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In Rainbows-one year later

musicismylife78musicismylife78 Posts: 6,116
edited October 2008 in Other Music
midnight marks the one year anniversary. The album that some called the downfall of the record industry. The album that caused NIN, the Raconteurs, Bloc Party and others to either release albums without long promotional announcements, or to go label-less and release albums for free or "pay what you want" schemes.

How does the album hold up?
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Comments

  • GardenpartyGardenparty Posts: 1,910
    It's favorite Radiohead record (hands down). I know many will disagree but i've been around since Pablo Honey days. I've enjoyed all their albums and b-sides along the way) This album gets better with each listen and is honestly their only album I can listen to all the way through and "love" each track

    As far as its impact on the industry, it certainly made waves and they've changed the blue print on how things are done very significantly. Beyond that I don't care and I enjoy witnessing the death of major labels.
    “I know this song so well, I can smoke a cigarette, have a drink, brush my teeth, take a shit, and mow the lawn while singing it. But I'll only be doing a couple of those things during this version.”
  • Blind MelonBlind Melon Posts: 911
    I don't think it caused Trent Reznor to release his stuff over the internet... that was going to happen once his contract was up, it's just Radiohead did it before that happened.
    If I could, think I would give in.
  • CM1847CM1847 Posts: 577
    I think it's affect on the music industry is greatly overrated. It was a unique way to release an album for sure, but in reality all they ended up doing was making their die-hard fans pay twice(once for the download and then once for the physical CD in stores when it came out a few months later).

    I think the music on the album is absolutely fantastic, it's right up there on their second teir of albums with Amnesiac and The Bends IMO(right behind Kid A and OK Computer which are the top-shelf albums).
  • Hitch-HikerHitch-Hiker Posts: 2,873
    I thought it was mediocre at best on release, and my opinion hasn't changed. Who cares if it was free. I chose to pay a bit for it, and to be honest I wish I hadn't.
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  • mattosbornemattosborne Posts: 339
    In Rainbows is solid from beginning to end. My only complaint is the production is really bland. The drums are so flat and tired. Again though, great songwriting.
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  • Blind MelonBlind Melon Posts: 911
    I think the songs are only good on album though... when live, it's like I'm hearing the album... I don't want to hear that, I want to hear them mix things up, that's why I see bands live.
    If I could, think I would give in.
  • musicismylife78musicismylife78 Posts: 6,116
    one of the reasons I think the album is genius, is any album radiohead makes is guaranteed to be great. Its like Tool or PJ or NIN, bands of that caliber make good records or great records every time they release new stuff. Its a given.

    But I think with the last few records, Kid A, Amnesiac and Hail to the thief, fans had come to expect the experimental and odd and musically challenging radiohead. They had come to expect sad lyrics about modern society, about the downfall of civilization etc...

    And they bucked all that. They created maybe their most accessible album ever. An album very non experimental, with lyrics that rarely if ever touch on modern society, war and politics. Every song could be read as about relationships and love. I was expecting an extremely political and experimental record, and as is always the case with this band, what you think is the case usually isnt.
  • Blind MelonBlind Melon Posts: 911
    Oh yeah definitely, but actually, in general, I only noticed some experimentation (with all of their songs) live... they change up the Gloaming, with that added extra part in there, EIIRP is a lot longer of course, Kid A is more beautiful live with the drums kicking it (which sounds phenomenal), but I mean, other than just things like that... they stick to what they recorded on the album... not really that many extensions past the song length, and just play the song.

    I mean, yeah, I guess it's more than what most bands do live... but Incubus is my favorite band, so when I see them live, they do things I didn't even imagine... they totally rework songs for their live performance, so what I'm getting to is, since Radiohead is really technical, you would expect this shit from them live, but instead, Ionno... it's just not really there.
    If I could, think I would give in.
  • AnonAnon Posts: 11,175
    it was a great record when i first heard it, and it still remains a great record. their third best imo behind the bends and ok comp.
  • tomtintomtin Posts: 48
    GlorifiedAnimal wrote:
    it was a great record when i first heard it, and it still remains a great record. their third best imo behind the bends and ok comp.

    Same except I think it's 3rd best behind ok comp and kid a. All their records (with the exception of pablo honey) are absolutely incredible and timeless though. This is no different and even one of the better ones.
    I'm the first mammal to wear pants, yeah
  • South of SeattleSouth of Seattle West Seattle Posts: 10,724
    I think In Rainbows is great.

