In Rainbows

In Rainbows was released in 2007 by the English band Radiohead. It was self-released and the band did something pretty surprising with the album - they let the fans pay whatever they wanted for the album, whether it be 1 cent or 100 dollars. Rainbows ranks #336 on Rolling Stone's Top 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. It also happens to be my favourite album produced by Radiohead to date. Also, Radiohead is pretty rad to begin with in case you haven't heard.

The album took two years to record (2005-2007) since the band went on tour in 2006, and many of the songs from In Rainbows debuted on this tour. But don't be fooled by how long it took to put it together: In Rainbows is a pretty intricate and complex album. As a whole, a lot of emphasis is placed on the music and less so on the actual lyrics. If you listen to any of the songs, Thom Yorke (vocalist) makes sure his harmony blends and melds with every song. It's certainly a unique style and it works quite well on this album and fits in with Radiohead's overall style.

In Rainbows artwork, designed by Stanley Donwood

"Nude" was originally written in 1997 and represents the band's merging of minimalist, electronic, and dub influenced musical style with a quiet ballad. "Bodysnatchers" was recorded during what Yorke calls a period of hyperactive mania and was inspired by the book The Stepford Wives and Victorian ghost stories. "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" is very caustic and is about the oblivion one feels before passing out say after a night of drinking. Though there is no official concept to the album, Yorke says the album's lyrics are based on "that anonymous fear thing."

Radiohead: Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, and Phil Selway.

Any and every song on this album is amazing. The best way to experience it, in my opinion, is to sit down and just listen to it front to back since it's only about 45 minutes long. Then, once you've embraced it, take it on long drives with you, or even short ones - "15 Step" is a sweet song to jam/drive along to. And then go listen to some of their other albums: Kid A, OK Computer, Amnesiac, Hail to the Thief, and King of Limbs (their most recent). Every album is different and hasn't disappointed me yet.

For tours and band news: www.radiohead.com
Twitters:
Radiohead - @radiohead
Thom Yorke - @thomyorke
Philip Selway - @philipselway