This isn’t turning into the daily series I’d imagined. But anyways, the top 5 albums of 2007 continues with the obvious choice: Radiohead’s In Rainbows.
Initially released for ‘pay-what-you-want’ on the internet, to great hype, the album is certainly Radiohead’s most interesting aurally, and best produced. The songs build from simple drum loops or beats, accompanied by swirling guitar or keyboard arpeggios, all topped off by Thom Yorke’s unmistakable voice.
Thematically, the songs seem at first glance as bleak as ever - from ‘I only stick with you because there’s no one else’ in “All I Need”, to ‘Don’t get any big ideas / they’re not gonna happen’ in “Nude”. But coupled with the music, the album ends up being quite optimistic - the music rises above the initially bleak lyrics, offering escape and solace, or just walls of noise to drown everything else out.
It’s hard to pick a high point, as with most of the best Radiohead albums (OK Computer, The Bends, Kid A), because they’re such cohesive albums. But I’d say my favourite tracks are ‘Nude’, ‘Reckoner’, and ‘Faust Arp’.
Radiohead have been doing a ton of web publicity for the new album, so there’s lots of good clips to pick (More can be found at their YouTube channel). Here they are, playing the whole new album live in the studio:
Initially released for ‘pay-what-you-want’ on the internet, to great hype, the album is certainly Radiohead’s most interesting aurally, and best produced. The songs build from simple drum loops or beats, accompanied by swirling guitar or keyboard arpeggios, all topped off by Thom Yorke’s unmistakable voice.
Thematically, the songs seem at first glance as bleak as ever - from ‘I only stick with you because there’s no one else’ in “All I Need”, to ‘Don’t get any big ideas / they’re not gonna happen’ in “Nude”. But coupled with the music, the album ends up being quite optimistic - the music rises above the initially bleak lyrics, offering escape and solace, or just walls of noise to drown everything else out.
It’s hard to pick a high point, as with most of the best Radiohead albums (OK Computer, The Bends, Kid A), because they’re such cohesive albums. But I’d say my favourite tracks are ‘Nude’, ‘Reckoner’, and ‘Faust Arp’.
Radiohead have been doing a ton of web publicity for the new album, so there’s lots of good clips to pick (More can be found at their YouTube channel). Here they are, playing the whole new album live in the studio:
1 comment:
melt in your ears
ewy gooey goodness
after first listen
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