Radiohead "In Rainbows" Review

Capsule review: "In Rainbows" is good enough to be an album Lupe Fiasco never listens to.

(I don't care that everyone else is doing it, and I don't care that you don't care. I care!!)

The 80,000 references to In Rainbows being "lush" and "sparse" were correct. People who like Radiohead with guitars and melodies should be very happy today, people who like weird bleeps and bloops maybe a bit less happy. If OK Computer is your favorite album In Rainbows might be your second favorite.

1. 15 Step - Pretty funky. I'm sure nobody will understand what I mean by this, but the way Thom rides this beat reminds me of an uptempo Nina Simone track, like See Line Woman maybe.

2. Bodysnatchers - Ummmm, hell yes. This track is hard as f*%k. Melody reminds me a bit of "Within You Without You." Or what that song would sound like if the Beatles were HARD AS F*%K.

3. Nude - Hardcore fans will know this as the legendary, long unreleased "Big Ideas (Don't Get Any)," and will be crying and/or wetting their pants to have an official version.

4. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi - Builds into a more lush, less panicked (second half of) 2+2=5.. Love how these songs gradually build momentum from front to back.

5. All I Need - The last 60 seconds are stupendous, wish the rest of the song was more like that.

6. Faust Arp - Love this one, wish it was longer. Guitar riffs remind me of "Mother Nature's Son" and Janis Ian's "From Me To You".

7. Reckoner - Nasty. For the first 8 seconds I thought this was a Dap-Kings track. Probably best song on the album. (Although it's not as good as their other song named Reckoner, which I hope is also coming out at some point.)

8. House of Cards - I'll be damned if this doesn't sound like a Prince record when Thom comes in with "I don't want to be your friend, I just wanna be your lover.." Seems to be the one fans like least, but I'm digging it. Though it does stay in the same place, where most of the songs continually move and evolve.

9. Jigsaw Falling Into Place - Also hard. But the guitars/drums never get crunchy/noisy/Paranoid Android hard, here or elsewhere. I kinda wish they took it there on at least one of these cuts.

10. Videotape - Mellow-melancholy Pyramid Song type joint. Fans are hating on the drums they added to this one, and I agree with the consensus. Still cool but would be better with just the piano.

Favorites so far: "Reckoner" "Bodysnatcher" and "Jigsaw." But usually Radiohead's louder tracks grab me right away, and the quieter ones need repeated listening.