Radiohead' s most recent, In Rainbows, is the melodic future. It is Music as honest expression performed from internal necessity. This is NOT re-writing already great music, as many do profoundly well. This is writing new music. Soul, beauty, and morose execution illuminates tonalities as diverse as the band members themselves.  Nigel Godrich has done more on this project than merely produce.  He enabled the band to exhibit such originality.  The  sounds are formulated and delivered on Rainbows as manic beauty.  "Nude," the third track, provides a pulsing journey into the depths of  deep acid (house) peppered with cosmic instrumentals as the emotive backdrop. Yorkes usual piercing tones are fluidity.  They sit and bob in the cut like a wired string section accenting the heavier chords.  Throughout the record there are superb little vignettes, sonic paintings of the inner works, the bands collective brain.  To say more would actually detract from the message:

GO AND BUY THIS RECORD NOW

-By the way: back in October you could download it from their own website, and pay as little or much as you want.  The future?  YES, Rolling Stone was right:  The future belongs to Radiohead.

Mike Davidson

to be continued....