A new direction for rock stalwarts
What makes most artists successful in creating innovative and inspiring works is their ability to see the world through a different lens. Radiohead's new single, "Burn the Witch," their first song released since a hiatus that began in 2011, illustrates lead singer Thom Yorke's alternative worldview. This brand new track may represent a shift in the direction that Radiohead is headed with their anticipated upcoming album, as the song is more of an orchestral arrangement, as opposed to the band's typical rock sound. The song still features Yorke's famous angelic crooning, but also includes electronic percussion, subtle bass guitar rhythms, as well as a raging battalion of stringed orchestral instruments. As a reflection of the message behind the song, that the world may be a darker, more menacing place than it appears to be on the surface, "Burn the Witch" begins with a cheerful tone, but gradually transitions into a suspenseful, dramatic, urgent piece, crescendoing in both volume and intensity as the song reaches its climax and abruptly ends.
