When asked in 2000 whether there were plans for a solo album, the Radiohead frontman said he wasn't ready for that yet. However, even then, he'd been writing and recording bits and pieces in hopes of releasing a solo album some time in the future. Over the years, these pieces became songs and Thom Yorke realised that he'd gathered the confidence necessary to make a solo album. The Eraser sees Thom Yorke trying modestly to express himself in ways he cannot in Radiohead, hence the choice for a solo release.
The Eraser is an album of songs written almost entirely on Yorke's laptop in a span of nearly six years. Together with long-time producer Nigel Godrich, he has put together experimental pieces, mostly consisting of electronica with waves of synthetic textures and static drum beats. There is hardly any guitar on the album, but this actually lends it a more unified aura. Some have said it is a mix of Kid A's electronica and Amnesiac's acoustic minimalism, which is agreeable to a certain extent. However, considering Yorke is one of the main composers in Radiohead, traces of his songwriting are bound to come through on any disc he puts out. It is undeniable that there is a vague reference of Amnesiac's "I Might Be Wrong" on "The Clock" in that both songs achieve minimalistic results, except that "The Clock" brings in bigger beats, cool piano passages, and adds a relevant social commentary in the lyrics department. It is actually quite interesting to find out Yorke enjoyed writing and recording this song the most, as he was inspired by African guitarists laying down improvised riffs and jamming together with Robert Plant on stage, which Yorke copy-pasted numerous times before adding his own spin to it.
The album's standout tracks are decidedly the title track whose addictive chorus with Yorke's desperate croon at the end ranks among the best moments on this disc; as well as "Black Swan" for its harmonized bass and sparse keyboard notes guiding a beautiful vocal melody. This song, unlike the others, has a great groove to it and repeats a strangely beautiful verse before seguing into the semi-autobiographical "Skip Divided", with its weird tribal rhythms, sweeping arrangement, and lyrics focusing on lack of communication.
It is hard to argue against the melodic quality and clever mixing achieved on "Atoms for Piece", complete with looped sound effects, minimal guitar riffs, and on top of all, Yorke's incredible vocals. In no other song, on this album or in the Radiohead discography, is Yorke's voice so defenseless, bare and pure. There are no echoes which have characterized his vocals since OK Computer. Nor have they drenched his voice in reverb. It is certainly interesting to hear his vocals so upfront and dry, which could be attributed to all the songs on this album. Also worth mentioning is how well the song is structured despite its pulsating micro beats and cascading sythesizers. It begins with the exact same electronic beat that starts the song.
"Harrowdown Hill" kicks in after the somewhat more upbeat and energetic number "And It Rained All Night", with some Hail to the Thief vibes happening and a cool keyboard drone rising madly. Yorke patiently sets his falsetto against this drone and lets the piece fade out slowly. "Harrowdown Hill", arguably the best song, is very angry lyrically. It was inspired by the suspicious death of British U.N. weapons inspector David Kelly, and raises an interesting point when Yorke repeatedly asks, "Did I fall or was I pushed? Where's the blood?" - it's a song that brings in surging bass, percussive beats, and an indelible chorus. Yorke's personal favourite song "Cymbal Rush" closes the album, recalling Bjork's Homogenic with her vocals used on Medulla. Actually this song feels like a distant cousin to these albums with its shimmering synth textures and a huge sound.
It has to be repeated that The Eraser, while obviously containing some Radiohead elements, should be judged on its own merits. This is a study to discover how simple and pure music can be; and although written with less control and definition, the songs are arguably among the most focused and coherent in Yorke's career, not to mention the most vocal-based ones. It could be argued that the production, unlike Radiohead's, is way too claustrophobic, which is true, but after all, this is a solo album by one of the most important musicians of the 90's trying to prove to himself that he is capable of composing songs on his own as well. Yorke obviously did not set out to break new ground with The Eraser, so stop expecting that of him. Just take it for what it's worth. Once it gets in your blood, it does. And if it doesn't, stop trying. This disc isn't the type which should be forced on listeners anyway. People will either like it or not.
Track Listing
- The Eraser
- Analyse
- The Clock
- Black Swan
- Skip Divided
- Atoms for Peace
- And It Rained All Night
- Harrowdown Hill
- Cymbal Rush
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