Combat Chuck's 'Reviews From The Trenches' - OK Computer - Nubblies.net Forums

Combat Chuck · 06-13-2003, 02:41 AM

Well folks, I figured it was high time that I copied off of Titan's well-loved review format and graced you all with my very own unquestionable opinions on the music I love. I've been meaning to start one of these for a while, but they take up time, and now that I have that to waste, I can grace you all with a long ass post, so you can waste it too.

Now, seeing the reaming I got for my picks on the order of which songs were better on the lauded Red Hot Chili Pepper's By The Way, this could get me into some more deep shit, but, as always, that doesn't matter, since it's my musical taste we're talking about here, not yours. However, I find that if you've heard this album (or heard it as much as I have), you'll find my picks to be a little more conventional. Maybe. I don't know, could be I'm totally off. Nevertheless, this isn't a closed topic, so, if you own this album, voice your opinions too. If you don't own this album, go buy it now, or face eternal damnation when you pass from this earth.

Anyway...

Radiohead took the rock world by storm in 1995 when they released the highly praised The Bends. Their first album, Pablo Honey had met a bit of critical success, but it wasn't anything compared to the praises The Bends recieved. This sophomore album created a sound that was supposed to commence the return of a golden age of rock. Radiohead were heralded as the guys who would put rock back on its pedestal, where it belonged. The Bends was hard-hitting, take no prisoners, sit down and shut up stuff (even mellower tracks like Fake Plastic Trees made everyone listen and take notes). So, when the media and the world heard that Radiohead would be soon following up The Bends, they waited in drooling anticipation for....this:

OK Computer.

Cue everyone going....huh? With this release in 1997, Radiohead took their status as rock gods and....didn't throw it out the window...they just...threw it across the room. They let the general rock sounds take a step back and introduced a myriad of bleeps, bloops, and blops (yeah....blops. They're that talented). Needless to say, people were a little surprised. Now, no one can say that they couldn't see it coming. In The Bends there were a few hints as to Yorke and Company's fascination with machinery and the sounds that it produces. But it was nothing compared to this. New sounds abounded with this album, along with a fascination with the coldness of the future and technology on the part of Yorke in his lyrics, and after the initial shock, this album was eventually held with higher praise than their previous efforts.

Thus, I present to you a closer look into the greatness of this album. I'll deconstruct the tracks first, then give my rundown on my faves in order.

1: airbag.
'in an interstellar burst/i'm back to save the universe!!'

I don't know what it is about this track, whether it's the grounded guitar riff at the beginning, the swooping and sliding of Yorke's voice, the catchy as all get out 'an airbag saved my life', the distortion of the drums with an electronic 'squishiness', the combination of all the sound elements topped off with Yorke's whining voice at the end, or just the addition of the reindeer bells....maybe it's all of these put together that make this track one of my absolute favorite Radiohead tracks ever.

2: paranoid android.
'kicking squeeling gucci little piggy'

And thus Radiohead delights fans with its own take on 'prog rock'. Combining four different elements to this song makes for an initial listen of confusion, but once you get where the song is going, it's amazing to notice the flow of all these different types of levels that this song acheives. Starting it off with a few computer 'boops', the song starts off regularly with a twingy guitar and a great syncopated drum riff. Add a descending guitar that makes this initially feel a little aesthetic. But then the addition of a computer voice talking in the background with Yorke wailing 'huh? what's there?'....then it all gets a little...darker. 'ambition makes you look pretty ugly' gives a glint of foreshadowing, and then....it hits the wall. Hard. A full out breakdown leads to the band itself taking precedence and letting loose. One of the Greenwood brothers (I believe it's Jonny) takes front man status here and this section marks the highest level of the song....which then plummets back to an ambient feel blended with the lyrics: 'rain down....come on raindown....god loves his children yeah!' And thus, with that exclamation point, back comes the breakdown, but this time, it's accompanied with a slew of electronic sounds and distortions.
This song represents, for me, one of the best examples of the 'genius psychosis' that Radiohead is so good at exuding.

3: subterranean homesick alien.
'and up above aliens hover/making home movies, for the folks back home/of all these weird creatures who lock up their spirits/drill holes in themselves/and live for their secrets'

This song brings about a feel of paranoia....and fascination. Yorke draws parallels with aliens examining our planet and we who inhabit it, and how maybe it's not them we should be afraid of. Maybe we should be more afraid of ourselves. The feel of the entire song can be said in one word: 'soaring'. The band uses descending keyboards, ascending electronic glitches, and 'high on the fret board' tactics here to illustrate the subject matter. The differentiation of the levels in this song is also pretty important, where in the chorus Yorke lets out a glimpse of his paranoia, but returns to a calm state during the verses. This makes the album 3 for 3 in solid tracks.

