Radiohead - In Rainbows (Out Today)
Is this album INCREDIBLE!?
So let me start by referencing a conversation Aaron Sweet and I had the other day. You see I said something like, “What if this Radiohead album sucks?” Then after a few quick jabs back and forth, Aaron and I made a realization… Radiohead can’t suck. They also can’t be great, or uninspired or totally different….it can just be Radiohead. (Not that Radiohead isn’t great)
Now, I’m not trying to push my musical opinions because I don’t mean the new album HAS “to be” anything. It’s just that when you get to a certain level of music-making, like the later Beatles or the reworked Kraftwerk, your music just IS.
So, before I get on the bandwagon of reports to come about their brilliance or dullness, let me break it down a little. The new Radiohead album CAN’T be incredible, because we saw that coming, and it can’t be terrible, because, well, it can’t. In Rainbows CAN only be Radiohead. This album WILL affect the music world, and only in a way that Radiohead does. Among the musicians and the music critics, but also among the every day and the average. The music world changes today.
“…the entire record industry is so fucked!”
Now while the music on the album itself will sculpt, so will they way they have distributed it. Will it bring the collapse of the record industry? Doubtful. “Why not Max?” you’re probably asking yourself. Well, for two very big reasons.
- Radiohead is huge
They have a very dedicated fan base, and most radio stations that play rock will have to buy it themselves as well. Small to medium bands cannot expect this type of commitment and amount of listeners doing non-promo releases. Look at Jimmy Eat World. If Dreamworks hadn’t picked up “Bleed American” would it have gone platinum? Probably not. Dreamworks pumped cash into that promotion. And so, is every garage band shifting to this Radiohead inspired method going to change much? Probably not. Bands of this caliber rarely take it upon themselves, look at Metallica. Just like their music, they seen a bit too pensive and intolerant to do something like this. - People Love $$$
We live in a marketing hyper-reality. While Radiohead method here was to really cut out the middle man, the middle man will find a way to even use this very method to make money. Look at “green friendly” businesses and “veg friendly” restaurants. They aren’t doing it because they care about you, they’re doing it because it pays.
But What About the Album?!
It’s pretty good, but honestly are you surprised? Did you think it wouldn’t be? That’s like expecting Dane Cook not to yell or being caught off guard when Ryan Seacrest finally comes out of the closet. (It’s not a metro-femme joke, he really IS gay, I have sources)
Will I say anymore about the details of the album? No, I’m not a music reviewer, I’m just a bystander. Have a good listen though.
