The Eraser - Thom Yorke

Somewhere in the distant shire of Oxford, Thom Yorke sits with a laptop under his nose and a broad smile on his face. Very few would take pleasure from an album as politically draining as The Eraser, but if anybody is to smile about it, you can count on it being the Radiohead star himself. Here is a man who should never have been a rock star. An agitated grumbler with the audacity to tell his own fans to "calm down and shut the f- up" should ...
...there was very little in the way of a mainstream reaction. Probably because he refused to go public about it until a month prior to the album's release.

"This is not a solo album." says the Radiohead frontman. Then what is it? Well, we're allowed to call it a side project, as Yorke would prefer. He doesn't like the word "solo", and more to the point, he doesn't like the image that a solo album would portray of the ... more

Somewhere in the distant shire of Oxford, Thom Yorke sits with a laptop under his nose and a broad smile on his face. Very few would take pleasure from an album as politically draining as The Eraser, but if anybody is to smile about it, you can count on it being the Radiohead star himself. Here is a man who should never have been a rock star. An agitated grumbler with the audacity to tell his own fans to "calm down and shut the f- up" should a gig threaten to spiral out of control. When Yorke decided to venture out of his usual five-piece rock band domain, there was very little in the way of a mainstream reaction. Probably because he refused to go public about it until a month prior to the album's release.

"This is not a solo album." says the Radiohead frontman. Then what is it? Well, we're allowed to call it a side project, as Yorke would prefer. He doesn't like the word "solo", and more to the point, he doesn't like the image that a solo album would portray of the current situation within the world famous band that he still fronts. Known for flipping out under prying noses, Yorke is one of rock's last remaining great myths. He has no intention of following the release of The Eraser with more solo work, and he absolutely resents the accusation that tension within the quintet forced him to explore his own musical horizons.

So a side project it is, hardly the greatest way to publicise what your audience is going to be shelling out their hard earned cash for, but Yorke could care less about album sales. Radiohead have been without a record label since 2004 and The Eraser finds itself being distributed via a small-time independent label, XL. It's a bemusing move given the star power that Yorke commands on the alternative scene, but a move fitting of the man.

The Eraser is the sort of album that will be forgotten by the end of the year. Not for any lack of musical prowess, but for the simple reason that Yorke hasn't made the slightest bit of effort to attach his creation to his name. Usually when a frontman breaks away from a globally successful band, his first LP will be splashed with identificaton of just who he is in the industry. Yorke could have easily painted his work as Radiohead's LP7, but he chose not to. In his own words, this is an album born out of political frustration and freedom of expression. Yorke would rather unleash his tenderest political fears in a way that the rest of the band don't have to pretend to agree with them. It was eating him alive, he says. Well now The Eraser is here to mess with our minds. Thank you, Thom. Thank you very much.

So how similar is The Eraser to Yorke's most famous musical contributions with Radiohead? In truth, it would be unfair to compare them. Radiohead are a band famed for their complexity and ability to scratch songs together out of itty bitty pieces. They do so with five talented musicians, all of whom are capable when it comes to playing a variety of instruments.

The Eraser isn't the work of five men. It's the work of one man and his laptop. Yorke can express all he wants, but he still finds himself to restricted to the confines of hot keys on his computer and weird futuristic bleeps.

My first impression upon hearing The Eraser was one of slightly unnerving comfort. The sound is neglectively compressed and Yorke has provided absolutely zero distortian tolerance to ease the listener. Every last cyber beat jars out of the speakers and smacks you square in the face. The vocals are crystal clear and dripping with trademark falsetto. It's as if Yorke has decided to uncensor himself at last. They float towards the ceiling with a strangely comforting "It's okay. I'll forgive you for your mistakes" afterthought. This is what Yorke does so well. He evaluates and expresses, without criticising the listener. An aggressive album from start to finish, The Eraser will fill your room with overpowering tension, before Yorke sings his gravest fears away with the sweetest lullaby in mock confession that he never expected any less.

