Radiohead have always changed their style from album to album. Pablo Honey was a simple British Pop album; the next album "The Bends" is a harder and more of a rock album. After the Bends comes the album that introduced the world to a little bit of Radiohead experimental side in "Ok Computer", but the album still had some guitar riffs and was as experimental as it's predecessor "KID A" which contained little or no guitar work. How could Radiohead surprise there fans this time? Well, they promised their fans a completely separate work in "Amnesiac" from "Kid A" but the albums are both experimental even though "Amnesiac" has a little bit more guitar work.
The thing I have to say about "Amnesiac" is that it is no "Kid A" even though they are very similar albums, "Amnesiac" is probably the "Kid A" leftovers, the songs that couldn't make Radiohead's fourth full-length album. There are many great and not so great songs on this album, unlike Kid A which every song was great.
The first track on the album,"Packt Like Sardines In A Crushed Tin Box", is my favorite song on the album. It's one of the most generic and straightforward songs on the album. You don't even have to guess to find out what's it is about. It has a nice and calm techno beat which leads into a "Techno-solo" at the end of the song. The only complaint I have of this song is that I would like to see a little bit more emotion during the chorus of the song by the band's lead vocalist Thom Yorke it seems like at times he is mumbling the vocals to the song, besides that this is a very good opening track. 4.5/5
"Pyramid Song" is a solid soft track, the lyrics are very sad and "Ok Computer" like but the beat is more of a "Kid A" beat. It is a perfect combination of the two albums, which makes it a nice listen. This doesn't mean that you can just pick up this song and listen to it, it is a pretty difficult listen, and you will have to let it grow on you. But eventually the catchy and scary riffs, Thom haunting lyrics and a great chorus make this a good song. 4/5
"Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors", is probably up with "Hunting Bears" for my least favorite songs of the album. It is disappointing because you always feel that Thom's vocals and the experimental beat, are building up to a huge chorus and a great instrumental outburst, but the vocals and instrumental work never do. The songs structure is a little bit off as well, with there being no chorus or anything that makes the song listenable to the occasional music fan. Thom's distorted vocals, similar to the track "Kid A" on "Kid A", are all right, but the instrumental work isn't as good, and the lyrics aren't as deep. 2/5
The album gets back on track with the politically bashing track, "You And Whose Army", and the song starts out with some catchy vocals that get you hooked into the song and it proceeds to a little bit of a outburst by Thom Yorke, which we haven't seen so far on the album. The instruments and vocals pick up towards the end of the song, but the lyrics by Thom Yorke still remain meaningful, which make this a unique track. The track before this had a lackluster song writing job done by the band, but this track brings the band's songwriting back to "Radiohead" form, and it's a good song. 3.5/5
"I Might Be Wrong" has guitars, which was enough to get me interested into listening to the track. Thom's vocals don't really fit the beat accompanied by the original "Techno-guitar" beat though, which makes the song a little bit disappointing. The song is original in the fact that it uses guitars, but I can't really point out anything special besides that about the track. Thom's soft vocals during the chorus don't really stand out. The end of the song is kind of a "Jam session" which is all right, but doesn't do anything for me.
"Knives Out", is my second favorite song on the album. It is a song, unlike the previous tracks, that has very aggressive lyrics and a good chorus to accompany it. The chorus is so creative, and is the best on the album. The beat in my opinion is the least techno on the album, which makes the song stick out on originality for the album's sake. Overall a very good track. 4.5/5
"Morning Bell/Amnesiac", didn't do anything for me as a remix of the song from "Kid A", the song still very good, but I still don't think it should have been put on this album. The beat and the chorus are perfect and Thom's vocals are great as well. Jonny does a solid job on the "Technical Instruments" as he always does, which he probably doesn't get enough credit for. A good track, 3.5/5.
"Dollars And Cents", sounds like it could have been a remake of "Morning Bell", the songs in my opinion sound a bit similar. Anyhow, the song is a bit paranoid but clever on the instruments and the vocals fit the instruments for one of the first times on the album. Radiohead is perfect experimentally when they have a song with a catchy and meaningful chorus [Idioteque from "Kid A"] and a song were Thom's vocals perfectly match the instrumental work from the band like in this song. "Dollars and Cents" completes one half of this success philosophy, and is a good song. 4/5.
"Hunting Bears", is similar to the third track on this album, which means it's not very good. It doesn't do much as a distinct track on the album either. Thom's vocals are again very distorted, and the instrumental work doesn't fit his vocals. 2/5
"Like Spinning Plates", is the only song that is very techno and remains a good track, on the whole album. The instrumental intro has a very dark and complex beat, it is kind of like a jam session with various instruments. Thom's vocals come in at the perfect time; the vocals are very spooky, which makes it a very distinct track. The tracks mixture of beats makes it an interesting listen, but I believe what is more impressive is Thom's ability to change his style of tone, while the songs beat changes it's tone. 4/5
"Life In A Glasshouse", is the dramatic conclusion to the album. The song features rare duel vocals, trumpets in the instrumental work and a very good chorus. It's originality and how complex the song is makes it a very worthwhile track. It's in my opinion the most original song on the album, though it's probably not the best. It the best preview of "Hail To The Thief", we have on this album. Thom's vocals just burst out towards the end, which is what I as a listener have been waiting for throughout the album, and it finally came. As a final track, it's the third best track on the album and a great preview of "Hail To The Thief". 4.5/5
The album is no "Kid A", but for being the leftovers of that classic album it does a heck of a job. The songs have originality, guitar work, trumpet work on the last track, and some catchy choruses. But the thing I will remember most about this album is the band's lead singer, Thom Yorke, changes in the tone of his voice, depending on the song tone. An overall good album, but it will probably not be remembered as the band's best.
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