Radiohead frontman and solo artist Thom Yorke specializes in turning angst into art. A stressed out world turns to Yorke for catharsis and to experience the textural aural pleasures he comes up with on each new project. His success is due in no small part to the fact that Yorke himself is often an anxious man, and he knows what it is he's conveying.
Radiohead have been releasing records since 1992, and long ago reached the status of being able to do what they want, and to come and go on their own terms. As Radiohead's principal songwriter and lyricist, and as the voice of the group, Thom Yorke's projects apart from the band garner much attention. Even last year's sprawling and largely instrumental soundtrack album for the film "Suspiria" attracted more notice than perhaps was warranted.
Yorke's third solo record "Anima," however, is an album of songs. The music began as long tracks that Yorke sent to longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, who would then edit them into shorter loops and samples. Unsurprisingly, anxiety provided the inspiration for the album's dystopian lyrics. If that sounds like a downer, it's not. "Anima" is a great listen.
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