Radiohead have long been critical darlings. Their earlier works The Bends and OK Computer garnered them plenty of accolades in the ’90s. Kid A and Amnesiac, though a  bit inaccessible to a portion of their fanbase, earned the praise of critics for their dalliances into the world of electronica and techno. But for my money, the band

In Rainbows

has never sounded any finer than on In Rainbows, their 2007 / 08 release. It’s not just the more accessible sound that resonates with me, although I must confess I never really got some of the more experimental stuff. I think I love this album because it seems so much more personal than any of their other releases.

Radiohead sounds like no other band I know of. Thom Yorke’s unique voice coupled with the band’s blend of guitar-rock and lilting balladry compose landscapes both grand and intimate, sometimes simultaneously. I remember when Rolling Stone reviewed this album, the guy said In Rainbows had a bit of an R&B vibe to it. Enter “Reckoner”, with its lush melody and sparse instrumentation. Or “House of Cards”. Set against a simple chord progression and a tepid beatbox, Yorke’s vocals soar into the stratosphere before gently settling in with a chorus of “Denial, Denial…” until all escalates into a cacophony of falsetto. In Rainbows sounds like a band that is both at the top of their game and enjoying every minute of the ride. Never before have Radiohead sounded as romantic as they do on “All I Need”. “Nude” is another mood piece, dripping with existential pessimism; . But, just in case we’ve forgotten that Radiohead are first and foremost a rock band, the grinding, pulsating guitar of “Bodysnatchers” serves as an explosive reminder. Maybe my favorite song on the entire album is “15 Step”, the only song that even resembles a techno-inspired track, with its tin-sounding drumbeats giving way to a smooth, jazzy guitar riff that carries Yorke’s falsetto to the song’s trippy kiddie-chorus conclusion.

Maybe the innovative albums Radiohead released earlier this decade had to be recorded — purged from the band, if you will — before they could give birth to the more melodic, accessible material that makes up In Rainbows. If that’s the case, then it was worth it. This will go down, in all likelihood, as Radiohead’s magna carta, at least in my opinion. Simply a beautiful album.