4: exit music (for a film).
'you can laugh/a spineless laugh/we hope your rules and wisdom choke you'

With only a simple strumming guitar underlying him, Yorke softly, almost whispering, paints a picture of two teens running away. From what? Opression. Rules. That sort of stuff. This song exhibits such a tense feeling. It's an eerie tension, a quiet tension, and it isn't until the final minute of the song comes when that tension is released. It's the alleviating of that tension that incurs the high point of the song as Yorke screams 'now we are one in everlasting peace', and it's such a contrast to the initial feel that one gets. The contrast works though, because the song seems to call for it. The drum part expertly helps along the flow (dextrously played by Ed O'Brien), seeing as how the guitars are pretty simply put in this song, even in the breakdown.
However, it isn't until the end, when Yorke goes back to whispering 'we hope that you choke/that you choke' that the whole package seems complete. This song used to be a skipper for me, but once I really listened to it, it's one of my favorites.

5: let down.
'shell smashed. juices flowing. wings twitch. legs are going. don't get sentimental.'

This track seems to illustrate a...pointlessness. The death of a bug means nothing to us...so what meaning is there to other life? The everyday 'starting and then stopping. taking off and landing. the emptiest of feelings. sentimental drivel.' This is a beautiful melody, one that is highlighted for me by the harmonies in the chorus. It's funny, because the sound of it, to me, doesn't communicate the feel, or at least at first it didn't. It was too...happy. But then I read the lyrics, looked at them, and then saw a few shiny parts in all of the depression. 'one day. i am going to grow wings.' I think that this song has a bit of an optimistic feel buried underneath all of the feelings of pointlessness. It seems that Yorke isn't totally gone yet, and the sound of this particular track allows the listener to realize that too.

6: karma police.
'this is what you get when you mess with us'

Ah. Karma Police. The classic. The one everyone knows. Or...do you? Sure, you've heard the song, but what's it about? I'm not sure if I can tell you, but here's my interpretation.

'he talks in maths he buzzes like a fridge he's like a detuned radio.' Trying to control machines. Karma Police. 'arrest this man'. Machines equal uncomfortability. 'arrest this girl her hitler hairdo is making me feel ill.' Rebellion. Bad Karma? Get rid of all the unordinary. Stop everything from changing. Or at least try to control it.

These were some of the random thoughts that I had while listening to this track. I don't know if they're right, but the inherent feel of the song communicates a cry for keeping things the way they are, not advancing, not getting into things/territory that isn't comfortable.

'phew for a minute there I lost myself.'

7: fitter happier.

All it is is a mechanical voice. Here is what it says.

more productive. comfortable. not drinking too much. regular exercise at the gym (3 days a week). getting on better with your associate employee contemporaries. at ease. eating well (no more microwave dinners and saturated fats). a patient better driver. a safer car (baby smiling in back seat). sleeping well (no bad dreams). no paranoia. careful to all animals (never washing spiders down the plughole). keep in contact with old friends (enjoy a drink now and then). will frequently check credit at (moral) bank (hole in wall). favours for favours. fond but not in love. charity standing orders. on sundays ring road supermarket. (no killing moths or putting boiling water on ants). car wash (also on sundays). no longer afraid of the dark. or midday shadows. nothing so ridiculously teenage and desperate. nothing so childish. at a better pace. slower and more calculated. no chance of escape. now self-employed. concerned (but powerless). an empowered & informed member of society (pragmatism not idealism). will not cry in public. less chance of illness. tyres that grip in the wet (shot of baby strapped in back seat). a good memory. still cries at a good film. still kisses with saliva. no longer empty and frantic. like a cat. tied to a stick. that's driven into. frozen winter shit (the ability to laugh at weakness). calm. fitter, healthier and more productive. a pig. in a cage. on antibiotics.

Kinda creepy, no? I italicized all the parts that really stood out for me.

8: electioneering.
'when electioneering. i trust i can rely on your vote.'

This song targets politics. The futility of democracy. Or something like that. It's a hard song to discern, but it's all summed up with the lyrics, 'when I go forwards, you go backwards, and somewhere we will meet.'
This track is one of the heavier on the album, and it's a good feel overall. It's a letting loose type of feel for the entirety of the duration, instead of just in certain parts. There's no constraint in it, and I think it fits perfectly with what the lyrics are trying to point out. Not one of my favorites on the album, but when considering that I find all of these songs to be some of the best that Radiohead has ever come up with, that's not putting it down in any shape or form.

