KID A

Everything In Its Right Place: This song will blow out your speakers like it did to mine. It's not really loud, but it's hard for speakers to handle what is probably the most intensely pure synthesizer I've ever heard. So listen to this in really good headphones. It's better that way anyway. It's quite repetitive, but sets an excellent mood for the rest of the album. Dark, mysterious, and strangely beautiful, this track had my attention all the way through. 10/10

Kid A: Jonny Greenwood has an incredible sound selection. The music box-like synth throughout the track is pretty unreal. The drum grooves in the song are actually surprisingly catching. I have no idea what Thom Yorke is saying, but I like it that way, for some weird reason. Good track. 9/10

The National Anthem: This one tricked me on the first listen. I thought I was going to hear something that sounded like Ok Computer or The Bends. The opening guitar riff (this is the first time you actually hear guitar) makes the song seem like it's going to be easy to listen to. But, alas, this is probably the weirdest track on the album. It gets progressively more strange as we hear more strange keyboarding, and horns blowing crazily. I can sort of understand Thom Yorke now. But it's still weird. And yet intriguing. 7/10

How To Disappear Completely: A ballad (or as close as this album comes) that is equally depressing and beautiful. Powerful and moving, the simplistic lyrics fit the track perfectly. Energy gradually builds throughout the tune, causing a great sense of wonder at musicality. And this one actually has closure. Absolutely incredible. 10/10

Treefingers: Really nice, entrancing stuff. It's not really musical though. Only chords. Pretty cool though. I wouldn't call it filler, because it fits in the album. It's really thick voicing, just like the rest of the album. 7/10

Optimistic: This song makes me feel really cold. Thom Yorke is perfect. Actually, the musicianship is really phenomenal. Everyone is pretty minimalistic on this track, but it's effective. This is one of my favorites. 10/10

In Limbo: The guitar in this one is really cool. But it doesn't quite mix with the synth. It's all quite psychedelic. I feel it gets too busy. And it has no closure, like most of the tracks on here. But it's powerful. And it has a strangesense of purpose. 8/10

Idioteque: Quite possibly the best techno drum groove ever written. Thom Yorke is flawless, as are the lyrics, as are the keyboards. Depressing, moody, gorgeous, but really raw. There is absolutely nothing like this. 10/10

Morning Bell: My favorite track on the album, maybe because for once, all the voices fit. The simplicity of the vocals, light synth, and actual drums makes the sun come out in my mind. The chords are also not as thick. The tension the album builds up the whole time, I believe, is released in the first minute of this tune. It gets a tad weird near the end, but nevertheless, it's more musical than the rest of the album. I guess less is more. 10/10

Motion Picture Soundtrack: I'm not quite sure about this. The track doesn't make much sense. But after about a minute-and-a-half of silence, album closure comes with a brief little synth pattern. It's strange, but it works. 6/10

Overall, it's weird, but I challenge anyone who doesn't think this album won't at least turn their head. It's a dark, entrancing, and yet beautiful masterpiece. I didn't get the musicianship on the entire album until a few listens in, but it's really brilliant. No one else writes stuff like this. Try it out.

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