Radiohead’s latest album, “In Rainbows,” couples an extraordinary new distribution system with an energetic set of tracks to give the listener a very favorable experience. “In Rainbows” made headlines when Radiohead abandoned normal avenues of music distribution such as store-sold compact discs and online stores such as iTunes.

Departing from the normal control of major record companies, Radiohead released its album for download from its website for a fascinating new price: whatever the listener wants to pay. That is, all that it takes to get a copy of the disc is registering on the band’s website, paying as little as $0 and downloading a zip file that is automatically e-mailed to you the second you order. All in all, it is a refreshing procedure for the consumer, yet the band still managed to grab an average of four or five British pounds per album, so it may even have been an economically savvy move for the band.

Concerning the songs themselves, the album is quite good. The style of each song varies widely, from the thumping electricity of the upbeat “15 Step” to the smoothness of “All I Need” to the grungy aggression of “Bodysnatchers.” Every track is completely unique, but still completely Radiohead.

Much like older Radiohead albums, this one surrounds the listener with an entrancing sensation; it is almost impossible to avoid getting lost in the music. Everything meshes and dovetails so superbly that it is all together a very tight, slick package, but it is still wholesome and real. Listeners will not find either over manipulation a la T-Pain or low quality recording. The sound quality of the tracks is sublime all the way through, even though the songs are compressed, e-mailed and downloaded before they even reach the listener’s ears.

The combination of a pulsating, refreshing sound and an equally refreshing distribution model makes “In Rainbows” impossible to resist. Go ahead, download it right now. Even if only because it’s free, you won’t be disappointed.