Radiohead guitarist calls on Estonian help with newly released album
Estonian composer Tõnu Kõrvits features on the new solo album from British band Radiohead's guitarist Ed O'Brien.
Kõrvits was responsible for string arrangements, and the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra (Tallinna Kammerorkester) also appears on the new album, "Blue Morpho."
Kõrvits himself took up the story, saying: "I was introduced to Ed O'Brien from Radiohead by [Tallinn Music Week and Station Narva organizer] Helen Sildna. I was delighted, as I have been a huge fan of Radiohead for years. Their poetic and sonically sensitive music has brought so much freshness into contemporary music," he said, adding that he and O'Brien immediately clicked. "We are the same age and grew up listening to similar music."
"After our first meeting, we stayed in touch, and at some point he asked whether I would help arrange a couple of songs for his new album. It seemed like an exciting challenge, so together with the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra we accepted and recorded the material at the Estonian Public Broadcasting studio with the help of Siim Mäesalu," Kõrvits continued.
The album also features British jazz musician Shabaka Hutchings.
"Blue Morpho" has been released by Transgressive Records and was produced by Paul Epworth.
A short film, "Blue Morpho: The Three Act Play," was also issued in tandem with the album.
O'Brien's first full-length solo album, "Earth," was released in 2020. "Blue Morpho" is his second album offering. Founded by schoolmates in Oxfordshire over 40 years ago and fronted by Thom Yorke, Radiohead's most well-known albums are 1995's "The Bends" and "OK Computer," released two years later.
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Editor: Kaspar Viilup, Andrew Whyte
