In Rainbows

Still iconic

These fuckers tricked me with the first track and had m thinking that these guys could make something else instead of the everyday depressing RH song.

1. 15 Steps - This is a song that ultimately builds up. Not a huge fan of the beginning, but it truly came together, towards the end. Not the best tone-setter.... I dare say, this song is quasi-psychedelic. 6.5/10 2. Bodysnatchers - From the first listen, this song enamored me. Reminds me of Hendrix and heavier rock in general. This is a song that pulls me into another world. 7.68 3. Nude - Again, beautiful song, but I can't connect with it. 7.5/10 4. Weird Fishes - Hm. I want to give it a 10, but it'd be a weak 10. Beautiful song. This is one of the albums defining songs. I am definitely going to revisit it. 9.1/10 5. All I Need - This is a beautiful and tender song reflecting a beautifully tender album. I relate to this song heavily. Stellar 9.5/10 6. Faust Arp - I mean it's alright... Still a good song. I loved the string section. 7.8/10 7. Reckoner - Happy and somber. Loved the percussion throughout. Had a but of a 60s feel to it. I really liked that vocal break so well. 9/10 8. House of Cards - Yearning anthem. I really liked it. The lyrics are relatable and true for the most part. 9/10 9. Jigsaw Falling Into Place - 10/10 10. Videotape - Heartfelt. 9.5/10. That dra dra dum percussion made me think of someone's last moments. Nice touch considering the song's subject matter. Overall: 8.3. This was my second listen. I am definitely going to listen to this album again. More of an acquired taste - but an amazing experience overall

Nice

Alright hot take, I dont like this album. I wish I could tell you why, I just don't. OK Computer is a fucking masterpiece, and this feels so much less for me where I find myself bored.

Neću da hejtujem mnogo ali bila je borba slušati ceo album odjednom. Ima jedna ili dve pesme od ranije koje volim pa su me one spasile od osećaja čemera i tuge. Nisam ni fan vokala kad moram da slušam sve ove pesme u kontinuitetu, trebao sam pametnije malo da slušam sa nekim pauzama između njih jer mi se ovako nimalo ne dopada. Možda ću u budućnosti da prepravim ocenu idk, 3/5

Taman jer sam juče htela da se ubijem Salu na stranu, nisam neki ultra radiohead fan ali vraćam se ovom albumu s vremena na vreme tako da 4,5/5

Definitely my favourite Radiohead album. One Radiohead album earlier this far, where I believe I explained how I've become a Radiohead fan by first listening to The Smile. Thats where the reason lay why I in particular like this album. Many of the track in this album reminds alot where later the music of The Smile would take it. Progressive, but yet somehow minimalistic would probably the best way for me to explain it. Another "issue" I see with the other Radiohead albums is the way many of the tracks resembles each other, while in this the track after another have much more clear distinctions. That's what makes this an interesting listening.

Highlights: Bodysnatchers; Nude; Weird Fishes/Arpeggi; Jigsaw Falling Into Place Lowlights: ----------------------- Liked this a lot, excited to listen to more from them.

It's not bad, it's just boring and mid

I remember being very excited about hearing this album for the first time, released as it was without advance warning and using a 'pay what you want' strategy. The pick of the tracks for me are All I Need, House of Cards and Videotapes. I saw Radiohead live about a year earlier and they played some then unreleased songs among them Go Slowly and 4 Minutes Warning and initially I was a bit disappointed they weren't on the album. They later turned up on the second disc which I have listened to nowhere near as much in the intervening years. So I went back and gave that a spin and reminded me that Up on the Ladder is fantastic too.

Really don't understand the hype here. I've always been hesitant towards attempting Radiohead, outright avoiding them as long as possible, and clearly for the better because I completely bounced off this. Instrumentals are consistently engaging, but are drowned out by vocals that emulate the sounds of trying to stay awake on Ambien. Really disappointed.

When In Rainbows came up as my next listen, I was genuinely delighted. I’m already very familiar with it, and it’s probably my favourite Radiohead album. I love everything about this record — the vocals, the raw emotion, the production. It’s all just so perfectly balanced. There’s a warmth to it that makes every track feel strangely comforting, even when the lyrics are vulnerable. It’s hard to pick a favourite because the quality is so consistent, but if I had to choose, I’d say Nude. Thom Yorke’s voice on that track is stunning. The final 30 seconds in particular are breathtaking — it’s one of those moments that completely transports you somewhere else. Unreal. The album is a tight ten tracks, and it flows beautifully from start to finish. There’s no excess, no filler — just a band completely in control. Radiohead really are in a different league. There’s something about Thom’s voice that just stops you in your tracks. Very few singers have that ability — the first comparison that comes to mind is Jeff Buckley. Just so good. As of right now it’s one of my favourite albums. Easiest five stars ever.

Reading the Wiki page I was reminded that this album was released as a name your price download. 2007 must have been peak music pirating time with the likes of Napster around so this was Radiohead’s way of combatting that. I did download the album but cannot remember what I paid. As the download in those days would have been no better than crappy MP3 I have since bought the album legally on CD and sits proudly in my collection. Does not quite reach the heights of OK Computer but comes close. Not a bad song on the album at all. I’d even go as far to say that it is to my ears it’s Radiohead’s most accessible album with loads of melody at the forefront of each song. If you know Kid A and Amnesiac you’ll know what I mean. 5/5 26/2/26

Cut my wrists type shit I love it (kill me)

Not as noisy and annoying as the last one but still just Radiohead.

My new top album so far. 5 stars. Was this album better than yesterday’s album, Here’s Little Richard by Little Richard? Yes

Melancholic as Radiohead always is. A lot of people consider this to be one of the best albums of all time, so I gave it two playthroughs. It's definitely a good album, but not quite 5/5 good in my own opinion. Really liked Weird Fishes, excellent guitar on that track.

I like it, and what it was

Someone in a bar once asked me which band I thought was better: Radiohead or the Beatles. Easy, I said, the Beatles released multiple albums per year and revolutionized rock. We waited years for a new Radiohead album and all we got was In Rainbows. OK, that was a bit harsh, but in retrospect it really was a sign that the band had peaked. There are some solid tracks. “Weird Fishes / Arpeggi” is the big stand-out. It still feels like a gut punch all these years later. I’m adding a star just for that one.

one of the finest

Always a classic. One of my favorites from Radiohead. Nude is one of the most hauntingly beautiful but sad songs. The mellow guitar work by Greenwood on that track always fills me joy, juxtaposing the melancholy of the track. That’s all to say nothing of Yorke’s subtly intense vocal work across the whole record. All I Need, Reckoner, Videotape, 15 Step, a great handful of tracks from this iconic outfit.

Ok

Ya lo había escuchado previamente; es mi favorito de la banda. Me encanta la composición que tiene y lo exagerado que puede llegar a ser a veces, eso, para mi, es radiohead en su máximo esplendor, y me encanta como pueden demostrar un rango tan dual en un simple álbum. Lo mejor de lo mejor.

Incredible album

Almost perfect album

Based on the song titles, I don’t think I know any of these songs. I’m obviously familiar with Radiohead in general, and even got The Bends as my first album last month, but this is going to be a completely fresh listening experience. • I really like the time feel of 15 Step, it’s a really good use of 5/4 • Bodysnatchers is a cool song too, I dig how consistent the beat and riff are • Nude makes for great staring out the window music • I have heard part of Weird Fishes before, in a Youtube video talking about how sparse the bassline is. I’m not sure if I’d have picked up on it without seeing that video, but the bass really does keep it super simple throughout the song, and it’s perfect for what the song’s going for • All I Need looks to be the most popular song on the album, but it might actually be the first that didn’t leave much of an impact on me • The falsetto throughout Reckoner helps make the song stand out While I don’t think this album was as good as The Bends, I still enjoyed listening to it. The songs all felt like they had something to give them their own identities, and they were all pleasing to listen to. Favourite song: 15 Step

Thoughts before listening: While "Ok Computer" and "Kid A" seem to be the critics' consensus for best album, I see more and more fans choosing "In Rainbows". I certainly feel it ranks amongst their best and contains some of their most beloved songs. I have also always liked the story around the release of this album where fans could pay what they want to download from the band's website. Pretty innovative idea in the era of Napster and illegal downloads. Review: To me, this album bridges the gap between the electronic elements of Kid A and their earlier guitar based alt-rock sound. While there's no grungey "Creep" like song, a track like "Bodysnatchers" certainly has the energy and volume of the band's earlier work. "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" is a totally different vibe, but it's another favorite on here with the churning guitar lines and ethereal background vocals slowly building to a crescendo. Great album deserving of 5-stars.

