So much stuff to talk about here.  I guess I'll start with the obvious starting-point and then move off in tangents from there: the album.  I like it.  I wouldn't go so far to say that it's their "best album since Pablo Honey," but it is good and not a disappointment.  The thing is, none of Radiohead's albums are disappointments to me...I celebrate their entire catalogue.  While most people look at the Kid A/Amnesiac years as down years for Radiohead, I really enjoyed their experimentation and listen to those albums almost as regularly as I listen to the others.  Actually, Hail to the Thief is probably the album I listen to the least.  Mostly because there are some tracks that I really don't care for on that album as opposed to the other albums where I like every track (OK Computer's "Fitter, Happier" not withstanding) .  All of the songs on In Rainbows are good.  I think, though, it's a bit mellower and an easy listen compared to something like Pablo Honey, The Bends, or Hail to the Thief, thus putting in the realm of Kid A and Amnesiac.  Though, as 3fingers astutely points out, it's less "ugly-sounds-as-[music]."  I wish I had the music available to me now so that I could do a bit better description than that.  Oh well.

The price, I paid about 5 bucks for the download and will buy the CD when they release it proper (I read sometime in early next year).  I might break down and just order a box set, though.  Really, I think this type of marketing is brilliant.  I download music every now and then, but I do buy CDs for the albums that I really like (and when the guilt gets to me...Forgive me, local CD shop, for I have sinned.  It's been 2 months and about 10 downloads since my last visit).  If more artists released their music like this, I'd probably buy a lot more stuff.  For a digital download (the bitrate of In Rainbows does leave a bit to be desired...lossless FLAC or a higher bitrate mp3 or ogg would have been nicer), 3 to 4 bucks sits just fine with me.  Hopefully more groups (that I like) will catch on to this.

"Hail to the Thief" and "Pablo Honey" are two albums I don't have.  I have "OK Computer", "Kid A" and "Amnesiac". Given I have these three albums, are the other two worth picking up?

"meh"

I am much more moved by the ok computer/kid-a sound of radiohead. Alot of reviews I've heard of this album seem to say it's got "texture", which I suspect is a nice way of saying "it's a bunch of fucking noise and I don't really care for it".

I think the album is kind of sparse, and not in a good way. Not terribly fond of Thom Yorke in permanent falsetto whine mode, either.

Everyone is too afraid to say that this is a not-that-impressive offering wrapped in a bold, innovative format. I bought the album (payed 10 pounds sterling for it, even) just to support them on that basis and I would do it again.

That being said, I'm pretty underwhelmed by the album. Jesus Christ, even pitchfork gave it a 9.3 while simultaneously fitting both of Thom Yorke's balls in the reviewer's mouth.

Also, pablo honey sucked.

Amusing update to this story - apparently, despite the fact that it's available for free from the band's website, more people have pirated the album than have downloaded it legitimately. Go figure.