    I think it only scared the Record Industry for a few weeks. Kinda like Sarah Palin scared Democrats for a few weeks. :)


    All of the albums are great. Personally I don't get why people slam Pablo Honey. It's great for what it was, I still enjoy it.
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  • PJGARDENPJGARDEN Posts: 1,484
    I don't like the album and I have really tried. I really like Radiohead but In Rainbows just never caught on for me. It seems like the album will always be known more for how it was released than the music. To me, nowhere near ok comp.
  • dunkmandunkman Posts: 19,646
    i really like it still ... it certainly doesnt feel a year old to me. which is a good sign :)
    oh scary... 40000 morbidly obese christians wearing fanny packs invading europe is probably the least scariest thing since I watched an edited version of The Care Bears movie in an extremely brightly lit cinema.
  • JimBerkellJimBerkell Posts: 579
    i think this album shows what you can do if your a band whose made a name for yourself... pretty genius. and it's a great album so that really helps. had it been crap, then i think the whole releasing it for download thing would just be another sad gimmick.
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  • petrocspetrocs Posts: 4,342
    eh...its an average album...nothing special
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  • Jesika537Jesika537 Posts: 301
    I have loved most everything Radiohead has put out... Until this. To me, it is just extremely boring. I thought it would grow on me, but it hasn't. Every song sounds similar, it's almost as if it's just one long song. Just my opinion though, I'm glad to see others have enjoyed it.
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  • mfc2006mfc2006 HTOWN Posts: 37,484
    it's still in heavy rotation. i love this album. it's in my top 3 radiohead albums, for sure...along w/ hail to the thief & ok computer.
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  • catefrancescatefrances Posts: 29,003
    radiohead33 wrote:
    ...
    How does the album hold up?

    it holds up just fine. i feel the same about this album as i did the first time i heard it. for me radiohead is at this moment the preeminent band in the world.
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  • SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 Posts: 26,552
    In Rainbows is my second favorite album from 2007 only behind Arcade Fire's Neon Bible. It took a couple of listens to get into it but then I ended up loving it.
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  • Gonzo1977Gonzo1977 Posts: 1,696
    It's okay.
    I have very high expectations when it comes to this band and to say that I wasn't just a little disapointed, would be an understatement.

    First off.
    Many of these songs have been around for quite a while. If you've followed Radiohead over the years....alot of this material was already familiar to you.

    I felt like for the amount of time it took them to release this record, that they could have come up with a few more NEW songs.

    Secondly.
    Although the songs are much more accessible to the average listener than say Kid A or Amnesiac. I was disapointed that they didn't seem to be pushing any boundries like they had with previous outings. Alot of these songs, (probably due in part to when they were written) sounded like a mixbag of previous ideas and riffs.

    Finally.
    The album is disjointed. It doesn't have the flow of their previous albums. Again this may be largely related to the fact that much of the material were songs not written specifically for the album.

    Don't get me wrong. Radiohead are amazing. They're in a calibre all to their own. Most bands would die to be able to come within an inch of their throw-away songs.

    But In Rainbows just felt like an album of B-sides rather than a NEW album.

    The whole buck the system thing was somewhat redeeming. But other than the fact they stuck their fingers to the Record Companies. The album itself was nothing revolutionary.
  • analogueaddict72analogueaddict72 Posts: 307
    It remains as good as the day I bought it and continues reveal little subtlties each time I play it, it helps it's on the 180 gram 45 rpm vinyl version from the box set which wipes the floor with the downloads and the CD versions.

    Yeah love it and rank it 2nd to OK Computer myself.
  • Mike_Muse_RageMike_Muse_Rage Posts: 677
    It sounds even better to me now than it did a year ago. Not quite sure where it places in my favourite Radiohead album list though.
  • lalalalaaaaaaaalalalalaaaaaaaa Posts: 2,445
    I don't really know about it's affect on the music industry, but I think it's fantastic. It is by far my favorite of theirs. I still can't get over Reckoner...that song is so good, it's retarded. It could make Darth Vader cry, srsly.
  • Its Evolution BabyIts Evolution Baby Posts: 849
    Jesika537 wrote:
    I have loved most everything Radiohead has put out... Until this. To me, it is just extremely boring. I thought it would grow on me, but it hasn't. Every song sounds similar, it's almost as if it's just one long song. Just my opinion though, I'm glad to see others have enjoyed it.

    Ok not to like it but how does Bodysnatchers sound like 15 step. How does Nude sound like Jigsaw...

    Just seems thats not a good reason not to like the album...
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  • The Long RoadThe Long Road Posts: 183
    I loved it when it first came out, now I rank it just above Pablo Honey...on the bottom of my list.
    "All the rusted signs we ignore throughout our lives"--Ed
  • Present Tense 64Present Tense 64 Posts: 8
    IR is a damn sexy album. I can never compare okc, kid a, httt, and IR because they each are amazing in their own right. I would say kid a, IR, httt, then okc but im sure this will change. I will say it for the last time radiohead are the sex.
  • edvedderrocksedvedderrocks Posts: 1,001
    great album. 2nd disc is great also - gotta have my "bangers & mash". Glad we sprang for the complete box set, well worth it!

    As far as the music being so easily accessible - it's still hard to find disc 2! (not available through download)
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