Radiohead выложили альбом в интернет в день анонса и предложили заплатить сколько хочешь — хоть ноль. Музыканты уже давно могли себе это позволить, и In Rainbows объясняет почему. После серии холодных, угловатых пластинок они вдруг записали что-то, что хочется слушать не потому что «надо», а потому что приятно. Это редкость для Radiohead. Йорк звучит здесь как нормальный человек, а не как пришелец, читающий новости с другой планеты. «Nude» томная и медленная — из тех песен, которые хорошо слушать ночью в машине. «Reckoner» держит тебя в воздухе четыре минуты и аккуратно опускает обратно. «All I Need» начинается тихо, а заканчивается так, что не сразу понимаешь, что уже прошибло. Альбом не требует усилий от слушателя — и это не упрёк, это комплимент. Radiohead наконец перестали усложнять там, где не надо.

I remember when this album was self-released and everyone was talking about the "pay what you want" thing and how radical that was. I think only a band as big as Radiohead could have made that system work--then and now--but it was a real album of great songs and not just a gimmick.

1 - In Rainbows - Radiohead Good opener / jangly fun / second song is driving but don’t love it / Nude and Weird Fishes are Radiohead moody / All I Need has a cool beat, mellow but good… this album is Radiohead moody… some of it nice and vibey, some of it too weird or droning. No real standout songs on this and more of a mood than anything. It’s tough because Radiohead The Bends is a top album of all time - this isn’t, but does reflect the overall mood of Radiohead pretty well.

Love the first song especially. A little too moody for me today.

Uno de mis favoritos, weirds fishes y nude y all i need están grabadas en mi corazón

Was vibing with this one

This immaculate album is yet another showcase of Radiohead’s depth and versatility. Every member of the band is in their own world, and the combined sound paints a vulnerable palette of emotions and rhythms. Starting with the opener "15 Step" and ending with the haunting "Videotape", it is a cohesive work of art that truly leads the listener to interesting places. Coming back to this era of the band is always a pleasure for me. Each time, I discover something new, and I feel there are still more pieces of this puzzle that will eventually fall into place. One thing I took away from this listen was how the song "Reckoner" lays the groundwork for what would later become "The Smile". I love most of the songs on the record, but my three favorites have to be "Nude", "House of Cards", and "Jigsaw Falling into Place".

This was an amazing album to listen to. Love me some loser music. Although lyrically the album isn't as strong as some of radioheads other works the music more than made up for it.

More Radiohead. Fifth one so far. More whiny boring junk. Moving on. Best song: Jigsaw Falling Into Place

one of my favorite albums. biggest musical inspiration i love radiohead. 😀

Fantastic album!

My favourite radiohead album. Such a timeless work of art that inspires me at every listen, I can't ever get tired of it, even if I listened to it every day till I die, I would find beauty in every song each time.

Yup this is a Fiver from me. I think probably my 2nd favorite Radiohead album overall. Shout-out to the time I was having about House of Cards a full 4 years after it came out as if it were some new single from King of Limbs because I'd never bothered listening to Radiohead yet

It came hace surprise, considering it's a Radiohead album. Easier to listen to than I expected, nice melodies, different styles, I liked it. 3,75/5.

7/10, objectively very good, liked some songs more than others but definitely changed my view on Radiohead. Liked it!

This album made me understand the Radiohead/Coldplay comparison. 2 stars because I believe there's better Radiohead and better Coldplay

Good album, better to the end. But in my view OK computer is way better. This has cool melodies but lacks the legendary lyrics. 4.2 stars

A flawless, breathtaking masterpiece. Many tracks literally moved me to tears, including ''All I Need' and the final three songs. Something in this album's atmosphere, lyrics and instrumentation touches at my soul and invites me to be more human.

molto chill, bello

😻😻

i can see why people think yorke and co. have their heads up their asses. mine just happens to be right in there with them.

They have really become incorporated into my life. 4.5 rounded up

This was an album that I was familiar with and had multiple songs in my playlist.

Falleg tónlist og góður heildarhljómur, 4 sléttir ekki meir

Næs heildarhljómur.

Great album - loved front to back

Can't ask for much more from an album. I've tried a few times over the years to get into Radiohead, and this was the first time that an album of theirs really stuck for me. I love the vocals and the experimental instrumentation. 9/10

2.5

Perfect. It came out when I was a freshman in college, therefore I’m trauma-bonded to it.

Favorite tracks: Weird Fishes / Arpeggi Radiohead continues not to be the band for me. If I'm being honest, the few seconds of silence between tracks was like a sigh of relief. Between the whiny falsetto and the sheer amount of noise in every song, it just ends up being overwhelming and loud to me. However, I can't deny that they are doing what they set out to do - experimental, indeed.

In Rainbows kicks off with a strong bassline that’s kept up throughout most of the album. It’s taken to the extreme in the opening track with a DnB inspired backing beat but given a bit of relief with some diatonic sliding chord progressions to provide a bit of balance. The subsequent track, Bodysnatchers, the best on the album by a good margin, keeps up this strong bassline but ditches the more synthetic DnB sound for a proper harsh guitar based fuzz which I really enjoyed. Finished off with an understated solo this track definitely comes through as the best on the album. Nude continues this emphasis on bass but teases a change in the following tracks with its slower tempo and mellow bass, with a good highlight of Thom Yorke’s higher vocals, something I’d associate more with Radiohead. Weird Fishes / Arpeggi really breaks with the harsh basslines, focusing more on vocals, lyrics about descent contrast well with the ascending scale in the main chord progressions, I really liked this break from the bass heavy tracks before. All I Need brings you back to life with a return of this bassline but kills you a little with the lyrics, very sad. Faust Arp felt a little bit exhausting to listen to, nothing terribly wrong with it but by far the least impressive track on the album. House of Cards has a real ethereal feel to it, bringing in the start of a fade out to the album, followed by one of the strongest tracks on the album, Jigsaw Falling into Place bringing in bright sounding guitar contrasting well with the previous bass heavy buildup throughout the rest of the album. Videotape provides a nice finisher with a much more raw feel to it than any other track on the album, particularly around the intro, really enjoyed this one.

another one of my fav album of all time. i rlly like radiohead so like all of their albums is ofc one of my fav

It’s never the first Radiohead album I think of, but is good overall. The singles carry it, and it’s not my fav by the group overall. Still, a solid album overall.