Like an age-worn father scolding his children, Yorke possesses the knack of scoping political lyric and not sounding out of his depth. Indeed, he sounds like a lost soul. One you'd find floating beneath the houses of parliament with hands clasped over his ears at the workings of the world. The Eraser speaks loud and clear with a vicious call for action against global warming, nucleur disarmament and even the notorious David Kelly incident.

Without sounding like a snotty rebel on a payback mission, Yorke deflects his fears to the listener over the course of nine wishful songs which only the most morbidly curious could even think about leaving on repeat. It should be the most depressing album Yorke has ever penned. But for some reason, it's strangely uplifting. Hypnotic, perhaps.

||| The Track Listing |||

1. The Eraser - 8/10 - (The more you try to erase me / The more that i appear )

A broken ensemble of piano chords introduce us to Thom's new play thing, swiftly followed by a scuppered electronic beat which fizzes reminiscent of a toned down Idioteque. Somehow these mechanical judders entwine together and Yorke sings vividly with some of his most potent lyrics on the album. It's as if he's referring directly to the critics as he poses the question; "are you only being nice because you want something?". A veiled stab at the Hail To The Thief reviews, for sure. The title track features one of the more prominent choruses on the record, before veering over the wayside as a retro computerised riff takes a stranglehold over the proceedings. Think Super Mario Kart destructive star mode, and that just about does it justice.

2. Analyse - 5/10 - (The fences that you cannot climb / The sentences that do not rhyme)

Another juddery introduction with uncomfortable piano slamming over sampled computer beats brings us in to the heart of what appears to be Thom addressing himself. Forever fascinated with the cogs in the system, Yorke is no stranger to spitting a lyrics or two about the manipulation of a grander scheme. Here he recites the frustration of playing a part in somebody else's game, perhaps a matter of jealousy. Analyse struggles to take off and like the previous track, it samples a forgettable if ambitious piano chord before falling on it's sword as a weak link on the album.

3. The Clock - 7/10 - (You make us feel like you are still in charge )

This song represents much of the reason behind the album itself. A fiercely political pine at the government and it's refusal to address global warming. Yorke insists that time is running out over a fizzing guitar, which sounds nothing like the instrument that it lends itself to. A range of mis-matching beats vary the pace with Yorke sporadically forgetting his voice and humming the melody in almost tribal fashion. Inspired by the imagery of a Tokyo traffic jam, Yorke captures the sense of urgency in a manner to frighten the listener, yet also offer reflective calm. It's a strange experience. Like a hypnotized soon-to-be-goner watching over the arrival of a natural disaster, and cursing the Blairites in the process.

4. Black Swan - 6/10 - (I don't care what the future holds / Cause i'm right here and i'm today )

An insanely difficult song to grasp with one listen. Taken directly from A Scanner Darkly, Yorke cuts up a host of funky beats and somehow manages to curse them with the sound of a truly demoralising piece. A strangled riff flickers under the surface and we're left to chew the fat of Thom's lyric. Unlike the path he could have taken, Yorke has opted to shroud his words in abstract doubt. While the same process may work in the confines of a Radiohead quintet, it makes songs such as this immensely difficult to truly enjoy. James Blunt would never have taken off if his songs were about...nothing in particular. While i'd be the last to criticise somebody as successful as Thom Yorke for avoiding the obvious with his lyrics, it's hard to appreciate Black Swan on the first listen. Or the following twenty, for that matter. A little gem that might never be found.

5. Skip Divided - 8/10 - (I'm a lap dog / I'm a lap dog / I'm your lap dog, yeah )

Strangled cries of what sounds like a Yorke orgasm greet us to one of the more creepy entries on the album, and that's a statement in itself. The opening consists of Thom breathing purposefully in to the microphone, hissing his lines with the same tone as the man that you made the effort to avoid in that dark subway last night. All the while, an insistant beat vibrates through the speakers as if somebody's being shaken and interrogated by brute force. The lyrics don't really offer much encouragement either. Seemingly a tale of lost love and grave intentions, Yorke caps the finale and falls to the floor with cries that can mean one of only two things, either he's climaxed or he's dropped the laptop on his foot again.

