j o n b

If there is such thing as a genuine critical phenom in popular music, then Radiohead was it in 1997. OK Computer made an insane number of critics' "best of" lists and has been heralded as the preeminent artistic work of alternative rock. Hell, it even got a lot of talk on rec.music.progressive, which just doesn't happen without the proper prog pedigree. It was that buzz which convinced me check it out. There are some people who have dubbed Radiohead "progressive alternative," which is a meaningless mish-mash of labels if I've ever heard one. There is some truth to that description, however. The first half of this album shows a band firmly rooted in the alternative milieu, while trying to do new things with different sounds and texures. Believe it or not, I think there's Mellotron on the first track! The cream of those tracks is "Subterranean Homesick Alien," which is a great mixture of heavy guitar and more laid-back, quasi Pink Floyd sounds. Up to "Karma Police," things go along well. Then comes "Fitter Happier," a computer generated spoken voice piece, which leads to the album's lesser half. The end of the album sounds more like what I expected from an alternative band, full of sound and fury but signifying nothing, really. It's also about here where Thom Yorke's voice begins to grate on my ears. This is an interesting album, all told. I'm not sure it's the everlasting masterpiece some think it is (the Floyd influences have led it to be compared with Dark Side of the Moon by some). But it is an enjoyable listen, at least for a while. review by Jon Byrne — undated —

e r i c

The band known for the alternative rock hit "Creep" sneaks up on the prog community with this release. To these ears this is an original sounding CD, and that is very uncharacteristic in today's music industry. This band creates a unique soundscape upon which they bring in a variety of influences. I can understand the comparisons to Floyd (especially the Rhodes keyboard sounds) but it seems unfair to do that. You get some heavy alternative guitar and straight ahead drumming in the U2 sounding "Airbag" or the mysterious acoustic sounds of "Paranoid Android" before the song cranks up the guitars leading into the spooky vocal section. The band really knows how to create some great space in the songs, and at times the music is very minimalist and yet building to some intense moments ("Exit Music for a Film"). Nice to hear a new band attempting to do something original. review by Eric Porter — undated —

b r a n d o n

When I first heard OK Computer, I was convinced that it was one of the most important statements in alternative rock since the early 90s. I'm not so enthusiastic about it now, but it's still definitely a solid, creative, and interesting piece of work. The first half is refreshing and powerful — the opening track is somewhat Crimsonish in its intensity, with a substantial bass, screaming guitars, wild percussion, and a keyboard sound that is awfully similar to a Mellotron. This track, along with "Paranoid Android" which immediately follows it, are the strongest on the album and should please any fan of dark, heavy progressive rock. Later moments in the album tend, in general, to be mellower, and the comparisons to Pink Floyd become more relevant than those to King Crimson. The second half of the album is somewhat more mediocre, lacking the freshness of the first half — for example, "Electioneering" is little more than a straight-ahead rock song, and "Climbing Up the Walls" begins promisingly but disintegrates badly as it wears on. The rest are merely somewhat forgettable, though still quite competent. Many people complain that Thom Yorke's voice is too whiny, but I for one was never bothered by it. He doesn't shy from hitting and holding fairly high notes, and his voice is mixed in such a way that it might sound thin to some, but he's quite a competent vocalist and his performances are solid. Since Yorke's voice doesn't bother me, I don't think any single track on this album is bad, and there are a few that are really great. This was a very pleasant, if imperfect, surprise, and it leaves high hopes for the follow-up, Kid A. review by Brandon Wu — 9-18-00 —