Reviewed by Mike Katzif :: 15 June 2006




From the first repeated stabs of processed piano and dusty electronic beats that begin the title track on Thom Yorke's first non-Radiohead album, The Eraser, you can hear that this album is different but with just a spot of familiarity. Amidst fan speculation otherwise, Yorke has expressed that this is not a 'solo' album and insists this is neither a Radiohead record nor a sign of the demise of the band. They are currently debuting a handful of new songs on their sold out US tour to raving reviews.

But if you are familiar with Radiohead's history, you cannot help but trigger references and allusions to their previous works. There is much here that compares to Radiohead albums: from the stripped down arrangements and beat-driven Amnesiac to the coldly distant harmonic synthesizers and computer blips of Kid A.

However, The Eraser is not a retread of Radiohead past. In fact Thom's voice sounds as vibrant and dynamic as ever. Eschewing the overabundance of reverb and computerized filters he often relies on, Yorke's vocals are crisp and centered. And beyond the simple repeated drone of synths and bass he is often unaccompanied Yorke's voice carries the music forward; he is warm and inviting but still retains his signature introspective melancholy.

His lyrical phrasing hints at the free form electronica song construction of Radiohead's recent albums but at its heart the album is just a collection of songs deconstructed. Yorke remains reticent and bleakly honest as he laments in the title track. Trying to forget a love gone wrong, he attempts to remain unaffected to mask the underlying hurt he feels.

"The more you try to erase me/The more the more/the more that I appear/ the more the more/the more I try to erase you/ the more the more/ the more that you appear"

Returning is producer Nigel Godrich, who has worked with Yorke closely on nearly every Radiohead effort, in addition to artists such as Air, Beck and recently Paul McCartney. Here he adds his catalogue of tape loops, dark synth strings and dirty keyboards to great effect. They are subtle and moving; never succumbing to gluttonous overproduction.

Yorke is able to take the lead here and show snippets of himself that might be democratically filtered out when collaborating with the band. While this solo output is a great small record, at times you can’t help but itch for those absent Radiohead moments: a soaring guitar melody from Johnny Greenwood or the driving drum patterns of their actual live drummer Phil Selway.

The Eraser might not be the Radiohead record some people were eagerly anticipating; but people will find it’s a window into Thom Yorke's current songwriting style. And what an interesting view it is.