Found this choice to be interesting although somewhat monotonous

9/10 I always imagine Radiohead as a band that sits around together and writes some fairly standard songs, before working out how to deconstruct, rearrange and pull them out of shape in as many different way as possible so that, while the core of that original song still exists within, they end up with something so unique to them that it stands apart from what that original kernel of song once was. As their career progressed, the extent to which they pulled at the threads of their songs became more extreme and, with influences from other musicians of every era, the production and structural dynamic of how they worked twisted even further from that ‘rock band’ core. You can hear how influenced they are by electronic music here, not just instrumentally, but structurally, often developing themes and building intensity outside of a more traditional verse/chorus/verse structure. It’s pretty apparent on tracks like 15 Step and Weird Fishes/Arpeggi, but they rarely settle themselves into a truly traditional basic structure, outside of a couple of tracks. While the signs for this had been developing since Kid A, this was really where that work cemented itself in its most coherent form within their sound. The result is a shifting, pulsing embrace of an album that takes ideas and weaves them together into delightful soundscapes that ebb and flow around Thom Yorke’s vocal performance. The production is at times crisp and at others gritty and grimy, with some really nice saturation used on a lot of the instrumentation that allows the vocal to sit with more clarity above it. But that blend of sounds allows everything to feel so natural and organic in a way that a crystal clear production wouldn’t. The songwriting is great and there’s obvious thought put into how to maintain freshness throughout a song, with different pieces of instrumentation pulling into and out of focus, a trick that also allows the more structurally static tracks to have more impact, juxtaposed against the more adventurous ones. There’s really good variety to the track list too, with driven, high tempo songs like Bodysnatchers and Jigsaw Falling Into Place and much more withdrawn efforts like Nude and All I Need. There was the odd moment here and there where I felt that they could have either moved things on a little more quickly, or let things ring out a little longer to allow things to have their maximum impact, but for the most part, this is an album of real quality where an envelope pushing band gather up all of the things they’ve learned over the previous 6 albums and create something that is both fresh and exciting, but also calls back to what came before. 15 Step - The crunchy, skittish 5/4 beat kicks us off in style. It’s hard to pin down the centre with Thom Yorke’s vocal drifting around without the rest of the instrumentation. It’s a great effect, and then it’s really pretty when the guitar comes in. The tone is nicely saturated and warm too. It all just builds so well, and then there are some really nice variations and production tricks that give it so much depth and range, always keeping your ear invested in what’s going on. Bodysnatchers - This has a great tempo and upbeat groove to it. Strip it back, and there’s a fairly straightforward (but very good) rock song under here, but the production and sound design elevate it to something beyond that. The lead guitar line that sits in a cloud of reverb is so lush, but there’s also so much grit and saturation to a lot of this too. It blends elements of grime and clarity really well. Nude - Now for a change of pace. The layering of forward and reversed elements here build a really beautiful and interesting soundscape that drifts away into the starkness of the vocal, drums and bass before we slowly build up again. Thom Yorke’s vocal could be a really bad fit for some bands, but with Radiohead it’s beautiful. There are some really gorgeous string arrangements here too. I love the build up that peaks at around 3 minutes and then we just have this drifting loveliness of tonality that guides to the end. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi - The interwoven arpeggiations that form the bed of this track are really nice, and it’s another that builds in weight and intensity as it goes. During the “weird fishes” section, the instrumentation reminds me a lot of Björk’s work with Matmos on Vespertine. It’s lovely. And there’s so much depth to the sound design in what follows, with different elements drifting in and out of prominence. It’s not ambient music in the slightest, but it has the same effect of rewarding a listener who just bathes in the sound and gets lost in the experience of listening. All I Need - There’s something so sombre about the combination of bass line and vocal here. The drums drive things along, but the tonality of the bass and the use of reverb on the vocal is so evocative, conjuring up the feelings of someone walking through the darkness, alone and depressed. Again, the soundscaping and instrumentation slowly builds, this time swamping the vocal, which is a great effect. It’s a really beautiful and haunting song. Side note: I’ve thought it in a few places thus far, but I do feel like they’re a little too quick with some editing of sections, like reverb tails and note releases. It happens inside songs too, but it’s most obvious at the end of songs like this. Let it ring! Faust Arp - They often have fun playing with either time signatures or at least the emphasis of where the down beat sits within their songs, and this is a fine example, never letting you completely relax into the beat until the second half. The different musical lines just weave around each other beautifully and there’s quite a lot going on, despite it sounding fairly simple to the casual observer. It’s a short one, but it’s really nice. Reckoner - The width of the beat here is great and it sounds so crisp and pretty. The shuffle to the groove is so nice too. Another with a slow build and eventually the beat recedes to allow space for the tonal work. The harmonisation from the vocals is great and the production and sequencing of the orchestration does such a fantastic job of pulling the focus into different areas so that no one thing dominates, but it guides you around the different motifs beautifully. House Of Cards - We’re into something much more traditionally structured now, but it’s still really lush. There’s a pulsing depth that sits under this that gives it a throbbing weight and tension to it. The other instrumental parts drift in and out and call a little to Sigur Rós with their tone. The range of different tones and sounds that they bring in give this forward momentum despite the underlying simplicity of the core song. It’s another that puts me in mind of ambient music from a listening point of view, rather than the inherent sound of the song. It’s just an all-encompassing and shimmering blend of sound. Jigsaw Falling Into Place - The tempo picks right up here and this is a really driven and danceable track. There’s a bit of a call back to the sound and composition of late 90s britpop underneath the song here, but as it’s Radiohead, they’ve pulled at those threads and transformed it into an evolving, shifting spectacle that drags you along in its wake. There’s some really nice pieces of guitar work in there that could easily get lost in the background, but Radiohead are a band that always reward repeat listens, so it’s nice to have different parts to focus on as you spin back through the songs again and again. This one’s a bit less dynamically varied, but it’s just another great song. Videotape - Another stark production (although the bass is perhaps a tad high in the mix) that builds and builds. The off-kilter pulse to the percussion is great, with a J Dilla type lilt to it. The sound bed of layered vocals is an excellent piece of production. In the same way that it builds, it also falls away gradually into nothing. It doesn’t quite have the same depth of soundscape building as some of the other stuff, but with the offset in rhythm between the beat and tonal elements, it has this tense, unsettling feel to it that doesn’t let the more pretty elements dominate.

This sounds like exactly the record store I worked in and the moldy apartment I lived in when this came out

Maybe my 3rd or 4th favorite Radiohead album, very good.

Pleasant but blander than a British person’s spice rack

I like OK Computer quite a bit better

song i went back to first after first full listen: radiohead no surprises music video (wanted to see if i could hold my breath that long too)

100% perfection. Radiohead's most brilliant record to date.

Radiohead is one of those late 90's/ early 00's bands that I hear named fairly often, but don't actually know that much about. I do remember hearing something from a media production elective in high school about them challenging traditional record companies, but couldn't remember the specifics. Looking into it now, it sounds like they released this record directly from their website without a record label and it was the first major release to be "pay what you wish." Pretty cool. I definitely have to be in the right mood for ethereal/ atmospheric stuff, but this was still pretty enjoyable. "Weird Fish" reminds me of some of the music I'd listen to with my cousin driving across small town South Dakota to the video game bar in Aberdeen late at night.

Was not expecting this to be what the band that made Creep sounds like, somehow. I really liked it, though it was much more melancholy than I typically enjoy.

Still don’t get the Radiohead hype. It sounds decent just in my ears like in the background but can barely tell when it goes from one song to the next I have no idea what they’re on about and nothing really stands out. I know ppl love them so maybe one day I’ll get it. But this album defo didn’t change my opinion

Not my first time listening to this. Amazing album to say the least. Incredible production and equally brilliant songwriting. Perfect balance between gloom and normalcy(there ain't happiness in a Radiohead track)

Moj 2. Najljubsi radiohead album. We have history

Fav Radiohead album

I know this is good, I just can't love it as much as I loved OK Computer. I remember when it came out, it was so innovative, everything about it was just like...."this is what the future could be..." but I just wasn't ready for it. Or want to be ready for it.

Amazing

I think I’d say this is my 3rd favourite Radiohead album. Really shows Radiohead in a new light fully into the more modern digital era with the backing production whilst still feeling completely like them.

From what I have heard of Radiohead, this album seems to have the best elements of them with their really polished sounds in The Bends and their later, more experimental stuff in Kid A and Amnesiac. I might be completely wrong about this, but it is just great stuff. Also, shoutout to Jigsaw Falling into Places, as it is by far their best track.

