Radiohead - In Rainbows

For many, Radiohead ceased being merely a band long ago. The devastating expansion of their development has consistently revitalised music. Now they’ve set their sights on revolutionising the way we buy it. Which is thoroughly intriguing and commendable, but only if the end result is an album equally praiseworthy.

‘In Rainbows’ doesn’t disappoint. If you have a shrine to Jonny Greenwood in your bedroom, or ever tried to fabricate a squint to venerate Thom Yorke, then it might. It isn’t era-defining (OK Computer), isn’t utterly radical (Kid A), isn’t full of riffs that make your head dance and your body ache (The Bends.) It’s, essentially, ten beautifully crafted, thought-provoking tracks that mark a band from Oxford’s return to form.

The key is the composition of an album, rather than a jumble of collective ideas placed under one name. There is togetherness within the record that gives it purpose and clarity. This makes it seem less reckless, seemingly safer than its predecessors. However, it constructs a cohesiveness that produces accessibility. The sombre devotion of ‘All I Need’ and the strident assault of ‘Jigsaw Falling Into Place’ are examples of Radiohead’s reaffirmed affection for melody and solid songwriting.

Opener ’25 Steps’ electro-tinged stomp suggests the experimentation of Yorke’s solo work will be central, before the rollicking, guitar-orientated whirr of ‘Bodysnatchers’ demolishes this conception. Nevertheless, neither technical-filled tinkering nor testosterone-fuelled thrashing dictate. Instead, a stripped, sensitive feel dominates. ‘Nude’ and closing track ‘Videotape’ are excruciatingly bare laments that mysteriously mesmerise. ‘Reckoner’ is sent soaring by Yorke’s aerial vocals; his voice is a flux of wavering emotion that underpins the album with soul and verve.

The record is only available for download and buyers decide the price, a seemingly commercially dismissive statement. Yet, conflictingly, it is a certain economic success. It remains lyrically evasive, but the scope for interpretation is huge. A band of oppositions and intrigues, as ever, Radiohead’s essence remains elusive as they continue to evolve. However, if new to their music, ‘In Rainbows’ is a good place to start searching. If you’re already a devotee, the glorious exploration continues…..