who. Plus, they manage to discuss The Lord of the Rings and the Holy Roman Empire.

Songs Discussed:

6:00 - "Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box"

13:33 - "Pyramid Song"

28:04 - "Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors"

36:10 - "You and Whose Army"

Early live version of "Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box"

"Packt Like Sardines" from 2012

Ed's diary from December 9th, 1999

What Time Signature is Radiohead’s 'Pyramid Song' in?

Doctor Who's Tardis

Egyptian Book of the Dead

"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" lyrics

Elijah Ascends to Heaven

"Siddhartha: An Indian Poem" by Hermann Hesse

Ending of Dante's Inferno

Charon's obol

Brent DiCrescenzo's review of Kid A by Radiohead

"Pulk/Pull (True Love Waits Version)"

Taylor Swift vs. Nine Inch Nails - Shake It Off (The Perfect Drug)

Carly Rae Jepsen vs. Nine Inch Nails "Call Me A Hole"

The Adventures of Egg Box Dragon

Holy Roman Empire

Army of the Dead from Lord of the Rings

Nick and Austin don't need too much wine or sleeping pills to get through the last songs on Kid A. Just get ready for a discussion of old IBM computers, Wagner operas, and Bo Burnham. Nick forces Austin to listen to "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah," while they both rave about Alice Coltrane. For some inexplicable reason, the 1997 film Titanic comes up. They end the podcast with their Kid A Awards. 

Songs Discussed: 

2:05 - "Idioteque" 

18:08 - "Morning Bell" 

27:30 - "Motion Picture Soundtrack" 

40:30 - The Kid A Awards 

Paul Lansky "Mild und Leise"

Paul Lansky on Radiohead

IBM 360/91

The Tristan Chord

"Tristan und Isolde" by Richard Wagner

"Idioteque" live at Glastonbury

Bo Burnham Inside

"Short Piece" by Arthur Kreiger

Radiohead parody by Reggie Watts

How Reggie Watts Makes Music in Vulture

Judgment of Solomon in 1 Kings 3:16-28

"Morning Bell" monster blip

Acoustic version of Motion Picture Soundtrack

Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah

Alice Coltrane ‎– Journey In Satchidananda

"I'll never let go" in Titanic

Westworld's Motion Picture Soundtrack Cover

Motion Picture Soundtrack at a funeral

The "Creep" Award: The Best Song, Begrudgingly or Not

Austin: "Idioteque" 

Nick: "Kid A"

The "Blow Out" Award: Our Personal Favorite Song 

Nick: "Kid A" and "Idioteque"

Austin: "Everything In Its Right Place" 

The "I Can't" Award: Most Improved Song

Austin: "In Limbo" 

Nick: "In Limbo" and "Treefingers"

The descent into the unconscious continues with a look at Kid A's eclectic middle. Austin escapes reality with "How to Disappear Completely," while Nick finds a way to quote James Joyce twice. They discuss the use of ambient tracks in the rock canon, and ponder if Led Zeppelin was ruined for Austin by the hilariously campy film, "The Song Remains the Same." Along the way they briefly debate how time flows and how to find Kid A's secret booklet.

Songs Discussed: 

1:25 - "How to Disappear Completely" 

16:02 - "Treefingers" 

25:40 - "Optimistic" 

36:12 - "In Limbo"

Irish Times review of Kid A

NME review of Kid A

The Dead by James Joyce

Radiohead Kid A blips

Ultimate Guitar for Treefingers

The Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"

That Pedal Show - A Conversation With Ed O'Brien Of Radiohead

Austerlitz by W. G. Sebald

"Low" by David Bowie

"Heroes" by David Bowie

"Ambient 1: Music for Airports" by Brian Eno

"Ambient 4: On Land" by Brian Eno

"Selected Ambient Works Volume II" by Aphex Twin

Radiohead's Modified Bear

Hidden Kid A booklet

Led Zeppelin's "The Song Remains the Same"

Kylie Minogue "Can't Get You Out of My Head"

Earth, Wind & Fire "September"

Season three delves into the wilds of Radiohead's Kid A and Amnesiac. Prepare for multiple semi-serious discussions of the unconscious, the terror of fairy tales, and the late 90s phenomenon of adding a DJ to every rock band. They start by exploring the first three tracks of Kid A, but can you play any of them on guitar? Nick also tries to dispel some common narratives about Kid A, while Austin wades into the world of free jazz.

Songs Discussed:

4:18 - "Everything In Its Right Place"

18:15 - "Kid A"

31:30 - "The National Anthem"

"Fly" by Sugar Ray

Jacques Lacan "What’s so Unconscious about the Unconscious?"

"Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman

How to make a dadaist poem

T.S. Eliot on escaping personality

"Mr. Brightside" by The Killers

"Freedom" by Charles Mingus

Kid A guitar part by Fitter Happier More Acoustic

Grimm's Fairy Tales

The Shades

"Kid A" performed by Chris Thile and the Punch Brothers

"Kid A" performed by John Mayer

Anil Seth's Being You: A New Science of Consciousness

Free Jazz

"Ascension" by John Coltrane

"Blues and Roots" by Charles Mingus

Ondes Martenot

"The National Anthem" live on Saturday Night Live

Bonus mini episode! Radiohead is getting ready to release Kid A Mnesia, a deluxe version of Kid A and Amnesiac, which also includes a brand new album of alternate versions and outtakes. The first song released from the project, the haunting "If You Say the Word," leads them on a discussion of Neil Young and Dante. Plus, the two discuss how they'll even be able to do a next season, considering that many of the songs on the next two albums don't have guitars.

