Nonesuch

It’s a welcome surprise that Radiohead drummer Phil Selway’s solo debut is chock full of indie-folk inspired by Nick Drake and John Martyn, with a touch of bandmate Thom Yorke. But where Yorke knows anguish, music concrete and crazy, tripping rhythms, Selway knows quiet desperation. “By Some Miracle” begins things just one step shy of hope. “A Simple Life” floats along in that gravity-free zone that Radiohead once manned during The Bends. Selway embraces a musical atmosphere reminiscent of Neil Halstead, Jeff Hanson and Robert Forster. For orchestration, Lisa Germano, Wilco’s Glenn Kotche and Patrick Sansone add their personal touches to send the tracks into a luxuriant underworld. Note to management: it’s time for Selway to be promoted within the Radiohead Corp.