Radiohead - In Rainbows
Saturday, April 5th, 2008I hope you heard about Radiohead’s new album - In Rainbows, their seventh studio album. They release it in two different formats: a basic DRM-free download version that costs whatever you want that was available from October 10th, and a deluxe boxed version that includes a double vinyl disc, a book, eight bonus tracks and two CDs, out the first week of December.
I’ve never paid artists for their music before. Usually I’ve downloaded mp3s on allofmp3-like sites or used p2p network. But not this time
This time I’ve decided to buy album. The main reason was to support Radiohead - all money that you pay will go directly to band, not greedy record labels and online stores.
I guess £2 is fair price? The album costs me 2 pounds plus $0.45 (in mp3 shops it would cost ~$0.99). After payment I got the link to zip-archived album with 10 tracks in 160kbps mp3(no bonuses):
Track 1: “15 Step”
This beat-heavy opener, which was featured prominently during Radiohead’s last tour, will likely contain a cameo by a classroom full of clapping children.
Track 2: “Bodysnatchers”
Ed O’Brien posted about this guitar-driven song on Radiohead.com on October 22, 2005, writing, “It’s always difficult to judge right now but I think we may have got ‘Bodysnatchers’.” The song was first played live in 2006.
Track 3: “Nude”
Radiohead have been fiddling around with this mournful ballad for ten years. It was a regular part of the OK Computer tour.
Track 4: “Arpeggi”
Yorke, Johnny Greenwood and the Nazareth Orchestra played this song on March 27, 2005 at the Royal Festival Hall. The lyrics are deeply depressing, even for Radiohead.
Track 5: “All I Need”
Yorke gets all romantic over warm synthesizers, singing about being a “cloud of moths who wants to share in your light.” The song ultimately unfurls into the most symphonic, strings-drenched piece on the album.
Track 6: “Faust ARP”
Unless this is an older Radiohead song that’s been retitled, “Faust ARP” is a new song that might be either homage to the Krautrock band of the sort-of same name, or an allegory starring Goethe’s hero from Faust - a good assumption, considering the album’s closer “Videotape” name-checks the Faust villain Mephistopheles.
Track 7: “Reckoner”
This song, which dates back to the Kid A/Amnesiac sessions, features one of Yorke’s best opening lines (”Feeling pulled apart by horses”) and Radiohead’s grittiest riff this side of “Myxomatosis.”
Track 8: “House of Cards”
Possibly the most laid-back song in the entire Radiohead oeuvre, “House Of Cards” finds Yorke ruminating about relationships, with a tune that recalls “High and Dry.”
Track 9: “Jigsaw Falling Into Place”
Called “Open Pick” during 2006 performances, this fan favorite thankfully made it onto In Rainbows, despite disappearing from set lists during the latter stages of the tour.
Track 10: “Videotape”
An ode to antiquated technology that premiered live in 2006, Yorke croons over morose piano about saying goodbye to loved ones via VHS.
In overall the album is good. My favorite track is “House of Cards”, I would listen it again and again
as their Karma Police, Creep and No Surprises.
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