BartBlog

Radiohead are a band. What’s that you say? You knew this all along. Well, I was beginning to wonder if the computer from OK Computer had taken over in the wake of Kid A and Hail To The Thief. With the release of In Rainbows, however, it is clear that Radiohead are a band and a damn fine one at that.

Radiohead has always been a group that seemed like it had something to prove. After hitting it large with The Bends and OK Computer the band decided to test our loyalties with the experimental albums Kid A and Amnesiac. These two albums made me begin to wonder if the computer had taken over. Don’t get me wrong I like both those albums, but I missed the rest of the band. Fortunately, with In Rainbows the band is back.

In Rainbows sounds like a band trying to, gasp, have fun. From the brilliant opening song “15 Step” (the only one with Kid A like electronic flourishes) to the album’s finale “Videotape”, Radiohead sounds like a band that has found its own groove. Whether they will admit to having fun is something all together different.

What is very interesting is that for the first time Thom Yorke’s vocals are right up front and center. Not only are they up front, they also sound much more soulful than in previous outings. All this allows us to actually understand what Yorke is singing the first time around. The guitar work on the album is also up front instead of the electronics of previous albums. The combination of the two along with keyboard accents and the stellar drumming of Phil Selway creates the sound of a band at the top of their game.

With In Rainbows, Radiohead has come out front and center with great songs. Add these great songs together with the band’s innovative distribution method and you have a winning formula that fans are sure to dig.