Radiohead

In Rainbows

Written by: PP on 06/02/2008 03:57:59

Radiohead. One of the most respected and unique bands of the last two decades. You\'d imagine a punchline like that would be enough, but not for these five Oxfordshire lads. Nope. They had to go and revolutionize the entire music industry overnight not just by announcing they are releasing a new album only ten days before the release date, but they also bloody gave it away for FREE! In case you missed it, and if you did, you probably don\'t listen to very much music or follow the industry, \"In Rainbows\" was released as a digital-only release at first, where any member of the public could decide between zero and infinite amount of dollars on how much they would like to pay for a 160kbit MP3 recording of the album. Now that alone is worthy of a couple of hours of applaud from our editorial staff. Combine that with the fact that there still isn\'t a single band able to reach the kind of creative genius this band displays on all their songs, and you\'ve got a real winner.

Now you might have heard \"OK Computer\"\'s tranquil, electronica-based rock sound, then followed it up with \"Kid A\"\'s minimalist avant-garde style and thought \"well, it\'s cool, but it\'s a bit overly complex for me\". I know I thought that when I glanced over these albums. That was a grave mistake that I don\'t hope any of you will commit, especially with \"In Rainbows\". You might be tempted to, because listening through the record once you\'ll inevitably feel that where it\'s lacking in volume it\'s trying to desperately compensate in experimentalist effects and avant-garde song structure. That is not the case. I challenge you to have a long day full of work, exercise, or whatever else that might bring you into a highly receptive, relaxed mood towards the end of the evening. Then grab a pair of quality headphones, pop in the disc, close your eyes and pay attention. This is how I found the magic behind \"In Rainbows\". Now that I\'ve got you in the proper mood, here\'s what you should be expecting.

The beauty of all later Radiohead albums has been their astonishing ability to write deceivingly simple indie/electronica rock songs that upon closer inspection open into infinitely complex arrangements the likes of which no-one is able to copy. The softer passages of the record are the definition of a psychedelic experience. Don\'t believe me? Lie on your bed, close your eyes and watch how colors, shapes and figures materialize and dissipate from seemingly nowhere according to the patterns in the music. Allow Yorke\'s poignant falsetto to travel around your mind and listen to how beautifully he executes his creative genius through prolonged whispers and extended croons. Convinced yet?

The key characteristic about \"In Rainbows\" is that it is the album that bands like Portugal. The Man and Mogwai come desperately close to writing but miss the final step. The bottom line is that \"In Rainbows\" is so unbelievably original, but yet sounds exactly how you would expect a Radiohead release to sound like, without losing any relevance or accessibility in the process. Nothing short of genius.

9

Download: Nude, Bodysnatchers, House Of Cards
For the fans of: Portugal. The Man, Mogwai, The Flaming Lips
Listen: Myspace
Buy: iTunes

Release date 10.10.2007
Self-released

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