6. Atoms For Peace - 10/10 - (No more going to the dark side / With your flying saucer eyes )

A prime example of what happens when Yorke gets it right. Absolutely minimal instrumentation and for once, effective computer bleeps. An underwhelming bassline floats upwards and retains the same arrangement for the entire track as Thom delivers the beautiful vocal performance which so many had been hoping for. If you don't fall in love with the hypnotic melody, it'll probably make you nauseous instead. But for those who discover the quiet charm in this track, it'll rarely grow old on you. What passes you by on the first listen will soon become stuck in your head with Yorke pushing his wearing voice to the highest octaves and producing the first stand-out moment on the record. A song which with a bit of revamping, wouldn't have sounded out of place on Kid A. But let's not do injustice to Thom's side project. This is a fine musical achievement in its own right and it deserves to stand on its own two feet.

7. And It Rained All Night - 6.5/10 - (I can see you / But i can never reach you )

Acting as a bridge between the two definitive tracks of the album, Thom struggles for his rhythm over a stream of foggy synth that never threatens to disappear. Gloomy forecasts of the future are the name of the game again and Thom sets out to portray a picture of bleak helplessness. You should have listened to him earlier. As a major contender for the award of most depressing vision on the album, there can be no doubting the creepy intentions while Thom whines his warnings only to be drowned out in bass. It's an unnerving track, and a lurking monster which fails to waken in time to deliver a memorable experience for the listener. Not bad, not not great.

8. Harrowdown Hill - 9.5/10 - (You will be dispensed with / When you've become / An inconvenience)

The most controversial song on The Eraser takes on a life of it's own and features a damning set of lyrics which Yorke will no doubt cherish. Written directly in regards to the David Kelly incident, Yorke lets rip with a savage attack on the government and their failure to protect the defence minister who killed himself on Harrowdown Hill. Commanding bass steers the track from the get-go and there's no letting up with the Radiohead frontman packing venom in to each verse. A truly energetic experience given the nature of the album, with a briefly uplifting chorus before the hidden meaning reveals itself. Thom has apologised to the family of David Kelly for such an explicit track in his passing, but he needn't have bothered. The arrival of some stern riffing and a fierce bubble of beats take this song to great heights, marking it down as the only single from the album in the process.

9. Cymbal Rush - 9.5/10 - (Try to build a wall that was high enough )

Saving the best 'til last, a rather forthright "Game Over" bleep repeats itself from start to finish with a slow gathering of synth to build the tension. Wallowing cries from Yorke ascend to prominence as he reflects on some rather patchy lyrics in the company of more hit and miss computer effects. But instead of faltering, Cymbal Rush takes off and rattles along with a real sense of hopeless empathy. Similarly to Cymbal Rush, the melody is understated, if present at all. But Yorke guides the song powerfully through a chorus of pines before piano and guitar cut in to take over. A sense of harmony at last. The wailing falsetto from the pragmatic lead singer reminds us that he still knows how to disappear completely and with one last defiant howl, he does just that. The laptop finally runs out of memory and The Eraser has momentarily succeeded.

Ultimately, The Eraser will be judged by critics and casual fans on different levels. For some, this will be seen as Radiohead without the zip and rattle that the other members bring to the table. There's no covering over the absense of Jonny's clattering lead guitar, and that is a price that Yorke has to pay for his past. However, for the die hard fans, The Eraser is a remarkably sensitive insight in to the mind of one of our generation's greatest performers. A truly treasurable addition to the collection given the private nature of the man himself, despite it's outspoken political agenda.

There are heads to be turned with some of the tracks. Harrowdown Hill will quite rightly receive press for the vicious assault that Thom presents to the government. But while it would be easy to invest hours in to the backstory of such a high profile album, lets not forget that The Eraser, like any other album, is a piece of art. It should be judged as such. While Yorke has stayed true to his musical heritage, what exists outside the three outstanding tracks on the album is extremely hard to digest for the casual listener. I can't imagine this winning over any new fans. But if you have a passing Radiohead interest, or an inclination to hear what a man can milk out of his laptop, The Eraser might be worth your investment. 

...less