Description

Radiohead: Colin Greenwood, Philip Selway, Ed O'Brien , Jonny Greenwood, Thom Yorke.
Additional personnel: The Milennia Ensemble.
Initially issued in October 2007 with little prior notice, Radiohead's seventh full-length studio outing, IN RAINBOWS, took not only fans but the entire music industry by surprise. Released for a limited time only as an online download, the album was offered by the revered British rock group in a groundbreaking "pay what you want" format, allowing the listener to decide its digital value before an appearance in conventional CD form a few months later.
Innovative business practices aside, IN RAINBOWS also garnered attention as Radiohead's most immediately engaging offering since its BENDS/OK COMPUTER days, returning to slightly more accessible pop/rock song structures, while never abandoning the arty experimentalism of subsequent albums. From the shuffling beats of "15 Step" to the amped-up energy of "Bodysnatchers" to the glorious gloom of "Videotape," RAINBOWS presents the full spectrum of Radiohead's artistry, while deftly avoiding vocal melodramatics or excessive technical noodling. When the record hits its peak with the restlessly beautiful "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" and the emotive, keyboard-driven "All I Need," it's a thrilling reminder of why Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and the lads are one of the best bands on the planet, and it solidifies IN RAINBOWS as an indisputably great Radiohead album.