A Reminder: Thom Yorke At Bridge School

One of the most unexpected albums of the year was, of course, Thom Yorke's The Eraser. Despite the short time between announcement and release, a significant amount of anticipation greeted its arrival. There are some excellent songs on the record, particularly "Harrowdown Hill" and "Black Swan," but the overall focus does make for a rather static record. I suppose the real hurdle that Thom and Radiohead have to overcome each time they release new material is the "burden" of an absolutely spectacular back catalogue. Somehow, they've managed to surprise us just about every time they've put out a record, something that few bands can claim.

This is a pretty interesting set. Neil Young holds a two day event each year called Bridge School Benefit in the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. I originally became aware of it via Tegan and Sara, who are signed to Neil's Vapor Records, and who have played in two of the shows. Thom appeared in 2002, and this is the first of his two sets, recorded on October 26th. While it's just Thom and his acoustic guitar and piano, he explores a significant chunk of Radiohead history. Hopefully it'll sate you until they release that seventh album and get back on the road.

Enjoy:

1. Intro
2. Everything In Its Right Place
3. I Might Be Wrong
4. Sail To The Moon
5. Like Spinning Plates
6. There There
7. Pyramid Song
8. Lucky
9. After The Gold Rush (Neil Young Cover)

You Must Hear These Records: Here