Radiohead - In Rainbows

Dammit, I didn't realize they were going to play at 45RPM.

Once again my fucked up turntable (plays 33s fine, but plays 45s at about 38-39RPM) lets me down.

Presently understanding why "Down Is The New Up" didn't make the Disc 1 cut (didn't like it live, don't like it recorded either - the title & lyrics of spiritually kindred "2+2=5" strike me as a touch clevererer).

I really like Down Is The New Up - the best bit is the enormous empty half-moan-half-roar that emerges from god knows where to offset Thom's fake Prince yelp.

Love the lyrics to "Down is the New Up", and I'm pleased with the studio version even if I think the Thom solo performance from that Nigel Godrich show is my favorite.

Not to bolster my argument with an artist's own decisions, but: they did relegate it to the second disc for a reason. Musically it's a fine b-side; interesting, "pleasing" - to paraphrase.

It's the obviousness of its title/chorus that irks me (which is unusual for Radiohead's otherwise consistent meeting/exceeding of my lyrical/creative expectations). So it's not all of the lyrics, it's just the title/chorus that makes me cringe (a little).

At least for "Down is the New Up" and "4 Minute Warning", it seems to me that they were left off the album primarily for thematic reasons--they don't suit the more personal nature of proper album.

Assuming this transcription of the lyrics is accurate (my discbox and I are suffering a bit of separation anxiety at the mo'), "Down..." would fit thematically (i.e., sufficient amount of the personal "you" and "I", no?):

Get yourself together
Let the light pour in
Pour yourself a hot bath, pour yourself a drink
Nothing's gonna happen without a warning
Down is the new up
What is up, buttercup
Down is the new up, is the new up

Your services are not required
Your future's bleak, you're so last week

Ladies and gentlemen, without a safety net
I shall now perform a 180 flip-flop
I shall now amputate, I shall now contort
Because down is the new up
What if I just flip-flopped?
Down is the new up
Down is the new up
Down is the new up, is the new up

You're on Candid Camera
The chink in your armor
Topsy turvy town, topsy turvy town
Shake your pockets out
Pass it on, pass it down
Topsy turvy town, topsy turvy town

45 12 inches sound really awesome though

dblcheeksneek: I don't know, the lyrics still seem politically-oriented, or they at least seem to address the outside world rather than his own self or a personal relationship like so many of the songs on In Rainbows. I think it's the "flip-flop" references that make me feel this way--they immediately call to mind the 2004 election.

Some of the lyrics of "Down..." immediately call to mind the 2004 election. You're making my point: it's one thing to be direct and lyrically clever ("2+2=5"") vs. direct and patently obvious ("Down..."); the latter I (and, in my opinion, Radiohead) can do without.

To your point, I can see where not all of the first-person lyrics of "Down..." fit with Disc 1's mostly relational theme, but, for now, I'm sticking by relegated-for-quality-rather-than-thematic rationale.

In other news, the break at 2:06 of "Bodysnatchers" is brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.

Fair enough, though I don't think that being direct and patently obvious is necessarily an issue. And the lyrics to "2+2=5" don't strike me as particularly clever either.

As one of many masters of the obvious here at ILM, I'd like to point out that differing points of view can co-exist and be equally right: I don't think that being direct and patently obvious is necessarily an issue.

No. It's not. For you. But as you may glean from my posts above: it is, for me. I'm not atop a soapbox here. Not proselytizing.

You : "2+2=5" :: Me : "Down Is The New Up"

I get it. And I'm OK with it.

Yup, it's all good.

Anyone else having a bitch of a time getting the vinyl in and out of the discbox?

yep. not a big fan of those little round cardboard things the center holes of the CDs are supposed to fit around either

Yes on both accounts. The foam buttons the cds click onto are a pain in the ass.

I received mine in the mail today. It fits in my record shelves - without the outer sleeve. So now the sleeve is laying on top of some old jeans in my closet.

agh i'm still waiting for this. i'm a bit upset, i kind of assumed the vinyl would be the bonus disk too.

Well, at least you can't say Radiohead/w.a.s.t.e. misled you,

DISCBOX

THIS CONSISTS OF THE NEW ALBUM, IN RAINBOWS, ON CD
AND ON 2 X 12 INCH HEAVYWEIGHT VINYL RECORDS.

A SECOND, ENHANCED CD CONTAINS MORE NEW SONGS, ALONG WITH DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHS AND ARTWORK.

THE DISCBOX ALSO INCLUDES ARTWORK AND LYRIC BOOKLETS.
ALL ARE ENCASED IN A HARDBACK BOOK AND SLIPCASE.

