The Eraser

"Does Thom Yorke need Radiohead?"

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"Could this album have been made with Radiohead?"

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"Would it sound better if it was?"

.......

"Does this sound like Radiohead?"

Finally, a relevant question. The singer's voice sounds a little familiar. The lyrics have a similar quality as well. Actually, much in the manner I've come to expect, the music is both dissonant and harmonic at once; a challenging yet easy listen.

Radiohead and Thom Yorke have always been about juxtapositions; the tension created by Thom's voice as he gently showers us with cynicism and feelings of alienation; the fear of technology apparent in the lyrics as they're complimented by techno-savvy production and sound.

Now, at the height of Radiohead's power, its primary creative force has chosen to stand alone (though he's sure to explain that this solo effort is not a solo effort), to strip down the size and scope of his sound, and to become (relatively) powerless. Yorke has made himself vulnerable. And to be honest, I can't tell if it's a move made out of arrogance or modesty. Either way, it's effective and affective.

Each track on The Eraser is formatted similarly, an observation that bothered me when first made. Upon further review, however, having been rendered incapable of justifying this malcontent, I've discarded the notion and haven't found reason to revisit it. I can't fault an album for having a theme, structurally or otherwise. To be sure, it's imossible to mistake any track on The Eraser for another. Dissonant, elegant, catchy (after a few listens) music ultimately gives way to seemingly unrelated electronic jams that come out of left field, only magically without seeming out of place. Every song has its own hook, whether it's Yorke's slick voice in Atoms for Peace or the bomb of a bass line in And it Rained All Night.

Yorke hasn't done anything new sonically with this, his first solo effort. Radiohead is versed in using computers to make music. He has, however, reminded us of his presence by giving it a clearer definition, which allows for its appreciation, and also for what the additional members of Radiohead bring to the table when they pull up their chairs.



16/20