"In Rainbows": A Review

Okay, so I've decided to play music critic/reviewer for this one time. Radiohead's new LP, In Rainbows, was the catalyst, and that's what I'm reviewing.

For starters, there is no price. You pay what you want, and none of that money goes to a greedy record company. Right off the bat the band deserves praise for this move. Yes, they are in negotiations right now with independent labels to put out IR in CD-format, but it will be on their terms, with a temporary license for the songs, the ownership of which will ultimately rest with the band. But back to the music.

After a good, careful listen on my Ipod today, after a few listens at home and away that were partially interrupted by things one can't control, I can only say that this is the most sublime collection of rock music (conventionally known in the past as an "album") that I have ever heard. Yes, I am an avowed and unabashed Radiohead fan, have been since The Bends. No matter. There are no other Radiohead LP's that can match this one, on the whole, for its sheer musical mastery. Witness the almost un-replicable syncopations of 15 Step and Videotape, defying the listener to follow along with a simple one-two-three-four tap on the knee. Add to that the methodical build-up of most songs, from slow, simple melodies to elegiac climaxes of orchestral proportions, such as seen on All I Need, Nude and Videotape. Yes, these elements are found in abundance throught the Radiohead oeuvre, but none so much as in this one single LP. Another thing that pops out to the casual listener is the lack of guitars in In Rainbows. Well, this is actually an ongoing practice for Radiohead since Kid A. I have to say I don't miss them. Thom Yorke is just fine when strumming his acoustic or sitting down at the piano - perfect accompaniments to his unmatched tenor voice. Add to this Jonny Greenwood's mastery at the keyboard, Ed O'brien's unconventional rhythmic guitar riffs, Colin Greenwood's haunting bass and Phil Selway's off-beat percussive syncopations and you've got one hell of a band. And when you really think about it, Paranoid Android's best moment was Yorke's elegant voice solo ("from a great height" indeed) in the middle, not Jonny Greenwood's electric guitar solo near the beginning and its coda at the end. No, a guitar is best when it accompanies, not leads.

I haven't even mentioned In Rainbow's "bonus" songs, available December 3rd to those who pre-ordered the "box set" from Radiohead's website. I've previewed a few from YouTube and Rollingstone.com. One that stands out for me is Down Is the New Up, a playful yet catchy tune that, in Radioheads new funked-up version of it (Yorke has a solo version that ITunes released earlier in the year, just he and the piano), is destined as a crowd-pleaser. I can't wait to hear these songs when they come out as studio releases.

So yeah, these songs got to me. This is nothing new for those who know me, as I get absolutely giddy with each new Radiohead LP. The band starts "touring" next May, so I've read. Yorke has said he does not like touring in the conventional sense, as it is just exhausting to constantly travel, and he adds it is not doing the environment any good. Agreed. I hope to see the band at a music festival, as is their preferred venue, away from big stadiums and greedy sponsors.