Jonny Greenwood

Jonny Greenwood is a person gifted with the ability to hit something very hard and to come out with understated, fragile results.

I think that's every artist's dream, to swing a big bag of emotions at the very brittle wood of an artistic medium and make something more than splinters.

These are my  favorite things that he has been involved in. Only one Radiohead record will be on the list. They are presented in no particular order of enjoyment

5. Popcorn Superhet Receiver 

This track, written for the BBC Concert Orchestra, sounds like if La Monte Young was given access to synthesizers during his drone phase and possessed an in depth knowledge of Stravinsky and Disney music.

4. Bodysong score

Greenwood wrote the score for a 2003 documentary about the human condition in film. Just like the films topic, the music is heavy stuff. Surprisingly intense art-rock inflected with ethiopian music and jazz. He really tries to capture as much of the music of the world as he can in the small amount of time while still effectively maintaining musical craft.



3. 48 Responses To Polymorphia

This is a collaborative work with legendary composer Krzysztof Penderecki. Early chords are so, so Radiohead, but eventually the piece moves towards Polish classical territory.




2. Kid A

Strobe Lights and Blown Speakers

Fireworks and Hurricanes






1. There Will Be Blood Score

There Will Be Blood is a work of genius, a haunting tale filled with moral tension and stark beauty. The soundtrack reflects this with amazing passion and accuracy and with it Greenwood stepped into his own as a composer. This soundtrack is just beautifully finished. It feels rounded, whole, somehow perfect.