It’s been almost five (long) years since Radiohead’s last album, “The King of Limbs.” Never mind the fact that nearly all of these songs have been introduced before in their live sets, because you haven't heard them like this before. And while it’s not doing anything new, it’s a heck of an improvement. Impressive experimentation or not, “The King of Limbs” was a measly eight tracks, including a throwaway instrumental. If there’s anything remotely new on this record, it’s the grand orchestral instrumentation, but even then, it’s been present before (“How to Disappear Completely”). It’s been ramped up, however, and it practically gives this record its own particular sound. Nearly each Radiohead album has had its own sound and themes, and this one continues that tradition. And that particular sound is pensive beauty. Beauty you can drift away to or listen to while looking up at the stars.

I guess a more elegant way of putting it would be calling it nocturnal bliss. Those looking for faster-paced rock songs might find themselves disappointed. I’m telling you now, though: give it a couple of listens over the course of a week and it will grow on you. You might be surprised how time-consuming admiring the ambient textures can be. Upon first listen, I confused it with stagnant repetition of themes, which it can be seen as if you can’t admire the delicate piano and dynamic strings. “Burn the Witch,” which is probably the finest Radiohead single since “Reckoner,” can’t push the momentum forever, but the return of Jonny Greenwood’s virtuosic guitar-abilities on tracks like “Identikit” ensure that things are moving forward. Some folksy guitar reminiscent of Nick Drake even finds its way onto some of these tracks. Folk and Radiohead in the same song; peculiar, isn’t it? But beauty is the main star on this record, and it gives “In Rainbows” a run for its money in that field. The songs aren’t better per se, but this album is definitely more complex and ethereal. From the astral sound-effects on “Daydreaming,” to the soft piano progressions to “Glass Eyes” and “True Love Waits,” the music is as mysterious and abstract as its title and cover art suggests. Strings crescendo and decrescendo and pianos twinkle. It’s tranquil at times, but unnerving when a certain unexpected sound shoots from the left speaker/earphone. Eerie, but only until it resolves itself. Sleepy, but beware of abrupt sounds that could wake you up at any time.

So many qualities describe this record, but really, it may just be Thom Yorke’s take on a break-up album, as he recently separated from his partner Rachel Owens last year. It can’t get any clearer than the chant “Broken hearts make it rain!” The track-listing is alphabetical, but it can’t be a coincidence that the record ends on the (finally) studio-recorded fan-favorite, “True Love Waits.” I’ve never paid much attention to the lyrics of their past albums unless they demanded attention. Because the music’s always been the main spectacle for Radiohead, lyrics were always secondary. But here, both require equal attentiveness. At the end of “Daydreaming,” if you’re able to decode the slowed-down and reversed lyrics, they read: “Half of my life,” which refers to the amount of time Yorke has spent with his former lover. If that isn’t a subtle cry for help, I don’t know what is. In the end, it may just be the most human Radiohead has ever sounded.

This goes without saying, but this record isn’t a game-changer, and why should it be? The last game-changer was “Kid A” back in 2000. And after that, you can’t help but feel that they may have been trying too hard on “Amnesiac” and “Hail to the Thief,” which are still impressive records. So it comes as no surprise that we adored the spiritual predecessor to this record, “In Rainbows.” It was a return to form simply because of its lack of pretensions. We’ve come to expect too much from one quintet from Oxfordshire. But what’s so satisfying here is that they have settled into a type of music that they’re comfortable with and enjoy making. They aren’t trying to impress anyone anymore, because what else do they have to prove? They are relieved of any pressure they had to innovate in past releases. Whether or not they care about acclaim and praise, they’re already going down as one the greats of modern music. And while this album isn’t a masterpiece, it is a great one. Unfortunately, other than the opener, there aren’t any blatant showstoppers like “There, There” or “Idioteque,” but there’s also no undercooked songs like, say, half of “Hail to the Thief”. It won’t ever top the likes of their hey-day albums such as “Kid A” or “Ok Computer,” but it will be remembered as a welcome addition to their already impressive canon. For those who love to rank their records, including me, it can comfortably sit next to the likes of “In Rainbows” or “Amnesiac.” For a band that’s older than a college graduate, this is more than we deserve. Even The Rolling Stones couldn’t make a good record after ’81 (they put their first out in ’64). Time is the true judge, and it’s already been said before, but this may be the best band since The Beatles. Now if we won't have to wait another five years for another album, that’d be great! A

(Key Tracks: "Burn the Witch," "Daydreaming," "Identikit," "The Numbers")