Radionead - In Rainbows - First Listen

Please note this is not satire. It's OK to really enjoy something, even in 2007. It's OK to even get slightly insane and start ranting like a lunatic just because something is just that damn good. Of course just like Horselover Fat it's alright to poke fun at yourself for being insane too. Or at least appearing to be insane, but you know, really, you're not insane. You're right on target with this.

I just got done with my first listen to In Rainbows and my first thought about what I should say about it is: This isn't music, this is church.

I don't know if this is the intended result but because of In Rainbows I now believe in God. I do not believe there is any scientific explanation for something as beautiful as this music. And certainly there are no words that can do it any justice either, so I will not try to describe the music with words. Really, that's quite futile. That's why it's music and not a poem.

My question is not whether this is the best album of 2007 but whether or not it is the most perfect album of all time. Please note that I started questioning this on my very first listen and before the album was even over. It'll be interesting to see if I still agree with my initial thoughts on it some time down the road. And yes I do ask you to take a lot of notes.

If you are skeptical, I understand. I usually class myself as a skeptic or a cynic. Or at least as a critic. But I think you make a mistake when you go into a musical experience looking for something to critique. You should give that music every chance to work upon you as the artist intended it to. Otherwise why even bother listening in the first place? I would suggest that if you do not do this that you are not really listening.

I was thinking about spoken conversations as a good example for what I'm talking about. When you are really listening in a conversation you are really listening to what the other person is saying rather than just thinking of what you are going to say next (as people often do.) I think listening to music is similar to this. Often time critics aren't really listening, they are just trying to think of what they are going to say (criticize.) So they aren't really listening to the music in the context of the intended listening experience. They are just looking for something to critique.

Now I do think there's a place for this sort of critical thought applied to music of course, but... I do feel there's not enough music appreciation while there is too much music criticism by people who don't seem to even really like music.

This is music for people who really like music. And also perhaps those looking for a reason to believe in God.