The Fellini-esque video to Lotus Flower, by Radiohead, is an astonishment. It's achingly beautiful, and displays a noble lack of personal vanity. It's a rare artist who can cast aside such vanity. It's a form of courage that invariably results in a deeper, richer experience for the audience, be it here, in a music video, or in the work of an author of literary fiction.
By extension, the video for Lotus Flower also reinforces the philosophy of a band that, more than any other I can call to mind, has pursued its own creative path, regardless of the pressures brought to bear by outside forces. After OK Computer, Radiohead could have become anything they wanted, and what they chose was to be a band who explored their own curiosities, leaving The Music Game to others. At times, the insular nature of their work has risked alienating them from their audience. So be it. It's their journey, not ours - we're lucky to be along for the ride.
1 comment:
Exactly. And what a refreshing attitude, considering the music world is plagued with hit-makers writing songs behind closed doors for vapid starlets, and the half-hearted prepubescent pinings of Justin Bieber.
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