For the record, the new Radiohead album is pretty great. After telling myself I would ignore the hype, I ended up downloading it yesterday morning on a whim. It cost me just _.__ ? and was completely worth it.
The beautiful thing about the new album is how fresh it sounds on the one hand, and how easily it fits within the whole of the catalog on the other. Whereas Hail to the Thief and Amnesiac were often the sonic equivalent of walking through oatmeal, the new material has an energy and a briskness to it. It even rocks in places. Additionally, it gives long time fans an opportunity to rethink the catalog and see how it compares.
If OK Computer is still the peak, you'll find yourself asking how it fits when compared to Kid A and The Bends. For me, finally hearing Nude provides the missing link, the bridge, between Paranoid Android and How To Disappear Completely. Everything fits.
