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The Rice Thresher
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Dalton Tomlin Thresher staff You may very well be disappointed by Radiohead's new album, Kid A, upon first listen; if that's the case, you're no Radiohead fan. True fans learned with the magnificent OK Computer three years ago that it takes several, even dozens, of repeated listenings to understand and perhaps - dare I say it? - like their songs, either individually or en masse. There's also the argument that Kid A is nothing like OK Computer, which, in truth, it isn't - sort of. It's hard to call this one a true alternative rock album - maybe dropping the "rock" part is easier. The band relies much more heavily than ever on computers and assorted electronic devices, giving its trademarked feel of isolation and disillusionment a more ethereal quality. But is that really so much of a surprise? Radiohead has been gently shying away from hard rock since its debut album, Pablo Honey, except this time the break isn't so gentle. There's a trade-off between making an album that flows well (i.e., the tracks are somewhat similar) and making one with radically different songs, some highs and some lows. OK Computer balanced those two qualities perfectly while Kid A lacks a little of the latter. Radiohead is drifting further and further away from the traditional verse-chorus-verse format, so much so that when there is a song or two that's arranged even similarly to that, it's somewhat disappointing. Even then, Thom Yorke's vocals, outstanding as always, are kept to a minimum because the music speaks for itself. "Everything In Its Right Place," perhaps the motto of some strict bureaucracy in Yorke's nightmares, has striking similarities to the work of French synth-pop group Air, although Yorke's familiar whine cuts down on the analogy. The song is also an introduction to the unique distortion of music and vocals, occurring repeatedly in later tracks. The title track begins like a lullaby but leads into a steady beat with vocals straight out of Eyes Wide Shut's orgy scene, which is rather humorous considering the handful of themes common to both Radiohead's music and Stanley Kubrick's films. The album's most rock-based track is "The National Anthem," but don't be fooled into thinking it's a return to The Bends - halfway through, it shifts into a Morphine-esque jam session complete with a full horn section. Assuming Radio-head brings additional musicians on tour, this should be one of the best songs to hear in concert. Like several songs on OK Computer, "How to Disappear Completely" begins soft and slow, even incorporating a strings group, but toward the end it drowns in a huge, muddled, dizzying mess - not that that's a bad thing. Yorke's voice soars and falls along with the music until it closes. "Treefingers" is an instrumental, and a mildly monotonous one at that. And "Optimistic" almost falls into the same monotony, save for its interesting chorus and strong but subdued finish. "In Limbo" is great in the same way, in that it seems linear and straightforward at first, but its complexity and grace are revealed only upon repeated listens. If there were one song created to best convey Kid A's meaning, "Idioteque" is it. On the surface it's a fast-beat techno departure, befitting the album's general electronic feel, but at its heart is the emotional depth and desperation that Radiohead best embodies. Yorke even struggles to be heard over the overwhelming beats, indicative of the fight he puts up against the never-ending output of technology and its dehumanizing effects. The next to last track, "Morning Bell" is light and spacey, if only to prepare the listener for the grand finale. "Motion Picture Soundtrack" starts off like a funeral hymn, one last hopeless plea against the inevitable, but its choir and harp-like keyboard drown it out into oblivion. The album's title refers to the first human clone, which society has yet to officially produce (as far as we know). Until that happens, Radio-head will hate and fear the existence of that society, along with the current one that tries to make us clones of each other. In all fairness, as good as Kid A is, it falls short of OK Computer, which is one of the most profound works in the alternative genre. Near-perfection is hard to beat. Those thoroughly disappointed with this one can at least look forward to Radiohead's more rock-centric follow-up next spring - think The Bends with an ounce or two of OK Computer.
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