Radiohead
In Rainbows

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Radiohead had been hinting about altering the record industry paradigm for a while, but the announcement that its seventh album In Rainbows would be distributed exclusively (for now) via the Internet -- for free, no less -- took everyone by surprise. Now that the album's been loaded into iPods and feverishly digested, the most remarkable thing about In Rainbows is that the group didn't just use the release as some lame clearinghouse but actually brought their A-game. Yes, the album is very good, and while fanatics probably recognize many of the songs from Radiohead's 2006 tour or earlier, nothing on In Rainbows feels like some sort of belated souvenir. Songs like "Bodysnatchers" and "Reckoner" stand with the best of the band's recent output; the likes of "All I Need," "Faust Arp" and "House of Cards" are warmer than anything the band has done in years. With their future entirely in their hands, the band is no longer forced to bear the oppressive yoke of great expectations. Indeed, the cloud of alienation has finally been lifted, and while the album's hardly sunny stuff, for once you can practically hear the band smiling as all the pieces fall into place.

-- Joshua Klein