9: climbing up the walls.
'either way you turn, i'll be there. open up your skull, i'll be there. climbing up the walls.'

Alright, you want creepy? This track screams creepiness. The guitar riff was actually given to Jonny Greenwood by a friend/fan, and he found it to be perfect for what Yorke wanted with this song. If you only download one song, you have to download this one. I can't put into words the creepy eerie feel exuded from the sounds, but it works so well with the lyrics, it's amazing.
With lyrics like 'i am the key to the lock in your house.' 'it's always best when the light is off.' 'tuck the kids in safe tonight. and shut the eyes in the cupboard.''do not cry out or hit the panic button', it makes it sound like this is coming from the perspective of a stalker/killer/rapist, any one of the two. But it's not. It's the person who lives in the home. It's the person who is so scared. Of what's inside. Of what they represent.

'either way you turn i'll be there. open up your skull, i'll be there.'

This has to be one of my favorites off the album. Funny thing is, I say that about all the songs. Just download the thing. You'll see why I love it so much.

10: no surprises.
'i'll take a quite life. a handshake of carbon monoxide. no alarms and no surprises.'

Listening to the opening, you'd think that Yorke was going to start reciting a fairy tale, or nursery rhyme. And that's exactly what he wants. This song hearkens back to the comfortability issue, to the need for ordinary life, a euphoric feeling, with it's guitars that sound like music boxes, and even the subtle use of the xylophones, giving it a childish feel. When listening to the lyrics, it eventually seems that Yorke is giving up on his wish of comfortability here. He knows that a life with 'no alarms and no surprises' is impossible, but he's just so tired of never getting anything he wants. Or he's just so tired. Either way, this is one of the catchiest songs of the album. When I first bought the album, this song was my favorite. I'd listen to it over and over again. It's good. Believe me.

11: lucky.
i'm your superhero.'

Thom Yorke has a fear of planes. He distrusts them. The main line of the chorus is 'pull me out of the aircrash.' So, my take on this particular track is that it exhibits Yorke's wanting to change his luck, to be able to save himself and others. This one would generally be a skipper for me, seeing as how it isn't as 'stand-out-ish' as most of the other tracks, except it has one thing. An...interlude of sorts. After the second chorus, there is a complete stop (if only for a split second) and then comes one of the most beautiful moments of the entire album. It's just a simple guitar riff, but it's so...calm. It slides over your senses, giving it a soothing feel. But then...a slight droning guitar is added on, and then more sounds, and more sounds, and it eventually cascades into sort of an overload....it sounds like I'm exaggerating this part, but to me, I'm not. This part is one of the main standouts for this album.

12: the tourist.
'it barks at no one else but me. like its seen a ghost.'

I'm not exactly what this song is supposed to be. I think that the title relates a feeling of being in an environment of unfamiliarity, someplace where you don't belong. You're just a visitor.

This is one of those tracks that if heard in the middle of the album, it'd definitely go under the radar. But as a closer....it just leaves you with a...finished feeling. It really doesn't stand out in any way, it just leaves you in a relaxed state of mind. Yorke's voice is clear, calm, soporific, flowing....exactly what is should be. Yorke is such an incredibly talented front man, and one of my favorite musicians, and I find that songs really centering around his voice are always good tracks, even if they don't contain much else. The background isn't as bare in this song, but there's such a slow pace to this song that his voice stands out most. Which is great. It's a perfect ending for this album, and I'm glad that they put it as the ender.

Radiohead - OK Computer

Rankings:

1: climbing up the walls
2: airbag
3: exit music (for a film)
4: karma police
5: no surprises
6: paranoid android
7: subterranean homesick alien
8: lucky
9: let down
10: electioneering
11: the tourist
12: fitter happier

To me, Radiohead is a collection of ideas, gestures, signs, emotions, innovations, and unlimited capabilities, all rolled into something that can really find a place to hit you hard, but in an appeasing way. It's hard to explain just why Radiohead is my favorite band, but I think it's because they've always taken what's expected of them and gone the other way. They never put themselves in the position for failure, because they never put themselves in the position of success in the first place. To them, it's the music, what is in them, what they want to take out and give to other people. I've always loved that, and Thom's lazy eye has always made me feel like I can relate to him as well.

OK Computer is such a hard album to explain...but in certain ways, it's like an open book. It speaks of society, of things that scare you, of things that bother you, of things that should bother you but don't, of blind submission, of the danger outside of the boundaries, but the need for something outside of those boundaries....it's all there. And more. I haven't begun to scrape the surface, but on the outside, this album feels so cold, but there's such an accesibility to it once you let it sink into your mind, into your skin.

