CD of The Week

Before settling on the name Atoms For Peace, Thom Yorke's nascent supergroup--which includes longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, frequent Beck drummer Joey Waronker, David Byrne and Red Hot Chili Peppers collaborator Mauro Refosco, and some actor/bassist named Flea--was simply titled "Thom Yorke." That may be kind of a slight to the rest of the members, but after listening to their debut LP, Amok, it's hard not to see why. From the beginning, this is a very Thom Yorke project, through and through, for better or worse.

That isn't to say it's a bad album by any means. Like most of Yorke's post-Kid A work, it's thick with tension and restlessness. The percussion--performed live based on Yorke and Godrich's electronic demos--is jittery and ceaselessly propulsive. Songs like "Before Your Very Eyes..." and "Stuck Together Pieces" suggest the group's origin story (they got together, got trashed, and listened to lots of Fela Kuti) is more than mere spin. It sounds a lot like parts of King of Limbs were expanded upon and infused with Afrobeat rhythms.

What's most impressive, and simultaneously disappointing, is how such a supergroup can disappear behind Yorke's voice and vision. For those wondering just how a collaboration between Thom Yorke and Flea would sound, the answer is, well, "sort of underwhelming, but no less listenable." On its own merits, Amok is a solid effort. Against the rest of Yorke's catalog, however, and absent any expectations for the rest of the group, it's not entirely like you haven't heard it before.