Head of Radio

"I wish I was special/But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo/ What the hell am I doing here?/ I don't belong here." Thom Yorke's desperate confession became an anthem - and an airwave infection - for a generation. And, almost 15 years and eight full-length releases later, Radiohead has defied an industry that labeled "Creep" a one-hit wonder, becoming one of the most innovative and respected recording artists of the last 20 years.

Fans of the Oxford quintet feared that the band's future would be blotted out in 2006 when Yorke released the instantly critically-acclaimed and more slowly aficionado-adopted solo endeavor The Eraser. In true Kid A form, The Eraser is unhinged from rock'n'roll with its predominately electronic sound and hard-to-decipher themes and melody. Lovers of the marriage of hard-hitting chordswith the emotionally charged electronicism of The Bends and OK Computer mournfully viewed Yorke as a deadbeat dad abandoning the most immaculate British union since Floyd in order to chase dreams reminiscent of a 1960s-psychedelic mid-life crisis. But, as he promised, the unpredictable genius returned with renewed brilliance on the October 2007 release In Rainbows.

And if you are not devoted Radiohead follower, you may walk your fingers over to Amazon.com or the iTunes store to check out the record, and, upon not finding it, curse the shoddy reporting of Campus columnists. And no, you won't find the album on sale for $13.99 at Best Buy, and you won't be able to steal it from WRMC after your next show. In a move as politically charged as 2003's Hail to the Thief, the release is only currently available for download at www.inrainbows.com. And what's even more extraordinary — you name your own price. From three cents to 35 bucks to a fat goose egg, the band's decision to go digital seems an odd mixture of psychological-experiment, consumer confusion and economic earthquake in an attempt to eliminate the middle-man. Still, as is their custom, the reengaged rockers have started a trend — Nine Inch Nails and Saul Williams will also release download-only records later this month.

And, while it would be easy to remember In Rainbows as the work that could lead to the downfall of the major-label recording industry, it's such a testament to Yorke's artistic integrity and masterful modification that his 10th masterpiece does not even need this added publicity — it's a monument in and of itself.

The record opens with the surprisingly poppy and heavily synthetic "15 Steps," and the quick chords of "Jigsaw Falling into Place" could even border on danceable. In typical Radiohead fashion, however, In Rainbows mingles in melancholic melodies and sprawling nostalgic landscapes engendered by the quintessential mechanical mood of their tracks. And, just as every note carries a particular significance, the name of the album is not without meaning. Yorke is undoubtedly familiar with the unpleasant moods associated with the colors red, blue and green (all shades found in an rainbow), and "All I Need," "Faust Arp" and "Nude" weave an inexplicable yet oddly comforting reflective reverie over the listener. The album in its entirety plays as a steady, driving force. And, while no track may be epic, all of the cuts are carefully constructed, lending to a release that is one of their most solid yet. And a good thing, too — it is going to have to be sturdy to standup to the controversy their distribution tactics have elicited.

With the release of In Rainbows well over a decade later, it seems that Yorke's heartwrenching plea has been answered. He's not just special, he's revolutionary.

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