tiny mixtapes gone to heaven

styles: experimental rock, electronica
others: Bjork, Amon Tobin, Sigur Ros

I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings
Capitol, 2001
rating: 6.0
reviewer: robot

So, after two years of constant hype for Amnesiac and Kid A, Radiohead has decided to release a live album. Guess what? It's composed almost entirely of songs from these same two albums. So how does this little experiment in marketing shape up? At their best, these recordings give a slightly different view of Radiohead with some crowd noise thrown in. "Like Spinning Plates" is the best of the old lot, saving a somewhat interesting but throwaway studio-trickery piece from Amnesiac by allowing Thom and his keyboard to have their way with it. Thom also shines on the previously unreleased "True Love Waits". While gorgeous and prospectively the direction Radiohead plans on going, it is slightly disheartening that the song was premiered over 5 years ago and featured a wonderful keyboard part that's noticeably absent from the new version. As for the other songs on the album, they mainly differ from their studio counterpoints thro crowd noise and occasionally muddy sound. In the end, your need for this album can be determined by your willingness to shell out money for yet another version of "Morning Bell".

1. The National Anthem
2. I Might Be Wrong
3. Morning Bell
4. Like Spinning Plates
5. Idioteque
6. Everything in its Right Place
7. Dollars and Cents
8. True Love Waits

Amnesiac
Capitol, 2001
rating: 7.7
reviewer: mr p

* click here to read an extended review of this album *

It wasn't long ago when Kid A peaked its experimental head and divided the Radiohead fan community. In fact, it was just over a half a year ago. And already, the Oxford quintet are back with their latest rock mutant Amnesiac.

Amnesiac picks up where his cousin Kid A left off. No surprises here since the two albums were recorded concurrently, but the band is quick to express that it does not contain the outtakes, but rather another group of songs that flow well together. But it is hard to shake the feeling that these songs may actually be leftovers. Firstly, the flow of the album is discontinuous, and at times awkward. For example, "Pyramid Song", a beautiful piano-laden tune, is oddly placed between two experimental songs: "Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box" and "Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors." Secondly, the band presents an alternate version of "Morning Bell" that has neither the emotional impact or complexity of the version on Kid A. Thirdly, "Hunting Bears" is a bland experimental fart that does nothing to enhance the flow or mood of the album.

Despite rumors, the songs on Amnesiac are no more commercially appealing than the songs on Kid A. From tracks such as the backwards "Like Spinning Plates" to the Bjork/Aphex Twin-influenced "Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors", Amnesiac seems to go even further than its predecessor. The problem with the experimental side of Amnesiac is that it dances back and forth on the fine line between writing an interesting experimental song and writing a song that is only deemed interesting because of the added studio effects.

The more conventional side of Amnesiac sees guitars, unprocessed vocals, and standard drumming. It takes awhile before the songs fully reveal themselves, but the results are nothing short of stunning when they do.

Radiohead had a winning formula with OK Computer and could have sold countless albums with those special ingredients, but instead they opted to experiment and defy normal rock conventions with Kid A and Amnesiac.

Although Amnesiac is not a typical rock album, it certainly is a creative variation and a push forward in music. There are some ideas that are right on the dot and some that fall a bit short, but this is where the beauty of experimentation peaks his head. I am confident in the future Radiohead will reflect on what "worked" and what didn't "work" on these recent efforts and will head back to the studio with more knowledge and confidence for their next album.

1. Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box
2. Pyramid Song
3. Pull/Pulk Revolving Doors
4. You and Whose Army?
5. I Might Be Wrong
6. Knives Out
7. Morning Bell/Amnesiac
8. Dollars and Cents
9. Hunting Bears
10. Like Spinning Plates
11. Life in a Glass House

Kid A
Capitol, 2002
rating: 9.7
reviewer: mr p

Whether we shop at small independent music stores or big corporate chains, we music lovers share a commonality: expectations. We expect the bands that we love to get better and better, and not just linearly, but exponentially. It's unfair, it's stupid, it's puerile, and the worst part is that we are all guilty of such ridiculous preconceptions. It's an arcane phenomenon in rock music that is especially common with such behemoth groups like Radiohead. The longer we had to wait for the follow-up to the acclaimed OK Computer (1997), the higher our expectations elevated. Because of the subjective superiority of OK Computer over The Bends (1995) and likewise The Bends over Pablo Honey (1993), fans-- either hardcore or casual-- naturally expected an album that would surpass the paranoid schizophrenia of OK Computer and the organic beauty of The Bends. And with the rise of the Internet (chat groups, message boards, web pages galore), the hype for Kid A grew to an unprecedented level, further nurturing any initial expectation. However, what the fans actually received was an album so different from its predecessors that it had little to actually compare-- at least in the musical sense. And this is what makes Kid A so damn successful.