I don't know if anyone here owns this album, but I hope that by maybe reading this, some people will be intrigued enough to at least go out and try out any Radiohead record. You owe it that much to music, and you owe it that much to yourself. I hope that you've enjoyed this as much as I have. Thank you, and God bless.

[ June 13, 2003, 12:57 AM: Message edited by: Combat Chuck ]

victim · 06-13-2003, 02:45 AM

Nice review... it's funny you say that last bit though, because I just went and bought Hail to the Thief this afternoon.

Combat Chuck · 06-13-2003, 03:00 AM

That's exactly what I love to hear. Hail To The Theif is, after a few listens, just as good as OK Computer. It's an amazing album, and you can definitely expect a review of it sometime here on Nubblies.

Combat Chuck · 06-16-2003, 05:47 PM

I love writing reviews that take me all day and not having anyone read them. Nothing makes me smile more.....alright, so maybe losing money makes me smile more....

victim · 06-25-2003, 08:14 PM

I read it... great review Chuck. Between this masterful review and the pleasure I had listening to Hail to the Thief, I went out and bought OK Computer this afternoon, and it is as good as you claim.

silver and cold · 06-25-2003, 08:23 PM

After reading ur lovely review Chuck, i think i will download some of their stuff...if i like i will buy it...

Combat Chuck · 06-29-2003, 03:30 AM

I want to thank you both from the bottom of my heart for reading this thread, due to the tremendous amount of time I put into this.

Even having just you two read it (and I know that there were others who just didn't post, which is okay) means something, because it's getting the music out there, even if in little amounts.

silver and cold, trust me, you're going to love them. You'd be....I don't know what you'd be, but I'd question what you would be if you didn't like this stuff.

victim, great to hear that you went out and got this album. It's the most like Hail To The Theif, and it's becoming hard for me to state which is better. But I can't even pick which Radiohead album is the best. They all have their own characteristics that make them so unique, but so Radiohead.

Well, that's enough chatter for just wanting to say thanks. Hopefully more people will take interest in this thing though.

God bless you both.

Fruitacious B · 06-29-2003, 06:14 PM

Chuck, I have read your review, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Upon my reading of this I went out onto kazaa, and downloaded some radiohead songs. I consider myself to be a person with a broad musical taste, but before like yesterday I had never listened to radiohead. I'm very impressed, and I intend to continue downloading them, and when i get funding, purchasing the album. Great Review. Also, i know what you mean by no one reading your reviews, my "preview review" is being neglected also, it hurts. Great stuff.

fat_retard · 06-30-2003, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fruitacious B:
Also, i know what you mean by no one reading your reviews, my "preview review" is being neglected also, it hurts. Great stuff.

maybe because your "preview review" was about movies you haven't even scene, so nobody takes it seriously.

Ugly Bastard · 06-30-2003, 01:48 PM

OOOOOHHH!! Burn!!!

OST? OST? OST?

I think so.

Yeah! Lol! Lmfao! Lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

-Ugly Bastard

Alpha · 06-30-2003, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ugly Bastard:
OST? OST? OST?

That would be a fucking great idea.

By the way Chuck I commend you on you're wonderful review. It shows that you thought hard and worked for a long time on it, I hope you know it is appreciated. Though I would have to say airbag is the best song on that cd... barely.

Combat Chuck · 06-30-2003, 02:57 PM

Eh, Climbing Up The Walls just has such a feel to it....it's one of those songs where the literal feel of the song is translated so well that it adds a whole new level to the song. That's why it barely beat out Airbag.

Oh, and thanks to everyone who has commented here....took you long enough though!

[ June 30, 2003, 01:02 PM: Message edited by: Combat Chuck ]

Fruitacious B · 07-04-2003, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by fat_retard:
maybe because your "preview review" was about movies you haven't even scene, so nobody takes it seriously.

How about this one retard, maybe that's why I call it a PREVIEW review, and why not take it seriously. That's why they make previews, so that you'll get a good first impression and go see the movie. So maybe reviewing based on previews isn't so stupid now is it. So if you'll excuse me im going to go listen to some Celtic Scat Rock, as usual.

[ July 04, 2003, 01:13 AM: Message edited by: Fruitacious B ]

Combat Chuck · 07-06-2003, 04:10 AM

Wow. Celtic Scat Rock...that'sa new one.

Dr. Seuss · 07-31-2003, 11:40 PM

I have been listening to the songs I've downloaded by this band a lot, and I am very much so considering buying a CD of their's. So in any of your professional opinions, which should I buy? Hail To The Theif or OK Computer?

Yeah, I realize this thread died, but rather than make my own I decided just to post it here.

