New Radiohead Review - In Rainbows

Free or not too free?

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If you have a blog about music it seems mandatory that you post about the new Radiohead album In Rainbows, and how they have decided to distribute and sell it. You’ve probably already heard about this, but to quickly sum it up for you the story here that everyone is talking about (music blogs, magazines, even non-music news outlets) is that they’re offering the album via download (before it’s even available on disc) and it’s free. Actually, their site has a place to put in a price, meaning you can pay whatever you want, even $0. Most are amazed by this…calling it groundbreaking…everyone from Rolling Stone all the way over to Fox News seem amazed by this even though independent bands have been doing this for a long time now. Many of the bands on MySpace make their music available for download for free. But they aren’t Radiohead, a band that has been on a major label and sold a ton of albums. So yes, there is a story here, but is it that surprising? This is where the industry is headed kids, so get used to it. My first reaction to this news was to question why, and unlike most I immediately assumed it was because the music was bad (the album title sure is). Radiohead has 3 great albums, 2 of those bordering on genius. I’m talking about Pablo Honey, The Bends and OK Computer. The later being one of the most brilliantly groundbreaking albums of the last 20 years. Those were the first three Radiohead albums. Since then they’ve put out one horrible album after another, three un-listenable, meandering, experimental discs of ambient crap. It doesn’t even resemble the same band that put out those first three records. I’m not against experimental music, or even reinvention, only when it is that bad. Admittedly, they had no where to go but down after OK Computer, but no one could have imagined how far they would fall. I personally thought it was a great idea and a smart marketing move to offer this new one as a free download because it took the focus off of the music. That was until I listened to the album. In Rainbows is the first Radiohead album since OK Computer to effectively use melody, song structure and hooks. There are actual songs here. They actually sound like a band again instead of some amateur in his basement with a computer. No, it isn’t as good as the first three, but it’s a close fourth and there are a number of moments where we hear that old Radiohead brilliance. So what did I pay for my download? I’m a collector, and I still love the physical product, so I wanted to support their decision to offer a limited edition box set version. I paid the big bucks and preordered that and got the download for free. If you’re just going to get the download I think anywhere from $1 to $10 is fair, but I would recommend getting the download now for free and buying the CD when it comes out next year so you have the packaging, credits and bonus tracks. That’s a sweet deal and all major, established artists should do it this way.

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To get it now go to www.inrainbows.com

Comments

[Thomas Augustus]

Finally, someone who will say that Radiohead has sucked in their career. I am getting tired of the apologists and all the bands who list them as an influence. These too hip for the room types. I have heard this record, well, most of it. There are good songs on it. I was never much for Thom Yorke's vocal style. However, the band arrangements are quite endearing and creative. They really try to get beyond themselves and find an atmosphere to support the lyrical content.

I saw these guys on tour for Pablo Honey or the Creep era - loved that song - some say Sunny Day was the Godfather band of Emo - I think it be Radiohead. But live they had not much back then, in my opinion. And, I am not much for the self-emasculation anymore. On In Rainbows, much of that is subdued. Happens with most successful bands.

[Michael Roe]

Tony, we've been friends for years and I've always admired and respected your feel for all things musical, but your comments about Radiohead's 'experimental' albums are kite high and flyin'. I mean, all art and its effects are ultimately subjective, but when I read those comments I had to think "Either he is deaf or he is evil" :-0

It was those three albums that dragged me kicking and screaming into Radiohead's world....and very very gradually at that. Not being fortunate (or hip enough) to have heard The Bends (was too busy trying to make pop history myself!), I bought OK Computer and took it back to the store at once, asking "Where are the songs?" Except for a few pretty moments, I just didn't get it.

Years later, I dated a girl who was nothing short of fanatical about all things Radiohead, including the albums you haven't the ears to hear. I started to notice little things about those so-called 'meandering' riffs and 'ambient' songs...and believe me, it took awhile. I was mostly bored (or annoyed) outta my skull, but I really wanted to 'get it', if for no other reason than to keep the peace and understand my chick more ('What does she see in this? There must be something....')

Ultimately, as a musician I was eventually floored....not by the 'songs' per se (although many of them are lovely), but more by the potency of the *sound* alone to carry minimal ideas. Oh I don't know....maybe it's cuz I'm a guitar player and the quest for 'tone' has been so important to me for years, but.....and yes, maybe Radiohead are a 'musician's musicians' band -- I may end up admitting that in the end, but.....

