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December 2000

Kid A proves to be more than child's play

When I think about the band Radiohead, I have to feel a sense of sorrow for them. I feel this way because today we live in a society where the music industry is at its all-time worst.

The top selling music is based on image; music quality is a distant second. Boy bands and teen idols are dominating the market, and rock is not quite dead, it is in a coma.

Very few inspiring artists are well recieved and appriciated. Radiohead is one of these bands. For people that do not already know, Radiohead came into the music scene with the self-hating single “Creep” off the album Pablo Honey. After the success of “Creep,” many believed they were just one-hit wonders.

Their next two albums redefined rock for a generation that forgot what it was all about. The Bends and Ok Computer were both amazing albums, but it was Ok

Computer that changed everything. After that album, they were being declared the saviors of rock by bringing this concept album to life.

Now a little over three years have passed, and Ok Computer has been declared one of the greatest rock albums of all time. So how can Radiohead follow up something with such acclaim as that with a new album?

They did it with the greatest sense of irony I have ever seen.

In the new album, Kid A most people might expect Ok Computer II, but let me tell you, it goes way beyond that. Kid A is one of the most mesmerizing albums I have ever heard. It is not an album of singles, you cannot just listen to two or three tracks. If you really want to get a feeling for all of the albums textures, there is only one way you can listen to it. Get some headphones, close your eyes, and let the music do the rest.

I will admit, it will take multiple listens to get an understanding of it all. That is why Radiohead is not what you call a “mainstream” band. Most of today’s listeners have short attention spans, and will not give this album the time of day.

The ironic part of the album is that in Ok Computer the lyrics were about how technology was getting out of hand. Nevertheless, in the new album, they embrace technology by dropping their guitars and using mainly electronics...there is nothing quite like it.

In addition, before the new album came out they were declared one of the greatest rock bands of the 90’s.

However, Kid A barely has any rock in it. Ok Computer was one of the greatest rock albums of all time, and now they have created one of the greatest anti-rock albums ever with Kid A.

Before, Radiohead was mostly all about melody. Now it is about rhythm.

In most of the songs, they use sample drums to create a smooth tempo like in the tracks “Everything In Its Right Place” and “Idioteque”.

Then there is complete ambience in the album like in the track “Treefingers,” where there are no lyrics, just sounds that create their own atmosphere.

I would love to go into detail and describe each track but it is almost impossible to describe. That’s why Radioheads record label Capital Records is using the trademark quote “All great things can't be described, they must be experienced.”

So my final thought is that this is one of the best CD's I have heard in the new millenium. When I listen to today’s rock after this album I have to laugh. Kid A is a wonderful buy.

Chris Cipriano
Staff Writer