Kid A: Appreciation Thread.

[UNIT]

Surely there has been no other album in recent memory that has so split fans and critics alike than Radiohead's headphones masterpiece, Kid A. In the wake of 1997s OK Computer, the stage was seemingly set for Radiohead to release another album not too disimilar and conquer all, U2 style, before them. Instead they released an album of Warp records style electronic eccentricities (Ideoteque), free form jazz spin outs (The National Anthem), Enoesque ambient soundscapes (Treefingers) and stuff that seemingly paid scant regard to what many considered Radiohead's greatest asset-the voice of Thom Yorke (Kid A). And guess what? They conquered all before them anyway, with the album going in at No 1 on release in the US.
Can you remember the first time you heard Kid A? How did you feel when you finished with Motion Picture Soundtrack? How many listens did it take you to 'get it'? Did you get it? Whats your favourite track? For me without doubt, and i guess its a cop out as its the most traditional sounding Radiohead song on the album, its 'How To Dissapear Completely'. I wanted to hear that song recorded ever since i heard the soundcheck bit you hear of it in 'Meeting People Is Easy' and the CD version with its massive strings and soaring vocals didnt let me down.

So who is a fan of Kid A out there?

 

[Darealrath]

I love it.

Has the most i guess what you'd call 'atmosphere' of any album i've listened to.

Was very surprised when i first heard it but probably after 3 listens or so i knew it was something special.

Hard to decide upon a favourite song because more than any other album i have it needs to be listened to as a whole to be best appreciated. Though saying that, my 4 fave would be:

Everything in its right place
How to disappear completely
Idioteque
Motion picture soundtrack (prolly my fave)

 

[The Hitman]

Hated it at first, love it to bits now. Defines genres whilst transcending them.

 

[The Dice Man]

Was a little suprised on first listen and was kind of disapointed, but after persisting and giving it 3 or 4 full listens with total attention I began to really like it. At first I thought it was out of place and not at all 'Radiohead', but on reflection and years of pure listening pleasure I must say it is perfect 'Radiohead' and I couldn't have hoped for a better album from them at that stage of the game.

Favorite song? Idioteque

 

[harry_hawka]

Great thread! It was only a matter of time really. This album is without doubt the best of this decade, and will not be topped.

It starts off with the best opener of an album I've ever heard (overtakes Velvet Underground's Sunday Morning and also RH's Airbag)- and from there on it just sucks you in track after track. The special thing about Everything In It's Right Place is that it's so open to be a great live song. This is thoroughly proved on the I Might Be Wrong EP, with the crowd clapping like a massive cult as the opening beats hit.

The National Anthem is the next to really grab you, as Radiohead's thickest bassline hits with a bang. Following that is arguably the best song on the album, How To Disappear Completely. Thom Yorke at his best in this one, as he works towards a falsetto climax with strobe lights and blooown speeakers, fiiiiiireworks and hurricaaaaaaanes, I'm not heeeeeeeere, this isn't happening!

Treefingers provides an intermission of some sort- but I tend to skip it (the only track on the album that makes me reach for the FF button). Optimistic just has 'hit single' written all over it- but Radiohead's whole idea behind the album kept it from becoming radio airplay.

Then you get hit by the Idioteque. The definitive Radiohead song that makes you get off your seat and throw your head around mindlessly. This one is so far from the OK Computer style it's not funny. When you talk about splitting fans down the middle, Idioteque is usually the justification for each side, it's just bizarre. But it's f**king great- the hiss and the distorted loop of synths is such a breath of fresh air from a rock band. This song is truly ground-breaking, and single-handedly defines a new era of rock music.

The closer of Motion Picture Soundtrack is a ripper. However, Unit, this would be the one case where I could somehow subscribe to your "pretentious" idea about Radiohead. The little bit in the middle of the song just seems pointless to me- whether or not it's there to make the album reach a 'significant' duration time, it just seems a touch pointless. But take nothing away from the real part of MPS, because it's beautiful.

If OK Computer is the best album of all time (which it is, IMO), then Kid A is the bravest album of all time. Taking a huge risk in defining a new genre, it works in every single possible way. Ok Computer makes you realise that Radiohead are truly a great band, but Kid A confirms that they are the best of the modern era.

Ice age coming!

 

[FIGJAM]

Best. Album. Ever.

I might come accross as being completely mad, and even hardcore Radiohead nuts at their respective message board havens tend to generally disagree with the following sentiment, but I cannot listen to Kid A without envisaging a concept album, with a Dark Side of the Moon-esque type birth to death concept, only the eerie 2000s version thereof.

Interviews with the band always give of a bit of an air of "we were just dabbling in this, and dabbling in that, and it all fell into place" in interviews. I don't really listen to anything they say in interviews, especially after watching Meeting People Is Easy and I doubt very much they don't slave their guts out getting it perfect!

There's more going on in this album than just a collection of similarly odd songs.