A constant battle between digital versus organic plays throughout Kid A, like an organism trying to reach homeostasis but is instead suspended in a state between entropy and equilibrium. The result: a continuous tug and war that ends only after the album reaches its 40 minute mark. But mentioning the battle on Kid A is not complete without mentioning the balance, and the balance is one of the key aspects of the album acting like the human blood through the wires in a robot. Who says there is no guitar on this album? Who says there are no real drums? There are plenty of organic instruments, and although most are electronically manipulated, the notion that Radiohead has strictly transfigured into electronica artists is a premature conclusion derived from poor listening skills and lazy journalism. Kid A is beyond genres and styles. It is a morphing of a wide gamut of diverse elements that trying to pigeonhole the album is like trying to figure out what to put in your AIM away message: it's trivial.

But while listening to the album, one begins to wonder how much control Thom Yorke had in the making of the album; there is little doubt in my mind that Thom ultimately guided the group where he wanted. This theory is evident on opening track, "Everything in Its Right Place." Warm, dreamy keyboards, a pulsating 10/4 metered beat, electronically manipulated vocals-- Kid A could not ask for a better opening song. Because the instruments are primarily digital in nature, there is little room to dynamically fluctuate; the life of the song relies on the intricate layering of sounds and Thom's powerful vocals. Thom starts the song with a soft but strong falsetto, but as soon as the second verse comes, he transforms his vocal infliction into a driving bellow, sustaining the energy throughout the rest of the song. There are only four lines in the song ("Everything in it's right place / Yesterday I woke up sucking a lemon / There are two colors in my head / What is that you tried to say?"), but Thom stretches them out like saran wrap over last night's Thai food. It emanates a mood that is neither melancholy nor exuberant; it is a detached, insular mood yet still bears as much raw emotion as a solo acoustic guitarist playing to a capacity of ten.

But where is the rest of the group? Apparently, the only two who worked on the song was Thom and producer Nigel Godrich. In fact, much of the recording process was done by one of the five in isolation, and a lot of the times, the other bandmates had no idea what the person was recording at the time. This isolated recording leaves Kid A with plenty of open space, opposed to 70% of OK Computer being recorded live. At best, the space provides a unique sound, and each sonic idea from any given member receives a fair chance; it's not cluttered and you can discern the leftfield experimental noise from the organic sounds with ease. At worst, some may accuse the band of relying too heavily on the computer, trading the heart for the hard drive. But I think the warm tones and unyielding amounts of emotion more than make up for the unorthodox recording techniques. And on the other side of the coin, after Thom recorded the raw tracks (acoustic/vocals) on "How to Dissapear Completely," the rest of the recording process was relegated to the band.

The only song that does not immediately conjure Radiohead of past is "Treefingers." By far the most visionary, and the most unique, and the most aurally difficult to accept with open ears; the song requires full attention. But it succeeds on so many levels. The watery synth-like sounds are actually made entirely of sampled guitars; thus, Radiohead, possibly inadvertently, created a new way to hear the guitar, which is plenty more than you can ask than another acoustic ballad a la "Fake Plastic Trees." It is quite possibly the closest the band could get to sounding like Brian Eno (circa Music for Airports). Other influences are evident throughout the entire album: Aphex Twin, Bjork, Miles Davis, Autechre, and Can. Yet with all these influences, the music sounds unmistakably Radiohead. Rather than originality in a specific sense, originality for Radiohead is the culmination of these styles injected into something that is so profound and creative that any rubbed-off influence is nothing less than MSG on Chinese food.

