Hold Me to This: Christopher O'Riley Plays Radiohead [IMPORT]

Radiohead (Composer), Christopher O'Riley (Performer)

Product Details

• Performer: Christopher O'Riley
• Composer: Radiohead
• Audio CD (April 12, 2005)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: World Village USA
• ASIN: B0007TFI4W
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #36,475 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Tribute albums are always suspect; classical interpretations of rock even more so--and follow-ups to the same are fraught with mediocrity. Just witness the inexplicable glut of String Quartet Tribute discs to Tool, Bruce Springsteen, and many other top-selling and cult artists. On Hold Me to This, his second run at the music of art-rock group Radiohead, classical pianist Christopher O'Riley avoids all these pitfalls. These aren't easy-listening piano renditions of Radiohead tunes, but deeply inspired, often challenging and dissonant re-imaginings. O'Riley succeeds by taking the music on its own terms. He doesn't try to make it "classical" but lets the classical nature of the music ring out. From the storming chordal overtone clusters of "There There" to the Chopinesque refrain of "The Spinning Plates," O'Riley makes you forget these songs were originally played by a raging rock band. Instead, they seem born on the keys of his piano. His "Paranoid Android" is like Conlon Nancarrow going boogie-woogie one moment and painfully, sweetly rhapsodic the next. I'm not sure how Radiohead fans will respond to this, but piano and classical listeners should rejoice. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Paranoid fan-droid, April 23, 2005

By	Alfonso Mangione "Loves the three Rs: Readin'... (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

You have to give Christopher O'Riley credit.

Even though he's already put out an excellent CD of Radiohead piano compositions, there's enough great material in the band's studio albums that he could have easily filled this second disc with crowd-pleasers. And while he did include "Street Spirit" and "No Surprises," he also threw in some surprises, great B-sides like "Polyethylene Part II" and "Gagging Order." That's not the mark of a hustler looking to cash in on one of the best bands making music today--no, it's the mark of a true fan.

What's more, O'Riley really understands the band on a primal level, not just as a fan, but as a fellow musician. Radiohead writes unsettling songs, discordant songs about paranoia and dissatisfaction and technophobia, songs about a world that feels wrong on every level. It's no mean feat to play these songs with just a piano instead of a five-man band, but O'Riley pulls it off admirably, playing with passion and verve. His interpretations aren't mechanical tracings of the originals, but they still convey, and even amplify, their feelings--his "Street Spirit" captures the spirit of the original while still sounding new; his "Paranoid Android" sounds even more paranoid than Thom's.

At times, the songs feel a touch too discordant, but that's a good thing, in a way--this disc requires multiple listens and is well worth owning, as is O'Riley's first Radiohead disc. It would be nice to hear him play "Optimistic" or "How to Disappear Completely" or "My Iron Lung" or "Just," but that's no knock against the second CD--it's a wishlist for the third.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars chris does it again, June 6, 2005

By	greg s. (Minnetonka, MN United States) - See all my reviews

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A great album, just as the first. I am 52, and had bought True Love Waits, because of my respect for O'Riley, as a person, as well as a musician. I had, of course, heard of Radiohead, but did not actually hear any of their music, until I became interested due to O'Riley's transcriptions, created as a labor of love of their music.

I now have much of Radiohead's work, and now fully understand why they are so revered. O'Riley's work is an extension/expansion of the original works. Both of which are brilliant, capitivating, haunting, beautiful. Heady stuff, indeed.

Hold Me to This, is generally mellower overall, that is, somewhat less notes (thousands instead of millions)are being played concurrently. There are no overdubs, on either recording, which is absolutely amazing.

It is great to put both CD's in the player, and hit random. This makes it a bit easier to take in all of the nuance. It takes serious listening to appreciate what is happening, but the payback, is much more than worth it.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunningly Brilliant, May 23, 2005

By	Z. Russell "So much beautiful music, so littl... (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Every time I listen to this CD I am awe-struck with its beauty and general clarity of texture.

On this CD, as opposed to his previous album covering Radiohead, true love waits, he becomes much more adventureous in taking on Radiohead's masterful use of depth and increasing complexity. It seems with the previous album, he just tried to nail down the obvious songs to appeal to the Radiohead faithful and those are great to listen to. But with this one, it's obvious to see he's challenging himself, whether it's the ridiculous 7-beat rhythms of "2+2=5" or the meoldic overtones in a 4 part-piece of "Paranoid Android."

This CD is a strike of brillance at times. "Like Spinning Plates", a song that is appreciated by most Radiohead constituents but actually enjoyed by few, is unmistakeably brilliant in creation. The very beauty of the song comes to life when Christopher O'Riley plays it. We all know the story of the "backwards song" but the cognitive ability that went into the rest of the song itself is not seen until Christopher O'Riley displays it on full view. I've always said "the true musical genius does not just achieve incredible feats... the true musical genius does it when you're not paying attention" and thanks to O'Riley, that's obvious in Radiohead's music.

The downside(s) of this album:
1)There's a few too many B-side recordings for my taste. "How I Made My Millions" and "Cuttooth" fit here.

2) There's one or two songs that just are lackluster, overall. "Sail to the Moon" doesn't seem too challenging and neither does "How I Made My Millions."

Those are the only two downsides I see and why I wish I could give this album a 4 1/2 instead of a 5. But giving it a 4 wouldn't do it justice.

Basically, if you're a Radiohead fan because you appreacite the high complexity of musical theory involved in their music and/or you love the piano, you NEED to buy this CD.

However, if you're not as much into the musical theory side of Radiohead, True Love Waits would be much more suitable for you. (I personally love both, so no worries)