KID A

When I started listening to Radiohead, I'll admit I got The Bends first and enjoyed the excellent alternative rock, but this is a far cry from those days. With Kid A, Radiohead reached the epitome of what it means to be progressive in the 21st century. Deeply moving and artistic, Kid A pushes the boundaries that have held back not just the band, but music in general.

Personally, I have an interesting story that goes along with this album. The first time that I heard it, I was alone in my house and by the time it was finished, I honestly felt scared. I became extremely paranoid. I guess that the dark tone that shrouds this album is what makes it so memorable and relateable. Emotional presence is essential for a masterpiece to contain, and there is no lack of it here! Now to look at it track by track.

1. Everything In Its Right Place: This song is deeply electronic and it was the only song I had heard prior to buying the album. Extremely dark and brooding, yet melodic at the same time. An excellent song, but just a warm up for what's to come. 8/10 2. Kid A: The first time I heard the album, I didn't really like this song. But now, I see the beauty in this song. A bit too electronic for my taste, but incredible. One complaint: vocal distortion, something Thom Yorke never needs, but it still adds to the mood. 7/10 3.The National Anthem: A Radiohead classic! The repeating bassline unifies this varying piece. The freakout at the end is amazing and Yorke's vocals can't be beat. Reminds me of post rock in that there is a great buidup and it leads to the amazing end section. The first masterpiece on the album! 11/10 4. How To Disappear Completely: Definately an example of beauty in a song. It's just amazing orchestration and immpecable songwriting. Possibly the great contributor to the mood of the album, and essential part of the whole. 9.5/10 5. Treefingers: An interlude. It's very pleasant but hard to listen to (or review) seperately. Again, the album is greater than the sum of it's parts and this song is probably the best example of that 7.5/10 6. Optimistic: Most prevalent guitar on the album and closest to OK Computer, but amazing and progressive nevertheless. Excellent lyrics that it on an important part of the album's message as a whole (which I'll get in to later). Just an overall excellent song where the various styles that Radiohead had used merge to great something great. 10/10 7. In Limbo: A good example of how the voice is used better as an instrument. The blending of all the instruments and the voice make this song excellent. A bit trippy with the blending of rock and electronia that Radiohead perfected on the album. It's hard for it to stand out against the other songs on the album, but it's amazing nevertheless. 9/10 8. Idioteque: What I wish electronica sounded like! This is my favorite song on the album. The vocals are some of the greatest I've ever seen, the rhythm is relentlessly moving foreward. It's a neverending attack, melodic and aggressive at the same time. This song is flawless! 12/10! 9. Morning Bell: When I think of this song, the Amnesiac version is the first to come to mind. Again, the voice just is superb and all instruments are as well. Average for the album but far above average as far as music goes. 9/10 10. Motion Picture Soundtrack: Again, amazing. In the same vein as How To Disappear..., it's very dark, beautiful and moving. Amazingly melodic and the perfect close to such a brooding album. Again, sheer beauty. And yes apparently the silence has a purpose, for repeat listens. 9.5/10

As far as the lyrics go, they're all related to human flaws and what not. It goes from ignorance to contempt to paranoia. It's all so relevant to society and so beautifully played in this album. If you're worried about this album not being "progressive" enough, you have nothing to worry about. This album borrows a bit from post-rock, but is mainly rooted in art rock. It's hard to come up with influences for this, it's really rather unique. An essential listen for fans of progressive music!

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