Despite having 'In Rainbows' as one of the top 3 albums of the year in 2007, I never managed to (afford to) get one of the limited edition discboxes which featured a second cd of songs that didn't make the cut for the main album. Helpfully, if rather late, the band have now made disc 2 of 'In Rainbows' available to purchase in digital format from their website for a very reasonable £6.
It all sounds good, but in the main I am reminded of my thoughts when I heard the 'OK Computer' out-takes...."Good, but you can see why they didn't make the album". Here there are a couple of exceptions..
Most notably, 'Last Flowers', which is a fragile, plaintive ballad and honestly, one of the best things they have ever recorded. It is often pointless trying to fathom meanings behind Thom Yorke's lyrics, but often his unsettling words remind me of how I feel when I travel home from work after a really bad day. The sense of tension, anger and frustration, offset by a feeling of coming home and just the hint of warmth, of the sun coming out from behind a cloud.
Its all here in this startling little song. "Appliances have gone beserk/ I cannot keep up", he sings, alluding once again to the click and buzz of the modern world not sitting right with him. Later on there is the 100% Yorke-esque phrase "snot nosed little punk" and an acknowledgement that "I can't face the evening straight". He's on his way home but it is "too much, too bright, too powerful".
He sings it beautifully of course, his voice cracking at times. Musically, it is piano and acoustic guitar with the sense that more is lurking in the background, building silently.
Its the sort of song that reminds me that I love music.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment