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Old 10-10-2007, 10:13 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: In Rainbows
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Default Re: New Radiohead album - Pay what you think is fair??

Yes considering it's "only" 160 kbs I wouldn't have liked to have paid big money just for the download but I guess most fans, reports suggest that too, have bought the boxset anyway with the download included in that.

First impressions:

15 Step: Solid opening with grower potential but slightly below previous openers like Airbag, EIIRP and 2+2.
Bass strikes me as great.

Bodysnatchers: Pretty much what I thought it would be. Good intense rock track flirting with epic proportions about two minutes in.
I absolutely LOVED that part live and I'm not sure if they've nailed it completely here on the album.
Then again I've only listened to it on headphones so far and it's the type of guitar layered bit that I think will sound even better on my speakers.

Nude: Wow here we [censored] go.
I loved the 98 version which is one of my all time favorite Radiohead tracks and I thought last years tour version was slightly below while still being excellent of course.
Thom sings this a little funny which scared me at first. Sounds like a diva crooning almost, but once it gets into gear I'm just hit with orgasm like sympthoms. Simply amazing imo.
Jonny has really done a great job arranging this it seems.

Arpeggi: From the electronic/orchestra version to the guitar driven live version from last year to THIS.
I don't even know what to say... I just think they've nailed this perfectly. This song couldn't be better than what it's become now.

All I Need and Faust: Hmmm this is where maybe I would have liked "Down is new up" but I'll just wait for the boxset for that.
All I Need is more rhythm than melody which is fine and something Thom likes to do once in a while and the way it builds up with bass and synth from a sinister "Climbing Up The Walls" feel to an almost Sigur Ros like final part is great I think.

Faust is a bit too much Nick Drake like for my taste, which without a really great melody doesn't really play to Radiohead's true strenghts, but it could grow on me and does seem to fit in pretty well with the other tracks.

Reckoner: I was too busy trying to recognize the song I thought I knew to have any kind of proper impression on this lol.
Completely unrecognizable. Some cool sounds though!

House of Cards: Lovely and atmospheric are the first two words that comes to mind.

Jigzaw: Wow this one leaves me puzzled. Where did the electric guitar mayhem go?? This one leaves me longing for the intensity the live version had.
Still the strings part, like throughout the album, is great.
And Thom sounds good too. It's a good song but one I'll need to get used to.

Videotape: This was my favorite song from the tour and it's still a great song, beautiful and there is a lot good stuff in it and great production no doubt, BUT the build up, the climax and the intensity is lacking.
It just never happens which is my first sense of disappointment with this album.
Still first listen of course and usually with Radiohead I'll eventually love it for what it is.
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