Combat Chuck · 08-04-2003, 02:17 PM

Get OK Computer. It's....more accessible. In order to fully and totally comprehend Hail To The Theif, you should understand the direction that Radiohead has taken in getting there.

Get OK Computer. You'll love it.

06-13-2003, 02:45 AM	#2 (permalink)
victim Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 985 Internets: 10	Nice review... it's funny you say that last bit though, because I just went and bought Hail to the Thief this afternoon.
	get off my internet!!!

06-25-2003, 08:14 PM	#5 (permalink)
victim Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 985 Internets: 10	I read it... great review Chuck. Between this masterful review and the pleasure I had listening to Hail to the Thief, I went out and bought OK Computer this afternoon, and it is as good as you claim.
	get off my internet!!!

06-25-2003, 08:23 PM	#6 (permalink)
silver and cold Ish... Join Date: May 2003 Location: this nowhere Posts: 1,680 Internets: 10	After reading ur lovely review Chuck, i think i will download some of their stuff...if i like i will buy it...
	the killer in me is the killer in you.

06-29-2003, 06:14 PM	#8 (permalink)
Fruitacious B Bokononist Join Date: May 2003 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,595 Internets: 11801	Chuck, I have read your review, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Upon my reading of this I went out onto kazaa, and downloaded some radiohead songs. I consider myself to be a person with a broad musical taste, but before like yesterday I had never listened to radiohead. I'm very impressed, and I intend to continue downloading them, and when i get funding, purchasing the album. Great Review. Also, i know what you mean by no one reading your reviews, my "preview review" is being neglected also, it hurts. Great stuff.
	"Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand." \|vonnegut

07-31-2003, 11:40 PM	#15 (permalink)
Dr. Seuss Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: OMGWTF!!111 Posts: 196 Internets: 10	I have been listening to the songs I've downloaded by this band a lot, and I am very much so considering buying a CD of their's. So in any of your professional opinions, which should I buy? Hail To The Theif or OK Computer? Yeah, I realize this thread died, but rather than make my own I decided just to post it here.
	"When will humans realize that all races are equally inferior to robots?" - Bender

