Thom Yorke may have created the image of a very disturbed and cynical observer who plays upon his own self-inflicted cynicism, but he has also established whole new ways of looking into the entire scenario of current alternate rock music. The Eraser album stands out as a parallel singular release of the main guy from Radiohead who continues to do his own confessions and express his feelings isolated, behind the mayhem of taking charge of the entire process of handling the entire brand name for Radiohead.

We can see The Eraser coming to be Thom’s very own sacred space for coming home to stay in touch with him self, amidst big names. Radiohead might have an established reputation for them selves whether you like it, accept it or deny it. But real Thom followers are different and they would not be displeased with the album. In fact the entire album can be seen as Thom’s very special gift of himself and also the entire gamut of his intense cynicism. Thus we come across opening chords followed by crooning lines “Are you only being nice because you want something?” or even “Be careful how you respond” and so on. Most of the album is a piece of carefully selected intense and beautiful arrangement. It explores the entire social domino reaction of power struggle and hierarchy fights just as OK Computer did. Yet the emotional turmoil is much deeper and you might recall The Bends being a rather childish and yobish album when you listen to this!

The songs are very different from the ones in In Rainbows. It is loaded with electro ballad like extended tracks along with rather soft and velvety versions of the more cutting Radiohead songs as have been found in the previous albums. One can still relate to a ton of the lot with the smoother riffs in Kid A’s “How to Disappear Completely” and even its version of “Morning Bell”. But we cannot deny that Thom sounds his mournful most in this album and the very fact that there is an overtone of an undeniable isolation.

Why does Thom Yorke indeed need to propel the gravitating task of pulling out a solo sound when he has the full-pitched band and aid? Minus the apropos his voice sounds even more distinctive and full of the impact that he means to channel across, minus the manufacturing of too much of electro beats. Perhaps Thom can understand the serious impact that he is creating in waves across the world and hence he felt the need to be more serious and weighed.