Starts off a bit more kid A and amnesiac and then gets much more into rock territory. U2core guitars on body snatchers and a great breakdown. The vocal layers that open ‘nude’ are super cool but the song itself was pretty meh. Arpeggi weird fishes is beautifully textured. All I need was dull as dishwater - all I need is to hit the skip button. Faust arp is like badly drawn boy done badly. Pretty much done with the album at this point tbh. Feels like a 2 and that’s honestly generous. A yawnfest for xennial beige Camry driving dry white toast people. Coldplay tier.

By far the best Radiohead album I've heard!

Wow, I don't much listen to rock or alternative but this takes you to a new headspace. Very ethereal, easy listening. Loved it a lot.

Obviously 5 stars…

Radiohead just has a lot of great musical ideas in this album and I love the way they're brought out either through any of the instruments or just the vocals. As an album it's a great listening adventure from start to finish. Great band chemistry overall. Favorite Song: Jigsaw Falling Into Place. 7.5/10

One of the best ever- Radiohead at its finest.

I have already heard this not too long ago and honestly I’m not a fan. I think Radiohead is not only overrated but also mid

Nude (!) Reckoner House of cards (!) Jigsaw Falling Into Place (!!) Videotape Радиохед не мое совсем, сонный альбом, в целом группа кажется какой то апатичной, но тем не менее миленькие по звучанию Надо считаться с легендами...

Makes me want to listen to In Rainbows from the basement. This one might grow on me, but it still feels a bit whimy.

Dear Thom Yorke, A lot of us have noticed that, after the Bends, you stopped writing pretty melodies. A lot of us have also noticed that, and please don’t take this the wrong way, you’re a touch arrogant and standoffish, which suggests your afraid of something. With all respect, I have a theory! I think you may be afraid that you HAD to give up writing pretty melodies to convince people that you’re deep and sensitive, in a melancholy way. If that’s the case, Mr. Yorke, I’m here to help! I’ve created a short playlist to prove that a person can do it all – complex chord progression, melancholy atmosphere, AND gorgeous melody!! God Only Knows – the Beach Boys Paper Bag – Fiona Apple Happier Than Ever – Billie Eilish Fake Plastic Trees – SURPRISE! – Radiohead ( :D; I mean :/ ) Yesterday – The Beatles I Concentrate on You – (Frank's 1947 version is appropriately meloncholy) My Funny Valentine - Chet Baker Radiohead’s music is always interesting and the soundscapes are pretty (if a tad robotic). A lot of us think that if you’d just, you know, RELAX a little and stop avoiding melodies, you could bring back to your band’s music a little bit of emotion; a little bit of the soul that made the Bends pretty great. I know you can do it, Mr. Yorke. Sincerely, Justin Juan Musicstan

Cool rhythms! My favourite was Weird Fishes/Arpeggi and my least favourite was Faust Arp.

*2007. *Tried this one a couple times. It’s not for me. I don’t find it interesting, I don’t like his vocals, and I don’t remember a single song I listened to. *I can see why people like Radiohead, but there’s much better depressing, angsty stuff out there, in my opinion. RATING - 5.5/10

Surprisingly not the Radiohead I know. Which is I guess the point!

Chilled album. Some interesting arrangements.

trivial

One of radioheads best albums, stuffed with bangers. The songs on this record are pretty various, compared to other albums I’ve listened to, so far. Great vocals, melodies and instrumentation. The songs all have a good length and are built interestingly.

This sums up the best of Radiohead for me. Dips back to their live band-y kind of roots while incorporating many of the forward-thinking elements introduced with Kid-A. This is my personal fav of their records.

This has been one of the best experiences listening to an album. Every song feels comforting in a weird way, where I felt like I was being held in a warm hug, but also sad at the same time. I had never given Radiohead a chance, but after listening to this album I can say that they are worth listening.

My favorite from all the albums we’ve gotten so far

Never really been a fan of Radiohead because I find them boring, slightly depressing, and a bit too experimental for my liking - this album isn't an exception, but I'd listen to it again.

Perfection

Does not interest me

Was not familiar with this album and will listen to it again but for now it’s a three.

I really like parts of this, mostly Nude, Weird Fishes, and Jigsaw, but some parts feel a little slow in a not-very-groovy way. Still a vibe though

This album feels like it's integrated into my DNA at this point.

don't think a single song stuck out to me. such a lack of crescendo that all the songs melted together for me

People like these guys because why?

Wat een week. Weer 5 sterren. Godallemachtig wat is dit toch een lekker albumpie. Van de intro van 15 Step, tot het onduidelijk, maar heerlijk gezongen refrein van Jigsaw Falling Into Place. Alleen maar toppers, zonder lidwoord.

Een van de allerbeste albums ooit. Ik begon pas relatief laat met het luisteren naar Radiohead, en dit was eigenlijk mijn gateway. Ik weet dat mensen OK Computer en others hoger raten, maar voor mij is dit het beste Radiohead album ooit. Het voelt als een film die je pakt en je eigenlijk de tijd verliest tijdens het luisteren. Als nederlander geloof ik niet in perfect, maar een near perfect album Also, Weird Fishes /Arpeggi en Jigsaw Falling Into Place zijn echt twee van de beste nummers ooit gemaakt

Toevallig veel geluisterd afgelopen maand. Top album. Synth en gitaar tone zijn otherworldly hier

Nude, Weird Fishes, Jigsaw, Reckoner en All I Need zijn allemaal top 10-waardige Radiohead nummers. Dat is gewoon de helft van dit album. In Rainbows heeft niet de rode draad die Computer en Kid A hebben, maar individueel zijn de nummers zo ongelooflijk goed. Echt wild dat deze band voor een tweede (misschien zelfs de derde) keer zo'n perfecte plaat hebben kunnen maken.

Can't go wrong with Radiohead.

383/1089 - I think this record strikes a balance between the electronic and rock styles Radiohead is known for. I'm really between a 4 and a 5. I think all the songs are cool and well made but I also think I bought too much into the hype of everyone, both people in real life and online, calling it their "Magnum Opus" and "a 10/10" and sullied my experience in a way. Thom's vocals are a bit on the grating side on this one as well.

This album was my first real experience with Radiohead and I’m very grateful for it. This album is such a gloomy album and I love it.

Great music to drown too

Don’t like Radiohead.

Heard it many times over the years. A classic. Excited to hear it again. ---- Yep. Even better than I remember.

Phenomenal album of course. I bought it the day it came out as a pay-what-you-want fee. I paid $9 and it was worth way more.

I’ve only ever heard their first album back when it came out and I liked it enough that I saw them play in a small club. For some strange reason I’ve managed to never hear any of their albums since even though I’ve heard all the praise over the years. Sometimes it seems that exposure to music is all about the company that you keep and I guess I just never knew anyone who was really into their later albums and showed them to me. It sure was great to finally get to one and this listen was great! This is absolutely great, creative, pop music. I’m assuming there’s a few more of their albums coming up but I’ll likely get to them soon now that I know what incredible recordings I’ve been missing!

I still can’t really get behind the Radiohead hype so far. OK Computer was a masterpiece for me, Kid A was a dud, and this one lands somewhere in the middle. Musically, it’s a solid album, but it never fully pulls me in. A big part of that is how much of it feels like Thom Yorke whispering over the music. I know that’s kind of his thing, but after a while it just blends together. That said, “Bodysnatchers” and “Jigsaw Falling Into Place” were legitimately great and showed flashes of what I wish the whole album leaned into. Honestly, I mostly remember this album because of the whole “pay what you want” release. Digital music was still figuring itself out at the time, and that move was way more interesting to me than most of the songs

This isn't my favourite Radiohead album and I hadn't listened to it in full before, but it is bloody great, isn't it? Radiohead have always been, and will always be, catnip to alternative music lovers whether we like it or not. Ol' Thom might be a problematic fave, contemporary-dancing his way into some centrist-at-best opinions, by my oh my does he steam a good electronic music ham. Cudos Thom! Cudos!