06-13-2003, 02:41 AM	#1 (permalink)
Combat Chuck Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 2,063 Internets: 10	Well folks, I figured it was high time that I copied off of Titan's well-loved review format and graced you all with my very own unquestionable opinions on the music I love. I've been meaning to start one of these for a while, but they take up time, and now that I have that to waste, I can grace you all with a long ass post, so you can waste it too. Now, seeing the reaming I got for my picks on the order of which songs were better on the lauded Red Hot Chili Pepper's By The Way, this could get me into some more deep shit, but, as always, that doesn't matter, since it's my musical taste we're talking about here, not yours. However, I find that if you've heard this album (or heard it as much as I have), you'll find my picks to be a little more conventional. Maybe. I don't know, could be I'm totally off. Nevertheless, this isn't a closed topic, so, if you own this album, voice your opinions too. If you don't own this album, go buy it now, or face eternal damnation when you pass from this earth. Anyway... Radiohead took the rock world by storm in 1995 when they released the highly praised The Bends. Their first album, Pablo Honey had met a bit of critical success, but it wasn't anything compared to the praises The Bends recieved. This sophomore album created a sound that was supposed to commence the return of a golden age of rock. Radiohead were heralded as the guys who would put rock back on its pedestal, where it belonged. The Bends was hard-hitting, take no prisoners, sit down and shut up stuff (even mellower tracks like Fake Plastic Trees made everyone listen and take notes). So, when the media and the world heard that Radiohead would be soon following up The Bends, they waited in drooling anticipation for....this: OK Computer. Cue everyone going....huh? With this release in 1997, Radiohead took their status as rock gods and....didn't throw it out the window...they just...threw it across the room. They let the general rock sounds take a step back and introduced a myriad of bleeps, bloops, and blops (yeah....blops. They're that talented). Needless to say, people were a little surprised. Now, no one can say that they couldn't see it coming. In The Bends there were a few hints as to Yorke and Company's fascination with machinery and the sounds that it produces. But it was nothing compared to this. New sounds abounded with this album, along with a fascination with the coldness of the future and technology on the part of Yorke in his lyrics, and after the initial shock, this album was eventually held with higher praise than their previous efforts. Thus, I present to you a closer look into the greatness of this album. I'll deconstruct the tracks first, then give my rundown on my faves in order. 1: airbag. 'in an interstellar burst/i'm back to save the universe!!' I don't know what it is about this track, whether it's the grounded guitar riff at the beginning, the swooping and sliding of Yorke's voice, the catchy as all get out 'an airbag saved my life', the distortion of the drums with an electronic 'squishiness', the combination of all the sound elements topped off with Yorke's whining voice at the end, or just the addition of the reindeer bells....maybe it's all of these put together that make this track one of my absolute favorite Radiohead tracks ever. 2: paranoid android. 'kicking squeeling gucci little piggy' And thus Radiohead delights fans with its own take on 'prog rock'. Combining four different elements to this song makes for an initial listen of confusion, but once you get where the song is going, it's amazing to notice the flow of all these different types of levels that this song acheives. Starting it off with a few computer 'boops', the song starts off regularly with a twingy guitar and a great syncopated drum riff. Add a descending guitar that makes this initially feel a little aesthetic. But then the addition of a computer voice talking in the background with Yorke wailing 'huh? what's there?'....then it all gets a little...darker. 'ambition makes you look pretty ugly' gives a glint of foreshadowing, and then....it hits the wall. Hard. A full out breakdown leads to the band itself taking precedence and letting loose. One of the Greenwood brothers (I believe it's Jonny) takes front man status here and this section marks the highest level of the song....which then plummets back to an ambient feel blended with the lyrics: 'rain down....come on raindown....god loves his children yeah!' And thus, with that exclamation point, back comes the breakdown, but this time, it's accompanied with a slew of electronic sounds and distortions. This song represents, for me, one of the best examples of the 'genius psychosis' that Radiohead is so good at exuding. 3: subterranean homesick alien. 'and up above aliens hover/making home movies, for the folks back home/of all these weird creatures who lock up their spirits/drill holes in themselves/and live for their secrets' This song brings about a feel of paranoia....and fascination. Yorke draws parallels with aliens examining our planet and we who inhabit it, and how maybe it's not them we should be afraid of. Maybe we should be more afraid of ourselves. The feel of the entire song can be said in one word: 'soaring'. The band uses descending keyboards, ascending electronic glitches, and 'high on the fret board' tactics here to illustrate the subject matter. The differentiation of the levels in this song is also pretty important, where in the chorus Yorke lets out a glimpse of his paranoia, but returns to a calm state during the verses. This makes the album 3 for 3 in solid tracks. 4: exit music (for a film). 'you can laugh/a spineless laugh/we hope your rules and wisdom choke you' With only a simple strumming guitar underlying him, Yorke softly, almost whispering, paints a picture of two teens running away. From what? Opression. Rules. That sort of stuff. This song exhibits such a tense feeling. It's an eerie tension, a quiet tension, and it isn't until the final minute of the song comes when that tension is released. It's the alleviating of that tension that incurs the high point of the song as Yorke screams 'now we are one in everlasting peace', and it's such a contrast to the initial feel that one gets. The contrast works though, because the song seems to call for it. The drum part expertly helps along the flow (dextrously played by Ed O'Brien), seeing as how the guitars are pretty simply put in this song, even in the breakdown. However, it isn't until the end, when Yorke goes back to whispering 'we hope that you choke/that you choke' that the whole package seems complete. This song used to be a skipper for me, but once I really listened to it, it's one of my favorites. 5: let down. 'shell smashed. juices flowing. wings twitch. legs are going. don't get sentimental.' This track seems to illustrate a...pointlessness. The death of a bug means nothing to us...so what meaning is there to other life? The everyday 'starting and then stopping. taking off and landing. the emptiest of feelings. sentimental drivel.' This is a beautiful melody, one that is highlighted for me by the harmonies in the chorus. It's funny, because the sound of it, to me, doesn't communicate the feel, or at least at first it didn't. It was too...happy. But then I read the lyrics, looked at them, and then saw a few shiny parts in all of the depression. 'one day. i am going to grow wings.' I think that this song has a bit of an optimistic feel buried underneath all of the feelings of pointlessness. It seems that Yorke isn't totally gone yet, and the sound of this particular track allows the listener to realize that too. 6: karma police. 'this is what you get when you mess with us' Ah. Karma Police. The classic. The one everyone knows. Or...do you? Sure, you've heard the song, but what's it about? I'm not sure if I can tell you, but here's my interpretation. 'he talks in maths he buzzes like a fridge he's like a detuned radio.' Trying to control machines. Karma Police. 'arrest this man'. Machines equal uncomfortability. 'arrest this girl her hitler hairdo is making me feel ill.' Rebellion. Bad Karma? Get rid of all the unordinary. Stop everything from changing. Or at least try to control it. These were some of the random thoughts that I had while listening to this track. I don't know if they're right, but the inherent feel of the song communicates a cry for keeping things the way they are, not advancing, not getting into things/territory that isn't comfortable. 