Radiohead Release Upcomming Album for Free

http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1666973,00.html

I don't know how many Radiohead fans exist in this community, but it's been a long, long, long, long 5 year wait, and finally, my favorite band of all time will be releasing their 7th album THIS WEEK for an optional cost via the internet... No record labels, no bullshit. You choose whether or not you wish to pay, as well as the fee you wish to pay.

And, yes, 99% of my inspiration behind posting this information here is rooted in my reaction to Geoff's thread on music piracy.

Responding to the point from the other thread, can upcoming musicians make a career out of their craft? Radiohead is already big enough, but what about others?

I heard about this on Monday I think, and totally forgot to post about it. I can't fucking wait, personally.

So you can pay nothing, or as much as you want? Radiohead is so damn awesome.

What are you going to do, el el see?

Yeah, I'm going "purchase" this album. The question is, how much to pay? With a band I respect and love as much as Radiohead I can't just take advantage of the situation and download it for free! I want to support them in some way, so how much do I pay? That's the hard part to figure out.

EDIT: And for that reason, they are genius (If not for other reasons already)

Well, they do say that most bands make their money from touring; But releasing an album via the internet doesn't have to mean releasing it for free. It'd be just as triumphant to release an album onto the internet without a record label, and cutting out the inflated retail price that would be placed by the label, selling it for the mere five or six or whatever dollars that the band would have been receiving per album sold through a record label. I'd even feel more comfortable spending the standard eighteen dollars on an album if I knew it were all going to the artistic force, not the marketing/business team.

The only problem is, where does this leave the album sleeve, the album artwork, etc.? I believe it was Capo who pointed out that an album's cover art plays a key role in distinguishing an album, and I agree with that very much. (Coincidentally, the album artwork being used in the diskbox is not-so-good... I'm curious if they'll be changing the artwork for the individually released record in 2008, because I'm not sure if Stanley Donwood, long time collaborator, did the work for the diskbox, and it's fact that he's been working very closely with the band on new artwork.)



Being unemployed, I will be downloading the album for free on Wednesday (actually, more like Tuesday around 9 in EST), but I will be purchasing the diskbox for the whopping $82 come December 3rd. Radiohead is one of few bands who I will and have gone out of my way to purchase physical copies of their material, including vinyls, EP's, singles, and other hard to find goodies.

Oh, and if anyone was wonder, the album is in good hands, because Dave Matthews' new record label has picked it up for distribution, and will be behind the December 3rd diskbox as well as the individual release of the album, which should come early 2008.

EDIT: I also have to say that I fucking love the fact that afer spending two years recording this album and creating such a buzz among fans, they just casually announce that they're going to be releasing it a week before the actual release, without doing any PR. Thom Yorke is a badass.

Yeah, I'll probably pay at least something, because I don't think I'll be able to get the discbox. I might, but who knows.



Word.

This is a great idea. Publicity for doing it, people that didn't know Radiohead might check them out and like them and buy more of their stuff, and they will probably get more money that they normally would from getting all of then money rather than royalties even if a lot of people don't pay.

Longneck continues to impress me with good taste.

This album will be released in less than 24 hours (remember, that's October 10 in UK time) and I'm fucking excited.

I have a feeling this will be one of their best albums, amongst Kid A, Amnesiac, and OK Computer.

You wouldn't put The Bends up there with their tops albums?

I have huge difficulty ranking their albums... While I love The Bends, it doesn't compare to their edgier, more experimental stuff. So, I'd rank it behind the aforementioned three (any one of which could be my favorite album depending on the day/my mood), but above Hail to the Thief. Pablo Honey, while not a bad album, is clearly their weakest release.

My rankings do fluctuate though, and quite frequently. Their albums are just all so good.

About half an hour to go...

I'll be surprised to see what this does to the site's bandwith, but I'm celebrating regardless.

Can someone please inform me why I filled ut the info/registered and it says it will be billed on my credit card, even though I gave no credit card information and the cost is 0.00 pounds?

Don't even worry about it, they don't ask for your credit card number unless you choose to actually spend money on this.

Anyway, I was surprised how quickly the album downloaded. I had expected their server to completely overflow... But the album downloaded much faster than it would have off of a site like megaupload or yousendit.

Yeah, it downloaded quick for me too. I haven't listened to it yet, but I just burned it and I'm gonna listen to it on the way to work. What's everyone think so far?

It makes me feel safe.

And that's probably the best compliment I could give it.

It's great. Excellent. Amazing. Fantastic.

It's unlike anything they've ever done, while at the same time very familiar and reminiscent of everything they've ever done.

The biggest surprise, to me, was how "Reckoner" came out. They really updated it... I remember when they started playing that song live years back before abandoning it, and back then it was easily one of their hardest songs. Now it's so mellow and relaxed. "Nude" went under quite the transformation, several times over, since being introduced in 1997 (ten years without being recorded properly... damn).

