Radiohead, “In Rainbows – Disc 2” 2007
The second half of Radiohead’s experiment in forgoing labels and the RIAA begins by invoking the beautiful finale of the first disc’s “Videotape” on opener, “Mk 1” then plunges headfirst into “Down Is the New Up”, kicking this installment off into familiar but nonetheless exciting territory. Nothing is incredibly new here for those well-versed in the band’s previous efforts but Radiohead is still continuing to do what they do extremely well and with enough innovation that more “In Rainbows” material is certainly welcome.
Now that both sides of the album are released a greater picture of the work is finally presented and we can see that if the songs were to be condensed into one lengthier CD then it would have inevitably become the true successor to the list of albums beforehand. Double albums are often comprised of far too much filler but the second installment here demonstrates a collection of pieces that are essential toward the entire concept of “In Rainbows”. Whereas the first disc seemed to represent much of the “Hail to the Thief” aesthetic, the second disc continues this feel but incorporates much more of the ambience and driving acoustic guitar of “Kid A” and “Amnesiac”.
There is a certain amount of Radiohead ‘cool’ on this album that was missing from the first half as well. When “Up on the Ladder” starts to really groove it hits the spot that perhaps came closer with the last offerings “Jigsaw Falling into Place” but nails it far better by caring less about pulling heart-strings and more about nodding heads (also check out “Bangers & Mash” for more of the overdriven ass-kick represented in “Bodysnatchers”).
One of the only real faults here is in the presentation itself which is a necessary evil of the ambitious release of “In Rainbows”. The whole time the second disc plays begs for it to have been listened to a few minutes or immediately after the first ended. Initially, disc two was presented as nothing but B-sides for the die-hards who ordered the expensive digipack from Radiohead’s website but it is essential for getting a good grasp of the album as a whole. Whereas “Videotape” ended on melancholy, “4 Minute Warning” caps off the project on a much more hopeful note and the journey toward it through the energy of the second disc seems like an integral aspect of what the band was aiming for here. It is more than likely that it was assumed that with the current influence of the internet on music listening that disc two would be heard by anyone looking for it regardless but if this was the assumption it would’ve been perhaps better to have both sides released simultaneously or at least closer than two months apart. Just the same, “In Rainbows” is a great demonstration of the band’s maturation and continuing relevance in the music industry. Both the music itself and the broader implications of the release methods make Radiohead an enormous force and luckily, there is substance, quality, and innovation enough to warrant it.
December 18, 2007
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