EIIRP: Birth
Kid A: Infancy
NA: Belonging
HTDC: Disassociation
Tree: Transitional
Opt: Jungle (Real World)
Limbo: Illusion
Idiot: Fear
MB: Dementia
MPS: Retrospection and Death

Eitherway, whether design or otherwise, that's the way I see the album. I think it fits lyrically and musically.

Eitherway, it is still the best album ever!

 

[harry_hawka]

Figjam, interesting post.

I've always had the initial thought that it was somewhat of a concept album, in that it was the beginning of something. Obviously, the Everything in Its Right Place title of the opening song would suggest that is so. However, I've never dabbled into the idea that it was a full circle of birth to death in the 10 songs. The links you make to each song do make sense though, so it's certainly valid.

Interesting theory!

 

[UNIT]

Yeah well thought out FigJam. Never really thought of it that way. Did you say you thought it was deliberately track listed in that way?.

 

[Zeke]

Love it.

Had it on earlier this morning.

 

[rick James]

Hate it.

Turned a band, which by own definition, was a group of musicians who equally write songs together, into thom yorke's knob twiddling ego boosting defecation on CD.

A band that somehow wrote OK Computer and The Bends... became one man's mission to alienate everyone.

The hype was much like Nirvan's in utero, there wasn't any. However unlike in utero, Kid A was terrible. I was more disspointed than anything else, just to see that they didn't capitalise on their obvious talent for writing brilliant pop/rock and instead wanted to remain alternative at the expense of their music.

hate it to bits. little bits.

 

[pafc4life]

I've actually always preferred Amnesiac to be honest...

only Radiohead album i dont have. OK Computer is my fave, to be honest.

 

[FIGJAM]

Yeah well thought out FigJam. Never really thought of it that way. Did you say you thought it was deliberately track listed in that way?.

I do think it's intenional, despite the fact that they state that it's all thrown together *cough* bull******** *cough*

It mirrors all the stages in a lifetime. And they were very much focussed on genetical engineering and the child which they hypothesised had already been born via cloning.

If it isn't, it isn't. It's still a very cohesive album, even though no two songs are even remotely the same. Genius!

 

[FIGJAM]

Some select reviews:

http://pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/r/radiohead/kid-a.shtml 10/10

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/top/2000-04/index10.shtml #1 Album of Naughties

http://www.tinymixtapes.com/musicreviews/r/radiohead.htm 5/5

Flawless.

 

[harry_hawka]

Hate it.

Turned a band, which by own definition, was a group of musicians who equally write songs together, into thom yorke's knob twiddling ego boosting defecation on CD.

A band that somehow wrote OK Computer and The Bends... became one man's mission to alienate everyone.

The hype was much like Nirvan's in utero, there wasn't any. However unlike in utero, Kid A was terrible. I was more disspointed than anything else, just to see that they didn't capitalise on their obvious talent for writing brilliant pop/rock and instead wanted to remain alternative at the expense of their music.

hate it to bits. little bits.

Good to see the other side of Kid A preciation is coming out!

For what it's worth, I think this whole vision of Thom Yorke as a pompous art w a nker is completely wrong. But, I'm biased 'cause I love the man. However, I don't think he chose to "remain alternative at the expense of his music", rather he chose to go a different direction so as to not try and repeat the greatest album ever. In my opinion, and if he truly was the catalyst behind all of Kid A, then his achievements with the follow up to OK Computer make him one of the greatest musicians ever.

To be the driving force behind two albums hailed as "classics" and revoultionary, of which are two completely different styles, well it's pretty bloody good.

I can completely understand when some people see his as a w a nker or a try-hard alternate poser- I know UNIT is in this category. As FIGJAM says, take their interviews with a grain of salt, especially ones with Thom. But in saying that, Thom comes across as Thom- nothing else. I believe his media-shy persona is nothing more than the way he is, rather than a way of purposely alienating everyone in the search of being alternative superior.

 

[FIGJAM]

Thom's a nutcase. That's not really up for debate!

What is incorrect is the presumption from the Superfreak, that it's Thom's tinkering which changed the band.

Ironically it's their lead guitarist who's the one who stripped the band of his trademark licks.

And collectively, I wouldn't underestimate their imput. All five of them are extremely talented and discovered something new; something that was counter to the standard formula. They enjoyed experimenting. And they did it perfectly!

 

[just maybe]

I despise it because it unfairly takes musical credit from some of the best progenitors of that sort of music, such as Aphex Twin, Autechre and Squarepusher.

Thom Yorke even said the Kid A/Amnesiac combo was his attempt to rip off Autechre. You can hear it most blatantly in Idioteque, which sounds like a Tri-Repetae B-side with vocals.

I think musically it is very weak, and some of it downright lazy, and I think it lacks originality.

If you want to hear it done right, go and check out one of the artists listed above.

