Rainydawg Album Review
In Rainbows
Radiohead
It’s easy to follow in the footsteps of influential trends and artists. You hear something on the radio or at a show, and you proceed to imitate it. Who knows, maybe if the sound is just right, you get a chance at 15 seconds of fame. Rinse, lather, repeat. And then there’s Radiohead.
To say their process in the music industry has been experimental would be an understatement. Whether their quests emphasize the genres of jazz, electronic and dub music, or pulls from the likes of Elvis Costello, Charles Mingus, or The Beatles, they have a devastatingly unique sound that has gained critical acclaim world-wide. With their 7th album entitled In Rainbows (released Oct. 10th), Radiohead takes the listener on a joyride of emotional relapses and sentimental outbursts, which proceed to further expand their catalog of mastery.
If it’s possible to produce something laid back and hectic at the same time, “15 Step” would be the best way to describe it. This opening track delves into an eerie sense, with children chants and scratches used at the end.
Building on that, the second track provides a distant, distorted rock sound with moans and groans from rhythm guitar and lead vocalist Thom Yorke on the uncomfortably titled record “Bodysnatchers.” Radiohead provides a more harmonic release half way through the song, but then immediately goes back to the former sound.
In an album set with abstract tendencies, a few tracks fulfill the need of overall perfection. One of these is “All I Need,” which starts off with a simple background beat and a synth bass line, with Yorke describing his loneliness and desire to behold a companion. Near the end of the record, an orchestral approach is taken, which elevates the song to a higher level.
The other favorable track, “Jigsaw Falling Into Place,” perfectly blends Yorke’s modal tone vocals with the playing of an acoustic guitar. There is a sense of regret in his voice, and the lyrics tell a similar story. Strings are then added when Yorke’s falsetto voice kicks in, and that part is seemingly the climax. Once again Radiohead proves their expertise in constructing records through simple concepts.
In a cleverish way, the arpeggio melody played throughout “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi” is enticing to the ear. The up-beat drumming meshes well with the casual lyrics, albeit they create an uncertain picture.
The tambourine shakin’ “Reckoner” provides Yorkes vocal signature, the deeply solicited falsetto-vibrato sound. Although Yorke keeps it fresh, his voice seems to wane from time to time, and the colorful instrumentation overshadows his attempt at generating vulnerability.
Oddly, you won’t be able to find this album in stores. Because Radiohead was not able to secure a record deal before their release, they decided to sell it electronically through their official website. Though this process sounds a bit questionable, you can literally purchase the album online for about two dollars. The official “discbox” will be released in stores December 3rd, but you can pre-order that when you buy the album. Once again, another innovated idea brought to you by the good people of Radiohead.