Rainbow Love

In Rainbows: the Best Album of 2007

Radiohead’s In Rainbows was released on the 10th of October in 2007 in a move that shocked the rock music world. Just 10 days earlier Radiohead made the surprise announcement they would be releasing their new album (that most didn’t expect out until 2008) and that it would be available in download only format at first and most surprisingly of all, they were going to let people decide for themselves how much to pay for it.

While I applaud Radiohead for their creativity in album releases, it’s their creativity in music that really interests me. The “pay what you want” download didn’t effect me because I paid $81 for the limited edition “deluxe” version (which included the download of course, along with a CD version, an LP version, and an additional CD with 8 extra tracks.)

Now that the hysteria over their supposed “record industry destroying” record release method has died down, it’s high time to take another look at the music itself. It’s the music that makes In Rainbows one of the classic albums of the the decade.

The album is, in my estimation, their most consistent yet. It flows like perhaps only Kid A flows. It sounds as a whole piece, but that doesn’t mean that it’s “samey” or boring. It’s not. Each song is instantaneously memorable on it’s own merits but somehow still connected to those around it.

The album starts off with dirty distorted electro beats on “15 Steps” which probably had many people thinking Radiohead was going more in the Kid A/Thom Yorke solo album (The Eraser) sort of direction. But then about 40 seconds in enters the smooth clean guitar (no distortion) that would be heard throughout this album. In fact this is easily their most “guitar centric” album since OK Computer. While that could easily be seen as a retreat from experimentation, it’s really anything but.

In Rainbows continues to push the “studio as an instrument” experimentation that Radiohead and their long time producer, Nigel Godrich, have been working on since 1995′s The Bends. For me this is vital to a great Radiohead album. Yes their songs are great and their musicianship is incredible and yes Thom Yorke is the best rock singer int he world, but the “atmosphere” of the songs is just as big of a factor in what makes me love Radiohead as any of those other factors.

In Rainbows is filled to the brim with beautiful production ideas and surprising musical arrangements that take the songs from been merely great to being truly transcendent.

While I love the songs on the “b-sides” disc sent with the deluxe version of In Rainbows, I also very much agree with Radiohead’s decision to release the official album as a 10 track album. I’m a big fan of a compact album that makes you want even more when you’re done listening to it. And they’ve really set it up with the “b-sides” flowing perfectly out of the first 10 tracks so that you can make In Rainbows into an 18 track epic if you want to.

“Bodysnatchers” (the second track on In Rainbows) is Radiohead’s best rock song since at least The Bends era (I’m thinking “Just” & “My Iron Lung”) and maybe ever. Who else can make a guitar sound like that other than Jonny Greenwood? He’s a true wizard. And I’m not just saying that because he appeared in a Harry Potter movie. Didn’t know that? Look it up, it’s true.

“Nude” may be the most beautiful song Radiohead’s ever produced and that’s saying quite a bit. It’s just an absolutely perfect song with a perfect arrangement and perfect vocals. It’s a good thing too because they’ve been trying to record this song for 10 years. They wanted to get it right, and they have.

“All I Need” with it’s awesome bass line and it’s groovy beat may just be my favorite song on the album. I love the melody and the vocals and the sound. Absolutely everything about this song is perfect. The lyrics kill me. “I’m an animal trapped in your hot car, I am all of the days you choose to ignore” and “I am a moth that just wants to share your light, I’m just an insect trying to get out of the night” are brilliant. But the line that really gives me shivers is this “I only stay with you because there are no others.” What’s so breathtaking about that line is that he sings it right before going into the “you’re all I need” chorus.

I’ve read that Yorke says the song is about a co-dependency relationship and that line really drives that idea home in an intense way.

“Faust Arp” is probably the one song on the album that I didn’t really love right away but it is an interesting sound for Radiohead. It’s a nice middle point in the album that sets up for the final four songs. I think it’s a good way to let the album sort of breathe after the intensity of “All I Need.”

“Reckoner” is another sort of new sound for Radiohead. The percussion sounds quite unlike anything I’ve heard from them before. The vocals are beautiful. I still remember being a bit shocked when I first heard this on the album as they were playing a song called “Reckoner” that was a heavy rocker that sounds really nothing like this.

This is an album meant to be played from beginning to end. It’s a work of art in a time of trivial throw away pop music. I gave it 10/10 stars when I first heard it almost a year ago, and today I give it the same score. I’d give it an even higher score but, well OK. Who’s stopping me? It’s gets an 11/10!

About the Author

Marvin J. Markus firmly believes that Pure Pitch Method ear training is the key to improving musical abilities & music appreciation. Ear Training Online has made it so much easier than it used to be.

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