Over Both the Rainbows!

It's true I have no patience, and not only did I have to wait about a month for my Radiohead - In Rainbows boxset to come, but I received an E-Mail last Friday saying it had been dispatched, and it wasn't until 2:30pm today that I finally recieved it. But yes, it smells lovely, and I've finally had the chance to listen to CD 2. Some surprises on there, most of the songs they've played live already, but they're completely changed for this CD. Bangers N' Mash in particular has been turned into a dirty sonic orgy. Yes, I said orgy, there's all sorts going on in this track!

I'm glad to say that it arrived in pristeen condition, unlike some stories I've heard where people returned from work to find a sodden lump of cardboard on their doorstep, containing something vaguely Radiohead-ish. It's incidents like that which haunt college campuses across America.

You'll be glad to know that my Uni assignment is coming along nicely, I haven't been sitting listening to music all day you know! I just have to put my Bibliography together and then find some way of losing 500 words. The're very prissy about word count, I don't know why, but go over 10% and marks start falling off. 50% over and it's a fail. Exactly... what's that all about? It's a bit of a hit or a miss really, you know how it is? When you get to this level, they think that you should be able to decipher the coded questions before you should be permitted to take part in any form of answering them. Words like vague and ambiguous, are synonymous with assessment writing in my experience!

A Mountain To Climb!

I've been using free beta versions of this program Geno Pro since around 2000. It's probably about time I purchased a copy. It only costs £20, but I've never seen the need until recently. It's a damn nifty piece of software anyhow, but having been trying out a beta version of the newest release over the last week or so, I am absolutely astounded by the number of fantastic features that this program now has. I know I sound as though I'm marketing it or something, but as Family Tree software goes, this one knocks everything else into orbit.

Unfortunately for me, I've already gifted myself this years Christmas prezzies in the form of Radiohead's "In Rainbows" boxset, due to arrive in a week or so, and the new Sigur Ros double dvd; "Heima". Mind you, Geno Pro is a one time only purchase, all future updates are free if you already own it, so I think I better find the cash from somewhere, because life is so much easier when you have the right tools for the job, am I correct?

So, another week of school experience, then it's back to Uni. I'm quite keen to get back to Uni, only I have an assignment to complete and hand in a week after returning, so that's really going to put a damper on things, until I'm clear of that. Did I tell you how my Critical Observation went? No, I don't think so. Actually, it went about as well as I could possibly have hoped for, so I'm on to the next mountain and let's start climbing again!

I Still Love Radiohead!

The wait finally ended today, when I received my activation code to download the hotly anticipated new Radiohead album "In Rainbows". I should have had it yesterday, and I can only think that having an IP address from AOL is the reason why I had to wait. I did not enjoy being told by a fellow student with a passing interest in the band that he was listening to it on his Ipod on the way into Uni this morning. I had to leave home early, no time to check my E-mail.

What can I say about this album? From one listen alone so far, I am hugely impressed. Lots of string arrangements going on, courtesy no doubt of Jonny Greenwood's foray into orchestral composition for the BBC over the last couple of years. But, this album goes far beyond strings, it's overflowing with textures and rich layers of musicality, which some reviewers seem to be missing altogether, calling it minimalist. Are they really listening without comparing to Radiohead's previous work? Because while there are nods to songs of old, this is something altogether new. After all, it has been nearly 5 years since Hail to the Thief.

Whether or not this album release revolutionises the music industry, this album should be judged on the music contained therein. I think it's impeccably recorded, produced and sequenced. I much prefer this I think (yes, already) to Hail to the Thief. I think HttT was probably recorded too quickly (the polar opposite to this one, and Kid A and Amnesiac before). As a result, some of the songs on HttT were disappointing compared to the versions which they had played live before recording. I don't think that's the case here, but it should be interesting to see how the enhanced cd which will be released with the boxset, will come out sounding. If it's as good as this first disc, then it'll be a complete success for me!

Ordering In Rainbows!

After years of waiting nothing came, until now... it's finally here, almost. The new Radiohead album, for which we have had to wait what has seemed like an interminable time, and they've only gone and made it available on some website-type thingy! I've gone all soft in the head and ordered their £40 discbox special boxed-set thing as seen above, but then again I have been known to be slightly obssessive about them.

Hail to the Thief was out when? I think it was 1st June 2003. That was ages ago! We already have a rough idea what some of the songs ought to sound like, after they toured with them last year, and there's only one reason why they might have changed since then, and that of course is Mr.Yorke. He is known to be a bit of a perfectionist, for instance, I think it was "Knives Out" they recorded n^3 times, only for him to decide the first recording they did was his favourite.

You have no idea how absolutely delighted I am. The download version will be available to me in 10 days time, then I'm going to get a wonderful package of goodies from them at the start of December. I'll just say it's my Christmas present to myself. Oh no, the wife enquired about the cost just now... she doesn't seem to see £40 as the bargain I do!