 

[UNIT]

I despise it because it unfairly takes musical credit from some of the best progenitors of that sort of music, such as Aphex Twin, Autechre and Squarepusher.

Thom Yorke even said the Kid A/Amnesiac combo was his attempt to rip off Autechre. You can hear it most blatantly in Idioteque, which sounds like a Tri-Repetae B-side with vocals.

I think musically it is very weak, and some of it downright lazy, and I think it lacks originality.

If you want to hear it done right, go and check out one of the artists listed above.

Finally we agree on something. I totally agree that parts of Kid A (and Amnesiac for that matter) are blatant rip offs of Aphex Twin/Autechre/Squarepusher and even IMO Boards Of Canada. Strangely enough the critics who accused the likes of Oasis of being nothing more than Beatles rip off merchants didnt feel the need to question the originality of Radiohead.
Why i like Kid A so much is however, is because it was such a ballsy album to make. They could of copped out and released OK Computer Part 2 and sold millions but they didnt. They made a deliberately 'weird' record influenced by a heap of artists that would probably scare the hell out of all the little indie guitar scenesters that are now probably listening to Coldplay's bland wallpaper music instead. If Kid A is a doorway to more avant garde electronic stuff isnt that a good thing?

 

[harry_hawka]

Top post UNIT. Summed up the importance of the album very nicely.

 

[FIGJAM]

I despise it because it unfairly takes musical credit from some of the best progenitors of that sort of music, such as Aphex Twin, Autechre and Squarepusher.

Thom Yorke even said the Kid A/Amnesiac combo was his attempt to rip off Autechre. You can hear it most blatantly in Idioteque, which sounds like a Tri-Repetae B-side with vocals.

No doubting the influences. They themselves told the pop world about some of these groups, so I don't think they're unfairly keeping anything quiet.

Boards of Canada would be another one. Sigur Ros too. Dunno how having an appreciation of, and willingness to use techniques of other current music made them lazy. On the contrary!

Also, I would have thought Treefingers was an Autechre rip off, and Idioteque is an Aphex Twin rip off. They did it their way though. I can't imagine Aphex Twin having the foresight to have a bloke like Thom sing over Windowlicker...and do it brilliantly!!

I've never seen it as an original album. I see it as a unique album. One without repetition. One which is supposedly unengaging and emotionless, yet every mother********er in the world has emotions about.

The great irony is that they so easily could have "cloned" the Bends and OK. Easily! You can download the bootlegs of the tracks they had in between OK and Kid A, and they could have reissued the songs like that in "Radiohead"-style, with Johnny's wailing guitar, but they didn't. They showed guts in backing themselves 100% to actually expand their abilities in their craft. And for this they should be commended!

 

[UNIT]

No doubting the influences. They themselves told the pop world about some of these groups, so I don't think they're unfairly keeping anything quiet.

Boards of Canada would be another one. Sigur Ros too. Dunno how having an appreciation of, and willingness to use techniques of other current music made them lazy. On the contrary!

Also, I would have thought Treefingers was an Autechre rip off, and Idioteque is an Aphex Twin rip off. They did it their way though. I can't imagine Aphex Twin having the foresight to have a bloke like Thom sing over Windowlicker...and do it brilliantly!!

I've never seen it as an original album. I see it as a unique album. One without repetition. One which is supposedly unengaging and emotionless, yet every mother********er in the world has emotions about.

The great irony is that they so easily could have "cloned" the Bends and OK. Easily! You can download the bootlegs of the tracks they had in between OK and Kid A, and they could have reissued the songs like that in "Radiohead"-style, with Johnny's wailing guitar, but they didn't. They showed guts in backing themselves 100% to actually expand their abilities in their craft. And for this they should be commended!

I think Treefingers sounds indistinquishable from some of the stuff on Aphex Twin's 'Selected Ambient Works II' or some of those Eno ambient records, than anything ive heard of Autechre.

 

[FIGJAM]

I think Treefingers sounds indistinquishable from some of the stuff on Aphex Twin's 'Selected Ambient Works II' or some of those Eno ambient records, than anything ive heard of Autechre.

You're the expert. I like Aphex Twin's harder stuff. Can't stand ambient.

 

[UNIT]

You're the expert. I like Aphex Twin's harder stuff. Can't stand ambient.

Oh i cant either to be honest. Did you like Amnesiac?

 

[FIGJAM]

Oh i cant either to be honest. Did you like Amnesiac?

A couple of tracks were weak as a justmaybe Corby argument, but otherwise it was great!

 

[UNIT]

A couple of tracks were weak as a justmaybe Corby argument, but otherwise it was great!

Which tracks were the weak ones if i may ask? The Morning Bell 'remix'? Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors?

 

[FIGJAM]

Which tracks were the weak ones if i may ask? The Morning Bell 'remix'? Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors?

Yep. Them ones, and even then they ain't car crashes. Still a very good album.