Album Review – EOB, Earth

To date, the solo dispatches from the various members of Radiohead have all had a notably different flavour. There’s been Thom Yorke’s experimental glitch-tronica; Phil Selway’s avant-folk; and Jonny Greenwood’s exploratory soundtracks.

Guitarist Ed O’Brien’s solo debut, Earth, is yet another departure, mixing driving art-rock and delicate acoustica. Notably, there are musical contributions from O’Brien’s bandmate Colin Greenwood, Portishead’s Adrian Utley, and Nathan East and Dave Okumu of The Invisible – one of the most brilliant and underrated UK groups of the last decade.

The eclectic mix is expertly stewarded by the team of Catherine Marks and super-producer Flood. Indeed, ‘Shangri-La’ and ‘Olympik’ recall perhaps Flood’s most famous charges, U2, in particular the danceable electronica of Achtung Baby.

Elsewhere, the ragged acoustic ballad ‘Deep Days’ has echoes of Beck; ‘Mass’ is an inspired shoegaze effort; and ‘Cloak Of The Night’ is an exquisite duet with Laura Marling.

Superb stuff.

• 8/10, out now.