Review Summary: WHAT IS THIS REALLY RADIOHEAD! Well ya it is and they sound better than ever
I come from a place where people (excuse me) listen to crappy music. No one buys records or cd's. I remember i had just turned 17 and i heard coldplay's pardise last year. Tracked the band, started reading about music etc etc. Then i read about a seemingly unknown band named radiohead. I came across The bends at a local store thought "Lets see what all this hype is about" The bends was truly phenomenal so was ok computer. Then about 6 months ago i ordered kid a. It arrived and i started listening first came 'everything in its right place' those chords made me look at the cover twice to confirm it was radiohead. I thought maybe its just this one song then came 'kid a' even more distorted thom yoorke's almost sounds like he hates his voice on this one and by the time the trumpets start on 'the national anthem' you know perfectly this one is different. But in this case different is good. Radiohead did change but they were again spot on. This album has truly shaped our generation. It is radiohead showing its mastery in its true form.
After hearing all the albums i think thom yoorke like electronic music more than guitar based music. At first this album is going to sound bad most of you will not like it but believe me it will grow on you like it did on me. It will stay with you long after you have heard it. Though my favorite album of all time is the bends i listen to kid a everytime that i'm alone or depressed.
Here's a basic track by track not review but my thoughts of the tracks-
the album kicks off with everything's in its right place this one will give you a clear idea of what this album is. The song took a lot of time to make and to date is one of the best radiohead song not my favorite though.
kid a sounds like..... i dont know what it sounds like but thom yoorke is going to sound really weird and maybe you wont like it but i think this song is pretty good. Yoorke also played baass on this one.
This one is colin's song. Bass is pretty much the centre point here with thom yoorke singing along some time also the trumpets elevate the mood to new heights really great.
What can i say about 'how to disappear completely' this one is a ballad with jonny on the ondes martenot which he plays on a lot of tracks on kid a but i fell its most prominant on this one. One of the best songs on this album.
Treefingers is a simple tune with absence of thom yoorke and it kicks right into my favorite track of the album.
'Optimistic' is my favorite song on this album. This one is pure genius with lyrics like "the best you can is good enough" phil selway is really great on this tracks and his part is spot on. This is genius.
'In limbo' feels like the weakest track on the album and i really dont have a lot to say about this.
"Idioteque" is a really good track and for some the highlight of the album for me it was optimistic but well it differs from person to person.
'morning bell' this is my 2nd favorite track and definitely up there with the best. This one will create an atmosphere unlike none other. Drums are repitetive with a variation thrown in from time to time but it sounds fantastic.
'motion picture soundtrack' well i'll not say anything for this one i'll just quote something i read-
"longing, unrequited love, the broken hearts of all our generation as a result of music like this and a tendency to romanticize the slightest of hints"
This album is hailed as one of the best albums of our generation rolling stone put it at 67 position on its best albums of all time list. Thom yoorke said
"Kid A is like getting a massive eraser out and starting again," you will be bound to agree. But this change isn't bad instead it'll grow on you and you'll be compelled to listen to it over and over again.