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The almighty Ok Computer. With praises such as “…album is dense, complicated, but not complicated enough to destroy the listening experience. With amazing lyrics, beautiful layers and textures, OK Computer proves to be one of the best things to happen to the music world in a long time” you’d think this album is nigh infallible, extraordinarily unique in execution, or at least not as boring as the rest of Radiohead’s albums. I’m looking over this album in many perspectives trying to examine what other people see in the music, in the lyrics, and the impact, and I’m finding nothing more than a good alt. rock album.
Airbag comes off as what could be considered a classic sound from the band. It’s got the swaying rhythms, the lyrics fans consider meaningful, and the croon of good ol’ Tommy. It’s even got some middle-eastern leads throughout the second half. Pretty decent track, that’s about it. The next song, Paranoid Android, is easily recognizable if you’re familiar at all with the band, and is an interesting enough track that I would label a Radiohead jam. Dizzy chord patterns mixed with a jazzy bass line transcend into the heaviest moment of the album, with a wall of distorted chords and an awkward solo, fading into soft, low hums that carry you through the rest of the song until you get back into the distorted parts.
The album carries on in a similar fashion with plenty of slow, soothing, and echoy guitar lines and spacey keyboards until you reach Fitter Happier. A rather smart track, it consists of a robot speaking utopian thoughts to provide a picture of a perfect, but rather disturbing view of what many people actually believe things should be. Under the voice is a melancholy piano line and static that induces an unsettling feeling, this is one of the better tracks. Following this is Electioneering , a political song with a faster triplet feel that isn’t annoying or pretentious, which I always commend. The rest of the album plays out in a comparable sound as the first half, with some parts sounding way too similar as the first half, such as Exit Music and No Surprises, ironically. Climbing Up The Walls seems to be a fan favorite for sounding extremely creepy, but instead gives the impression the band is trying to be dark and it's just a huge turn off. If you want creepy music listen to Atrium Carceri.
Radiohead is obviously one of a kind. They understand variation and incorporate it on this album…usually. However, while praised by many for this album's "introspective" qualities, it merely contains songs that don't go anywhere, but rather just go. When giving the album repeated listens you realize that not only can the song structures themselves be predictable but the layout of the tracks' emotional flow repeats itself with #1-6 and 8-12. Thom's voice isn't for everyone, and while it fits the band it reminds me so much of the singer from Glasvegas who thinks he's the voice of a generation.
I never utimately feel anything switching up in terms of a song that catches me off guard or does anything that I want to pay attention to aside from Fitter Happier and Electioneering, and if you dont think Fitter Happier is a song, regardless that it has music behind it the whole time, then you shouldn't even rate this album at all. Overall, Radiohead have started a new direction with this record that they perfected with Kid A, but it just comes out rather void of anything interesting here. They only wrote songs that try to have a voice but get lost in within the experimentation and the album doesnt come across as an album (save the lyrics) but rather a handful of songs that pave no ground whatsoever.
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Album Rating: 2.5
I hope you all neg the shit out of me
that is all 8)This Message Edited On 08.23.08
| | | Album Rating: 2.0
Finally! Someone who agrees with me, well sort of. Nice review!
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
I was going to give it a 2.5 but I take the "average" label too seriously
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
you had a very novel approach and my only constructive criticism is this:
you did not put enough negative aspects for this album to deserve a 3.
more than anything it seemed like you had a pleasant experience that was nowhere close to average
On the positive end, I believe your review is important bc for many of us who missed the boat on some of these albums in their heyday, we don't understand the hype bc all we have are the cds. Joy division, U2, and my bloody valentine are all good examples of that for me
great job 
pos'd!
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lolololol
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
thanks a lot brandtweathers. the reason for the lack of criticism is because I end up having more than I need and it comes off as biased
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this album isn't their best but it's pretty good. or, it's their best, i dunno.
i think you need to elaborate more, but oh well.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
It's your call... and good job at identifying an unrepresented position and going for it. It's hard to hate on anyone that's 1. swingin for the fences and 2. honest
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
I appreciate that
Thanks for all the comments people
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Still, though, you didn't give this nearly enough flak to merit a 3-star rating. I can think of all sorts of things wrong with this album you didn't mention. But still, it's better than the last negative review of this album.
This album was grand at first for me, but now that the novelty has worn off, I think it's massively overrated. it doesn't grow on you like other "overrated" albums do (ie Blackwater Park).
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Yeah, this review is way too short in this certain context. You write it as a tbt, but you don't even make it through describing all the songs, and you only have positive things to say for the songs you did describe. A review like this isn't going to be objective, so trying not to be biased towards your own opinion is pretty stupid, tbh.
At least what you did write was well-written, though, so this really doesn't deserve a neg.This Message Edited On 08.23.08
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
good point. that does bring into reason an early decision that should be made by the reviewer for pov sake.
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
the only criticisms I can think of that I didn't mention is that some parts can be boring and repetitive and that a couple of the songs are similar in a bad way.
Though I'd agree about Blackwater Park, that album is sickly overrated
A review like this isn't going to be objective, so trying not to be biased towards your own opinion is pretty stupid, tbh. that makes a lot of sense, and I knew I would run into it because I have trouble finding the line between fair criticism and bitching and I felt that this wouldn't be a safe place to start fixing thatThis Message Edited On 08.23.08
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I have to agree it seemed a bit short of negatives for a three but it didn't come off as ranting or incredibly biased.
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the only criticisms I can think of that I didn't mention is that some parts can be boring and repetitive and that a couple of the songs are similar in a bad way.
you should probably put points like this in the actual review
seriously, just beef this up a bit and this would be goodThis Message Edited On 08.23.08
| | | Album Rating: 5.0
you’d think this album is nigh infallible, extraordinarily unique in execution it is :mad:
In all seriousness though, the review feels kind of rushed, especially the last paragraph. Take your time and elaborate a little more on the negative aspects.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
and you should listen to mike. he's staff
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
never constructive
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he was trying to be
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
and you should listen to mike. he's staff I know, I love his reviews (not trying to suck up)
I added a few more negative points, but I don't think I'm making this much longer because I don't have a whole lot more to explain. If I decide to change anything else, I'll be rewriting my conclusion.
thanks again for all the commentsThis Message Edited On 08.23.08
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