Thom Yorke

The professor is on sabbatical. With The Eraser, Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke attempts to take a step back and try something different without actually committing to a solo career. Fundamentally, it bears more than a slight resemblance to a Radiohead album. The title track consists of simple piano chords mixed with some electronic beats and of course a bounty of Yorke’s signature falsetto. And songs like “Black Swan” and “Harrowdown Hill” could pass for lost tracks from the Amnesiac sessions. Of course Radiohead employs minimalist electronica and, with the help of Grammy-nominated producer Nigel Godrich (who produced four out of the band’s six studio albums), Yorke retains the essence of the band without the other members. Even Stanley Donwood, Radiohead’s principal album-cover artist, was enlisted to produce the art. If The Eraser is Yorke’s attempt to detour from his current band’s musical explorations, then he’s not even close. However, any fan who has devoured Radiohead’s music dating back to Pablo Honey, will find the album a filling appetizer before the band releases its new album in 2007.