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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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 MUSIC REVIEW 
7

Radiohead Stuns With Anthem for WWI Vet

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(Newser) – Radiohead made waves when they let fans download their last album for whatever price they wanted, yet a new online-only track has been released in the past week to far less fanfare. "Harry Patch (In Memory Of)" commemorates the last British veteran of World War I, who died last month aged 111, and proceeds from downloads are going to a military charity. The lush, orchestral song is a "masterly achievement" far from their traditional sound, writes Wall Street Journal critic Jim Fusilli.

The song uses Patch's own words as lyrics, drawing on a 2005 interview given after 80 years' silence about his experiences in the trenches of Passchendaele. Over Thom Yorke's "childlike falsetto," Jonny Greenwood unfurls "what is by turns a eulogy and an anthem," leaving out the band's normal rhythm section for echoing strings. Even after all their high-concept songwriting, writes Fusilli, "there is nothing as elegant as what the band is doing here."

Thom Yorke of Radiohead performs at Lollapalooza in Chicago's Grant Park on Friday, Aug. 1, 2008.
Thom Yorke of Radiohead performs at Lollapalooza in Chicago's Grant Park on Friday, Aug. 1, 2008.   (AP Photo/Russel A. Daniels)
Radiohead band members, from left, Ed O'Brien, guitar, Jonny Greenwood, lead guitar, Colin Greenwood, bass guitar, Thom Yorke, lead vocalist, and Phil Selwayan, drummer.
Radiohead band members, from left, Ed O'Brien, guitar, Jonny Greenwood, lead guitar, Colin Greenwood, bass guitar, Thom Yorke, lead vocalist, and Phil Selwayan, drummer.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Thom Yorke, lead singer of the British band Radiohead, performs on stage at the 15th Rock Oz'Arenes music festival, in Avenches, Switzerland.
Thom Yorke, lead singer of the British band Radiohead, performs on stage at the 15th Rock Oz'Arenes music festival, in Avenches, Switzerland.   (AP Photo/Keystone, Laurent Gillieron, file)
The coffin of Britain's last World War I infantry veteran, Harry Patch, is carried away after his memorial service at Wells Cathedral in Wells, England, Thursday, August 6, 2009.
The coffin of Britain's last World War I infantry veteran, Harry Patch, is carried away after his memorial service at Wells Cathedral in Wells, England, Thursday, August 6, 2009.   (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Gordon Brown and the Duchess of Gloucester talk to World War I veterans Bill Stone, 108, Henry Allinghan, 112, and Harry Patch, 110. All three veterans died this year.
Gordon Brown and the Duchess of Gloucester talk to World War I veterans Bill Stone, 108, Henry Allinghan, 112, and Harry Patch, 110. All three veterans died this year.   (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, pool)
The last surviving British World War I veteran, Harry Patch, died Saturday, July 25, 2009. He was 111.
The last surviving British World War I veteran, Harry Patch, died Saturday, July 25, 2009. He was 111.   (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, File)
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"Harry Patch (In Memory Of)," a new song by Radiohead commemorating the last British veteran of World War I, was released quietly on the band's website last week.   (jackshinta)

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7 comments
VIEWING:
 
Citrixguy
Aug 10, 09 7:46 AM CDT
Great song, great cause...a real stand-up thing to do Reply
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+14
Timinator2K
Aug 10, 09 8:01 AM CDT
"...experiences in the trenches of Passchendaele." 1917 Battles of ... "...the Allies had crawled forward eight kilometres and had taken over half a million casualties for strategically worthless terrain in the process. Though the German losses were smaller – around 350,000 – they were irreplaceable, unlike the losses of the Allies." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Passchendaele Reply
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+8
IN RESPONSE:
kokuaguy
Aug 10, 09 1:54 PM CDT
And some wondered why "Old Europe" was not chomping at the bit when it came to joining GWB in his "preventive warfare" over WMDs that the international inspectors could not find. Ain't Wikipedia great?
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+1
plstyle
Aug 10, 09 2:07 PM CDT
zzzzz... Jesus, At least i found something to put on when i'm trying to go to sleep. Reply
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-5
chas_m
Aug 10, 09 8:02 PM CDT
Lovely music, not mad about Thom's voice on this one ... but the sentiment is noble and I guess that's all that matters. Reply
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+1

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