seven albums and has sold
more than 23 million records
over the course of their
career. Their latest album,
“In Rainbows,” was released
in October 2007 as a digital
download; customers were
only able to purchase the
album over the internet.
According to Thom Yorke,
39, the band’s lead vocalist
and songwriter, profits from
“Rainbows” digital downloads
were greater than the
combined profits from all of
their other studio album’s
digital download profits.
More than 1.2 million copies
sold online on the first day.
The album was not physically
released in the U.K.
until late December. It then
made its debut in the U.S. in
January of this year. In its
first week it rose to the No. 1
spot on both the Top
Billboard 200 and the U.K.
Album Chart.
When the listener clicks on
the first track, titled “15
Step,” and proceeds to let the
computer do the rest, the
song kicks off with an upbeat
drum pattern. Vocals and the
rest of the band join shortly
after and it follows the typical
pattern and feel of a
Radiohead song. It’s simple
and yet chaotic at the same
time, perhaps a foreshadowing
of more to come.
“Bodysnatchers,” begins
with a distorted guitar riff
that seems to barely hang on,
until the other instruments
kick in. The band rocks out
the whole time and doesn’t
slow down untill the last
chord is hit.
Listeners will find the next
track, “Weird
Fishes/Arpeggios” to be
more mellow and trancelike
in parts. It’s not a song you
can dance to, but pleasant to
the ear.
The band uses synthesizers
and digitally altered sounds
to create this powerful
anthem.
The listener begins to get a
feel for the record at this
point. One will find it to be a
lot like their other albums in
the sense that it is new, interesting
and original. Fans will
be pleased to know this band
has not lost its niche for writing
great rock songs, and are
still pushing boundaries.
“Reckoner” fit right in with
this album. It was slow at
first but picked up to become
yet another quality song.
“House of Cards” started
off with a hand-clapping
drumbeat by Phil Selway and
haunting guitar riffs of
Johnny and Colin
Greenwood, and Ed O’Brien.
With phrases such as “I
don’t wanna be your friend. I
just wanna be your lover,”
and “Forget
about your
house of cards,
fall under the
table and get
swept under,”
it seems Yorke
hasn’t forgotten
about the trials
and tribulations
of love
and life. The
lyrical content
on this album is
absorbing, but
more accessible
to a wider
range of audience.
The 10th and
final track,
“Videotape,” is
simple but
effective, not
unlike the rest
of the album,
consisting of a
few piano
chords and
addictive vocal
melody. When the percussion
finally comes, Yorke sings,
“You are my center when a
spin away.” He repeats “the
videotape” over and over as
gradually and delicately the
song begins to fade out. The
percussion is off beat and
Yorke’s signature “chanting”
accompanies the piano still
chiming throughout the song,
chaotic and beautiful at the
same time.
Overall the album was
impressive. This release is
just another accomplishment
for a band that has been producing
music since 1991.