The rush to listen to/review/be immersed in the latest album is finally over:  Here is the run through of each track to tide you over till we get to write a proper review…

1) Bloom [5.14]
A sampled piano, back to the beeps and onto a place where Yorke’s solo efforts creep in. A clumsy jazz snare-in-a-basement lumbers throughout  the ondes Martenot makes a welcome return as it sings in unison with Yorke’s wails. The mood, like the start of most Radiohead albums, is of rebirth.
Thom sings: “Open your mouth wide. You know what’s inside”

2) Morning Mr Magpie [4.40]
A title that has been floating around for some time. If there’s a moment on this record when bassist Colin Greenwood shouts for attention, then this is it. At precisely 2 minutes 16 seconds he effortlessly transcends a cold, cloudy weekend in February.
Thom sings: “Good Morning Mr Magpie, how are we today?”

3) Little By Little [4.27]
Is that a guitar I hear? It could be Go To Sleep with someone playing an arcade game in the background. Thus far Yorke’s voice is taking a backseat, sitting alongside other instruments as opposed to riding above.
Thom sings: “I am such a tease and you’re such a flirt”

4) Feral [3.12]
Those dry, tight, snares that plague In Rainbows and Kid A now return, polyrhythmically skittering and bouncing alongside evident Yorke electro-pulse efforts. On a cassette this, almost lyricless, interlude would make an obvious end to side A.
Thoms sings: *mmm hfff mmm*

5) Lotus Flower [5.00]
Drums of 15 Step, beeps of Backdrifts, this belongs comfortably with In Rainbows. 3-note bass drone carries through 5 minutes of an ideal first single to draw Radiohead 2.0 fans into the fray.
Thom sings: “There’s an empty space inside my heart…”

6) Codex [4.46]
A soft piano, the tempo drops and we’re reminded of Sail To The Moon sitting on top of a gentle electronic pulse.  Brass notes sing alongside Yorke’s wails and unnerving strings shiver in the distance.
Thom sings: “No-one gets hurt. You’ve done nothing wrong”

7) Give Up The Ghost [4.50]
An acoustic  guitar proudly reclaims its place, struck gently over an ongoing gentle thud. This one for the Radiohead veterans. A muffled voice declares “Don’t haunt me, don’t hurt me” throughout.
Thom sings:  “I think I should give up the ghost in your arms”

8 ) Separator [5.20]
Halfway through  what some will consider the only throwaway comes a moment unlike any other Radiohead moment as sugary chriping guitars lift to an almost-Revolver ending.
Thom sings:  “I wanna slip over and get back under. “