I guess these sounds, riffs and 'ambient' works kinda snuck up and got the better of me when I wasn't even listening. For some reason, they got under my skin, and I've been hooked ever since. Mind you, I don't like every single cut, and some of them ARE downright annoying, but for the most part those three albums have been huge inspirations and kicks in my creative butt for just about every reason I can think of, and I don't think all those millions of record buyers are *that* tone-deaf or seduced that easily by boring meandering crap. You can fool them for maybe one album, but not three in a row, and this is not to mention all the so-called high class musicians and critics all singing the same praises.

But it does come down to taste, in the end. I can't stand most of what many people consider 'genius' pop and it all comes down to what moves me emotionally and what doesn't. For whatever reason, Radiohead's pointless riffs and songs in those three admittedly experimental (but brave, considering the financial and commercial risks they took sticking with that path) albums resonate with me emotionally in a way that The Bends or Pablo Honey could never have had I not gotten into those weird ones first. And when I finally hear the new album I will let you know if I think it sucks or not, because I have no guarantee I'm gonna like it whether or not it's melodic *or* just merely experimental again. In the end, it will either move me or it won't, the same way it must work for you Good Doctor :-)

Please don't shoot me, I'm just a guitar player.

p.s. how the heck are ya? It's been way too long and we shouldn't be meeting like this :)

[Philip Hood]

Nice review Tony, but I'm convinced you've never actually listened to Hail to the Thief. Luv luv :-)

[Andy Peterson]

While I try to live most of life based on the musical teachings of Dr. Shore, I have to side with the good Dr. Love on this one. Kid A was and is awesome. And as much as OK Computer blew my mind the first time I heard it (which was on the main stage PA at cornerstone between afternoon soundchecks while waiting around to hang with Roe ironically enough), it's Kid A that remains for me not only my favorite Radiohead album but one of my top 10 albums EVER.

Amnesiac I will admit is harder to get into if you don't have an ear for all things electronic and ambient. And I won't even try to defend Hail To the Thief as I didn't really like it either until I heard the band play it live last summer. But Kid A was a brilliant follow up to OK Computer... the come-down after the sonic paradigm shift they had launched. And like the Actung Baby -> Zooropa/Pop progression before it, a kiss-off to all critcs who were ready to crown them "world's greatest band", when all they really wanted to do was make interesting art that connected with hearts and souls... both theirs and ours.

As far as In Rainbows goes I think it's a great balance of The Bends/OK Computer band you so much wanted to hear again and the Kid A/Amnesiac era Radiohead that has connected with me (and millions of others) so much. So in the end, we all win. Here's to the new Radiohead album: OK KID IN RAINBOWSIAC

Rock on.

[lori lenz]

gotta say i'm siding with the peanut gallery.... i haven't heard in rainbows yet---i tried to download it a few times, but sadly i did it on the 10th when the rest of the world was trying to download the cd...

but i think that so much of hail to the thief is amazing- even a throwback to the OK Computer days. i think you should pull that puppy out and give it a fresh listen...

[dr. tony shore]

I've woken some of you up with my criticism of the great Radiohead eh? I guess it's a matter of personal taste and I think we'll have to leave it at that. I veiw Radiohead's holy trinity as the first three albums (Pablo Honey, The Bends and OK Computer), and quite frankly, I'm surprised by how passionate many of you are about their last 3 (the ones I can't stand: Kid A, Amnesiac and Hail To The Thief). And I never thought I would hear someone say that Kid A is their best. Andy, you need to turn off the strobe lights, stop taking ecstasy, put down the Kid A and listen to OK Computer. :-) I tried to like those three, I really did. I'll pull them all out again and listen, but I found it very hard to even make it all the way through them the last time that I tried. I think I agree with Dr. Love (Mr. Mike Roe) when he says it comes down to personal taste. Keep in mind that I'm a power pop guy through and through. I love hooky melodies and quirky pop (Beatles, Jellyfish, Cars, Queen, ELO) and from there I go to prog and art rock (Yes, Crimson, Porcupine Tree). I also have to wonder, if Kid A or Hail to the Thief had been put out by almost any other band, would anyone even listen to them? Would they have gotten good reviews? That said, I think most will find something they can dig on In Rainbows. But what about that album title? Yikes!

[Doctor Love]

Man, all I can say is that 'There There' from Hail To The Thief went through me like soul surgery and rocked my hole. Yet another example of The Comsat Angels' underrated and overlooked influence on modern pop from U2 to a certain band with several '7's' in its name :')