sorry i have'nt been active for a while - had a funeral to sort out - promise I will catch up on the...
sorry i have'nt been active for a while - had a funeral to sort out - promise I will catch up on the ops ive missed.
Member since:13.07.2001
Reviews:16
Members who trust:3
Radiohead are a band often billed by the pop media as 'depressing', and on the surface you might be hard-pushed to disagree. The tracks bandied about before 'OK Computer' was released, namely 'electioneering' and an early version of 'Airbag' provided little insight into the direction the band were heading after 'The Bends'. Give it a bit of time though, and you might start to realise just why the press and fans fell over themselves to acclaim this as the greatest album of a generation.
My introduction to the album was to sit right through it from start to finish (something I am usually incapable of), and the initial reactions it evoked were incredible. It is impossible to deny that as a whole it is much more substantial than the sum of its parts, a genuine epic which takes you on a torturous journey into the disjointed and deeply paranoid psyche of frontman Thom Yorke. There are no real 'light' moments to speak of, even the xylophone dominated infectious melody of 'No Surprises' contains the lyrical gem "a job that slowly kills you, bruises that won't heal". Despite this, it would not be fair to simply dismiss 'OK Computer' as either depressing or glum. The only way that I can describe it is like a kind of nostalgia. The album as a whole is like smelling something which brings back a flood of uncontrollable memories. Some of them may be happy, others sad, but is the very act of losing control and being surrounded by emotions which affect you the most.
Musically 'OK Computer' is impossible to define. From the lush strings reminiscent of tracks from 'The Bends', to the psychadelic guitars on 'Electioneering' or 'Paranoid Android', the style is dificult to pigeonhole. At once disjointed and perfectly harmonious, this is a well crafted album
which lurches from one direction to another. It seems, however, that Yorkes lyrics are the real dominant force in taking this album to unparralleled heights. While many of the personal, emotional issues of 'Pablo Honey' or 'The Bends' are not delved into, it is the fears and delusions of the frontman which make this album such a difficult and unnerving experience. While the band may be at ease with themselves, Yorke is certainly not at ease with the world around him. The most seemingly trivial concerns are fleshed out, made real, and brought home in a way which is unsettling in the extreme. 'Climbing up the Walls', 'Exit Music' and 'Paranoid Android' are beautifully crafted, yet fragile slices of insight into Yorkes troubled mind.
>Airbag
This track takes the big guitar driven sound found on 'The Bends', strips it down to the bare bones and then builds it up layer by layer. A big vibrato guitar gives way to a shimmering, gentle verse. A decent pair of headphones are a must to do justice to this track. A barrage of dissonant sounds assault you from a distance while the central guitar part drones through the centre of your head. Thoms lyrics deal with his fascination with cars, or to be more accurate car crashes. He seems to marvel at the technology which could save his life, an idea which contradicts his mistrust in giving up control to a machine.
>Paranoid Android
There's probably not a great deal you could write about this track that has not already been written. In the best rock traditions, but never once falling into the trap of cliche, this is an epic track in distinctly different movements. From laid back introspection to downright accusation, Yorkes voice moves faultlessly between angelic and snarling as the band build a variety of soundscapes around his vocals. From the harmonys in the 'rain down...' section to the all out ballsy squeal of Jonnys guitar, this is a song which you will never tire of hearing.
>Subterranean Homesick Alien
After the abrupt crescendo which ends 'Paranoid Android' comes the jangling, laid back track that is 'Subterranean....'. The squelchy guitar is there alongside a brooding bass, but this time it is employed in a much more subtle manner. Thom reflects on the idea of an alien making "home movies for the folks back home", while the sounds swimming around your head lull you into a state of bliss and relaxation. Not single material by any means, but definitely in keeping with the progress of the album.
>Exit Music (For A Film)
This in my opinion is one of the greatest songs of my generation. No ordinary love song, Thoms plaintitive wail over the haunting guitars can still reduce me to tears. Originally penned for the outro to 'Romeo and Juliet' (hence the title), this track is absolutely beautiful. Thoms vocals during the verse seem to be whispered from right next to your ear, while the bridge sees them dripping in reverb which gives them an ethereal, almost gothic chill. It is so understated, captivating you completely until the cacophony of noise fades away, the soft guitar fades back in, and Thom almost seems to be crying as his voice falters over the words 'we hope that you choke'. An absolute masterpiece.
>Let Down
If there is anything even approaching a weak song on 'OK Computer', then this is probably it. That said, it is testament to the rest of the album that this would be a standout track on many other bands efforts. A bubbling, driving bass is the backbone for this song, wonderfully relaxing, but lacking the intensity of the tracks either side of it.
>Karma Police
Probably as close as Thom gets to being playful. A piano and guitar push this song along, providing the backdrop for Yorke to complain about 'Hitler haircuts making me feel ill.' Even when the guitar is stripped away and he threatens, "this is what you'll get when you mess with us" it is hard to take him too seriously. A rousing finale brings the song to a close.
>Fitter Happier Anti-capitalist slogans, embittered attacks on global corporations and some quite frankly surreal statements.... Spoken over a repetetive, mournful piano.... By what sounds like Stephen Hawking. Not really much more you can say about this.
>Electioneering
Thom at his most snarling and aggressive, comparing the way he has to whore himself for the press and media with the politicians who will do anything for sucess. Bitter and self-accusatory, this scratchy guitar driven track benefits from some great hectic drumming. Yorkes falsetto voice reaches seemingly impossible heights as it soars over the chaos below it.
>Climbing Up The Walls
Another sublime track. This deals with a place that we have all been, and something which has scared us all. Thom takes us back to the childhood days of 'the eyes in the cubpboard'. What could be trivial, or even unintentionally funny in the wrong hands is the basis of a truly chilling track. The fat synth bass sets the mood, and the guitar threatens to break into violence at any point. This song has some terrifying lines, and makes it's point in the most serious way possible. "Do not cry out or hit the alarm, you'll get the loneliest feeling...." Who hasn't been there, terrified yet unable to call for help?
>No Surprises
An obvious choice for a single, although the dark introspective lyrics might be missed on the first listen as the lush guitar, and bizarely, xylophone, drive the track along in a lovely, laid back uplifting way. Probably not a standout track, but one which caters for a more mainstream market, covering ground which the band are very competent at, without ever really being challenging.
>Lucky
A mournful intro gives way to a rousing chorus in this track. Thoms vocals are on fine form on this often overlooked track. A bit of a slow burner, but well worth a listen.
>The Tourist
The perfect end to a classic album. An awkward time signature does nothing to detract from what is a magnificently crafted close-out track. Soft, shimmering guitars intertwine serenely with Thoms choir boy vocals. Perhaps not upbeat, but certainly a more comforting note to end on after the turbulent, emotional ride that is 'OK Computer'.
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