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Ok, this is hard. Before conjecturing if it is prog or not, I've to say this is a 90's CLASSIC. Just after the grunge movement, which is the head music of the 90's, there is RADIOHEAD. And I'm proud for such a well-known band to have PROGRESSIVE inspiration. Ok, this is not a pure progressive album. SO WHAT? There are things in this world that, because of its beauty, are beyond cataloguing. I consider this album a mix of Alternative/Progressive/Pop Rock. And what do I find in it progressive? First of all, the fact that this album is a concept album which has futuristic/spacey lyrics with the intention of criticizing humanity. Second, the sonority, the feelings that it makes you feel: like in many progressive albums, I find myself to get off of this world with my mind, navigating in the spacey and/or peaceful illusional atmospheres it creates. Third, many songs don't obey to the prototype versus/chorus/versus/chorus and have some prolonged instrumental parts, though not very subtle. Beside this discussion, the album is well performed, with very good bass lines, some good guitar riffs and solos (Airbag, Paranoid Android, Electionnering), diversified drums and a beautiful piano on Karma Police.

In the top of progressive songs of this album, there is Paranoid Android. Without a doubt, it is a progressive track, there's no way to avoid it! It is constituted by three different parts: the first, Sadness, with a well orchestrated versus/chorus pattern; the second, The Explosion, in which the guitar, the bass and the drums are very well performed; and the last, The Depression with a very sad chorus which made me cry the first time I've listened to it. Following up next on the progressive wave, the atmospheric Subterranean Homesick Alien and Let Down. Exit Music (for a film) is another example, it is a 2 part track with the last being an explosion part, like in Paranoid Android, but mainly achieved by emotional vocals. The two rockers of the album, beyond the supreme Paranoid Android itself, it's the first track Airbag which presents a very catchy guitar riff and a great bass work and the almost punky Electioneering which could be a song taken from their previous albums. The album ends with the trio No Surprises, Lucky and The Tourist with the melancholic mode and the imaginative soundscaping that characterizes Radiohead.

Karma Police is one of those songs that I'm sure it will be never forgot, very dramatic, extremely beautiful, great sonority and without being the prototype of the traditional architecture of a track: it is subdivided again in 2 parts. This song disserves a paragraph just for it.

As I said, it is NOT a pure progressive rock album as GENESIS Foxtrot or SPOCK'S BEARD Snow but it has some UNQUESTIONABLE progressive derivations! In the internet encyclopedia Wikipedia, this album is considered a Progressive Rock album, and for some reason they considered it! This album disserves 5 star but I'm hear to evaluate the Progressive nature of this work. Though it is an essential for any rock collector, it does not seem to be so essential in a prog collector, so I'll give it 4 stars.

My rate: 8/10

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