Song Discussed:

6:30 - "If You Say the Word"

"If You Say the Word" music video

Ed O'Brien's diary

"Rabbit in the Headlights" by Unkle

Big Thief

"Needle and the Damage Done" by Neil Young

Harvest by Neil Young

Rust Never Sleeps by Neil Young

Wood of the Suicides from Dante's Inferno

The Thom Yorke and Roger Waters controversy

To cap off season 2, Nick and Austin tackle the remaining OK Computer b-sides, coming up with a grand theory to explain why some of these songs aren't as impressive as b-sides from The Bends. The two also have very conflicting feelings about the three "new" songs that showed up on OKNOTOK, the 20th anniversary edition of OK Computer. Did the band rerecord them in 2015? Fortunately, the episode ends with the OK Computer awards, where they get to select their favorite songs.

Songs Discussed:

4:00 - "Lull"

7:33 - "How I Made My Millions"

12:20 - "I Promise"

18:20 - "Lift"

25:17 - "Man of War"

29:20 - The OK Computer Awards

The "Creep" Award: The Best Song, Begrudgingly or Not

Nick: "Paranoid Android"

Austin: "Let Down"

The "Blow Out" Award: Our Personal Favorite Song

Austin: "Climbing Up the Walls"

Nick: "Let Down"

The "I Can't" Award: Most Improved Song

Nick: "The Tourist"

Austin: "No Surprises" and "Subterranean Homesick Alien"

The "Million Dollar Question" Award: Best B-Side

Nick: "Lift" (Minidisc Version) and "Palo Alto"

Austin: "Palo Alto"

Pitchfork's review of OKNOTOK, including mention of "I Promise"

"I Promise" OKNOTOK video

Radiohead MiniDisc leaks

"Lift" OKNOTOK video

"Lift" live from 1996

"Lift" from the MiniDisc leak

Guide to the MiniDisc leak

"Man of War" OKNOTOK video

"Man of War" on "Meeting People is Easy"

Billie Eilish's "No Time To Die" James Bond theme song

Radiohead's cover of "Nobody Does it Better"

Marlon and Jake Read Dead People podcast

"The Georgics" by Virgil

With OK Computer finished, it's time to dig into the b-sides, starting with the "Airbag / How Am I Driving" EP. This Grammy-nominated collection features a wide range of material. While some are still beloved, the two find that others haven't held up as well as they had hoped. Austin thinks "Polyethylene Part 1" is one of the best 30 seconds of Radiohead's catalog, while Nick thinks that "Part 2" might be the worst song they've done since Pablo Honey. Plus, stick around for a brief U2 tangent. 

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anyonecanplayguitarpodcast

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/anyonecanplayr1

Songs Discussed: 

1:14 - "Pearly" 

11:05 - "Meeting in the Aisle" 

16:55 - "A Reminder" 

20:33 - "Polyethylene (Parts 1 & 2)"

30:20 - "Melatonin"

35:08 - "Palo Alto"

Thom stops a live version of "Pearly"

"Pearly" on "Meeting People is Easy"

U2's "Numb," back when the group still took chances

"Bezos II" by Bo Burnham

"Palo Alto" on "Meeting People is Easy"

"Zero" by The Smashing Pumpkins

After twenty years of contentious debate, Nick and Austin tackle "Climbing Up the Walls." Will Austin finally convince Nick that it's the best song on OK Computer, or will learning it on guitar diminish the appeal? Also, Nick admits to loving The Beach Boys, while Austin explains why sad songs make him happy. Look out for a surprising Pearl Jam connection, too. But the episode begins with their favorite game of Spot the Alternative Rock Riff. 

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anyonecanplayguitarpodcast

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/anyonecanplayr1

Songs Discussed: 

5:50 - "Climbing Up the Walls" 

16:10 - "No Surprises" 

26:20 - "Lucky" 

31:55 - "The Tourist" 

It's a dramatic episode this week, as Nick and Austin dig into "Let Down," "Karma Police," "Fitter Happier," and "Electioneering." Will their friendship survive after they get into a heated disagreement about one of Radiohead's most popular songs? Austin also lays out his grand theory about why he loves songs that sound like they were written on the couch, while skewering the idea that it’s possible for machines to measure sadness. Nick, once again, talks an awful lot about The Beatles, and then reveals his least favorite song on the album.   

If you enjoy what you're hearing, please rate and review us. 

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anyonecanplayguitarpodcast

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/anyonecanplayr1

Songs Discussed: 

2:09 - "Let Down" 

21:21 - "Karma Police" 

31:40 - "Fitter Happier" 

37:02 - "Electioneering"  

Everything's off kilter this week, as Nick and Austin discuss "Airbag," "Subterranean Homesick Alien," and "Exit Music." Both gush over Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo and Juliet," while failing to even mention Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues." Austin tries to get into some Miles Davis, while Nick repeatedly gets the title of Sogyal Rinpoche's The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying wrong. (He's very sorry.) But first, Austin sees if Nick remembers how to play some songs we've already discussed.

If you enjoy what you're hearing, please rate and review us.

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Songs Discussed:

5:00 - "Airbag"

20:00 - "Subterranean Homesick Alien"

29:15 - "Exit Music"