Radiohead - Kid A (CD 2000)

Quite simply, Kid A remains the most bold and shocking career move made by any band in the last few decades.

Year 2000, you pick up a copy of this: the last time Radiohead have had an album out is OK Computer, and at the time they were probably the biggest band in the world. After a two year absence, one might be inclined to expect more of the same guitar-lead spellbinding songwriting which was filling stadiums worldwide last time around...

You hit play and the first thing you hear is a blanket of synthesised notes from a Rhode keyboard and a stuttering heavily treated vocal murmuring. This is 'Everything In Its Right Place' and it's clear that from hereon in, things are going to be startlingly different. what follows is a fantastically diverse album of stark, often haunting post-rock; from superfragile glockenspiel, sounding like the aural equivalent of a developing foetus ('Kid A'), to frantic brass sections ('The National Anthem'); from virtual 'dance'-music (live favourite 'Idioteque') to the almost choral 'Motion Picture Soundtrack'.

however we do get glimpses of the more familiar face of Radiohead - the acoustic soundscape of 'How To Disappear Completely' is every bit as simple yet ethereal as 'Exit Music' or 'Nice Dream'.

The band drew on a VAST range of influences for this album, and (especially Thom) turned their attention more to rhythm than melody - this was simply because they were sick of their older approach to songwriting.
Hence this album is not an instant favourite of many people at all, even those who've much enjoyed the band's earlier albums, but after a number of listens, it is so rewarding.

Personally i think it's their best album, and a must for any radiohead fan. i think this album taught me quite a lot about music, and i'm sure it turned me onto styles of music i may not have ever considered without having heard this.

An amazing album, not as Good as some of their others but there are a few good songs on this album. 'Everything in it's right place', 'Idioteque', 'How to disappear completly', 'Morning Bell' and 'In Limbo' were among my favourites. A good addition to the collection, very ambient album and focused more on atmosphere than lyrics. Overall still pretty amazing.

I used to hate Radiohead. I thought they were whiney and depressing and shockingly bad. When Kid A came out, i hated them even more. How dare they be so arrogant as to release an album into the mainstream and do something so unconventional as to not release singles from it??

Then...i heard it. I have since devoured their back catologue including B-Sides and bootlegs. They are awesome, fantastic and absolute geniuses. Kid A is tentatively described as a post-nuclear dystopic concept album, and you can see the birth to death passage of a "test-tube baby" born into a world of fallout. As a flowing piece of music it is just incredible, however it is also fantastic for its stand out tracks, without a doubt mine being the opener Everything in its right place. Coming in a close second is the final track, Motion Picture Soundtrack. Pushing the boundaries, yet again, Radiohead show their desire to grow and develop as a band while retaining the sound that initially made them so unique.

I think my favourite quote from Thom Yorke (lead singer) was post Kid A's released when he was asked in an interview how he felt about other bands doing the same thing Radiohead did in the 90s with "The Bends". His reply was, "Good Luck with Kid A"

Awesome.

Wow!!!
Fantastic music when you are shooting a fashion shoot!
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