Think of Kid A as the really weird, hippie kid that does a lot of drugs in school, but doesn't let it effect his performance. He receives attention from everyone, but doesn't strive for it. He's friendly, but is never taken advantage of. He is acquainted with a vast array of people, yet you never really see him outside of school. He gets A's in all his subjects, but never studies. He knows all the cool bands and goes to all the right shows, and he's never even connected to the Internet. Everyone loves him; he loves everyone. He is Kid A: a really cool kid that you wish you could know better, but unfortunately, you're not quite on par with his intellectual and social level-- no one is. So you sit back, observe, and take notes on his idiosyncratic behavior for all its worth.

In short, Kid A sticks out whether they like it or not; it's an album that reserved six months until its lackluster follow-up, Amnesiac. But during that transient moment of pure musical bliss, we experienced one of the most exhilarating moments in recent rock history. In retrospect, I have come to realize that I took that perfect moment in music for granted. Though I loved the album, I had no idea that its lasting ability was so strong, and I still approach the album at varying degrees in order to hear it from every possible angle. But there's plenty of time left in the future to catch up, and as soon as I leave this multi-complex TinyMixtapes building, I will listen to the album in its entirety-- in the dark-- with headphones, sporting my Radiohead shirt and my British-looking slacks, and most importantly, with no expectations.

1. Everything in Its Right Place
2. Kid A
3. The National Anthem
4. How to Disappear Completely
5. Treefingers
6. Optimistic
7. In Limbo
8. Idioteque
9. Morning Bell
10. Motion Picture Soundtrack

OK Computer
Capitol 1997
rating: 9.8
reviewer: mr p

In an interstellar burst, Radiohead slaps the music world on the face with one of the most respected and acclaimed albums in rock & roll history. OK Computer came seemingly out of nowhere and kicked our asses until there was nothing left to kick. This landmark masterpiece set a new standard for rock musicians that has yet to be challenged. It's beautiful, mysterious, scary, and thought-provoking; a record that will indefinitely be a future classic.

The lyrics vary from songs about running away from home ("Exit Music") to homicidal insanity ("Climbing Up the Walls"). The overall theme of OK Computer seems to be more or less a satire on modern life; mocking our choice of living -- a far departure from the less complex lyrics of their sophomore effort The Bends. Yorke sings in "Let Down", "Transport, motorways and tramlines / Starting and then stopping / Taking off and landing / The emptiest of feelings."

One of the greatest elements found on this album is the use of dynamics. Each song is a climactic hellride, and although some of the songs have a minor tone, they somehow emit an uplifting feeling. Take "Exit Music (for a film)" for example: dark, mysterious music with somber lyrics. The song begins with a reverb coated Mr. Yorke singing over an acoustic guitar, which is later sprinkled with minimal keyboard sounds and a tape loop. After a few cymbal hits toward the heart of the song, it kicks into full gear with fuzz bass and multiple guitars. Thom then sings an ascending vocal melody that raises the intensity meter to 11, but the music soon trips over itself; falling back on the acoustic guitar and tape loop. Breathtaking.

Another noticeable trait on OK Computer is the incredible amount of variety, yet the album still flows perfectly despite the varying styles. A bulk of the songs seamlessly morph into the next, resulting in smooth transitions and easy listening.

Even the production is undeniably perfect for this album. Some of their newer efforts (Kid A and Amnesiac) seem to be over-baked or the instruments seem too distant from each other, but with help from producer Nigel Godrich, Radiohead have created a multi-layered soundscape that flawlessly combines a live band atmosphere with a studio environment.

Did I mention the last chorus of "Let Down"? The guitar solos in "The Tourist"? The unearthly noises in "Subterranean Homesick Alien?" The bridge section in "Paranoid Android"? The second verse in "Lucky"? From the chaotic, distorted guitar in "Airbag" to the simple bell hit in "The Tourist", OK Computer drags you through an array of emotions, leaving your body in a state of euphoria.

Years after its release, OK Computer can still recapture every emotion and feeling I have ever had toward the album -- a true sign of a brilliant piece of work. Words cannot stress how amazing this album truly is. OK Computer is a necessity for every music fan, or human being at that. If this album doesn't move you, you have no soul.

1. Airbag
2. Paranoid Android
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
5. Let Down
6. Karma Police
7. Fitter, Happier
8. Electioneering
9. Climbing up the Walls
10. No Surprises
11. Lucky
12. The Tourist