But the album is great. My rankings are going like this right now:

1.) Kid A (2000)
2.) OK Computer (1997)
3.) Amnesiac (2001)
4.) In Rainbows (2007)
5.) The Bends (1995)
6.) Hail to the Thief (2003)
7.) Pablo Honey (1993)

my rankings are fragile, but for now:
amnesiac | in rainbows | kid a | hail to the thief | ok computer | the bends | pablo honey

Im still ashamed at myself at only hearing 1 of there songs EVER think the song is called Street Spirit.

I ganna crawl back under my rock now..

"Street Spirit (Fade Out)"

Very good song. Probably one of the most important songs off of The Bends. I think it really helped shape their modern sound.

Well, I would look into them, their sound changes substantially from album to album... The most drastic change-over being from 1997's OK Computer to 2000's Kid A.

Street Spirit (Fade Out) is my favorite song of that album.

I'm going to download this new album tonight so I can listen to it while I'm working tomorrow. I heard a few of the songs on the radio today and they sounded good.

I love it.

The entire album is great. "15 Step," "Nude," "All I Need," "Jigsaw Falling into Place," and "Videotape" are amongst my favorites.

The whole album is great. Now I can't wait to hear all the b-sides in December...

Easily my pick for album of the year, just ahead of Explosions in the Sky's All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone. Not to mention Sigur Rós will be releasing a double-album comprised of previously unreleased and acoustic songs next month. I'm sure that'll rank high.

This album has brought me to realize something; Radiohead are doing to the music of my generation what the Beatles did to the music of that generation. Only, unlike the Beatles, not many people seem to be acknowledging it.

Maybe because Radiohead is somewhat of an acquired taste, but anyone who heard the Beatles instantly liked them and their upbeat songs.

Yes, but I don't consider my generation to be particularly upbeat.

In fact, every person I've met who is my age and worth a damn has been downright miserable. And if not that, then at least a tad off center in means of social skills.

But the majority of those people of this young generation probably listen to mainstream depressing music. It is stuff that is catchy the first time you hear it, but it's still depressing lyrics and all that. Radiohead takes a few listens for the common listener, and most people aren't patient enough to do that.

Yeah, I know that. Well, I guess that was my point all along.

I should've clarified that the majority of them are dark, but not intelligent.

Heh yeah. My generation rose and fell with Nirvana and the grunge band era. They made it cool to be depressed and dress like a homeless person. It was also the time when Radiohead got started and they, of course, were just as overlooked then as now. Although they have a huge following, really a lot of people don't know anything about Radiohead. It's too bad.

I think I heard something about Trent Reznor following Radiohead in leaving his label and releasing an album online. Have you heard this? I wonder if Radiohead has started something here for major bands to learn from.

This will be first experience with Radiohead. Might as well, right?

DA, go for it, but make sure you know that it'll take a bit of effort to get into. You may have to listen to the album a few times to take to it. You might even have to try to listen through it a few times, give up, and then return to the album months later to discover the band's genius.

Ideally, I always recommend people listen to OK Computer first, since it's less obscure, then I have them get into the later stuff. But, either way, I think you'll enjoy them in good time. They really are an amazing band.

I listened to it a few times over the last few hours and there's just something about it that's really vulnerable and at the same time comforting. That's just from background listenings. For now my favorite track is "Nude", as a whole, I like it so far.

Good to hear you're digging it.

When you get a chance, check out Kid A. It may be their hardest to listen to at first, but it may also be the best album of the last 15 or 20 years.

If anyone on the BB would enjoy Radiohead who hasn't heard it before, I'm not shocked that it is you DA. LLC gave good advice as far as listening to it several times, even if it means taking a break from it and listening to it months later.

I've listened to this album twice before this evening, but it was while driving around with kids in the car driving me nuts, and it was very difficult to concentrate on it. Finally tonight I was sitting in the backyard barbecuing with a couple of beers, enjoying the peace and quiet, watching the birds and squirrels (I know I'm sounding hippyish) and I had In Rainbows playing. It was absolutely hypnotizing. As you said DA, it was comforting, and Capo said it made him feel safe. It made me feel completely relaxed. This is what Radiohead is.

"Faust Arp" reminds me of Nick Drake. Everything from the quick intro-to-singing, the length of the song (about two minutes), the guitar as well as the string instruments, and the way he sings.

That song makes me sad.

The thought hadn't entered my mind, but yeah, it is rather Drake-esque.

I really need to move into his other work, though; all I've heard is Pink Moon (which is fantastic) and a few random tracks.

"All I Need" is very Moby-like, too.

They're just a bunch of rip-offs, really.

I don't really hear a Moby influence in "All I Need".

Now, "Reckoner," I thought of Moby the first time I listened to it.

You don't find a similarity between the simple beat, strings and bassline and the stuff he did on Play and 18?

I can see where it may sound similar, I guess. But if "Reckoner" were 100% Moby, "All I Need" would be like, maybe 1% Moby.

What an extraordinary way of putting it.