2008 Woodie Awards
Radiohead Sees Future 'In Rainbows'
The band's music and business model shatter listeners' conceptions.
Trevor Owens
Issue date: 10/24/07 Section: Entertainment
After leaving Capitol Records following the release of "Hail to the Thief" in 2003, Radiohead stoked the fires of fans everywhere by hinting at the possibility of a new album released completely apart from any music label. Four years and plenty of speculation later, "In Rainbows" is the impressive result.
The album lives up to the hype surrounding it. Don't take anyone else's word for it--for two pennies (the equivalent of one English pence) and a transaction fee, anyone may download the album legally from the band's Web site.
Listeners can choose to pay more by simply filling in the price that they wish to pay for the album, or by purchasing a more expensive limited edition discbox. The discbox comes with an immediately available download, and includes CD and vinyl versions of the album along with a bonus disc of previously unreleased material in both formats as well. The set will ship in December.
At www.inrainbows.com, a concise message that directs purchasers states "It's up to you." another click prompts another message. "No really, it's up to you," it reads.
Once a price has been named and the transaction completed, the download begins. The Mp3s have decent fidelity at 160kbps.
"How come I end up where I started? How come I end up where I was?" Vocalist Thom Yorke sings on "15 Step," the opening track of "In Rainbows."
His wailing falsetto is anything but indicative of Radiohead's current situation. The shuffling beats, clicks and live drums that begin the album dispel any notion that Radiohead would head back to its roots for its latest effort.
When the infectious bass and guitar lines kick in about 40 seconds in, any doubts about the music can be thrown away as well. The complex rhythm mixes with the guitars, an eerie siren and surprisingly, a children's choir for the track's denouement. It is beautiful, sad and maddening; in short, genius.
Radiohead moved away from radio-friendly alternative pop-punk with each album succeeding "Pablo Honey," only to return to their glorious acoustic and crunchy electric guitars for the band's last release, "Hail To the Thief." "In Rainbows" is another momentum shift for the band; it is instead an audial child of the sessions that produced "Kid A" and "Amnesiac," and Yorke's recent solo album, "The Eraser."
The album lives up to the hype surrounding it. Don't take anyone else's word for it--for two pennies (the equivalent of one English pence) and a transaction fee, anyone may download the album legally from the band's Web site.
Listeners can choose to pay more by simply filling in the price that they wish to pay for the album, or by purchasing a more expensive limited edition discbox. The discbox comes with an immediately available download, and includes CD and vinyl versions of the album along with a bonus disc of previously unreleased material in both formats as well. The set will ship in December.
At www.inrainbows.com, a concise message that directs purchasers states "It's up to you." another click prompts another message. "No really, it's up to you," it reads.
Once a price has been named and the transaction completed, the download begins. The Mp3s have decent fidelity at 160kbps.
"How come I end up where I started? How come I end up where I was?" Vocalist Thom Yorke sings on "15 Step," the opening track of "In Rainbows."
His wailing falsetto is anything but indicative of Radiohead's current situation. The shuffling beats, clicks and live drums that begin the album dispel any notion that Radiohead would head back to its roots for its latest effort.
When the infectious bass and guitar lines kick in about 40 seconds in, any doubts about the music can be thrown away as well. The complex rhythm mixes with the guitars, an eerie siren and surprisingly, a children's choir for the track's denouement. It is beautiful, sad and maddening; in short, genius.
Radiohead moved away from radio-friendly alternative pop-punk with each album succeeding "Pablo Honey," only to return to their glorious acoustic and crunchy electric guitars for the band's last release, "Hail To the Thief." "In Rainbows" is another momentum shift for the band; it is instead an audial child of the sessions that produced "Kid A" and "Amnesiac," and Yorke's recent solo album, "The Eraser."
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