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It makes me sad to see this album rated below a masterpiece, but I guess alot less people like this album that I originally thought. This album really revolutionized rock music as we know it today, it isn't necessarily prog, but it is certainly on a higher level than standard rock and roll. I do have to do the song by song review, merely because I've listened to this album so many times I know it almost all by heart.

Airbag: Cool opening riff giving a bit of a heavy metal feel, but that changes with the softish drumming and the spacey guitar tones. The lyrics are very interesting, told from the first person perspective, im not exactly sure what its about, but the song is great anyways. Some people dont like Thom Yorke's voice, but I love it. he rarely sings short notes, always long ones.

Paranoid Android: The song that is claimed to be the only prog that radiohead ever did, and boy is it. The intro with its acoustic riff and lush percussion section is ingenious. As it leads into the heavier part, thoms voice gets louder and starts losing its mellow tone for a more hectic one, fitting in with the riffs going every where. The guitar solo in this part is mindblowing, i only wish it had lasted a little bit longer. Then the mellow "Rain Down" section comes in, blowing everyone's mind with What? Radiohead can do good vocal harmonies? huh? and this segues into the reprise of the heavy part. Amazing song

Subterranean Homesick Alien: Ethereal intro, spacey riff, nice soft drumming, great singing, a song that nearly puts me to sleep everytime i hear it.

Exit Music (For a Film): My favorite song on the album. The soft acoustic intro sets the stage for one of radioheads best songs ever. Thom's voice has a nice echoing effect that only adds to the drama. The lyrics tell about people trying to escape from some unknown enemy. When the mellotron kicks in, it is heaven. The buildup into the rocking section is amazing as well. When the drums finally kick in, you know something huge is about to happen. the fuzz bass contrasts nicely with the high guitar tremolos and the keyboard sounds. the the real climax comes as thom goes up an octave in his voice without using a falsetto. His best vocal performance ever, without a doubt. Then the slow outro comes, closing a perfect song.

Let Down: nice opening riff, beautiful pop song. Radiohead do do pop songs quite a bit, but when they do, they do them very well and its hard to notice its a pop song. This is one of those, as is ...

Karma Police: Great acoustic guitar/piano intro leads us into some slightly dark vocals about people being arrested for very inane reasons. the song has more of an anti chorus than a chorus, and the closing section is beautiful.

Fitter Happier: the robotic voice telling us how to live our lives is an eerie look into the future maybe. Good lyrics, good advice for people

Electioneering: A hard rocking song, revelling in dissonance, with very biting political lyrics about elections being manipulated, with the narrator asking people to vote for him for no reason at all.

Climbing up the walls: The darkest song on the album, great opening bass line. I like how the drums make good use of turning the snare into a tom sounding drum. The buildup to the end is another great climax, with thoms distorted voice reaching a scream by the end.

No Surprises: Another pop song, this one is just nice to listen to.

Lucky: a popish song that turns much darker as it goes on, very well done, theatrical song.

The tourist: Perfect closer. Nice, relaxed feel, coupled with the "just slow down" lyrics makes this a greaat song. The guitar solo near the end is inspired, and every note is in its right place.

All in all, a masterpiece album, changing rock history, and changing radiohead themselves. On the next album, Kid A, they reinvented themselves once again, but thats a story for another time.