Oxford giants Radiohead are set to make the second disc from the expanded edition of ‘In Rainbows’ available for the first time as a digital download.
‘In Rainbows’ has become a modern day rock landmark. With the industry failing to adapt to the explosive growth of the internet, and seemingly bogged down in teenage trends, Radiohead cut against the grain by producing something that was both timeless and innovative.
Using a new pay-what-you-like policy, Radiohead released ‘In Rainbows’ as a download without label assistance. Fresh from the shackles of EMI the band broke away from established release techniques, revolutionising the music industry in the process.
Eventually signing to XL Recordings, Radiohead released ‘In Rainbows’ physically with the album sailing to the pinnacle of the charts in both Britain and the United States. The band’s most successful album in a decade, it seemed to hone the group’s previous sonic experiments while injecting a blast of accessible songwriting.
Bagging a Grammy, ‘In Rainbows’ was also released as an expanded deluxe edition. Previously unavailable as a download, the new material is set to return to the album’s spiritual home – the internet.
The band have just opened an online shop, which contains a number of new downloads. Previously only available on the ‘discbox’ edition of the album, the new material will now be sold via Radiohead’s w.a.s.t.e. shop.
Also due to be sold on the shop is Thom Yorke’s solo effort ‘The Eraser’. Nominated for a Mercury, the singer is set to re-visit this brief solo jaunt with an appearance at Latitude. A rare solo turn from the songwriter, it is one of the most exciting festival developments of the summer.
Of course, even this can’t match the potential of Radiohead playing Reading and Leeds. The band are due to headline the event, and with an almost peerless back catalogue to choose from this will surely be one of the highlights of the summer.
Currently available on Radiohead’s w.a.s.t.e shop are:
Radiohead – In Rainbows
Thom Yorke – ‘The Eraser’
Jonny Greenwood – ‘There Will Be Blood – OST’
