How Much Was I Willing To Spend?...

$11.99 plus tax. Yes, I spent that much on the new Radiohead album that has been "available" since, what, October or November on their web site where I could have paid as much as I would've wanted...like a penny. But no, I waited until New Year's Day 2008 and gave 5 $5 bills to the nice cashier at the local Barnes & Noble and she handed me my change and my new "In Rainbows" CD. I almost didn't do it for fear that I was going to be the only dumbass on Earth to purchase the disc at full price. I had creep fantasies of my broad mug winding up on the cover of some smarmy British entertainment rag with the headline "Meet The Stupidest Yank In The World: What made this man spend over $12 on a CD most people paid less than $2 for?"

You know what, though? Who cares! First of all, mp3s are ruining the whole record buying experience, not to mention the fact that they sound like crap to a near-audiophile such as myself. I have to have that physical disc and I need all that artwork. And frankly, it was worth the wait and (maybe) the price tag. "In Rainbows" is easily Radiohead's best work since "Kid A." It's also the best pure songwriting they have done since "OK Computer," which was already GASP! over 10 years ago! "In Rainbows" is Radiohead at their least pretentious and most emotional. In some ways, it is the album that the "back-to-basics" album "Hail To The Thief" was supposed to be. The fact that that album was a bit of a step-backward may explain why it took the guys over 4 years to follow it up and find their footing again. Any worries about Radiohead being able to be a band rather than an art project are now washed away. They certainly aren't the "best band in the world" that Spin and other rags claims them to be every few months or so, but at least we now know they're trying again. Don't get me wrong, they are a great band (not mention one of the greatest live acts I've ever seen) and I am a fan, but I've always thought they were slightly overrated. "In Rainbows" is a beautiful, no bull shit record and it's about damn time.

"15 Step" sort of starts where Radiohead last left off. It's a fine song but might sort of get you thinking, "Oh great, more weird, paranoid techno-rock from Thommy Boy!" "Bodysnatchers" brings to mind the Radiohead many of us have missed these past seven years or so. Songs like "Weird Fish/Apreggi" and "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" rock you gently and can put a smile on your face as you realize now that the boys have officially returned to fine form. In the end, it may be worth it to pay a few extra bucks for the CD. Plus you get some cool stickers and shit.