A banger! My fav Radiohead record, such an intense and specific vibe of psychedelic melancholy that runs through the whole thing with such a brilliant sense of momentum. I love the tectures on this record and the guitar lines especially. Thom Yorke is a walloper but because of records like this he can still stay

Jigsaw falling into the place best. Worst track is Faust arp

Pretty good, reminded me of something, but I can't remember what now. Again, I probably won't like this as much as everyone else. 77/100

Only just a 4. Sorry Luke but this was a bit disappointing.

Utter peak. Radioheads second best album imo. Literally nothing bad to say about it. 5 stars A very strong 9 out of 10

Pretty cool, not much else to say, a lack of rainbows perhaps?

I know some Radiohead songs, I have to at this point, my friends being as big fans as they are, but I don't know the albums very well other than by name. Of this and 'Kid A' the only other Radiohead album I have listened to in full, this was the better one. I feel like the songs in this one are largely better as well as feeling more memorable. From this album in particular I thought 'nude' and 'reckoner' (which I recognised the guitar riff to, despite not knowing the song) were good, 'Weird Fishes' was also very enjoyable, though I am still unsure how to pronounce the latter part of its name, saying that I wonder why the song is called that at all. My favourite of the album was probably 'All I need' a song I knew but not very well. I had heard the most about 'Jigsaw falling into place' but was somewhat underwhelmed, it was good (though I have little memory of the song even just a few hours later) but nothing special. Unsure whether to give this 79 or 80 out of 100, I feel given yesterdays ranking 80 is more fair. 80/100

Although I personally think this album isn't the band's best work, it is still undeniably a masterpiece. Perhaps it's because of the way I listen to, and understand music, but I find that this album is one where each song can work incredibly well as itself - it's amazing, but I find that the work doesn't create new meaning when grouped as an album(unlike a majority of Radiohead's work). Nevertheless, this album is filled with some beautiful tracks - some of my all time favourites. The album is quite simply banger after banger. So, so good from all of the tracks. 15 Step, Bodysnatchers(such a good guitar riff) and Nude(which is simply just beautiful) are amazing tracks, and they only just start the album off. It doesn't stop, with Weird Fishes/Arpeggi and All I Need next, both of which i've listened to obsessively at different points in my life. I think Faust Arp is still good, but I don't care much for the studio version. However Reckoner, House of Cards and Jigsaw Falling Into Place are all amazing tracks, and again ones I've listened to repeatedly. Videotape is a beatiful way to finish off the album, and a lovely shift in intensity after Jigsaw Falling Into Place (so I suppose it really does work well as an album in places). To conclude, another amazing album. Which isn't a surprise considering how much I like this band.

Good

Amazing. New sounds every album as always

Never heard them before. They gave sold more than 40 Mio records!! It's nice. Reminds me in some cases on Pink Floyd.

My favorite Radiohead for a reason. It's got a great mix of catchy/almost fun (for Radiohead) and depressing. Nude is crazy Shakespearean gorgeous and Weird Fishes is also like insanely beautiful All I Need is heartfelt and tender and Jigsaw Falling Into Place is one of my favorite songs it's fast paced but also sad and emotionally unique i think. Videotape is good too. House of Cards is classic but not my favorite really. It's all impressive though. Perfect you might even say? 15 step is funny it has that "yay!" and the et cetera et cetera idk i think radiohead synthesizes modern sound well into their music it's wonderful it's fresh it's great

Listened to before. Favs are weird fishes, all I need, and jigsaws. 9/10

The Super Mario N64 version clears.

1. ztep - 1 2. body - 1.5 3. nude - 3 4. fizhez - 1.5 5. need - 2 6. arp - 1 7. reckon - 2 8. cardz - 1.5 9. jigzauu - 1 10. videotape - 1.5

AHHHHHHHH LEAVE ME ALONE THOM YORKE

For me, not their best, but still brilliant

its radiohead so duh

Wasn't looking forward to a Radiohead album coming up. Enjoyed this more than I thought. Still not fantastic, nothing really stands out, but a decent enough album overall. Was this out on the list purely because it's Radiohead?

Was interesting to read about, but no headline Radiohead songs for me here? And I loved Radiohead back in my late teens and early 20s? Never listened to that album though, fun to try out!

Incredible music. Groundbreaking at the time. Completely changed music.

Feels like a great gig - hectic start - settle in - interesting - varied

wanted to kms

не думаю, що я можу бути об'єктивною, бо я люблю творчість радіохед, та люблю я її не просто так тож класні лірікси, цікавий інструментал, пік

i love radiohead

I think I had stopped listening to Radiohead by the time this album came out. That was a mistake. This was super enjoyable, sonically interesting, but less pretentious as prior albums. Still think OK Computer is their best.

6,5/10

This is as good of a Radiohead album as you're going to get

I’ve only very recently started listening to post ok computer and it’s all amazing. Making up for lost time. Whoopies on that hot take haha

Most of this album fell a little flat for me but the song House of Cards is super nice and chill and relaxing.

I'm a Kid A guy. In Rainbows as a whole doesn't really click for me. It sounds ok but I don't really hear any hooks?

Second or third most favorite Radiohead album? A damn good one in any case.

Another good album by Radiohead. Pitchfork: 9.3 Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #387 Best Songs Nude Weird Fishes/Arpeggi

Love it so much I’m sad now

Brief moments in each track where something is going on, if only they put those together into one good one. Nice background noise otherwise

Oh no, I remember hating this album. I bought this album in an attempt to get into Radiohead and it definitely didn't work. This is less a bad album and more a boring album. I really can't handle the break beat they use through every song. It really just feels like one long boring song.

Just an amazing album. Experimental while not just for the sake of it. Really trascends the genre. 5/5

Not very reliable

Easy to listen to.

I'm pretty sure In Rainbows is now the go to for "best Radiohead album" which is an interesting paradigm change from when I first looked into the band. Although, it does kind of make sense. In Rainbows is Radiohead's return to warmth after a bunch of increasingly abstract music (and the fiery, political Hail To Thhe Thief). The palette is more "rock", but some of the really abstract compositional elements from stuff like Kid A is still here, and the result is an album that has a dreamlike element to it. I think In Rainbows is also probably the most accessible Radiohead album for people who don't like Brit-pop. Anyways, In Rainbows is not my favorite Radiohead album, and I don't think it's perfect. But the strength of the writing here is undeniable, and there are a few moments of *jawdropping* beauty. My biggest issue is a matter of preference really: songs like 15 Step, Bodysnatchers (to a lesser extent), and Weird Fishes/Arpeggi are daring combinations of rock and electronic that advance the band's sound in a cool way, but this half rock, half techno pocket is also just not my favorite mode to hear Radiohead in. Aside from that, I'm not always down for House Of Cards, but it is a good song. My favorite songs here are the ones that really embrace just escalating, ascending beauty. Nude, All I Need, and Videotape are lifechanging, and absolutely perfect. And on the other side of things, the rock songs here I truly love are Reckoner and Jigsaw Falling Into Place. Reckoner has incredible, Rattling Percussion, and gorgeous vocals. And Jigsaw Falling into place puts Thom Yorke's Pynchon-esque fascination with paranoia at the front and center, selling it with a super tense structure and spidery arpeggios. At the end of the day, it's albums like this that make me wish this website had a 4.5, just like Sgt. Pepper. I don't think this is quite perfect, but it is fantastic, and really deserves more than a 4. That being said, there is an appreciable gap between this and my favorite Radiohead albums, so to illustrate that, I am going to give this a 4.

very drummy and guitary. Knew two songs prior to album listen: All I need (a previous liked song of mine) and I have also heard Weird fishes/ arpeggi but i had no clue what i was listening two. first two songs gaem the same upbeat punk rock kind of vibe and also i can tell this album was from the 2000s something abt it just seems like a flip phone. Nude very slow (kind of a standout so far) very angelic sounding. listening to werid fishes/arpeggi and i remedering liking the begining and the beat. okay just looked up and its a very cool song with a deep meaning. the idea of like falling for someone or a realtionship and just like throwing caution to the wind and following them only for it to fail and be left stranded cause u legit lost urself. and the repeating cycle of that. fav so far All i need, just jammed out i know this song very well and it comming after weird fishes makes sense given what werid fishes is abt. sorry also have to say the build, the ending with the repeating phrase, i lovveeeee a sogn that does that cause it's so human to tell urself something over and over again so that u will belive it. Faust Arp:short so much happening lyric wise just wanted to point out the outro tho cause i love metaphors and the author says "youve got melted to butter" which i guess is just like bro u are so soft wth. also faust is some mythalical creature like icarus not sure much abt him but he i think is ruined by love or smth. really enjoed violins Reckoner: yeah good idk like its a good deep album would i listen tosome of these songs aagin yes would i listen to them everyday no so in ava opion i would give it like 6.5/10. sound:8/10 lyrics:5/10 (like theyw ere deep but idk i couldnt connect that much with it) meaning: 9/10 i think this album have a very deep meanaing to it but i dont think i get it sober lol

This is one of my favorite albums already. But when i first listened to this each song feels and looks exactly like the cover. It’s such a weird and space feeling like album.

