If you haven't heard, Thom Yorke has teamed up with Nigel Godrich (long-time Radiohead producer), Joey Waronker (Beck, Smashing Pumpkins, R.E.M., Ima Robot), Mauro Refosco (Forro in the Dark), and Flea (you should know this one). The group, which has only been identified as "??????," played the first weekend of October at the Echoplex and the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles and will hopefully keep these guys busy during their off-seasons. Yorke steps up his writhing dances to another level for these performances, which consist mostly of songs from his solo album, The Eraser. Check out "Harrowdown Hill," in which Yorke's memorable melodies are backed by the impressive trance of the band's two percussionists and a simple slap bass by Flea. The group shines in "Analyse," which is built off of Yorke's skillful piano play. On "Black Swan," the most successful U.S. single from The Eraser, the band falls a little flat, but makes up for it during a sublime jam just before the last chorus - hopefully a sign of things to come.
