Kid A

by

Radiohead

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In the year 2000, Radiohead ditched its former "real" rock sound for Pink-Floydian, electronic post-rock. The result was "Kid A," where they relearned everything they knew about music from scratch. Some people loved it. Some didn't get it, and felt it was "pretentious." But there's one undeniable thing -- this chilly, eerie collection is a marvelously complex piece of work.

An ominous keyboard melody and gibberish vocals open the album in "Everything In Its Right Place," sounding a bit like a possessed radio. Then the fuzz and hums kick in, adding a spacey dimension to an already strange melody. A drum melody kicks in in the title track, followed by the ghostly rock of "National Anthem" and unearthly lament of "How to Disappear Completely."

Another "real" rock song kicks in with the darkly desperate "Optimistic," flanked by a pair of softer, eerie songs. "Idioteque" throws all the rules out the window with sharp percussion backed by weird waves of sound and Thom Yorke's high vocals. And finally it ends on the same note it began -- a stately organ -- in the harp-accented "Motion Picture Soundtrack."

In a musical world where anything that has a guitar can be called "rock," it's difficult to find music that is really creative. It's even harder to find a band that is willing to take risks, and expand their art. But those things can be found in Radiohead, and the evidence is in "Kid A" -- whether listeners think it's a wild success or a pretentious failure, it has to be admitted that it takes guts to try out something this different.

Thom Yorke's vocals are often described as whiny, but they are suited to the music here. Sometimes it's as little as backing "ooh oohs," and sometimes he's lamenting about ice ages and suicidal cries of "This isn't happening/I'm not here." Do the lyrics make sense? Not at first glance, at least -- they're more like a part of the music than lyrics in themselves.

And hoo boy, the music. Few bands do panoramic electronic soundscapes as Radiohead does here, scratched with wailing voices and eerie noises. More ordinary instruments are included, but add to the strange atmosphere rather than grounding it -- razor-sharp percussion, mellow organ, rippling harp strings, and subtle, swelling strings.

The Radiohead of "Kid A" is looking at a bleak, cold place, but not one that is ugly or alienating. Instead, you just want to sink into it and experience its beauty, no matter how cold or bleak it is. A true modern classic.

OK. Radiohead release a follow up to OK Computer and take over the musical world as we know it. They deserve the success, because they are a truly great band. Two of their previous albums, OK Computer and The Bends, would definitely rank in the top 20 of the 90s. But this critical acclaim can also get out of hand.

Everyone is claiming that Radiohead's new album Kid A is as groundbreaking, if not more so than OK Computer. That it is not. Artists like Autechre and Aphex Twin have been doing this stuff for years, with virtually none of the uproar or recognition this album has received. And when Aphex Twin and Autechre do this stuff, it sounds natural. This album sounds a little forced. I would take the breathtaking soundscapes on Selected Ambient Works, Volume 2, or the beautiful ambience of Amber over this. I believe they were shooting for that with the best of intentions, but its a hard target to hit. Unfortunately, they came up short.

That doesnt necessarily make it bad, and im not calling it a piece of crap. It is a good album. Kid A (the song) is great, and I really dig Everything In Its Right Place and Optimistic. The rest is merely mediocre compared to their other stuff. Perhaps this album will do a good thing and finally give Autechre, Future Sound of London and Aphex Twin the commercial success they so deserve (if they even want it). If you bought this album and loved it, i urge you to go check out some of the artists I've mentioned here. If you have yet to buy it, or anything else by Radiohead, definitely go with OK Computer.

That's just my two cents, take it for what you will. I'm just sick of reading these 5 star "Best Album Ever" reviews based solely on the fact that it's Radiohead. The music should receive the criticism (positive or negative) not the name.