It was always quite apparent that Radiohead's more experimental (and depressive) tendencies mostly came from Thom Yorke, so I was interested to see what the band's guitarist, Ed O'Brian (adopting the moniker EOB), would do on his first solo record. While Earth adopts plenty of elements of the group's sonic pallet and wouldn't seem too out of place next to their catalogue, it certainly cuts its own path away from the band's sound. Slowly written and recorded all over the place since 2012, the albums themes and sonic style reflect that. While broadly fitting in as an alt-rock album (the guitar tones in particular are reminiscent of Radiohead's heavier moments post-millennium), the record incorporates a large amount of folk and alternative dance into the mix. It makes for a surprisingly relaxed and upbeat atmosphere, which is further enhanced by the lyrical content of most of these tracks.
Take for example, lead single Brazil, a track inspired by Ed's year long stay in the Brazilian countryside. The track opens as a very serene, gentle folk song before unravelling into a transient dance beat in the back half. The tone of the song reflects Ed's apparently very spiritual connection to both the beauty of the landscape and the colourful party culture the country is famous for. Shangri-La, the opener, is a chunky and groovy dance rock tune named after one of the all-night rave tents at Glastonbury, so it is obvious what the song is about. The rest of the album follows suit, being songs about finding peace of mind, being free and having a good time. It's a vibe album in the purest sense, these lyrics aren't meant to challenge you, they're designed to reflect Ed's moments of spiritual connection and be the soundtrack to yours. The one track that doesn't fit this mould is Banksters, and it does kind of stick out because of it. It is a much more direct alt-rock song, railing on bankers and the 2008 crash, and would fit right in on Radiohead's Hail To The Theif. I do like the song, but it does feel out of place on the album.
The vibe of this album really does work, but it lacks any truly great moments to really make it something special. There are points where it also gets too comfortable with what it's doing at that point and slides into the background. Once Brazil slides into its dance breakdown, it doesn't really move from there. It makes the back half feel more like an extended outro when it really should soar into a transcendent experience. The following track, Deep Days, is more of a repeated motif than a a fully fleshed out song. The closest the record comes to greatness is the Nick Drake-esque Long Time Coming and the 8 minute alternative dance cut, Olympik. Long Time Coming features a gentle plucked guitar and wistful, bittersweet vocals from Ed about this girl who wishes to escape the city and discover the world. It's a simple and effective tune. Olympik, on the other hand, is manic. It shifts through multiple sections, rooted by an infectious, spiralling groove.
Earth is a very relaxed and straightforward album, and while it's not exactly groundbreaking, it's bright and summery, and I'm enjoying having it on while I'm stuck home. It brings some levity to these current times, and is a great reminder that sometimes life can just be about dancing until 4am or taking a stroll in the countryside.
Top Tracks: Shangri-La, Long Time Coming, Banksters, Olympik
7/10
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