Buy this CD from:
Insound

Rating:

Thom Yorke sure has come a long way. In the beginning, and what seems like eons ago, he sang about doing himself in (Prove Yourself) and homicidal automobiles (Killer Cars). Later, on Radiohead’s magnum opus OK Computer, he fervently decided that globalization was the leading cause of his growing claustrophobia, and Kid A became his apocalyptic escape. It would seem more than reasonable to say that throughout his discography, Yorke’s back is ripe with the weight of the world. Yet, for some reason, Hail To the Thief marked a slight, but significantly radical change for the crooner. He began fighting back. Big Brother has always been on the offensive, but now, our Winston Smith is retaliating without the support of his Radiohead band members.

“The more you try to erase me/ the more, the more/ the more that I appear”, sings Yorke on the title track. Could it be that our hero has come to terms with his influence? That he wants to change the world, or more importantly, can? He answers, “The more I try to erase you/ the more, the more/ the more that you appear”. Well, perhaps we should just be happy he’s taking one step at a time.

Long-time Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich gives Yorke’s words a gloomy if up-tempo vigor, but the glitchno (yes, that’s glitchy techno) beats and keyboards are better in some places than others. “The Eraser” almost seems soulful in its straightforward approach, while “Black Swan” is pitch-dark pop perfection, and the fractured bass of “Harrowdown Hill” accents the story of U.N. inspector David Kelly’s suspicious death with the proper paranoia.

The ultimate knock on The Eraser seems to be the never-ending, cyclical approach to every song. “Skip Divided”, “Atoms For Peace”, and “Cymbal Rush” are all guilty of this. These tracks seem to rattle and hum for minutes past their prime. They also take far too long to develop, but once Godrich’s good graces make their presence, you’re bound to enjoy them.

In the end, Yorke’s voice has never sounded better, and while you may miss Johnny Greenwood’s guitar, or Phil Selway’s drumming, there’s no denying the creative forces behind this moody effort.

Reviewed by: Rare Vos

Comments? Discuss this review in the forum