'phew for a minute there I lost myself.' 7: fitter happier. All it is is a mechanical voice. Here is what it says. more productive. comfortable. not drinking too much. regular exercise at the gym (3 days a week). getting on better with your associate employee contemporaries. at ease. eating well (no more microwave dinners and saturated fats). a patient better driver. a safer car (baby smiling in back seat). sleeping well (no bad dreams). no paranoia. careful to all animals (never washing spiders down the plughole). keep in contact with old friends (enjoy a drink now and then). will frequently check credit at (moral) bank (hole in wall). favours for favours. fond but not in love. charity standing orders. on sundays ring road supermarket. (no killing moths or putting boiling water on ants). car wash (also on sundays). no longer afraid of the dark. or midday shadows. nothing so ridiculously teenage and desperate. nothing so childish. at a better pace. slower and more calculated. no chance of escape. now self-employed. concerned (but powerless). an empowered & informed member of society (pragmatism not idealism). will not cry in public. less chance of illness. tyres that grip in the wet (shot of baby strapped in back seat). a good memory. still cries at a good film. still kisses with saliva. no longer empty and frantic. like a cat. tied to a stick. that's driven into. frozen winter shit (the ability to laugh at weakness). calm. fitter, healthier and more productive. a pig. in a cage. on antibiotics. Kinda creepy, no? I italicized all the parts that really stood out for me. 8: electioneering. 'when electioneering. i trust i can rely on your vote.' This song targets politics. The futility of democracy. Or something like that. It's a hard song to discern, but it's all summed up with the lyrics, 'when I go forwards, you go backwards, and somewhere we will meet.' This track is one of the heavier on the album, and it's a good feel overall. It's a letting loose type of feel for the entirety of the duration, instead of just in certain parts. There's no constraint in it, and I think it fits perfectly with what the lyrics are trying to point out. Not one of my favorites on the album, but when considering that I find all of these songs to be some of the best that Radiohead has ever come up with, that's not putting it down in any shape or form. 9: climbing up the walls. 'either way you turn, i'll be there. open up your skull, i'll be there. climbing up the walls.' Alright, you want creepy? This track screams creepiness. The guitar riff was actually given to Jonny Greenwood by a friend/fan, and he found it to be perfect for what Yorke wanted with this song. If you only download one song, you have to download this one. I can't put into words the creepy eerie feel exuded from the sounds, but it works so well with the lyrics, it's amazing. With lyrics like 'i am the key to the lock in your house.' 'it's always best when the light is off.' 'tuck the kids in safe tonight. and shut the eyes in the cupboard.''do not cry out or hit the panic button', it makes it sound like this is coming from the perspective of a stalker/killer/rapist, any one of the two. But it's not. It's the person who lives in the home. It's the person who is so scared. Of what's inside. Of what they represent. 'either way you turn i'll be there. open up your skull, i'll be there.' This has to be one of my favorites off the album. Funny thing is, I say that about all the songs. Just download the thing. You'll see why I love it so much. 10: no surprises. 'i'll take a quite life. a handshake of carbon monoxide. no alarms and no surprises.' Listening to the opening, you'd think that Yorke was going to start reciting a fairy tale, or nursery rhyme. And that's exactly what he wants. This song hearkens back to the comfortability issue, to the need for ordinary life, a euphoric feeling, with it's guitars that sound like music boxes, and even the subtle use of the xylophones, giving it a childish feel. When listening to the lyrics, it eventually seems that Yorke is giving up on his wish of comfortability here. He knows that a life with 'no alarms and no surprises' is impossible, but he's just so tired of never getting anything he wants. Or he's just so tired. Either way, this is one of the catchiest songs of the album. When I first bought the album, this song was my favorite. I'd listen to it over and over again. It's good. Believe me. 11: lucky. i'm your superhero.' Thom Yorke has a fear of planes. He distrusts them. The main line of the chorus is 'pull me out of the aircrash.' So, my take on this particular track is that it exhibits Yorke's wanting to change his luck, to be able to save himself and others. This one would generally be a skipper for me, seeing as how it isn't as 'stand-out-ish' as most of the other tracks, except it has one thing. An...interlude of sorts. After the second chorus, there is a complete stop (if only for a split second) and then comes one of the most beautiful moments of the entire album. It's just a simple guitar riff, but it's so...calm. It slides over your senses, giving it a soothing feel. But then...a slight droning guitar is added on, and then more sounds, and more sounds, and it eventually cascades into sort of an overload....it sounds like I'm exaggerating this part, but to me, I'm not. This part is one of the main standouts for this album. 12: the tourist. 'it barks at no one else but me. like its seen a ghost.' I'm not exactly what this song is supposed to be. I think that the title relates a feeling of being in an environment of unfamiliarity, someplace where you don't belong. You're just a visitor. This is one of those tracks that if heard in the middle of the album, it'd definitely go under the radar. But as a closer....it just leaves you with a...finished feeling. It really doesn't stand out in any way, it just leaves you in a relaxed state of mind. Yorke's voice is clear, calm, soporific, flowing....exactly what is should be. Yorke is such an incredibly talented front man, and one of my favorite musicians, and I find that songs really centering around his voice are always good tracks, even if they don't contain much else. The background isn't as bare in this song, but there's such a slow pace to this song that his voice stands out most. Which is great. It's a perfect ending for this album, and I'm glad that they put it as the ender. Radiohead - OK Computer Rankings: 1: climbing up the walls 2: airbag 3: exit music (for a film) 4: karma police 5: no surprises 6: paranoid android 7: subterranean homesick alien 8: lucky 9: let down 10: electioneering 11: the tourist 12: fitter happier To me, Radiohead is a collection of ideas, gestures, signs, emotions, innovations, and unlimited capabilities, all rolled into something that can really find a place to hit you hard, but in an appeasing way. It's hard to explain just why Radiohead is my favorite band, but I think it's because they've always taken what's expected of them and gone the other way. They never put themselves in the position for failure, because they never put themselves in the position of success in the first place. To them, it's the music, what is in them, what they want to take out and give to other people. I've always loved that, and Thom's lazy eye has always made me feel like I can relate to him as well. OK Computer is such a hard album to explain...but in certain ways, it's like an open book. It speaks of society, of things that scare you, of things that bother you, of things that should bother you but don't, of blind submission, of the danger outside of the boundaries, but the need for something outside of those boundaries....it's all there. And more. I haven't begun to scrape the surface, but on the outside, this album feels so cold, but there's such an accesibility to it once you let it sink into your mind, into your skin. I don't know if anyone here owns this album, but I hope that by maybe reading this, some people will be intrigued enough to at least go out and try out any Radiohead record. You owe it that much to music, and you owe it that much to yourself. I hope that you've enjoyed this as much as I have. Thank you, and God bless. [ June 13, 2003, 12:57 AM: Message edited by: Combat Chuck ]

