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Holler

Amplive's Rainydayz Remixes, approved by Thom

By WILL SPITZ | March 12, 2008

AmpLive

Scheduled to be released for free on-line back on January 10, AmpLive’s Rainydayz Remixes — an eight-track “re-envisioning” of Radiohead’s In Rainbows “composed exclusively of source material” from the album — almost didn’t see the light of day after the band’s publishers, Warner/Chappell, sent the Bay Area producer a cease-and-desist letter. (“We wanted to make you aware that you need to get approval before making arrangements of other writers’ work” — oops.) AmpLive promptly posted a video plea on YouTube — “I’m a big Radiohead fan and it was all done in celebration . . . Thom, holler at me, man.” Well, it seems that Thom hollered — the album is now available as a free zip file at www.onesevensevensix.com/amplive.

“Video Tapez” (ft. Del tha Funkee Homosapien)
For Rainydayz’ opener (after a 30-second intro track), AmpLive doubles up Thom Yorke’s piano chords from In Rainbows’ closer, straightens out the meter with a solid 4/4 hip-hop beat, and pits a deftly manipulated Yorke vocal against a couple of forgettable Del verses.

“Nudez” (ft. Too $hort and MC Zumbi)
Again messing with meter, AmpLive transforms Radiohead’s sleepy waltz into a relatively straightforward hip-hop track with the new refrain “Don’t lose your head.” He weaves in bits of strings and vocals from the original; meanwhile Too $hort and AmpLive’s Zion-I partner, Zumbi, make the dream of hearing lines about a “big-booty girl” over Radiohead a reality.

“Weird Fishez”
One of the less obtrusive songs on the album, this one dreams along on a gently propulsive beat, with AmpLive using primarily the underwater-sounding “Weird Fishes” section of “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi.” Repetitive and trancy, in a good way.

“Reckonerz” (feat. Chali 2na)
Jurassic 5 MC Chali 2na contributes the album’s best verses and the only lyrics that relate to the original, as far as I can tell. AmpLive also shines here, creating a dynamic and catchy beat with snatches of Phil Selway’s percussion, bits of strings, and disembodied vocals.