Radiohead - In Rainbows (CD 2007)

another epic experimental album from the greatest band of this generation.
it flows just like the more successful Kid A but has the makings of OK Computer for eye-opening inspiration.
I recently saw Radiohead live and was talking to a man next to me who said that without question this album was their best work. Im not sure if i completely agree but it is definitely something special.
It is a real shame that today's music scene is one that will not completely acknowledge or appreciate music of this standard... but to be honest i dont think Radiohead would change it if they could!

I brought this album of the back of a bassment session on sky arts, where Radiohead played a number of tracks from this album.

My problem with it is Ive been a Radiohead fan since Pablo Honey and have followed them for a long time. After OK computer they spirialed out of creatvity (I feel). The use of electro gadgits has not added to their sound but destroyed their reputation.

I still love radiohead and sohave given every album they've produced a chance, but unfortunatly once again I feel they've struck out. Disapointing as the live set suggested big guitars and york realling, but not to be. Same kind of stuff as before, but better. Melodic in places and yorkes voice sounds great, but not the radiohead I fell in love with, no where near. And sad to say all the arguments I have with Muse fans about Radiohead being better are starting to get harder to fight, all can argue is Muse are riding on the back of Radioheads failer to produce, (and also have Radioheads old producer which helps oh and guy who trys to sound just like Tom).

Radiohead have taken music to a new level with this cd, they do not know how to make A bad album. In Rainbows is genius, like most of their albums it takes a few listens. Like Kid A I was not sure at first but the more you listen the more you like it, now i cant stop listning to it. I own thousands of albums and this album is the only one i ALWAYS have in the car. Praise indeed.

This album fits together well but is extremely miserable.I actually prefer the Thom Yorke Solo album from 2006 called The Eraser, it is equally well structured and has better songs on it.

Who knew that In Rainbows would be on sale in your local respectable supermarket? Who knew that your Mum would be ranting about; ‘that Radiohead,’ that she heard about on the news? Who knew that the sceptics were right, and the underground hype that erupted after a ground breaking download-for-any-price album was actually the greatest money making marketing scheme any band had ever thought of, and who knew that after forking out 40 quid online for an album box-set that money can’t buy,
that early January would see the release of the material discs in shops? A lot of angry, poorer Radiohead fans – that’s who.
So digging under the surface of the hype and actually being able to breathe a sigh of ‘I told you do’ to your angrier, poorer, aforementioned pals – it’s time someone mentioned the music.
It would be completely safe to say that this little offering is nothing short of a modern musical masterpiece. Listening to Yorke’s haunting warblings over the sounds of crashing guitar riffs and jarring ambience – it’s hard not to be completely and utterly blown away to say the very least.
I stand by my decision that the opening track ’15 Step’ is their best song to date. Along with ‘Nude’ and ‘Weird Fishes/ Arpeggi’ I was put in mind of my Dad sharing Pink Floyds, ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ with me when I was 12. Although I didn’t fully understand it, I knew it was something special.
There’s something beautiful about the backwards loop in ‘Nude’ and it’s hard not to be caught off guard by Yorke’s powerful lyrics. Sitting on the bus on a cold wet day gazing out of the window at the traffic jams, I feel the same way listening to this track as I do listening to Sigur Ros’s ‘Vaka’, as equally moved as impressed.
Every song seems as though it had been thought about long and hard before it made the grade and the usual non-sensical songs have moved to make way for an all-together more mature ethos.
As I get to the fifth track I nearly choke on my cigarette smoke. Surely Radiohead haven’t made a love Ballard? Surely they can’t pull off without some mention of fridges, or a strange synth butting in half way through, but no, an actual coherent, emotionally heart rendering track, that should definitely be in the running for their next release.
For a band so steeped in history and surrounded by myth you have to constantly remind yourself how far Radiohead have come. It’s taken a long time and a lot of behind the scenes belly aching before they reached this point. It feels like the past, god knows how many years, have all been leading up to this album. It’s flawless from the beginning and for once you feel glad that you bought into the institutional hype. The fact that NME have spoke about little else for six months can’t even tarnish this pure gold record.
For once I feel like we’ve been treated to a real album from Radiohead, not in the sense of OK Computer or The Bends, where we were showcased some brilliant music along with a whole bunch of mixed messages. I don’t feel like I’m listening to their latest experiment (sic) or their strange take on the human condition. I feel like we’re penetrating into some real feelings. I feel like I’m getting a rare insight to the mysterious man himself.
I’m not sure if it was meant as a concept album, but listening to the odd song here and there really doesn’t do it justice. A straight run through is required at least once, so that when Videotape does end the silence that follows can be best spent alone.

Fantastic album. A mixture between Kid A and Hail to the Theif and it doesnt fail to impress. One of my favourite Radiohead Albums and a welcome addition to the collection.