In this blog I want to talk about Radiohead and their new album, "In Rainbows" which came out the other day. Trying to keep up with iTunes, illegal downloads, the decline of actual CDs purchased and a myriad of other issue plaguing the music industry, Radiohead made their entire album a free download. There is no suggested cost, and basically you pay what you wish, kind of like the whole NYC museum scene on Friday after work. Some people will pay cost, some will pay more and some less. I will disclose that I paid nothing, but then donated a comparable sum to a charitable effort going on at school this week. I love the earth like that. If Radiohead is going to say, "Oy, take this music for free", then I'm going to say "You blokes are all right" and I'm going to download it for free. Time will tell whether Radiohead earns as much profit as some of their other releases, but you have to give them credit for doing what they're doing. It's also easier for them to do this as they've had several multi-platinum albums. If you want to get into the act check out www.inrainbows.com.
Anyway, as for the album itself, it is in the vein of Kid A and Amnesiac, but a toned down version. I think I've listened to it three times through in the last 24 hours. The highs aren't as high and the lows aren't as low, which render the album less dramatic as their previous releases. Regardless, I think the songs are pretty solid. There's a lot of music out there that you hear and you say "I could do that", but Radiohead does not and has never even come close to falling into that category. Their sound doesn't get stale and I don't even know where they come up with the ideas for these instrumentals. The one knock is that I think Thom Yorke does a little bit to much "whining" on this album. I'm not going to get all Rolling Stone on you with a full out musical review, but I will say that it is worth the 3 minutes to go and download the album. Things are much sweeter when they are free, or heavily discounted. I actually have that phrase tattooed across my back, which is a pretty dumb tattoo, but not as dumb as this one...
In case you can't see that well, it's Tennessee Titans QB Vince Young, who apparently forgets what his name is from time to time, a real hazard of being an NFL QB these days. Vince, seriously, that tattoo is weak sauce, buddy. My mom has sewn about 100 little "J. Finger" labels into socks, towels, underwear, and God knows what else over the past 26 years, and I'm thinking that a little "V. Young" label is probably a little less painful and equally effective, no?
Thursday night tonight, which means, big night of studying and writing, OH YEAH! I actually just watched Blood Diamond, although I had to spread it out over the course of 4 days since I don't have the time to sit down and get it done in one sitting. Fellas, let me say this, if your soon to be fiance is bugging you about the size of the ring she wants, just sit her down, pop in Blood Diamond, let Leo make her cry, let Djimon Hounsu make her feel guilty, and then take her to Tiffany the next day. You'll be guaranteed to save some serious coin, which you can then use to upgrade to that 50 inch plasma TV, which you can use to watch Blood Diamond again and again in hi-def surround sound any time your lady becomes a Nagging Nancy. It's like, "hey honey, can we just finish this argument after the movie? I'm up to the part where he sees his family and realizes his only son was taken by the rebels, and he can't even go into the refugee camp to hug his wife and daughter. But we can talk about the important stuff like why I didn't text you back last night when the movie is over, okay?"
And you're thinking....
"Blood Diamond. Best. Movie. Ever. Maybe she'll bake me some cookies. Jennifer Connelly is the hottest reporter I've ever seen."
And she's thinking..."I'm complaining about texting when people are dying in Sierra Leone, God, I'm such a baby. He sure likes that movie, maybe he has a crush on Jennifer Connelly. Maybe I should make him those cookies he loves. "In summation...
Radiohead...Strong to medium strong
Blood DiamondS...bad bad bad, extremely bad
Blood Diamond, the movie...good good good, extremely good
Jennifer Connelly...The cat's meow, but I wouldn't watch "House of Sand and Fog" again if you paid me.
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