7. In Rainbows by Radiohead

By: Richard Trapunski

				In Rainbows by Radiohead

By the time In Rainbows was released, Radiohead had fully cemented its status as one of the world's few "event bands," a group whose every move is immediately documented and scrutinized. The band's now infamous "Pay What You Want" scheme played to this unique position masterfully. On October 10, 2007, thousands upon thousands of people, fans and journalists alike, downloaded and listened to In Rainbows simultaneously, perhaps predicting the cultural immediacy of Web 2.0.  

Yet however monumental the distribution model may have been, In Rainbows is a surprisingly unchallenging record. Not to say that it's unremarkable, it is a Radiohead album after all, but for the first time in over a decade it sounded as if the group had put away its Most Important Band In The World sash and just played some music. In Rainbows is the most accessible Radiohead album since OK Computer and maybe even since The Bends.  

This is everything Hail To The Thief was supposed to be—an unfussy synthesis of the band's experimental tendencies with their earlier, more listener-friendly ethos. It's still unmistakably Radiohead, but it's much more relaxed and self-assured than the band had managed to sound in years. On "Bodysnatchers" they even take the opportunity to rock out, something that the band had seemingly abandoned in the '90s.  

Somehow sidestepping the burden of "changing everything" with the album, Radiohead instead expended their energy on creating a consistent, catchy, and surprisingly personal batch of songs. "15 Step", "Reckoner", and "House of Cards" rank up there with the band's best tracks. The album may not be as "significant" as the others, but it's just as good. And for a band like Radiohead, that's saying a lot.   

Video: "House Of Cards" by Radiohead