In this reviewer’s mind, there were only ever two ways THOM YORKE’S debut solo album might go: introspective acoustic guitar and vocal affair or introspective loops, electronica and vocal affair, depending on whether he’s on a pro or anti-guitar trip right now.
Not surprisingly, “The Eraser” opts for the low-key electronica route, but while the vibe is intimate and experimental, structures aren’t dispensed with and the resulting nine tracks aren’t too horribly removed from passé concepts such as (erk) ‘tunes’ in the end. Radical or wot, eh?
It would be easy to put the boot in, of course, but in fairness “The Eraser” has its’ moments. Tracks like “Analyse” and “The Clock” are hypnotic, algebraic and motorik of (break)beat. Mournful piano (a la “Pyramid Song”) and discreet synths abound, while by the time of track four (“Black Swan”) there are even flecks of guitar and dubby basslines entering the fray. Perhaps inevitably, the obvious comparison is Radiohead circa “Amnesiac” (sorry, but it’s undeniable), yet most of the tracks are soaked in a heady atmosphere of their own and when Yorke unleashes the loose-limbed funk and New York dread-noir of the excellent “And It Rained All Night”, he’s really starting to hit his stride.
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There are also times when he clearly misses the input of his seasoned colleagues. The album’s middle section, especially, is rather flabby and directionless, with the heart-monitor blips and hot-under-the-collar vocals of “Skip Divided” and the balmy, but humidly minimal “Atoms For Peace” largely exercises in mood and little else. Fortunately, he apparently senses this, and accordingly “The Eraser” heads for the tape in improved style via the rubber-thumbed, A Certain Ratio-style basslines of “Harrowdown Hill” and the Pole-meets-Can logic of the closing “Cymbal Rush”.
Simply by dint of the fact it bears Thom Yorke’s name, this album is assured of hubris and attention, but in all honesty it’s a record you’ll find easier to admire than love. It’s by no means devoid of artistic merit, but while “The Eraser” has its’ successes, it’s hard to imagine it rubbing out the competition the way Radiohead do collectively with most releases.
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