Ed provides less prominent but equally valid melodic counterpoint, Colin and Phil hold down a simple but classy 3/4 (mere coincidence they placed it as the third track on the third album?), Colin merely present for the melodically meandering verses (literally the entire verse is eight variations on a G chord) but animated in the chorus, which to this day is one of the most honest major key to-the-point choruses they've penned as far as the music goes. The sensory overload from effects and intensely positive vibes they're putting out contrasts with the lyric "I'm uptight, uptight". There's that English irony...
This song is sort of a rarity in a live setting, but it is not forgotten. The performance from the Hammerstein Ballroom around the time OKC came out is the best one that's close to the studio version. At 3:23 in the 97' video I believe Thom says "I'm drunk", which, as we all know from the studio performance of Planet Telex makes for a loose booze-energized vocal delivery from Thom, that's just speculation on my part but his performance here certainly justifies it. I'm sure just as well that the acoustics of the legendary Hammerstein Ballroom are aptly suited to the song's exploratory atmosphere so as to highlight the vocal reverb. The first-time-ever acoustic version has appeal for for being such a natural base platform for a song, though I suspect Jonny has already had his hands on the intro/outro sections at this point. Thom's voice goes a little Pablo Honey on us so it's thankful this song made it to OKC, on which his voice his perfect for every song. By comparison, it's most recent rendition from Cincinnati doesn't have the greatest audio source for the video, but it's clear that the biggest improvement is Jonny's ever further expanded freedom in whale sounds. And as soon as a better audio source comes out, it'll be apparent that Thom's switch to Grand Piano is a tour-wise move, considering the extra percussive nature of the band's recent reworkings. There's good quality videos of it at the Roseland Bowl in '11 but Jonny doesn't reach quite so far into space :/
9/10
Pyramid Song (10)
Airbag
Where I End And You Begin (9.5)
The National Anthem (9)
Subterranean Homesick Alien
In Limbo
Go to Sleep
Karma Police (8)
Everything In Its Right Place
A Wolf At The Door
Separator (7.5)
Electioneering
Little By Little
Fake Plastic Trees (7)
Jigsaw Falling Into Place
Videotape
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