Tomorrow's Modern Boxes opens with a rather quiet, Bonobo/Caribou-like melody and, as soon as Yorke's voice appears, it captures our attention. Subtle, constant, without fireworks and big drama. A plain good tune.
Guess again! (the second song) makes it clear that in this occasion, Thom Yorke is reaching out towards The Eraser sound (when it comes to melodies) but with Radiohead's distinctive voice. After layers of sound and voice modification, it is always nice to listen to his voice again.
Interference and its sparse notes brings us close to the emotive world of Yorke while he claims over and over again "I don't have a right to interfere". Even though he is actually interfering more than ever with our emotions.
The mother Lode swifts a little towards the Atoms for Peace realm. A more danceable tune that still preserves the intimacy that spreads over the whole album. Dubstep beats and Yorke's voice: pure delight.
Truth ray slows down the beat once again and the melody becomes almost bare. The importance rely on the details, the clinking chime bells, the reversed voice, the heartwarming atmosphere.
There is no ice (for my drink) is the most Portishead-like of all the songs in the album. The Third Portishead, of course, the dry, percussive, Gun Machine one.
Pink Section continues the unfinished melody from There is no ice (for my drink) and takes it into another level, more melancholic and somehow piano-driven one to transform a dry, metallic song into a warmer one.
And Nose Grows Some, closes the album nicely with a return to Thom Yorke's voice.
Overall, an album with less experiments but a great deal of feelings. A perfect company for a rainy winter afternoon.
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