Search - Thom Yorke :: The Eraser Remixes

I'm too wasted, too far back

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 01/23/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Like any other popular album (especially an electronic one) Thom Yorke's solo debut "The Eraser" inspired a number of remixes. Fortunately nothing on "The Eraser Remixes" shames the original material -- Yorke's haunted songs are reworked into everything from crystalline pop to smoggy, rainy electronica.



The latter makes up the first song -- "And It Rained All Night (Burial remix)" opens with a wavering electronic hum, paired with the sound of wind and a voice calling, "Heeeeeeyyyy" as if from far away. It's a blurred, slow stream of beats that sounds like a nighttime city transforming into a jungle. Yorke floats through this like a cynical ghost, murmuring that "the ones come out, the sea lights up" before his voice floats off in a sea of reverb.



"Skip Divided (Modeselektor remix)" takes the opposite approach -- Yorke's unique sound is swamped by hard, exacting techno. The remixes that follow are a pretty mixed bag as well -- the mournful electro-studded "Analyse (Various Remix)," Four Tet's ethereal mix of "Atoms for Peace," the creepy, paranoid maelstrom of "Harrowdown Hill (The Bug remix)," the urgent stretch of "The Clock (Surgeon remix)."



There's also a pair of "Black Swan" remixes -- one has a jagged, vaguely industrial sound, and the other is funkier and more unpredictable. It ends on a surprisingly light note with "Cymbal Rush (The Field Late Night Essen Und Trinken remix)," a shimmering little piece that sounds like it's zooming off into the night.



"The Eraser Remixes" has the same problem as most collections of remixes -- that being, most of the songs sound totally dissimilar. "Most" is the important word there, because a mournful, slightly ominous air still hangs over several of the songs, and Yorke's lamenting vocals don't hurt that impression.



And the assorted artists usually do a good job slathering their own distinctive beats over Yorke's melodies -- we have sharp ones, stabby Kraftwerkian ones, light chimey ones, and thick dense thudding ones. Lots of reverberation, echoes and a blurring effect that makes Yorke sound like he's sinking away.



The most impressive work is actually from Four Tet. Their remix of "Atoms for Peace" maintains the original song, spices it up with some drums and chimes, and keeps the slight air of melancholy while also managing to make it lighter and sweeter.



"The Eraser Remixes" reworks some of Thom Yorke's unique pop songs, and for the most part they're solid pieces of work. Definitely worth listening to."

Great companion to the original album

Paul Allaer | Cincinnati | 02/08/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In 2006 Radiohead lead-singer Thom Yorke released a brilliant solo album "The Eraser", one of my favorite albums of that year. Last year, a remix album was released in Japan, and now finally that remix album has found an official release here in the US. I am usually not much for remix albums, but once in a while it works well. A good example would be Beck's "Guerolito" remix the the "Guero" album a few years back.



"The Eraser Rmxs" (9 tracks; 54 min.) falls into the category of remix albums I really like. The songs are decomposed and redone, but in a way that stays true to the original sound and mood of the proper album, and as such this album works great for me. All but one of the original album's nine tracks get redone (curiously the title track is missing, and instead "Black Swan" gets 2 remixes here. None of the remixes are so far off the original song that you wouldn't recognize them, the lone exception being "Cymbal Rush", which is now an 8 min. instrumental, quite nice actually, with an ambient feel to it. My favorite tracks on here are the "Harrowdown Hill" remix and the "Black Swan (Spare Parts Remix").



I have found this to be a great companion piece to the original album. Beware: this release is the direct implant of the Japanese release from last year, and hence the liner notes are in Japanese.... But on the upside, at least this album comes with the lyrics to the songs (in English), which the original album did not have. In all, if you liked the original album, you will not be disappointed with this remix album, and you'll want to have it."

Brilliant

Pawel Zietek | 03/23/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Brilliant it is... but for fans of electro side of Yorke/Radiohead...

must have for us... if you like The Bends album the best than forget it...

at least 5 rmxs are stunningly good: Surgeon, Modeselektor, The Bug, Burial and Various(?)..."