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Written by Jesse Jarnow
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Monday, 14 August 2006 |
Thom Yorke
The Eraser
XL
On first listen, Thom Yorke has an identity crisis on his hands. Lashed to the Radiohead brand image, it's quietly shocking to hear the band's perpetually progressive mopester playing the unassuming post-laptop singer-songwriter. But as low-key as his solo debut The Eraser is, with its moody beats via longtime producer Nigel Godrich, it's uniquely Yorke's world.
He yowls in wordless atmospherics ("The Eraser"), and strange loops define the day ("Atoms for Peace"). But even with all tricks removed, Yorke remains an engaging voice, his melodic presence immediately recognizable. And though there maybe aren't as many winners as a typical Radiohead outing, the cream of the crop is still transcendent. "'Cos this is fucked up/Fucked up," Yorke sings on "Black Swan," as obvious a chorus as has ever been written. On "And It Rained All Night," Yorke insinuates himself perfectly into the track's noir paranoia. If The Eraser is shocking in its modesty, it is still shocking, and could become a sleeper favorite. Maybe it's not an identity crisis after all. Jesse Jarnow
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Last Updated ( Monday, 08 January 2007 )
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