'Head Music

It all began to make sense when I listened to it alone, and in the dark. This is Radiohead’s most low-key, lights out or dimmed, quiet, intimate candlelit dinner of an album; the songs sad, wistful and with only occasional raucous bursts. The mood it creates in a room is most akin to Lou Reed’s Berlin, or perhaps Portishead’s Dummy, if a little warmer and less grim than both of those. At times I’m also reminded of Blind Faith’s eponymous and only album, for some reason.

Disturbingly, I’m sure I heard one or two conventional love songs in there too, though I comfort myself with the enormous likelihood of there being some kind of twisted pay-off I just haven’t understood yet.

Initially I was underwhelmed by the idea of a download-only collection from such a significant band at only 160kbs. I mean, I’ve illegally downloaded tons of music in the past but most of this stuff still had to usually meet an 192kbs minimum requirement. Also the context bugged me, as playing this track-by-track through computer speakers for the first time had the shabby feel of hearing leaked demo versions complete with background coughing and the clunking of tea mugs whether I was imagining it or not. However, as I mentioned, once given the time and respect it deserved (after sticking it on the iPod, then connecting that to the proper stereo system with one of those leads you can buy, and then pressing ‘play’ late at night) I found everything near enough in its right place.

Of course, In Rainbows is only Radiohead’s best album since Hail to the Thief. I’m not saying this to be droll; I don't think form ever left them for there to be hopeful talk of a return. My favourite album by this band is easily Kid A; take my opinion of this and that as you will.

Radiohead are never going to release something like Def Leppard’s Hysteria, so stop expecting them to. Why the constant criticism of the group’s consistently high quality output since 2000? It’s as if when a band becomes as big as Radiohead did with OK Computer the more casually interested member of the public expects them to consolidate this success by producing a big radio-friendly unit-shifter of a stadium filler that sits snugly on the shelves at Tesco and Woolies, and simply can’t comprehend the idea of such a commercially successful band instead releasing a few albums' worth of mildly esoteric material that actually suits their individual artistic leanings rather than what FM playlists would prefer them to do. That Radiohead have never been a commercial commercially-successful band seems to have been lost in some quarters.

All these songs have been knocking around for a good while. Good as they are, is this even a proper Radiohead album or a taster for something more extravagant they‘re putting together for December? The songs sit together well without an ‘odds and sods’ randomness to them, and though here’s no obvious (and conceptually unnecessary these days) singles here - the lovely, and rather ancient “Nude” aside - this isn’t the sound of a band merely clearing out the cupboards.

I'd like to point out that the above isn't an actual record review to my mind as I'd like a little more time to slip into something more comfortable and get to know In Rainbows better before I do that sort of thing.