The Eraser
Studio album by Thom Yorke
Released	10 July 2006
Genre	Art rock, electronic music
Length	41:01
Label	XL XLCD200 / XLLP200
Producer	Nigel Godrich
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link The Guardian link NME (8/10) link Pitchfork Media (6.6/10) link Rolling Stone link The Times link

The Eraser is a solo album by Radiohead singer Thom Yorke, released on 10 July 2006 in the United Kingdom and on 11 July in the United States and Canada. The album debuted at #3 on the UK Albums Chart and at #2 on the Billboard 200 in the United States, selling over 90,000 copies in its first week. The Eraser was nominated for both the Mercury Music Prize and the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1000x1000, 496 KB) Licensing This image is of a music album or single cover, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by either the publisher of the album or the artist(s) which produced the music or artwork in... A studio album is a collection of previously unreleased, studio-recorded tracks by a recording artist. ... Thomas Edward Yorke (born October 7, 1968 in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England) is an English musician, best known as the lead singer of the band Radiohead. ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Art rock is a term used by some to describe rock music that is characterized by ambitious or avant-garde lyrical themes and/or melodic, harmonic, or rhythmic experimentation, often extending beyond standard modern popular music forms and genres, toward influences in jazz, classical, world music or the experimental avant... For other uses, see Electronic music (disambiguation). ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... XL Recordings is an independent record label which was launched by Nick Halkes (joined in 1992 by Richard Russell) with Beggars Banquet Records in 1989 to release its rave and dance music. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music, owned by All Media Guide. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... Image File history File links 3_stars. ... For other uses, see NME (disambiguation). ... Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork and occasionally shortened to P4K or pfork,[1] is a United States-based daily Internet publication devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. ... This article is about the magazine. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom (and the Kingdom of Great Britain before the United Kingdom existed) since 1788 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... An album or record album is a collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public. ... Radiohead are an English rock band. ... Thomas Edward Yorke (born October 7, 1968 in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England) is an English musician, best known as the lead singer of the band Radiohead. ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 192nd day of the year (193rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The UK Albums Chart is a chart of the sales positions of albums in the United Kingdom. ... The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. ... The Mercury Music Prize, now officially known as the Nationwide Mercury Prize, is a music award given annually for the best British or Irish album of the previous 12 months. ... The Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album has been awarded since 1991. ...

Background

On 11 May 2006, Yorke posted, without explanation, a link to the site theeraser.net on the Dead Air Space section of the official Radiohead website. Two days later, in an email sent to the owners of several Radiohead fan sites through W.A.S.T.E. (Radiohead's online shop), Yorke announced the album and revealed a few details: it was produced by Nigel Godrich, comprises songs written and played by Yorke alone, is "more beats and electronics". is the 131st day of the year (132nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Electronic music (disambiguation). ...

In a later posting on Dead Air Space, Yorke said, "don't call it a solo record", asserting that Radiohead was not breaking up. In fact, Radiohead launched a tour to play their own new material, nearly coinciding with this announcement, and has since released their latest album, In Rainbows. Yorke said that some of the tracks for The Eraser had been "kicking around" since 2000, but that he had no immediate plans for more solo records. Two songs, the title track and "Black Swan", are actually sample recordings made by other members of the band. In Rainbows is the seventh studio album by the English rock band Radiohead. ...

Music

Sound and influences

"The Eraser" is based on piano chords (namely C6 and D6) played by Radiohead member Jonny Greenwood: "the piano chords are Jonny's. I recorded them on a dictaphone around his house one day. A year and a half later, I had to own up that I had sampled them, cut them into a different order and made them into a song [laughs]. Is that all right? Sorry, Jonny."^[1] Greenwood is given co-writing credit on this track, the only track of the album not credited solely to Yorke. Jonathan Jonny Richard Guy Greenwood (born November 5, 1971 in Oxford, England) is a musician and a member of Radiohead. ... Dictaphone was an American company, a producer of dictation machines —sound recording devices most commonly used to record speech for later playback or to be typed into print. ...

"Analyse" was inspired by a blackout in Oxford. Yorke "used to live in central Oxford, on one of those historical streets, with all these houses built in the 1860s. I came home one night and for some reason, the street had a power cut. The houses were all dark, with candlelight in the windows, which is obviously how it would have been when they were built. It was beautiful."^[1] "Analyse" was played by Yorke at the 2006 Mercury Prize ceremony. The song also accompanies the end credits of the 2006 Christopher Nolan film, The Prestige. Power Outage is an episode of The WB drama series, Charmed. ... This article is about the city of Oxford in England. ... The Prestige is a 2006 period film directed by Christopher Nolan, with a screenplay adapted from the 1995 World Fantasy Award-winning novel of the same name by Christopher Priest. ...