06-13-2003, 03:00 AM	#3 (permalink)
Combat Chuck Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 2,063 Internets: 10	That's exactly what I love to hear. Hail To The Theif is, after a few listens, just as good as OK Computer. It's an amazing album, and you can definitely expect a review of it sometime here on Nubblies.

06-16-2003, 05:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
Combat Chuck Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 2,063 Internets: 10	I love writing reviews that take me all day and not having anyone read them. Nothing makes me smile more.....alright, so maybe losing money makes me smile more....

06-29-2003, 03:30 AM	#7 (permalink)
Combat Chuck Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 2,063 Internets: 10	I want to thank you both from the bottom of my heart for reading this thread, due to the tremendous amount of time I put into this. Even having just you two read it (and I know that there were others who just didn't post, which is okay) means something, because it's getting the music out there, even if in little amounts. silver and cold, trust me, you're going to love them. You'd be....I don't know what you'd be, but I'd question what you would be if you didn't like this stuff. victim, great to hear that you went out and got this album. It's the most like Hail To The Theif, and it's becoming hard for me to state which is better. But I can't even pick which Radiohead album is the best. They all have their own characteristics that make them so unique, but so Radiohead. Well, that's enough chatter for just wanting to say thanks. Hopefully more people will take interest in this thing though. God bless you both.

06-30-2003, 01:48 PM	#10 (permalink)
Ugly Bastard Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 13,643 Internets: 247330	OOOOOHHH!! Burn!!! OST? OST? OST? I think so. Yeah! Lol! Lmfao! Lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111 -Ugly Bastard

06-30-2003, 02:57 PM	#12 (permalink)
Combat Chuck Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 2,063 Internets: 10	Eh, Climbing Up The Walls just has such a feel to it....it's one of those songs where the literal feel of the song is translated so well that it adds a whole new level to the song. That's why it barely beat out Airbag. Oh, and thanks to everyone who has commented here....took you long enough though! [ June 30, 2003, 01:02 PM: Message edited by: Combat Chuck ]

07-06-2003, 04:10 AM	#14 (permalink)
Combat Chuck Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 2,063 Internets: 10	Wow. Celtic Scat Rock...that'sa new one.

08-04-2003, 02:17 PM	#16 (permalink)
Combat Chuck Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 2,063 Internets: 10	Get OK Computer. It's....more accessible. In order to fully and totally comprehend Hail To The Theif, you should understand the direction that Radiohead has taken in getting there. Get OK Computer. You'll love it.