Well, after listening to In Rainbows extensively for a week, I have a few conclusions:
1. I like the songs. After having heard live versions of all these songs for the last couple years, it's nice to hear proper studio versions of them. "All I Need" and "Nude" came out perfectly. It's sparse, slightly weird, and beautiful Radiohead. That being said...
2. I don't always like the production choices. The live versions of "Arpeggi" and "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" are more rocking by far. While I understand as a whole Radiohead was going for a more laid back sound, I have to wonder why the drums are turned down so much on these songs. And what's with the drums? It sounds like
3. Worth the $10 + tax/debit card fee I paid. I know this sounds a bit negative, but I do enjoy the album overall. Just disappointed with how "Arpeggi" turned out! Do a comparison for yourself!
Radiohead - Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
Radiohead - Arpeggi (Live)
Radiohead official site
In Rainbows album site
Labels: EXPERIMENTAL, INDIE ROCK, RADIOHEAD
Did you make that artwork or is it official? It's better than any of the mock-ups I've seen so far.
yep, that's the official artwork!
1. it's not the official artwork, according to Stanley Donwood, their artist
2. is Phil not Colin on the drums (and wouldn't it be great if it were Phil Collins on the drums?)
3. I completely agree with you on the production. I think Mark Stent is to blame. Why the hell did Radiohead enlist Maroon 5's producer in the first place? I can't even hear Nigel Godrich anywhere except maybe 15 Step, Nude and Reckoner. There's no liner notes for the disc yet (duh) but I'm very curious to see just who produced this album. The drums so so flat. These songs, which incredible, seriously sound like demos. Playing this next to any of their previous albums makes In Rainbows sound lackluster. They spent 4 years recording this flat (yet still lush) record?
Thanks Michael! Upon further invesitgation, it appears to be a close mockup of the art, but not the exact one...oh Radiohead...let's get that image out there for our itunes art, shall we?
I'm prefectly happy with the production of the rest of the album except for "15 Step", "Body Snatchers", "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" and Jigsaw Falling Into Placee". Hmm, I guess that's a little less than half the album. In general though, yeah, the drums sound wimpy and the guitars sound understated. it's over compressed. Strings sound good for the most part, though.
I agree completely on the production of this album. It is very flat, about the only track that has my ears tingling is "All I Need". I also noticed that allot of these songs are based around a single repeating set of chord changes, these are super simple songs for Radiohead. Who knows, maybe they just wanted to put an understated little album out. Things are overwhelming these days and maybe Radiohead is burnt out with capturing that feeling. Hail to the Thief was an amazing example of them perfectly capturing the dark feeling of these times. This album, especially "All I Need" feels like a quiet end in front of the fireplace, warming up as everything goes to hell.