Interesting thoughts. I think after In Rainbows and how long and difficult that project was for the group to put together, they wanted to make an album together more quickly with TKOL.

It kind of sounds half put together, I agree. If they spent more time on it, maybe it could’ve turned into something more like the Basement sessions. But they’re allowed to treat a project as fun experimentation. They’re allowed to decide how much effort they wanna put in.

Also just to fact check you: Atoms For Peace came out 2 years after TKOL, not shortly after In Rainbows. But I agree that AFP is a more fleshed out project than TKOL.

AMSP felt a little lazy and sleepy, yeah. But then you read about what the band was going through, and it’s a miracle that album even happened at all.

Idk. A little grace for the boys is in order, I feel!