Review Summary: The soundtrack to an era
There is a man outside. He's wearing only black and white, neither smiling nor frowning, he stands with his shoulders slumped outside my door, as if unsure why he is there, he has no meaning, no purpose or no significance; he is just...there. As I watch him, I start to feel confused, as if...
There is a man outside. He's wearing only black and white, neither smiling nor frowning, he stands with his shoulders slumped outside my door, as if unsure why he is there, he has no meaning, no purpose or no significance; he is just...there. As I watch him, he raises a hand slowly, as if he is a puppet on a string. I start to feel confused, as if my mind...
There is a man outside. He's wearing only black and white, neither smiling nor frowning, he stands with his shoulders slumped outside my door, as if unsure why he is there, he has no meaning, no purpose or no significance; he is just...there. As I watch him, he raises a hand slowly, as if he is a puppet on a string. He looks at me with unfocused eyes and tries to smile, but it just looks so vapid. I start to feel confused, as if my mind is spinning in circles...
There is a man outside. He's wearing only black and white, neither smiling nor frowning, he stands with his shoulders slumped outside my door, as if unsure why he is there, he has no meaning, no purpose or no significance; he is just...there. As I watch him, he raises a hand slowly, as if he is a puppet on a string. He looks at me with unfocused eyes and tries to smile, but it just looks so vapid. I frown slightly, unnerved by how this stranger makes me wonder how to respond to him. I start to feel confused, as if my mind is spinning in circles and I wonder what I am doing here...
I could go on and on with this expanding cycle, but it is easier to explain it. The significance of Kid A when it was released was huge; the minimalism and claustrophobic feel of the album reflected the isolationalism in modern culture and the hazy, aimless lyrics captured the fear of a lack of purpose that lurks in the minds of so many of us. The 'man outside my door' is the man that Kid A has grown up to become. He is unsure of his direction or his significance and he does nothing but smile and wave as society pushs his life along for him. There is nothing unconventional about him because there is nothing unconventional in this day and age. Back in his day, he was Kid A, the first human clone, but today he is only one of many, the bannerman on the uninspired generation.
It is very important to notice that Radiohead themselves did almost nothing to cultivate the speculation surrounding the conceptual aspects of Kid A and its significance in relation to its time of release (other than say that Kid A could refer to the first human clone). The reason that so many people have made links between this album and changes in modern culture and lifestyles if because of the extraordinary power of the music and the overall atmosphere of the album. Radiohead could have made all the statements that people who have heard the album have made, but all their statements would have been totally meaningless if it wasn't for the fact that the sound of Kid A captures the spirit of our speculation so effectively.
As far as the music is concerned, Kid A is successful because of its minimalism and the powerful, bleak atmosphere that it creates.
Everything in its Right Place opens the album in a relaxing manner,
Kid A continues in the same way, whilst becoming slightly disturbing,
The National Anthem brings in some chaos with the addition of a brass orchestra,
How To Disappear Completely expands the theme of a lack of purpose with its bleak soundscapes and lyrics ("I am not here, this isn't happening"),
Treefingers emphasizes this theme more by taking the bleakness even further.
Optimistic is comparatively upbeat and has a hint of sarcasm in both its title and the lyrics ("You can try the best you can, the best you can is good enough"),
In Limbo is very spacey and sounds just like its title implies. In
Idioteque the sense of hopelessness and lack of purpose becomes panic, which is conveyed perfectly by Thom Yorke's soaring vocals and the driving drum beat. Although Idioteque is clearly the climax of the album,
Morning Bell is my personal favourite, a more subtle song that portrays an insane mix of emotions.
Motion Picture Soundtrack concludes the album on a dour note that leaves the listener very much satisfied, if not slightly overwhelmed.
There is no need to actively consider Kid A's links to reality; the best way to understand them is to simply listen to the album.
