Okay this is a hard one, since two of these are masterpieces and the other one (Amnesiac) is a
continuation of Kid A.
My vote has to go 4 Kid A (but just barely) It's so strange and cool that it freezes my cd-player everytime i play it. Love the cacaphony of The national Anthem, the Kraftwerkish "Every thing in it's right place" and just the overall sound of the album.

What's ur pick??

It's impossible for me to pick between OK Computer and Kid A. Just impossible. There's so much going on in both albums you might miss it if you're head isn't into the mix.

The texture

The twists and turns of song structure

The emotion of Thom's glorious whine

The abstractness

The layers of detail

The dynamics




Just impossible. I pick both.

Upon the recommendation of a friend who knew that I really liked Coldplay's style, I impulse purchased all of Radiohead's CDs. I like Coldplay's style SO much that I knew hands down I would dig anyone doing that style, esp. a group like Radiohead that had gotten such rave reviews.

Upon listening however, I just couldn't get into it. They lyrics were for the most part incomprehensible--the vocals were either drowned out by the music or just so whiny that the words were unclear.

While I could feel some of the music's moodiness, it just wasn't enough for me to go on. I ended up giving away all the CDs.

NuPwrSoul said:

Kid A & Amnesiac are tough starters and Pablo Honey just plainly sucks (except that one song). The Bends is a masterpiece, the more you listen to it, the more addicted you get. OK Computer is just very beautiful. Kid A is a departure from everything they were before. Still Kid A, on given moments, is brilliant. I never really got into Amnesiac, that record is made up from leftovers from the Kid A sesions, second choice so to say!
Also, the comparison Coldplay/Radiohead should be done with. Thinking you'll get into Radiohead just because you like Coldplay is just plain bullshit!
[This message was edited Fri Jan 24 2:36:15 PST 2003 by abierman]

abierman said:

Now I'm thinkin I need to borrow the CDs from the person I gave 'em away to, and give it another try.



I wish had known this before.

NuPwrSoul said:

I do like Coldplay a lot, just the comparison doesn't do justice to either band.
Try listening to The Bends, I'm sure you'll like it, play it loud!

I have to go with OK Computer on this one. While I think that Kid A is great I just think Ok Computer is a better overall album. I in fact would recommend it to a new Radiohead fan along with The Bends.

NuPwrSoul said:

You should probably go for some of their earlier stuff, to break yourself in gently like!

NuPwrSoul said:

That sucks. Your perspective has been tainted by the pretenders to the moody British throne. Like kids who listen to MXPX and Blink 182, but think Black Flag and the Dead Kennedys suck because you can't pogo to it.

Though I love all of them...I have to go with...

THE BENDS (OK COMPUTER a close second)

Simple, beautiful, 3 chord tracks...Thom Yorke and Co...were really playing amazingly during this...and best of all who can resist "Fake Plastic Trees"??!!!
Goosebumps my friend...goosebumps!

OK COMPUTER is an amazing album as well...the video for "Paranoid Android" is my favorite...and that song's structure is crazy good...I've heard a symphonic version of "Anroid" and it still sounds fucking great!

"I'll take the quiet life, and handshake, some carbon monxide...and no alarms, and no surprises please..."

I think getting into Radiohead is a process...

The Bends being the a very realized, more poplike effort, it's the best starting place. It allows you to get accustomed to Thom's voice and start really enjoying the band. Only after this has happened should a new fan venture on to OK Computer (Which IS my favorite, but not by much). Give this album some time. It grows on you. Songs like "Paranoid Android, Exit Music, Let Down and Climbing Up The Walls" make this a classic which deserves all of the time you can give it.

Kid A and Amesiac are great albums, each with moments of absolute genious. A world away from earlier Radiohead but still glowing with their brilliance. My stand-out tracks include "Everything In Its Right Place, Kid A, How To Disappear Completely, In Limbo, Packt Like Sardines, You And Whose Army?, I Might Be Wrong and Dollars and Cents."

And while I love Kid A and Amnesiac, they just don't pull my emotions in quite as much as OK Computer.

