CD Review: Radiohead's 'In Rainbows'

So I strolled over to the local Best Buy yesterday to use some of the holiday gift certificate and I picked up a couple cds. The first of which was Beck's 'Sea Change', which, if you read this dribble you'd know I think it's greatness (just don't listen to it if you take lithium or have depression issues, it will make you bottom of the barrel crazy). I didn't have the whole copy and I thought what the hell, it was Rolling Stone's #1 CD for 2002.

Which brings me to Radiohead's 'In Rainbows', released at the end of '07 in an internet downloadable format (you name your own price). While I am still skeptical of the business model they came up with, I wanted a listen so I picked the actual cd copy up. I'm sure you could do without ANOTHER review, but here goes anyway.

First impression that came to mind: definitely Radiohead. You couldn't confuse their sound with anyone else, which is partly their bag, they're immistakeable. Tracks such as 'Weird Fishes/Arpeggi' and 'Jigsaw Falling Into Place' are tracks I certainly could envision as hits. Track 7, aptly named 'Reckoner', takes me back to Moby's 'Play' album, swingin' as hell.

The rest of the album is rather 'soulful' if I had to choose an adjective to describe it. Not bad, but not as aggressive as the Radiohead of old. 'In Rainbows' has already been listed as one of the best albums of '07. I'm not sure of that, but then again, I didn't listen to much of the '07 class. Check it out for yourself, it definitely isn't a waste of money.

Radiohead - 'In Rainbows' ***1/2

(trick question: Who produced both 'In Rainbows' and 'Sea Change'?)