1) 15 Step: Opening against the background of a stomping, shifting backbeat, lead singer Thom Yorke intones the questions: "How come I end up where I started? How come I end up where I went wrong?" Splashes of guitar help the song lift into full-blown takeoff, with all kinds of crazy sounds---howls, reverb, children clapping---jump out of the background. A bona-fide rocker.
2) Bodysnatchers: This tune was debuted as fast and guitar-heavy during Radiohead's brief European tour last year. The guitars remain, though the tempo's been turned down a bit. Jonny Greenwood and Ed O'Brien trade riffs while Yorke wails lyrics about paranoia in "the 21st century! The 21st century!." A solid 1-2 punch to open.
3) Nude: A song that's already more than ten years old, "Nude" used to be called "Big Ideas." After struggling fruitlessly for a long time on the proper incarnation for the melody, the band has settled on a slow, ruminating chord progression full of strings. Some Radiohead diehards may be upset with this "final" version, but I think it does the original tune some final justice.
4) Arpeggi: A beautiful song with (relatively) depressing lyrics about "weird fishes" and the "bottom of the sea", this is probably the most efficient reworking of any tune on the album. Gone are the dramatic piano chords, replaced instead with choppy acoustic guitar splashes. The song builds to a harmonic crescendo about four minutes in; it literally sounds like it's being played under water somewhere at the very depths of the ocean.
5) All I Need: One of my personal favorites of Radiohead's recent concert setlists, the music and lyrics strike a perfect balance. It's a slow, romantic burner with lyrics about being "In the middle of your picture, lying in the leaves/You're all I need." Yorke's voice sounds tremendous here, carrying the song towards the end, where it breaks back down over fractured piano chords. A fresher version of Radiohead's younger balladry days.
6) Faust ARP: At a little over two minutes, it's easily the shortest song on the album. Early reviews have likened it to McCartney's "Blackbird", and it's not a bad comparison. I have little idea as to what the title means. Something about a German author? Hmmm...
7) Reckoner: This will probably upset Radiohead diehards the most. Played live last year, the song was straight ahead Radiohead rock at its OK Computer-like best. Now it's another slow builder, bathed in symphonic swirls. It's a pretty tune at its core, but yet another sign that the Oxford quintet have elected to go in the slower is better direction on Rainbows. Still a very good song though.
8) House of Cards: The easiest-to-digest track on the whole album. Its laid-back guitar fuels the almost reggae melody. Yorke's opening lines: "I don't want to be your friend/I just want to be your lover." They're as direct and love-themed as any he's written since The Bends. At five and a half minutes, it's also the longest song on the album. Doesn't feel like it though. An absolute gem.
9) Jigsaw Falling Into Place: Played live under the working title of "Open Pick." Another song that's been boiled down to its slow-paced core. It possesses a groovy rhythm track keyed by bassist Colin Greenwood and drummer Phil Selway. Another tune that's sure to confuse those looking for the fast-paced rock and roll of recent Radiohead shows.
10) Videotape: Continuing in the tradition of Radiohead LP closers like "Street Spirit", "Motion Picture Soundtrack", "Life in a Glass House" and "Wolf From the Door", this is a heavy ballad riding on the emotions of an album full of them. Yorke sings about his personal Judgement Day, where everything he's done is diplayed in videotape, a la the now-classic film comedy Defending Your Life. It's an interesting idea, and it hits hard with happiness and remorse intertwined. "This is the most perfect day I've ever known," sings Yorke. If he's speaking about In Rainbows and its place in the Radiohead album canon, it certainly comes awful close.
Josh's Grade for In Rainbows: A-
-JAB
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