Un disco que existe para ser feliz, que hace que el mundo a tu alrededor se pause durante 43 minutos de puro disfrute. Me flipa el sonido y la producción que tiene (mención especial al From the Basement que grabaron poco después de sacar el álbum). "15 Step", "Weird Fishes", "Jigsaw Falling Into Place"... nah, tenés que cerrar el estadio.

Lindo muy chill, le falta un poco de Algo

Loved the kids dancing perfect album

Was prepared to feel underwhelmend by this but listened all the way through and loved it. Dissonance on tracks like All I Need was amazing. Maybe understand why people love Radiohead - cannot imagine how intense this would be if nostalgia was an element for me.

Incredible. Flawless beauty. No skips

Rad io H ead Idiots can't even type

It grew on me.

Love this album! One of my favorites. 4.3

okay maybe radiohead are actually good

Better than the other ones. Still had plenty of meh stuff though.

Really good of course, but I've always thought this was a bit hit and miss, but of course more hits than misses, and some of the hits are some of their best moments I think. Recording wise I think this is probably their best-produced album (I love the vocal reverb/drum production). I the electronic effects work much better than on Kid A, like the weird resampled drums in 15 step (which is one of the coolest sounds ever maybe), basically all the stuff Johnny Greenwood did probably. Not too keen on bodysnatchers or videotape, and never really have been, I think I see why people don't like Thom Yorke's vocals on those, but he's obviously a great singer, and songs like all I need and Jigsaw falling into place are maybe his pinacle. Favourite songs: all but bodysnatchers and videotape.. Overall arounr 9/10

I could listen to this album over and over, and it will always make me feel all the feels. I will never be able to unlive the memories this album reawakens every time I listen to it.

Absolute masterclass

Such a delightful listen. Has a nice sad sound

Yea

Drums interesantes, sorpresa. No me esperaba algo asi. Mezcla perfecta entre rock y synthes experimentales, drums electrónicas. Likes: 15 step - Nude - Jigsaw falling into place - Videotape

I feel like ascending into the unknown.

Hot garbage. If I gotta hear Thom Yorke whine in that crap falsetto one more time I think I'll scream. Gimme the Radiohead that sang "Creep".

Such a great album, coming up to a scary 20 year anniversary (because it feels like it was five years ago). I think everyone assumed that it couldn’t be the best Radiohead album because ok computer and kid an already existed. But the more you listen to it the closer it gets for me. A contender for my favourite album of all time.

The morning this came out, I entered £40 into the ‘pay what you want’ box to get the boxset. Many of these songs had been on live bootlegs over the previous year so expectations were high. I downloaded the mp3s, loaded them onto my iPod and got on the bus to uni. I remember that journey so clearly. It’s weird how great music does that… turns mundane days into lasting memories.

Decidedly weird

Dis is Gud... but not computer gud

Heard before challenge. For years, this was one of my favorite Radiohead albums. I've fallen slightly out of love with it recently but this is still one of their best works. "Videotape" might just be their best song.

Uh may zing

I keep my opinion about Radiohead. Too much noise for a band that isn't brilliant at all. They have taste and good ideas, but the delivery isn't great. This album has, again, songs that sound all the time the same. They also become very long, but because they are pretty repetitive. Most of the songs are repeating the same structure all the time with no changes but by incorporating new elements (just to enlarge them) like strings or whatever they want to use (in this album there is an abuse of strings, and they don't mean anything sometimes, they are just there for the sake of being there). And, honestly, it doesn't prove me anything, just that they like to be repetitive, pretty plain and... what else? It's not that they are non-commercial, it's that they don't evolve the songs in any sense, they are simply bland, just to use one word. I guess for them to not be mainstream means to be boring... For me it means to break conventions and explore, make something because you want to and not because it's what the public expects from you. And I already knew how it was going to sound before clicking play. I guess everyone has an opinion here, for sure. But, that non-commercial image is what makes them mainstream, paradoxically. And, I don't get why they are so enhanced. I'm happy for them, I guess, but this kind of music doesn't make me feel anything.

So every Radiohead album has to be listened to before you die? I do like some of their songs but how am I getting more Radiohead, The Smiths, and Morissey…..heck I’ve even had two Dexey Midnight Runners albums and not more The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, Prince????

RIP Rasmus' lille hjerne. Virkelig fedt album. 4½

Ønskede mig den her til jul i 2007 fordi jeg synes Fake Plastic Trees og Paranoid Android var vildt fede. Min lille hjerne eksploderede.

Another good RH Album. Not as many bangers as some of the others.

More Radiohead. It was fine i think and may have even liked a couple of songs. My struggle was when would I actually listen to this. What mood what I need to be in. That’s my hang up with this band.

Probably easy 5 stars today, only because, gladly, I already had time to properly listen to this one a year ago, it wouldn't have been enough time if I haven't. Also, I am a bit regretting giving Public Enemy 4 stars yesterday which shouldn't even be part of this review! Anyway, beautiful album

I very much enjoyed this album listen from Radiohead. I realized while listening to this album that I’ve listened to many of these songs prior but never as a collective. ‘15 Step’ will always have a special place in my heart because yes I was a Twilight girl in middle school/high school. Overall, I thought this was a great alt-rock/electronic album and I would listen to it again in the future!

OH MY GOODNESS there are so many good songs on here that are near and dear to my heart

one of my favorite albums from them, so many songs I love and def a little bit of a different vibe when compared their other ones rating: 8.7/10 fav track: videotape or all I need

Asa deci cel mai mult îmi place Videotape, All I Need si Jagsaw Falling Into Place. Cred ca la tot albumul ii dau un 8

Classic

Really enjoyed this

Apparently this is a hot take but this has been my favorite Radiohead album. Way less whiny than the others and has some different elements, some songs even having a White Stripes sound. Definitely liked it.

Oh dear. It’s kind of dull and miserable

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

I’ve always struggled to get into Radiohead and this listen has not changed that. Nevertheless, it’s a pretty good though gloomy album.

great, love Weird Fishes/Arpeggi + Videotape

No notes

Banger after banger, weird fishes one of the best songs of all time

le miel ne moisit jamais

rend trop triste

It's been a few years since I sat down with this one. First thing that hits is how intimate everything feels. The instrumentation creates a very layered and textured atmosphere, shifted around the space by low-end pressure and fidgety, disrupting rhythms. Yorke functions more as an instrument than the source of energy, always part of the arrangement, not sitting on top of it. A cinematic record I need to make more time in the rotation for.

Thoughts on Thom Yorke pre-listen: Thom Yorke is a pretentious, conceited music snob for assholes. After listening to In Rainbows by Radiohead: Wait, Thom Yorke is the singer for Radiohead? hahaha... lil blind spot, I guess. Anywho, the vocals kind of creep me out at times, but I really like the mood and atmosphere created on this album. Each listen brings me closer to floating in the amorphous goo.

