As Simon rightfully points out, the best part of Radiohead's release strategy is that it's brought back a touch of mystique. Normally, we're assaulted by a barrage of interviews, selective tracks previewed on Pitchfork, followed by a leak of the album's contents, anywhere from a month to six months away from a physical CD release.

"Our new album is out in ten days."

Today, then, was the great leveller; the media experiencing for the first time as we did, getting our emails at six in the morning and downloading the 160k MP3 tracks from their webserver. And perhaps it shows once again how far the NME are behind the curve, fighting a pointless battle to try and relive 1977:

He added: It wasn't even the music necessarily, it was the thought that went into the Sex Pistols that was important. But buying the single will at least be the first step to realising that for anyone who doesn't know the band's history or legacy.

Is that really what they've come to? I understand that every ex-NME reader has to go through a process of dismissing the paper after they stop buying it (though I do recognise that the period that I bought it was far from a golden age), but really? We have to buy the record to understand their legacy? How punk.

Anyway, In Rainbows. It's still settling in, I have to say. It's sparse where Hail To The Thief is dense, warm where Kid A is cold. Zigs where it should zags. But still Radiohead. Even if they have added some laughter (sampled, obviously).

A full review, however, seems pointless. Go over to the site and download it for yourself.