• richly melodic
  • seemingly banal lyrics but they are powerfully ‘meaningful’ when sung in this melodic emotive way
  • lyrics in present tense
  • lyrics sung slowly, drawing out notes, focus on the melodic progression rather than the lyrical statement
  • intricate rhythms and parts interwined (most would be uninteresting on their own)
  • odd beats and sometimes time sigs but always dancy and toe tappin

01 ’15 Step’ – In Rainbows (2007) – Radiohead

  1. 5/4
  2. recognisable sound effect playing typical musical role (ie. children cheering as’ cymbal splash’)

02 ‘Bodysnatchers’ – In Rainbows (2007) – Radiohead

  1. fast track with a funky riff
  2. twin gtrs, hard panned, complimenting parts (a la AC/DC ‘long way to the top’)
  1. wordless falsetto backing vocal
  2. backwards sounds as rhythm
  1. (one note picked out of an arpeggio) – maybe use delays
  2. fast percussion contrasted with slow feel of track

05 ‘All I Need’ – In Rainbows (2007) – Radiohead

  1. very dry percussion contrasted against slow decaying ‘strings’ and synths
  2. one note piano climax (a la Police’s ‘every breath you take’)

06 ‘Faust Arp’ – In Rainbows (2007) – Radiohead

  1. changes from 4/4 to 3/4 multiple times
    1234 1234 123 123 123 1234 1234 1234
  2. doubles vox at odd times, not the obvious chorus emphasis

07 ‘Reckoner’ – In Rainbows (2007) – Radiohead

  1. falsetto as lead/top, chest vox as backing
  2. using familiar sounding non-musical objects eg. vibrating mobile

08 – ‘House of Cards’ – In Rainbows (2007) – Radiohead

  1. unusual strumming pattern. emphasizing up strokes
  2. dub gestures at the ends of vocal lines ie verbed percussion, underneath very dry drums

09 ‘Jigsaw Falling Into Place’ – In Rainbows (2007) – Radiohead

  1. fast, busy bass line & gtr arpeggios (no polyphonic playing)
  2. lyric: unresolved sentence beginnings “just as you …. before the ….
10 ‘Videotape’ – In Rainbows (2007) – Radiohead

  1. (slight edit pop simulates soft kik)
  2. &1 drum beat; & = rim shot, 1 = kik (simulates backwards sound)