Concerning In Rainbows, by Radiohead

After one listen (with another to come shortly), my impulse is to say that it's their best album since Kid A and that it's on par with that album and OK Computer as one of their very best. I honestly did not anticipate saying that at all; after Hail to the Thief, I had concluded that it was unreasonable to expect more than two era-defining albums from a band and that I would just have to do with awesomeness from Radiohead instead of life-changing astonishment.

This album feels much more immediate and warm than anything they've ever done, including Pablo Honey and The Bends. These are all first impressions, but it seems like they've mellowed in terms of both content (less paralyzing angst) and the neurotic drive to reinvent pop music as we know it. They seem to have remembered that they're among the finest songwriters and musicians of all time and that these strengths should be played to, not obscured to the greatest extent possible. It's a crazy concept, but it works.