Thursday, July 13, 2006

The Eraser - Thom Yorke - Album Review

Thom Yorke's not trying to please anyone.

"You have tried your best to please everyone. But it just isn't happening," he sings on "Black Swan," his first solo album's fourth track. Of course, by that point, it's already clear that he's responded by running in the other direction, making a claustrophobic and difficult electronica-laced album that makes most of Radiohead's work seem warm and friendly by comparison. It's not a bad album, but it's not a great album, either. Think Amnesiac, not OK Computer.

Perhaps Thom doesn't care. Like Miles Davis in the late 60s, he's already proven he can put together intelligent music for the masses, popular music that pushes the boundaries of popular music, music that will stand the test of time. Now he seems more interested in pushing his own boundaries, experimenting with new textures and sounds, getting away from traditional song structures and conventions. If people like it, fine, but he's not going to chase after them by writing songs so obviously excellent that they can't help but listen.

No, these songs are much more demanding than that. They take some getting used to, but there are some worthwhile moments here. The title track's oddly hypnotic, and great by the third listen. "Black Swan" features a compelling subdued guitar floating beneath the mix. And he has some great vocal moments on "And It Rained All Night" and "Harrowdown Hill." If you're like me, you'll probably say "Huh," listen to the album a few times to make sure you didn't miss anything, and move on to other things. You'll be glad Radiohead's trotting out some great new material on their current tour, and you'll be eager to hear that stuff on an album, and you'll wish Thom alone was a little less demanding and a little more accessible.

And you'll realize he probably doesn't care.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FPYNR6/ref=pd_rvi_gw_1/104-2691348-6043164?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=5174