Huge praise from Alex Ross in Salon today:
http://www.salon.com/books/awards/2007/12/13/book_week_picks/

But my record of the year came from outside the classical field. Radiohead are filed under rock, but to me they are collectively one of the most interesting composers in contemporary music. The secret weapon on "In Rainbows" is Phil Selway, drumming intricate, tricky, spiky patterns under the surface of what seems to be a lush, almost romantic album. Was there some story about the price? I forget: "Videotape" puts me in another world.

nice review:

http://soundsect.com/review/154.html

Pitchfork reviews disc 2:
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/47597-in-rainbows-cd-2

Where's my discbox? Come on w.a.s.t.e. - by boat, really? Knowing that the retail version would be nearly out before I finally received my discbox might've factored into my decision to buy this thing.

I've ordered shoes off the net since i had the email saying my Discbox had left, which have arrived, and still no sign of my Discbox.

Kind of annoyed about the fact that tickets to their concerts aren't being sent out now too. In the confirmation email it says they won't be sent out till 2 weeks before the concert. I completly missed this, if it was stated on the page where you order them. Why not send them out now? I won't even be at this address two weeks before the concert. Waste of time for everyone involved.

Why not send them out now?

In a word? Scalping.

Oh, right, so they're just delaying the scalping? Great.

You got a better solution? (I'm not being snarky, actually.)

Sending them out late isn't a solution.

Just an inconvenience.

An inconvenient non-solution? Echoing Mr. Ned: what do you suggest?

Secondly, exactly how is it inconvenient for you? I'm thinking an intended x-mas present or a European holiday leading up to one of the shows, but I'm not sure how else.

I live in New Zealand, where I have the tickets being sent to a sold out Amsterdam concert.
From April I'll be traveling Europe and will be at no fixed address. I've paid for tickets which are going to be a mission to get a hold of! Where's the justice? I lose out because there's a possibility that people may be scalping tickets but I've already got tickets to a show that has had it's WASTE allocation sold out!

There is no real solution to scalping. That's all I'm saying. You do the best you can, like limiting tickets to 4. Punishing those who may be traveling far and wide to go to the concert is absurd.

I guess my proposal would be to send out tickets to people who aren't from the UK earlier so they can ensure they get to go.

If people don't get off their chuff and buy a ticket and then get done over by scalpers, whose fault's that?

Scalpers would be semi-retarded to scalp these shows seeing as how many there are, the cost, the pain it is to log-on etc, etc.

haha - I'm not finished. Judging by the time it's taking for the delivery of my discbox, sending them out that close to the concerts is going to cause lots of dramas with signiture requiring on delivery etc...You have been warned.

I thought you might (be traveling and hence inconvenienced).

Assuming you haven't already, try contacting w.a.s.t.e. directly and 'splain your situation; you're likely not the only one in this situation. They might tell you that they were trying to protect the local populace from being overrun by out-of-towners, or that their hands are tied, or... they might accommodate a respectfully worded request for some special treatment.

(I make the suggestion b/c I've dealt with returns/exchanges with w.a.s.t.e. in the past and they've been helpful.)

Presumably you (coming from NZ person) could arrange with WASTE to pick up the tickets when you get there?
There would have been less hassle with the Discbox deliveries if it had been clear from the outset that it would be a courier and not royal mail, and that the thing would be so huge that it would require someone to be in to receive it.
just a thought

Pandaloo, where you at? I (in the States) didn't have to sign for mine; it was left at the door. Even more interestingly: the return address was stateside (some place in N.Y.); I bet they shipped a boatload/bulk at once and then sent them out individually, at least over here.

ah right i am UK.
maybe they sent them to a central depot in the USA and then sent them out from there. different firms delivering them in different countries i suppose

OK, audio question: has anyone else notice that between 2:20 and 2:30 of Weird Fishes/Arpeggi there's a muffling/fading in and out in the levels? I thought it was just an error in the original 160kbps/MP3s and/or intial mastering, but I'm hearing it again in the 320/LAME MP3s I ripped from the actual album...anyone else? (Definitely more detectable with the headphones on.)

Although the lyrics remain cringe-worthy, the music of Down Is The New Up roxx. Lemme know if you stumble upon the instrumental...

okay, listening to this at 33 rpm is awesome.

very surprised that alex ross liked this album. i am a sucker for good drumming too but no drummer in the world can save these shitty ballads (even reckoner which may be the best song is totally annihilated after one and a half minutes by the string section).

link?

from upthread (weird, google desktop thinks this salon page is malware):
But my record of the year came from outside the classical field. Radiohead are filed under rock, but to me they are collectively one of the most interesting composers in contemporary music. The secret weapon on "In Rainbows" is Phil Selway, drumming intricate, tricky, spiky patterns under the surface of what seems to be a lush, almost romantic album. Was there some story about the price? I forget: "Videotape" puts me in another world.

Pablo Honey - 5
The Bends - 8
OK Computer - 7
Kid A - 10
Amnesiac - 6
Hail To The Thief - 9
In Rainbows - 8

:)

So you CLAIM oh wait.

okay, listening to this at 33 rpm is awesome.

Stoner.

anyone watching the concert?

yep. fuggin' fireworks get in the way a bit though

it went from being great video to pixellated hell. :(