Albums Reviews
10/10/2007
Radiohead 'In Rainbows' (www.inrainbows.com)
Radiohead have released their new album on the internet and have allowed fans to decide how much they want to pay for it. There are ten songs in total and first impressions are that 'In Rainbows' is much like 'Hail To The Thief', i.e. based on guitars and piano rather than the sounds of Thom Yorke falling onto a drum machine. So, value for money? Possibly.
Here is our track by track Radiohead price guide...
1. '15 Step'
Alarming electro beats and off-key singing signal Thom might not have forgotten his solo project, 'The Eraser', but thankfully the rest of the album is not like this.
Suggested price: 10p
2. 'Bodysnatchers'
Guitars! Hurray! Very 'OK Computer' in style; foot tapping rock riffs... we're so relieved that we'd pay a whole pound for this one.
Suggested price: £1
3. 'Nude'
Falsetto voice over melancholic jazz beats. Could easily be the music for a scene in a film where someone is crying.
Suggested price: 20p
4. 'Weird Fishes/Arpeggi'
Bubbles with energy, adding layers of guitars to create uplifting jazz-infused harmonies. A real grower and good value at over five minutes.
Suggested price: 79p
5. 'All I Need'
So slow and moody it's a bit of a dirge, but does build up to a dramatic ending at least.
Suggested price: 10p
6. 'Faust Arp'
A normal song! Acoustic guitars (in tune) and violins (in time). Sounds much more chart friendly and will have Chris Martin paying close attention.
Suggested price: 79p
7. 'Reckoner'
Sweeping violins and funky tambourine are the best thing about what could have been a decent tune if Radiohead didn't keep messing about with it.
Suggested price: 50p
8. 'House Of Cards'
Has the download corrupted? No. We think it's supposed to sound like this.
Suggested price: 0p
9. 'Jigsaw Falling Into Place'
Out of tune guitars, droning vocals and frantic drumbeats all building to a climax of shouting and wailing violins. Classic Radiohead!
Suggested price: 79p
10. 'Videotape'
Piano-led whining with someone bouncing a ball out of time in the back, or is it Thom with hiccups?
Suggested price: 1p
Overall recommended price to pay for 'In Rainbows': £4.28
Bargain!
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Album reviews for more of the week's releases
Sugababes 'Change' (Universal)
The Sugababes' fifth studio album - the first with Amelle Berrabah in Mutya Buena's long vacated Jimmy Choos - doesn't live up to the promise of all-conquering chart topper 'About You Now' with a record that's heavy on ballads such as 'Mended By You' and 'Back When' at the expense of any true floorfillers or pop classics.
will.i.am 'Songs About Girls' (Interscope)
The Black Eyed Peas main man plans to keep adding every new song he writes about girls to the downloadable version of this album which will make it literally the longest album in the world, whereas right now it only feels like it is.
Ungdomskulen 'Cry Baby' (Ever)
Norway's Middle School (as it directly translates) have produced a debut album that could convince you that you've discovered a demo tape of the Klaxons from a time when they were listening to far too much Queens Of The Stone Age and playing their guitars in a deliberate and frenzied attempt to rid themselves of pent-up sexual tension.
Jack Penate 'Matinee' (XL)
Kate Nash's MySpace chum makes us wonder what all the fuss is about with a collection of slight, unmemorable and dated indie-pop, with a just a twist of ineffectual rockabilly (which, as you know, is the worst kind of rockabilly there is).
Jens Lekmann 'Night Falls Over Kortedala' (Secretly Canadian)
Like Magnetic Fields drained of cynicism, Sweden's Jens Lekmann makes low budget, high ambition, heart-on-sleeve pop music for the unrequited romantic in all of us.
Pet Shop Boys 'Disco 4' (Parlophone)
A curious ragbag of remixes for the likes of Madonna, Bowie and Yoko Ono (surprisingly the best of an in-no-way-essential bunch) to add to any PSB completist's groaning CD shelf.
» Reviewed by: Matthew and Tim
» Talk on the boards
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