10000/10, really one of the best albuns ever!!!

really random, some songs were ass, some good terrible start made me want to stop listening idk i dont this will be the best radiohead album i knew jigsaw falling into pieces before and it was the best one 15 step - 2/5 bodysnatcher - 2/5 nude - 1,5/5 weird fishes / arpegi - 3/5 all i need - 3,5/5 faust arp - 3/5 reckoner - 2,5/5 house of cards - 2/5 jigsaw falling into pieces - 4/5 videotape - 1,5/5 summary: 25/10=2,5, but no 2,5 so lets go for 3

dont understand why everybody loves it kinda the same all the time chill tho

Perfect. It's a shame I can't rate it 6 stars

Lully

Didn't have a high expectations, but it was very chilled. Felt like it eluded to wanting to be chill trance or island vibe but didn't take it there. Not offended but probably won't return for another listen or investigate Radiohead more.

One of the best albums of all time. Sonically and emotionally dense, and without a misstep from the first moment to the last. Really builds on everything the band had done leading up to this. Reckoner remains my favourite on the album, but so many other top picks throughout.

Seductive restraint with flashes of transcendence.

is this the best one or 2nd best?

One of the best if not the best album to come out in 2007

This album is the source of many core memories

ya lo había escuchado pero poniéndole más atención me gusta mucho su vibra la letra y en general el concepto del álbum me gustó mucho

Too many changes within a song for me.

#1, no notes, maybe a little too short

Hmm...this was another hard rating for me. I came into this knowing barely anything about Radiohead but hearing all the hype, so I'm not sure if this album was a good place to start. I did like it, I'd say it's probably a 4.5, so that means I have to decide whether to round up or down. The first thing I noticed is that I usually couldn't understand the lyrics clearly because Thom Yorke seems to blend all the syllables together, but I liked his voice for the most part. As far as musicality I thought the album was really interesting. I was intrigued right away since the meter of the first song was in 5, which is fairly unusual for popular music. I noticed some other different meters through the album too, as well as interesting chord structures. I actually listened to the full album a second time to focus a little more on lyrics since I didn't really catch much the first time. I think I'm going to go with 4 stars for now and maybe reevaluate in the future if I listen again.

5/10 - honestly I think I just don't get Radiohead, another album I found meh

7,34

Not as good as Pablo Honey, The Bends or OK Computer

Eindruck: hab ich live gesehen 🙂‍↔️(sorry) Favourite: kann ich nicht entscheiden aber grad so in dieser Zeit 15 step glaub ich Rating: 10/10

Erster Eindruck: radiohead tatsächlich Lieblingssong: „jigsaw fallen into place“!! (Lieblingszeile:) Overall Rating: 9/10 Andere Anmerkungen: „Faust Arp“ und „bodysnatchers“ waren mir noch nicht bekannt, aber haben mir auch sehrr gefallen, Gitarre toll toll

# In-Depth Review: Radiohead’s *In Rainbows* (2007) --- ## **1. LYRICS – “Clean, memorable poetry” that hides knives** Thom Yorke’s vocabulary on *In Rainbows* is conversational but cryptic, trading the overt politics of *Hail to the Thief* for something closer to bruised interior monologues. - **Death & circularity** – “15 Step” opens with *“How come I end up where I started?”*—a line that loops back on itself every time the record restarts, turning the album into a Möbius strip. - **Sex & guilt** – “Nude” weaponizes the word *dirty*: *“You’ll go to hell for what your dirty mind is thinking”* is sung in a lullaby falsetto, making the accusation feel like a caress and a curse. - **Romantic entropy** – “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi” tracks infatuation as a deep-sea descent: *“Everybody leaves if they get the chance”* is the emotional anchor that drags the narrator to the ocean floor. - **Faustian bargains** – “Faust Arp” crams *“duplicate and triplicate”* living-room elephants into two minutes, compressing mid-life suffocation into children-book imagery. - **Post-mortem love letter** – “Videotape” is either a suicide note or a dying man’s last WhatsApp voice memo: *“Today has been the most perfect day I’ve ever seen”* is delivered with a piano that keeps flat-lining on a single note, as if the tape itself is being snipped. The band insisted the words were *“universal… no political agenda, just being human”*—yet the recurring motifs are power imbalance, body-horror, and the terror of being known. --- ## **2. MUSIC – Airy, sparse, but never understated** Forget the maximalist *OK Computer* layers or the glitch mazes of *Kid A*. *In Rainbows* is **spectral funk**, **baroque soul**, and **chromatic folk** braided together. - **Time signatures as mood swings** – “15 Step” rides a 5/4 hand-clap groove that feels like stumbling down stairs you can’t see. - **Guitars that behave like synths** – Jonny Greenwood’s Ondes Martenot and Ed O’Brien’s infinite-sustain drones turn guitar parts into aurora borealis ribbons rather than riffs. - **Bass as lead singer** – Colin Greenwood’s lines on “Reckoner” and “All I Need” are melodic hooks, not root-note furniture. - **Drums that breathe** – Phil Selway plays behind the beat like a jazz trio veteran, yet his kick patterns on “Bodysnatchers” punch like arena rock. - **Orchestral hallucinations** – String arranger Jonny quotes Penderecki in “All I Need” but buries it so deep you feel it as pressure rather than melody. The result is **warmth without comfort**: every song sounds candle-lit, yet the lyrics keep blowing the flame out. --- ## **3. PRODUCTION – “IMAX analogue”** Nigel Godrich’s mix is **geometrically perfect**; frequencies are carved like 3-D printed objects. - **Micro-dynamics** – The snare on “Reckoner” is **three separate hits** (rim, skin, room) panned 30° apart; on headphones you can walk around it. - **Tactile reverb** – Vocals are sometimes sent through **plate + spring in series**, creating a halo that **feels** wet to the touch. - **Tape saturation vs. digital gloss** – Drums were tracked to 2-inch tape, then dumped into Pro Tools at 96 kHz; you get the **smeared top end** of analogue with the **infinite headroom** of digital. - **Hidden distortion** – The piano on “Videotape” is **bit-crushed at 12 kHz only**, so when you turn it up the overtones crumble like old VHS oxide. Even the **silence** is engineered: the 2-second gap before “House of Cards” is actually **20 dB of room tone** from the Oxfordshire studio, giving the illusion that the record is **breathing**. --- ## **4. THEMES – A concept album about *wanting* (and the price)** Loosely, it’s a night-out lifecycle: anticipation → intoxication → seduction → disillusion → aftermath. | **Stage** | **Song** | **Lyrical Key** | |-----------|----------|-----------------| | Doors open | 15 Step | *“You reel me out and cut the string”* | | Dance floor | Bodysnatchers | *“Your mouth moves only with someone’s hand up your arse”* | | Last call | Nude | *“You’ve gone off the rails”* | | 3 a.m. texts | Weird Fishes | *“I follow to the edge of the earth”* | | Morning guilt | All I Need | *“I am all the days that you choose to ignore”* | | Existential hangover | Videotape | *“No matter what happens now, you shouldn’t be afraid”* | The rainbow is **promise**, the **pot of gold** is **another person**, and the record keeps admitting the gold is **pyrite**. --- ## **5. INFLUENCE – Pay-what-you-want & the death of the middle-man** - **Industry tectonics** – The 10-day, name-your-price window in October 2007 **legitimized digital self-release**. Within a year, Bandcamp existed; within three, Kickstarter was funding albums. - **Sound palette** – The **dry-close bass / distant-cymbal** recipe is now the default for indie mix engineers (see: James Blake, Arlo Parks). - **Meta-narrative** – Every major band from Beyoncé to Taylor Swift has since dropped **surprise / visual albums**; Radiohead normalized **event-level ambiguity**. - **Cultural footprint** – “15 Step” backed the 2009 Grammy mash-up with the USC marching band; “Reckoner” was sampled by **Gnarls Barkley**, remixed by **Amp Live**, and ghosted in **Lil Wayne’s “I Feel Like Dying”**. --- ## **6. PROS & CONS – A 10-track ledger** | **PROS** | **CONS** | |----------|----------| | **Zero filler** – Every song is *great*; none are *skippable*. | **Short** – 42 min leaves you greedy for one more peak. | | **Production benchmark** – Still used in mastering courses. | **Mid-tempo pocket** – If you crave *Kid A* weirdness or *Pablo* punk, the mood is *uniformly* dusk. | | **Emotional maturation** – A love record that **doubts love**. | **Lyrics oblique** – Casual listeners may miss the knives. | | **Band democracy** – Each member’s voice is *audible* in the mix. | **No radio single** – “Jigsaw” closest, yet no chorus you can shout in a stadium. | | **Release innovation** – Changed how music is **sold**, not just **sounded**. | **Legacy shadow** – Always compared to *OK Computer*; rarely allowed its own sunlight. | --- ## **Verdict** *In Rainbows* is the moment Radiohead **stopped proving** and **started glowing**. It isn’t the **most experimental** thing they’ve done, but it may be the **most distilled**—a **perfectly cut prism** that turns ordinary heartbreak into **full-spectrum light**.