However, hearing any of their stuff life is an amazing experience..an experience not to be missed.

I saw them play in 1994 on the Pablo Honey tour and i just couldnt get into them. Musically they're pretty darn staggering though. It's just a little to precise for my liking.

I just like Radiohead. Period.

O.K. Computer is one of may all time favorites!

endorphin74 said:

There ya go! There was something I couldn't quite put my finger on that made me lean toward OK Computer, but not totally make up my mind about. With both albums you get the OH SHIT! sounds, but OK Computer is more fleshed out with more hard-hitting emotion.

I've been trying to decide which one is best ever since I
got "Amnesiac" and it's quite an impossible task.

I guess "OK COMPUTER" is different enough from the last
two albums to view it as seperate from those.

So as a whole, -which in a way they are- I would choose
the Kid A/Amnesiac sessions. But not just the albums, I
would like to include the B-sides as well.

Without "Kinetic", "The Amazing Sounds Of Orgy", "Fog"
"Cuttooth", "Worry Wort", "Trans Atlantic Drawl" or
"Fast Track" it wouldn't be complete enough.

I know it's not a real answer, but as I said, I think
OK COMPUTER is one of the best albums ever, yet these
KID A/AMNESIAC/B-SIDE songs are just incredible.

They're right up there with the best things Prince ever
did. Some of them are even beyond that. If they were an
official 3cd release, it would be the only album I'd
ever need.

I've made that 3rd album, comprised out of the b-sides
and a few other tracks from the same period and when u
put that in as the third disc, it makes for a nice kind
of movement from the absolutely submerged psychotronics
on Kid A, to the psychological angst n claustrophobia on
Amnesiac and down to the overall lighter yet extremely
haunting songs of the last disc. Ending the whole thing
with the only new song on the live EP "True Love Waits"
makes for a sigh of relieve about as momentous as the one
you feel yourself give way to when "No Alarms" kicks in
after "Climbing Up The Walls".

Third cd Tracklist:

01. The Amazing Sounds Of Orgy
02. Worry Wort
03. Rabbit In Your Headlight
04. Cuttooth
05. Fog
06. Trans Atlantic Drawl
07. Kinetic
08. I've Seen It All [with Björk]
09. Fast Track
10. True Love Waits

One last thing I'd like to say about AMNESIAC and all of
it's b-sides is that it is NOT, as someone said a group
of left-overs from KID A. They were all recorded at the
same time during the same sessions, but that doesn't say
they're somehow less good tracks because KID A was first
to be released.

Think about it, it's like saying that all the other songs
on "Crystal Ball" and from it's sessions are shit simply
because they were not released and SIGN O THE TIMES wás.

In fact, some of these b-sides are better tracks than any
of the songs on either KID A or AMNESIAC. I think "Kinetic"
for instance, or most certainly "Amazing Sounds Of Orgy"
worthy of a place on either one of those albums.

I'm off, gotta go listen to it again. I'm completely
obsessed by this. I can't wait till the next album
arrives. It's said to be a slight return to the work
on "The Bends", so that should be cool too.

Oh shit, look what you made me do again. Just never mention
Radiohead ever again ok?!


[This message was edited Sun Jan 26 4:52:51 PST 2003 by IstenSzek]

IstenSzek said:

CO-SIGN

and thanks for your tracklisting, I'm gonna burn myself that compilation right now!

endorphin74 said:

I knew you would agree with me on that one. Hope you
enjoy the cd that way. I think it's great.

radiohead suck BADLY so there

Alejandro said:

:O

BLASPHEMY!

And this coming from a man who dares to list EMANCIPATION
among his favorit albums in his p-org-profile!



Nah, just kidding. I can see why a lot of people don't like
them. Most folks can't even get past Thom's voice, let
alone the weird structures of the songs.

OK Computer, no contest.

They managed to combine their techno interests that dominate subsequent releases with really good rock hooks. It's also the album that got me into them. Fake Plastic Trees and Karma Police videos on MTV turned my head in a major way.

They're among my favorite contemporary groups, up there with Mint Condition and DMB.