OK COMPUTER

Finally, a band in the mainstream released an album that served the worlds problems on a silver platter.

Ok Computer is a musically perfect, lyrically strong, and materially weak album. It almost works. Almost.

I will agree that its an extremely imporant album that is a required listen for almost every music fan, but as a whole, it really lags.

The opening track, Airbag, does nothing for me, and on my first listen was very dissapointed. Not enough is going on in this track, it just starts and ends.

Paranoid Android and Subterranean Homesick Alien (with a title mocking a bob dylan song) are incredible songs, by far the best Radiohead ever recorded. Paranoid Android is a big gulp, at that. A bold acoustic riff builds into electric mayhem and vocal genius. Subterranean Homesick Alien is an atmospheric and emotional track that never fails to impress.

Every other track on the album, except the decent No Surprises, is underwhelming. Musically it isn't interesting enough, it isn't complex enough to be interesting.

The issues brought up on Ok Computer (the social norm, the government always watching, being controlled by those around you) are very important, and Radiohead did a big thing by making an album out of those themes. It just doesn't flow well or have enough memorable tracks to be a classic.