“In Rainbows” was released 1/1/08 to the general public and ever since I acquired it about a week later, I really can’t stop listening to it. It’s SO GOOD. The more I listen to it, the more I’m convinced that Radiohead is not only the greatest working band, but possibly one of the top ten greatest bands who ever existed.
#1: Everything they do, like it or lump it, is interesting
“OK Computer” was the best album of the 90s. Yes, better than “Ten.” Yes, better than “Nevermind.” Yes, better than “Achtung Baby.” Yes, better than The Blue Album (Weezer.) Yes, better the The Black Album (Metallica.) Yes, better than…well, you get the idea. THE. BEST. So I never really warmed up to anything Radiohead did after “OK,” because—well—it’s WASN’T “OK Computer.” But now that I’ve gone back and listened again to “Amnesiac” and “Kid A” and the others with new ears, they are all very, very good. Very good. The worst Radiohead album is 10,000 times more interesting and important than 95% of the music out there.
#2: They follow a more dynamic and older template for songwriting than other bands
They don’t make “hits.” They don’t make “singles.” They craft songs. They are half organic Beatles, half beautiful cyborg. Half Tin Pan Alley, half sweaty Euro-trash nightclub.
#3: They basically told the record industry to collectively go fuck itself
By taking 100% control over their music, they have shown that following a more 21st century model for selling music WORKS (much to what I imagine is the dismay of the record companies.) Radiohead released “In Rainbows” for download only from their website before it was officially for purchase through Amazon and other retailers. You could pay whatever you wanted to download it. Nothing, 5 bucks, whatever. They also sold on their website a super-ultra-luxury $80.00 edition which came with 12” vinyl records and artwork and other crap I don’t need, despite me being a huge fan.
After New Year’s Day, when they released the CD for purchase to the general music-buying public, it went to #1. What does that say?
It says that it’s possible to do business in the midst of the digital music revolution without crying foul about illegal downloading and file sharing all that other bullshit. The problem with the record companies isn’t the fact that people are illegally downloading music. The problem is that the record companies release absolute GARBAGE that no one wants to pay for. Here was music that anybody could have downloaded for free for months and they STILL were willing to pay for it. Do you want to pay $18.00 for a CD with one decent song you’ll be completely sick of in 3 weeks? No, because you’re not a moron and you can think of 1000 better things to do with $18.00. The record companies, however, thinks we’re all just a bunch of morons who’ll pay good money for dog shit, based on the antiquated model for the music business which they have been following since the 50s.
#4: They are one of a handful of bands who write and perform something that rocks and that is incredibly beautiful at the exact same time
Very, very, VERY few bands can do this. A couple examples, off the top of my head: Nirvana (“Lithium,” specifically), U2 (many examples, notably “Mysterious Ways”), Led Zeppelin (“Kashmir,” among others), The Beatles (“While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “I Want You [She’s So Heavy]”), and maybe a couple other artists. It’s a hard thing to do and a testament to Radiohead’s unflinching conviction to making beautiful things, regardless of the ends they serve or the conventions they follow.
#5: They embrace the idea of the “concept album” without sounding hacky or dated
If you want to be a pretentious piece of shit, release a “concept album.” (See “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” by the Smashing Pumpkins. Actually, wait. Don’t.) Few bands can pull it off, fewer can make it work. Radiohead’s ultimate template for releasing records is the fact that each one is essentially a little efficient machine of music. Thought in, beauty out. Ideas in, impressions and opinions out.
#6: Their music makes me want to eat a bag of mushrooms, stare at the walls and just let it drip all over my body (which I won’t do)
Their music makes me want to do things to heighten the experience of hearing it. Illegal things. Unhealthy things. Things not really concomitant with becoming a father soon. Things I shouldn’t do. But I nevertheless WANT to do them. I want to find new ways to hear them. That’s not to say that I can’t or don’t enjoy their music sober or “get something out of it”; I certainly do.
But remember when you were younger and you’d get fucked up on something and put on a pair of headphones with something you really dug blazing its way into your brain and you’d be like, “Whoa. Yes…yes…YES!!!” I miss that sometimes. Radiohead MAKES me miss it.
#7: They could give a FUCK what you think of them
And if there’s anything more rock and roll than that, I don’t know what it is.
Oh, and Wilco’s pretty good, too. ;)
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1 comment:
Agreed. Although, I sucked down Kid A like a fine gin and tonic with a twist of lime. In Rainbows is damn fine work.
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