You couldn’t eat. You couldn’t sleep. You wondered if you’d ever love again. You tossed. You turned. There was no sunshine. But suddenly, as if it were a strange and lucid dream, a rainbow appeared through the atmospheric haze of clouded gray matter.
Last Wednesday, after a nearly four and a half year hiatus, “In Rainbows” Radiohead’s first full-length album since 2003’s “Hail to The Thief” was digitally released for download only via inrainbows.com.
Though “15 Step” starts the album off in an electronic, “Kid A”-ish sort of way, it’s not what’s to be expected. This isn’t to say that they’ve lost their touch; it’s more that they’ve cleaned out the attic and found the bare essence of their music, sans the electronic prevalent layers that they are so well known for. They’ve rekindled that old flame, they’re slow-dancing with the gentle melodies that were present, but spotty on “Hail to the Thief.”
“Bodysnatchers” the album’s second track, doesn’t spare a moment, starting off with a guitar riff that is borderline “Pablo Honey”/ borderline “The Bends;” you be the judge. The pitter patter of familiar feet tip-toes down the hall of the third track and before you can start getting any “big ideas”, “Nude,” an already well-known tune is resurrected before your very eyes, polished and ready to go.
“Weird Fishes/Arpeggi” is one of the album’s finest accomplishments, a beautifully composed track with remarkably subtle taps at the drum. Echoing in at the center of the album is “All I Need,” another sensation, blending Yorke’s eerie voice with a mellow piano that eventually crescendos into a soft eruption.
Between the gentle guitar riffs and slow and steady strings, “Faust Arp” may rock you to sleep with its hush hum and Yorke’s voice cooing you along the entire way. But no need to worry, “Reckoner” does a brilliant job of waking you up. With its immediate, sharp percussion and airy guitar picks, “Reckoner” is poised to be the star of the album. As it eases its way out, “House of Cards” takes over with its heavy guitar setting a steady pace and Yorke crooning “I don’t want to be your friend, I just want to be your lover,” the resonance may put you in a trance.
“Jigsaw Falling Into Place” builds itself up gently, an upbeat yet mellow ditty, initially mixing melodic purrs; Yorke’s chant-like vocals eventually upsurge to invigorating new heights.
The album’s tenth and final track “Videotape” works its magic, closing the album out on a beautifully bittersweet note. With its movingly hypnotic piano, “Videotape” is ethereal and delicate, with ghostly whimpers like “When I’m at the pearly gates, this will be on my videotape,” the song gently unfolds leaving you in a fragile way.
So get out of bed. Draw the curtains, and make a cup. No need to sulk any longer.
The sun is coming out and it looks as though there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow after all.
‘In Rainbows’ at no charge?
The British dream team made a collective decision to release the album without a record label which, not only raised a few eyebrows, but made some wonder if special sugar cubes were slipped into their afternoon tea.
But whether the decision was due to a desire to venture out into uncharted musical territory or brought on by a series of grandiose metaphysical illusions, no one will know for sure. What we do know is when the band unveiled the pre-order form for the downloadable version of “In Rainbows” almost three weeks ago, they included a fill in the blank price box.
That’s right.
You decide how much you pay for the album. Don’t believe me? For the skeptics, a linked question mark placed next to the price box reads “It’s up to you,” when clicked and if clicked once more reads “No really, it’s up to you.” If this isn’t exploring uncharted territory, then I don’t know what is.