Official In Ranbows Review

Alrighty, so here is the long awaited review of In Rainbows, the new Radiohead album. I posted on my old blog the day I got the album, that I was liking it so far, and I would wait until I got the second album in the disc box version before I commented officially. Well I received the disc box on Friday, and have made my way through disc 2 a few times, and here is what I got to say.

15 Steps: This is a great track to start off the album. At first I thought it was a little odd to lead of the album, and would have better placed as track 3, but after a few listens (I'm up to 65 now by the way) it is a great way to start. It sets the tone for the album as a kick-ass rock tune. It is in 5/4 time signature, with a minimalist approach at the beginning. The guitar comes in beautifully in the left channel, and then in the second chorus, there is an awesome bass line that pops up that gets your shoulders moving. At the end, the harmony changes up in a typical Radiohead way, reminding you that even though this is some new shit, it's still Radiohead.

Bodysnatchers: Read online that this track was recorded in one take, and damn it shows. Very nice layering with gritty Jonny Greenwood guitar coming in towards the end of the first verse. There is a line in the first chorus "I have no idea what I am talking about" and one reviewer said "finally Thom Yorke agrees with the rest of the world" Fuck that guy. It's about taking that pause at times in life and saying to yourself, what the fuck I am I talking about? There is again beautiful guitar breaks after the second verse, and then again to finish the song it rocks out. It's going to be a great one live.

Nude: The first slower song on the album, it starts with some nice strings and Thom harmonizing, and then goes into a minimalist bass and drum pattern. The song is about a chance to cheat on your significant other, and the complacency you tend to feel when you've settled with your "soul mate". "You'll go to hell for what your dirty mind is thinking" Dark and beautiful like only Radiohead can do.

Weird Fishes/Arpeggi: This song has some of the best lyrics (second to House of Cards) "Everybody leaves if they get the chance" and "I'll hit the bottom and escape" talking about sinking to the bottom of the sea to escape. There is a bubbly meter to the guitar, and Ed comes in with some very nice harmony about half way.

All I Need: This is a cool song, perfect in the flow of the album. The lyrics are interesting, and something I feel I can relate to. The first verse and chorus go,
I'm the next act
waiting in the wings
I'm an animal
Trapped in your hot car
I am all the days
that you choose to ignore

You are all I need
You are all I need
I'm in the middle of your picture
Lying in the reeds

It is about thinking you know what is good for someone just because you think it is good for you. It is a hard lesson to learn, thinking you know what is good for other people. But if you learn it right, you recognize that when you are wrong about other people's needs, you are probably wrong about your own as well.

Faust Arp: A pretty acoustic song, in the vein of The Beatles "Julia" one of my favorite Beatles songs. An interesting lyric towards the end "I love you but enough is enough/ a last stop/there's no real reason/you've got a head full of feathers/you got melted butter" If you can tell me what the means, I'll my first child after you.

Reckoner: I say Reckoner is my least favorite song only because something has to be least. It is a good song, again minimalist, with a heavy emphasis on the tambourine. I think this was one of the songs Thom played drums on when I say them live last year. The lyrics are very humanistic, and you can make similarities to Radiohead's, and Thom's especially, passion for stopping the human contribution to global warming. "Because we separate like ripples on a blank shore"

House of Cards: "I don't want to be your friend/I just want to be your lover/No mater how it starts/No matter how it ends/Forget about your house of cards/And I'll do mine" A great song, smooth and melodic. Gorgeous layering and the production is excellent, a great example of Thom Yorke's vocal ability.

Jigsaw Falling Into Place: I fight myself over whether this is my favorite, or Bodysnatchers. It probably has the most lyrics of any Radiohead song ever, and they are pretty introspective. It appears as a commentary about music listeners, but I see it also as a reflection about society as a whole not really seeing the depth of reality, and being fooled by the mind-numbing media that has no real meaning.

Videotape: A fucking absolutely fucking gorgeous song. Piano driven in a classic Thom Yorke way. The song starts, "When I'm at the pearly gates/This will be on my videotape" I have this vision of Thom video-tapping the birth of his child and the joy he and his wife are sharing at that moment because of the child, and then that video being the greatest gift he can give back to his child on his death bed. The song ends "No mater what happens now/You shouldn't be afraid/Because I know today has been the greatest day I've ever seen" I dream of having those kind of moments.

Well that is my review of In Rainbows. I highly recommend everyone one of you getting this album, I will make you a copy if you don't want to spend the money. In my mind it is the album of the year, hands down, and I've heard a ton of great shit this year. I did not comment on the second disc because I've only listened to it about 6 times. If you want my comments on those 8 songs, talk to in a month or so.

Peace