"Black Swan" dates back to the Kid A sessions. The song "has this tiny, shredded segment of something that was one of the library samples we had. It was Ed and Phil doing this thing, and I sliced it into bits. The sample was 2000, but the song was 2005."^[1] The 2006 Richard Linklater film A Scanner Darkly features the song over the closing credits. This article is about the Radiohead album. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... Richard Rick Linklater (born July 30, 1961, in Houston, Texas) is an Academy Award nominated American film director and writer. ... A Scanner Darkly is a 2006 film by Richard Linklater based on the Philip K. Dick novel of the same name. ...

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Yorke explained that "'And It Rained All Night' has this enormously shredded-up element of "The Gloaming" [from Hail to the Thief]... I remember doing that in New York. I couldn't sleep one night, and it was one of those New York things, where the rain just chucks down. The rain was so loud." Yorke finds the bassline for this song particularly interesting: "I'd ring up a friend, say 'Listen to this,' and play him the bass riff on 'And It Rained All Night.' It was things like that, little pockets of excitement that I'd missed for so long."^[1] This article is about the magazine. ... Hail to the Thief (subtitled The Gloaming) is the sixth studio album by English rock band Radiohead, released on 9 June 2003 in the United Kingdom and June 10, 2003 in the United States. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

"Cymbal Rush" is derived from "Try to Save Your Prize", a musical track from The Most Gigantic Lying Mouth Of All Time. Yorke also reported that "In the last song, 'Cymbal Rush,' the first bit you hear is something I had for three years: one little note. I could hear the melody in there straightaway. But if you played it to anyone else without me singing it, you'd think, 'What's he on about?'"^[1] The Most Gigantic Lying Mouth of All Time DVD cover, based on artwork from Hail to the Thief by Tchock and Stanley Donwood. ...

Lyrics

Thom Yorke said much of his songwriting on the album was personal, but also inspired by the issue of climate change. Yorke was a spokesman for Friends of the Earth's "The Big Ask" campaign to reduce carbon emissions, and Radiohead played the first gig of their 2006 tour at a benefit for the group (performing "Cymbal Rush" before the album was announced). Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 450,000 years For current global climate change, see Global warming. ... Friends of the Earth is an international network of environmental organizations in 70 countries. ... Top: Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels as measured in the atmosphere and ice cores. ...

In describing his motivation for releasing the album, Yorke said, "I've been in the band since we left school and never dared do anything on my own, and it was like, 'This is getting stupid.' It was like, 'Man, I've got to find out what it feels like,' you know? And it was good. It was a really good time." ^[2]

"Atoms for Peace" was the title of a speech given by Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953. It is also the motto of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Atoms for Peace was the title of a speech delivered by Dwight D. Eisenhower to the UN General Assembly in New York City on December 8, 1953. ... Dwight David Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American General and politician, who served as the thirty-fourth President of the United States (1953–1961). ... The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for military purposes. ...

Harrowdown Hill in Oxfordshire is notable for being the place where the body of Dr David Kelly was found in 2003. His evidence had raised questions about Saddam Hussein's possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction — the official justification for the UK government's decision to invade Iraq. In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Yorke said, "The government and the Ministry of Defence... were directly responsible for outing him and that put him in a position of unbearable pressure that he couldn't deal with, and they knew they were doing it and what it would do to him... I've been feeling really uncomfortable about that song lately, because it was a personal tragedy, and Dr Kelly has a family who are still grieving. But I also felt that not to write it would perhaps have been worse."^[3] In another interview, Yorke said that "Harrowdown Hill" is "the most angry song I've ever written in my life. I'm not gonna get into the background to it, the way I see it... And it's not for me or for any of us to dig any of this up. So it's a bit of an uncomfortable thing."^[4] Yorke also notes that "'Harrowdown Hill' was kicking around during 'Hail to the Thief', but there was no way that was going to work with the band."^[1] Oxfordshire (abbreviated Oxon, from the Latinised form Oxonia) is a county in the South East of England, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire. ... For other persons named David Kelly, see David Kelly (disambiguation). ... Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was the fifth President of Iraq and Chairman of the Iraqi Revolutionary Command Council from 1979 until his overthrow by US forces in 2003. ... For the Xzibit album, see Weapons of Mass Destruction (album). ... The United Kingdom is a unitary state and a democratic constitutional monarchy. ... This article is about the 2003 invasion of Iraq. ... The Globe and Mail is a large English language national newspaper based in Toronto, Canada, and printed in seven cities across Canada. ... The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the British Armed Forces. ...

