Is AMSP a play on words on Kafka’s ‘a star-shaped spool’?
I’m currently playing Death Stranding and got curious on the in-game device called ‘Odradek’ and looked it up and found out the description of it matched up really well with the band’s latest album.
It’s from ‘The Cares of a Family Man’, haven’t read it yet, but from what I understand it’s described as a somehow pointless, but familiar, everyday object (or a creature)? A spool that is star-shaped, wound with thread, with a handle protruding from it.
[Here, have a read for yourself!](http://www.kafka.org/index.php?aid=284)
I just read the story. Truly weird little piece. It's pretty meta, as if the story itself is the object, it shares the characteristics of having distinct familiar features but no explanation for it's purpose.
The fact that the text reads "a flat star shaped spool for thread" sort of takes away some of my inclination to directly link the two. If they had named the album "A Flat Moon Shaped Pool" I'd be more inclined to connect the two. It feels like a little bit of a stretch, given the differences in wordings. But it's still an intriguing correlation to draw, and it's certainly possible.
Thank you for your contribution. I haven't read it yet, I reckoned it'll be a long shot from the theme of AMSP album (if anything I think the theme of OK Computer fits well enough), just thought the star-moon thing would be a nice play on words.
For sure, I found the post interesting and intriguing and it got me to read Kafka for the first time so multiple wins. It would definitely be cool if Thom was inspired by Kafka, it wouldn't surprise me, he's pretty fuckin smart and has probably read a lot!
There are already some literary references in Radiohead. For example their online store is called W.A.S.T.E, which is a reference to Thomas Pynchon’s “The Crying of Lot 49”
Really great thread on it [here!](https://www.reddit.com/r/radiohead/comments/4maa58/identikits_lyrics_and_background_vocals_are_a/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1)
My guess has always been that the name started out as a play on the software they use, Max/MSP, and they reverse engineered "Moon Shaped Pool" to fit the same letters. But as far as I know, they've never talked about it one way or the other.
A complete side question, but does the game get any different as you progress? I’m in the midst of chapter 2 and it seems the game is just walking and stealth walking, and I’m having trouble keeping at it.
It gets different, yes. I think after chapter 2 you will be transported to a bigger map, maybe 10x the size?. You will get more tools and transportations, hence more options on handling different situations. There’s even lethal combat if you’re into those stuff.
But keep in mind this game is all about traversal—and making deliveries. It’s the theme of it. The core is always how well do you handle your surroundings (rocks, rivers, bandit camps).
It won’t be an entertaining ride for those looking for stuffs like our everyday shooter games like COD or GTA per se. But I love it since it’s kind of a fresh take on gaming mechanics.
I like this. The feeling of complacent dread that the Odradek evokes, that this inexplicable thing just lives in the dude’s house and it seems to have no origin or possible demise, I find really unsettling, the same way Radiohead’s music speaks to some dark anxiety beyond words.
The story is just a list of things he knows or theories he has about it…I feel like it could have been adapted into a Radiohead song haha. ‘It lives/it will live after us/It speaks/like a child/like rustling leaves’, I can hear Thom singing now.
love that game and it’s music, rest in peace Ryan of Low Roar Odradek = Decks Darks
Odradek: The Form Which Things Assume in Oblivion
Damn! What a find. Now you got me curious.
Sam, Die-Hardman here; We need to listen to burn the witch immediately
Damn, good find! The shoe definitely fits
what does a star shaped pool mean
It’s from ‘The Cares of a Family Man’, haven’t read it yet, but from what I understand it’s described as a somehow pointless, but familiar, everyday object (or a creature)? A spool that is star-shaped, wound with thread, with a handle protruding from it. [Here, have a read for yourself!](http://www.kafka.org/index.php?aid=284)
I just read the story. Truly weird little piece. It's pretty meta, as if the story itself is the object, it shares the characteristics of having distinct familiar features but no explanation for it's purpose. The fact that the text reads "a flat star shaped spool for thread" sort of takes away some of my inclination to directly link the two. If they had named the album "A Flat Moon Shaped Pool" I'd be more inclined to connect the two. It feels like a little bit of a stretch, given the differences in wordings. But it's still an intriguing correlation to draw, and it's certainly possible.
Thank you for your contribution. I haven't read it yet, I reckoned it'll be a long shot from the theme of AMSP album (if anything I think the theme of OK Computer fits well enough), just thought the star-moon thing would be a nice play on words.
For sure, I found the post interesting and intriguing and it got me to read Kafka for the first time so multiple wins. It would definitely be cool if Thom was inspired by Kafka, it wouldn't surprise me, he's pretty fuckin smart and has probably read a lot!
There are already some literary references in Radiohead. For example their online store is called W.A.S.T.E, which is a reference to Thomas Pynchon’s “The Crying of Lot 49”
just to add on, Identikit shares lyrics directly taken from Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84. Nearly certain the title was inspired from this Kafka story.
Whoa what. This I got to see. Identikit is one of my faves.
Really great thread on it [here!](https://www.reddit.com/r/radiohead/comments/4maa58/identikits_lyrics_and_background_vocals_are_a/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1)
It must be. Wild how it took 7 years for someone to make the connection.
My guess has always been that the name started out as a play on the software they use, Max/MSP, and they reverse engineered "Moon Shaped Pool" to fit the same letters. But as far as I know, they've never talked about it one way or the other.
>Max/MSP Oh wow is this a music mixing/producing software? I never knew about this.
I really hope death stranding 2 has Radiohead in the soundtrack
A complete side question, but does the game get any different as you progress? I’m in the midst of chapter 2 and it seems the game is just walking and stealth walking, and I’m having trouble keeping at it.
It gets different, yes. I think after chapter 2 you will be transported to a bigger map, maybe 10x the size?. You will get more tools and transportations, hence more options on handling different situations. There’s even lethal combat if you’re into those stuff. But keep in mind this game is all about traversal—and making deliveries. It’s the theme of it. The core is always how well do you handle your surroundings (rocks, rivers, bandit camps). It won’t be an entertaining ride for those looking for stuffs like our everyday shooter games like COD or GTA per se. But I love it since it’s kind of a fresh take on gaming mechanics.
I watched a playthrough of it and that seemed to be most of the game from what I remember
Whole heartedly subscribe to this idea. Absolutely certain this is where it came from
I like this. The feeling of complacent dread that the Odradek evokes, that this inexplicable thing just lives in the dude’s house and it seems to have no origin or possible demise, I find really unsettling, the same way Radiohead’s music speaks to some dark anxiety beyond words. The story is just a list of things he knows or theories he has about it…I feel like it could have been adapted into a Radiohead song haha. ‘It lives/it will live after us/It speaks/like a child/like rustling leaves’, I can hear Thom singing now.
What a strange short story