Think there has been enough hype generated since Radiohead’s October 10th online released of In Rainbows? Well Ladies and Gentlemen, hold your breath because there is more on the way in 2008 with the CD version. The ever-enigmatic and one of the biggest bands of the planet, Radiohead continues to manhandle the music industry after the revolutionary “pay-what-you-want” for their 7th album.
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Radiohead
|  Entertainment
Art
"In Rainbows CD2"
(Ato Records)
Released January 01, 2008
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Their reignited and ever growing fan base has flooded the net with more blogs about the band’s latest than one with a day job is able to keep up with. Between that and the band’s promotional goofy webcasts, “Thumbs Down” and “Scotch Mist”, I can’t take it anymore!!
“In Rainbows” is now available at a store near and with it brings a bonus disc of 8 new songs to the collection. These tracks were not available during the band’s initial online release. For the ordinary listener, the CD2 may sound along the same line of idiosyncrasy as the main tracks released a few months before. Hard core fans, however, are likely to find that CD2 makes “In Rainbows” a much better album as a whole.
Seamlessly linking both albums is the brief starter tune; “MK1”, which is clearly the end of “Videotape”, the last song of CD1. This then morphs into the “real” first full song, “Down is the New Up”, where Thom seems to sing the typical Radiohead misery “Your future's bleak, you're so last week”, along a very warm, almost dancing welcoming beat. This performance is among my favorites of the album, which ends with one more of his impressive falsettos, backed up by the now habitual orchestral and haunting backing vocals. The next song, “Go Slowly”, is a tune that would perfectly fit as a track in Amnesiac: filled with synthesizers and simple yet strong lyrics that plead to the human race to literally “slow down”.
But it is after the second transition song, “MK2”, that the album offers its best. One of the highlights is “Last Flowers to the Hospital” an old tune created during the OK Computer times that finally (and well deservedly) makes it to an official release. It beautifully features Thom and his piano alluding to that Radiohead paranoia towards technology and “progress”.
While “Bangers n Mash” is the one song that will get you dancing as its rhythm grows into explosive guitars, it is the closing song “4 Minute Warning” that is arguably the most intense ballad of the album. After its initial 60 seconds of Star Wars sounding background, Thom sings about the nightmare of a war in his most expressive and mournful tone of voice. Just like in CD1, expect a more mature (but just as psychotic) Radiohead.
So, we’ve made it through the insurgent pay-what-you want process, the physical release at the stores, and delivery of the Discbox. However, don’t think for a minute that the mania will subside any time soon – the 2008 Tour hasn’t even started! Radiohead, one of the very few well established rock bands that have the talent, the brains, and the balls to lead insurrection against the music’s industry status quo, and in turn will be the talk of the town for the foreseeable future.
“In Rainbows” along with the companion CD2 is certainly a must have. Even if you are not a fan, you may want to have it only for its culture significance. If you are a fan, you will recognize this is a pot of gold right away.
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