Radiohead - In Rainbows

Radiohead – In Rainbows
TBD, 2008
Acquired: Love Garden, New, 2008
Price: $20

While I've never been much of a Radiohead geek, I felt compelled to buy this. You know why? The beautiful cover art. I was like “This is what a record should look like, and I need to have this in my collection.” I hadn't listened In Rainbows much before buying it, and figured I would do all that listening on vinyl. I never did. Mostly because I'm pretty sure I bought this because I figured some day it would be worth some money. At the same time, I still give this some play every now and then because I think it's a pretty damn fine record. This record is often overshadowed by its genius distribution model, in which Radiohead leaked the album themselves. Maybe because the record isn't as great as everyone says it is. Yeah, it's their record most akin to OK Computer but at the end of the day I just think it's really, really good. Not great, even. It sounds like Radiohead being Radiohead and the highlights for me are the quieter moments. Like “All I Need” and “Nude” (itself a byproduct of the OK Computer era). Overall though I feel like there's too much seriousness for me to ever feel attached to Radiohead. They're this juggernaut of authenticity, this beacon of “this is good music,” and I always just get the feeling that Thom Yorke is a total asshole every time I read or see an interview with him. But those are all personal reasons. I tend to have a time with music that takes itself too seriously. I guess I just feel that sometimes critics can be yesmen. Or they can be deliberate party poopers. But with Radiohead, no one really dares criticize. It's always universal acclaim, you know. And maybe it's because they really are the best band in the world. Or maybe it's just because everyone THINKS they're the best band in the world. That they're the new Beatles. And they ARE the new Beatles because what other band has gone through such stylistic changes in their run and still churned out mighty fine records? And now it's coming across like I don't even enjoy this record but I do! It's on and I didn't even turn it off when Jenny started complaining about how she hates Radiohead! It's a beautiful record, and maybe even a great one, I'm just not sure yet.

Look! Topical!