Imagery

A part of the album art. Buildings shown drowning include Big Ben, the home of the Secret Intelligence Service at 85 Vauxhall Cross and Battersea Power Station

The album's cover, a woodcut by Stanley Donwood, depicts a figure in black hat and trenchcoat standing in imitation of King Canute, trying and failing to command the ocean.^[5] Around him are iconic London buildings that have been swept away by the Thames, including the Tower of London, the Houses of Parliament and the Thames Barrier. Donwood included this picture and other images seen in The Eraser booklet in his art exhibition London Views, prior to the album's release. The images were inspired by a large flood Donwood and Yorke both witnessed in Cornwall in 2004.^[6] Image File history File links EraserSleeve. ... Image File history File links EraserSleeve. ... The Clock Tower, colloquially known as Big Ben (a name that correctly refers to the main bell) Big Ben redirects here. ... The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6 (Military Intelligence, Section 6),[1] is the United Kingdoms external intelligence agency. ... The SIS building at Vauxhall Cross, London, seen from Vauxhall Bridge The SIS building, seen from Millbank The opposite side of the building, seen from Vauxhall Cross The SIS Building, also commonly known as the MI6 Building, is the headquarters of the British Secret Intelligence Service, otherwise known as MI6... Battersea Power Station viewed from the north bank of the River Thames at Pimlico. ... An album cover is a cover used to package commercial audio recordings such as the printed cardboard covers that were typically used to package 12 gramophone records from the 1960s through to the 1980s when the 12 record was the major format for distribution of popular music. ... Four horsemen of the Apocalypse by Albrecht Dürer Ukiyo-e woodcut, Ishiyama Moon by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1889) Woodcut is a relief printing artistic technique in printmaking in which an image is carved into the surface of a block of wood, with the printing parts remaining level with the surface... Stanley Donwood is the pen name of English writer and artist Dan Rickwood[1], who has gained fame for his work on the album and poster art for Radiohead on every release since their My Iron Lung EP (1994). ... Canute II, or Canute the Great, in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles also known as Cnut (Old Norse: Knútr inn ríki, Norwegian: Knut den mektige, Swedish: Knut den store, Danish: Knud den Store) (c. ... Several places exist with the name Thames, and the word is also used as part of several brand and company names Most famous is the River Thames in England, on which the city of London stands Other Thames Rivers There is a Thames River in Canada There is a Thames... For other uses, see Tower of London (disambiguation) Her Majestys Royal Palace and Fortress The Tower of London, more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically simply as The Tower), is an historic monument in central London, England on the north bank of the River Thames. ... This may refer to the: British Houses of Parliament. ... The Thames Barrier is a flood control structure on the River Thames, constructed between 1974 and 1984 at Woolwich Reach, London. ... For other uses, see Cornwall (disambiguation). ...

The CD packaging of The Eraser is unusual for a high profile release in that it is made of cardboard but unlike a digipak, it does not contain any plastic. However, Yorke said in an interview that he did not have his CDs certified as carbon neutral, agreeing with British environmentalist George Monbiot's assertion that the practice is pointless. A compact disc in Digipak-style packaging; seen here: Boards of Canadas 1998 release Music Has the Right to Children Digipak is a patented style of compact disc or DVD packaging, and is a registered trademark of MeadWestvaco, Inc. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... A carbon audit regime is an effective means of accounting for greenhouse gas control efforts. ... George Monbiot. ...

Track listing

1. "The Eraser" (T. Yorke/J. Greenwood) – 4:55
2. "Analyse" (T. Yorke) – 4:02
3. "The Clock" (T. Yorke) – 4:13
4. "Black Swan" (T. Yorke) – 4:49
5. "Skip Divided" (T. Yorke) – 3:35
6. "Atoms for Peace" (T. Yorke) – 5:13
7. "And It Rained All Night" (T. Yorke) – 4:15
8. "Harrowdown Hill" (T. Yorke) – 4:38
9. "Cymbal Rush" (T. Yorke) – 5:15

The Eraser is a song by Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke and is the first track on his 2006 album of the same name. ... Analyse is a song by Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke and is featured on his 2006 album The Eraser. ... Black Swan is a song by Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke and is featured on his 2006 album The Eraser. ... Harrowdown Hill is a song by Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke and is featured on his 2006 album The Eraser. ...

Singles

The Modern Rock Tracks chart is a music chart that has appeared in Billboard magazine since the early 1980s. ... Black Swan is a song by Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke and is featured on his 2006 album The Eraser. ... Harrowdown Hill is a song by Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke and is featured on his 2006 album The Eraser. ... Analyse is a song by Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke and is featured on his 2006 album The Eraser. ...

References

David Fricke is a senior editor at Rolling Stone magazine, where he writes predominantly on rock music. ... is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the magazine. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 197th day of the year (198th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 96th day of the year (97th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• theeraser.net
• The Eraser page at the XL Recordings website.
• "Radiohead's Thom Yorke on Going Solo" - interview with Rolling Stone.
• "All messed up" - interview with Observer Music Monthly.