Not the style of music I lean towards but I can see how it would have influenced later bands.

Amazing Album, 10/10

albumsazo

i just dont get it

Another rather bland Radiohead album of Whitney forgettable nonsense. Still don’t get it.

first album of the experience which I discovered thanks to Pascal. A banger to start it of with and great to wrap up a work day

better than muse.

throwback to when i got this for free; very atmospheric; 4 stars for me. interested to listen to more Radiohead and see their progression through albums since i haven't really explored them much before

An incredible album from the moment it was bizzarely released for a price of your own choosing online. Betters OK Computer & Kid A for me due to having no duff songs and the programming drums, riffs & mood of so many of the tracks is jawdropping. Wierdly the first two songs could be the weakest, but I like it as an album that seemingly gets better as it goes on, it's the opposite of how modern albums now work, where they have to grab you quickly with short attention span streaming.

Got bored, didn't finish. There are sections of wonderful musicality that I really enjoyed, but the album as a whole lacks contrast from track to track. It's very same-y. Also, Thom Yorke's vocals have pretty much always bored me. In my book, Radiohead is one of those bands that is an amazing group of musicians all but ruined by their vocalist. Please, give me more of the band and less of... that guy. Too bad in this case Yorke is central to their process.

3/5 It was good but not mind blowing

LOVEEEE

I listened to this when it came out because of the price gimmick. I don't think I much liked it. Nowadays? It's not as bad as the last Radiohead album I got, but it's not great. The music has some moments of promise, but mostly falls flat for me. Don't like Thom Yorke's voice on most of it, a bland falsetto. Just not great.

0 should be an option

Radiohead is a whiny version of U2. Just horrible.

I love radio head. This is actually and awesome album. Lots of good songs. They are a bit more emotional but I like that.

I always thought the Radiohead were a bit dirgey and wailing. This was no exception.

I like Radiohead but didn't love this album. First alnum on this list I didn't entirely like.

Capital L Love this album. There's not a single "skip" song on it for me.

классный альбом, просто чиллишь под него

One of my favorite albums of all time. Incredible tension and release in the music. In my opinion the perfect clean guitar tone throughout.

I gave it my best shot man. These guys really not for me.

One of my absolute favourite comfort listens, have heard this one countless times before, Radiohead at thei absolute best. Thom Yorks vocals are incredible, and the song structures are amazing. This is a bit of a tricky one to rate, as I dont feel it necissarily does anything wrong, but it just never reaches perfection in my head.

i just love this. so many wonderful songs

more turgid shite from the kings of turgid shite

I never really got the hype for this one, but it's still a damn fine album with some of their best songs and a huge step forward from Hail to the Thief. Also Bangers + Mash on Disk 2 is a fuckin tune.

Perfect

soul ripping. gut-wrenching

Feels more unstructured/progressive than some of Radiohead's older albums. Pretty sedate, melancholy, dreamy, floating, experimental - not bad for working music on a melancholy/rainy day but doesn't feel like an album I would think, "hey, I really want to put this on." I actually liked how it started out with 15 step and bodysnatchers feeling a bit more upbeat with some interesting drum beat, and some of the more ethereal songs I liked but feels a bit too much like this will make me depressed listening to it. I'll give it 3/5.

15 step sets the tone for the album: dreamy, soothing, intimate and punchy. I need to sit on a beach at sunset and ponder my life as I listen to this.

Would actually give it a 4.5

AMAZING LOVELY BEUATIFUL SPECTACULAR

Bodysnatchers 🤩

Good

525/1001

10/10

10/10

This album really faded together as one song Nude caught my attention immediately though something about it was so stunning and incredible might have to give another couple tries to some of the other songs Radiohead has so much hype and some of there stuff is great some not so much but regardless a 3 feels right

Probably my favorite Radiohead

Strong album— not as good as Kid A— but still a good sound.

The album starts well—and by “starts,” I really mean the first track. After that, it feels like Arcade Fire: too much noise, though with a bit more intention. Still, I can’t go beyond a 2-star rating.

Unpopular opinion. I’m not much of a Radiohead fan. This album actually had a couple of good tracks to start with and then it was the same, dreary music as I expect from Radiohead.

Classy

Lovely

One of Radiohead's best albums, although I cannot remember what I paid at the time.

S’alright i s’pose. Not a lot of Rainbow colour

The level of creativity and innovation on this album is just unbelievable. But the songs never lose their humanity, in part due to the vulnerable vovsls and lyrics. There's a reason nobody else sounds like Radiohead - they're generational talents right up there with the Stones and the Beatles.

PEAK

Easiest 5/5 so far. One of the best albums of all time.

I listened to their album "OK Computer" a while back and I didn't enjoy it that much to be honest, however this was a completely different experience. Fantastic album, that I had never listened to before, right up my alley. So many hauntingly beautiful songs on here. My favorites for now being "Nude" and "Videotape". I had heard of the album before but how I have not listened to this before is beyond me. Great album.

Fav: Jigsaw fallig into pieces New: Nude

Fun, colorful, mostly upbeat vibey music.

a classic. made me feel cultured when recommended.

My favorite Radiohead is still the bends

Radiohead just always does it for me. Truly great album - what more can I say

Overall, an enjoyable album. My favorite songs from the album were Faust Arp and Reckoner. I appreciated the more subdued songs in the second half of the album more—melancholic and introspective with a great deal of sadness yet a maintained wonder.

Nostalgic album

A bit boring, not up to RH's best

did you know that there's a female only Radiohead cover band called Labiahead - they only cover good Radiohead songs so zero from this fucking album Hail to the Queef!

è stato bello che per una volta sia uscito un album di cui ho ascoltato alcuni pezzi dal vivo. tralasciando questo, in rainbows e the beds sono i miei preferiti.

Secondo me è un album che va sentito tante volte per essere apprezzato, non è the bend o ok computer ma fa paura lo stesso

Bangs so good

For a band I've never really liked this was a pleasant surprise. Might have to go back and reassess some of their other work now. Might find my new favourite band?

pretty fire!

It’s fine. Just like background music, it’s easy listening at least

Favvvv

Liked some… but kinda boring

Basically the most accessible and well beloved Radiohead album ever.

Radiohead's last truly great album, and depending on my mood, might edge out OK Computer or Kid A as my favourite. Nude->Weird Fishes->All I Need alone might be one of the best stretches they've ever done. There's arguably nothing innovative here, but there's not a bad song on here (and that goes for the bonus tracks on Disc 2 as well.) It's meticulously mixed and produced, sounding warm and dynamic and organic, the flourishes perfectly balanced. The songs themselves are diverse but strangely cohesive, with some of Thom's most beautiful vocals and less alienating, more-relatable lyrics. There's something oddly comforting about this one. A very easy 5/5.