Kidding? (Kid A - Radiohead)

Member Name: mo79

Product:	Kid A - Radiohead
Date:	06/10/00 (187 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's very different to what Radiohead have done before

Disadvantages: It's a difficult album to swallow, if at all

I decided to give 'Kid A' a couple of listens before deciding to review it, and I am glad I did as my opinion on the album changed slightly with subsequent listens, to a point where I can discover no more overall about the album in it's basic structural sense.
Though it's still a fresh album as I write, I'm sure to omit some points, and my view may still even change, but I've heard it now well enough to think "Ah, so this is what it's about!" and write down quite an informative opinion about this album at this point in time for me.
From all the press reports and soundbites I knew that 'Kid A' was going to be a big leap from the Radiohead style of old, and so I learned to embrace this as a record by a band without any back catalogue, even though it's hard as some of their old style does pop up in small doses on here. I was also still excited anyhow as I like experimental music, and this was going to be one, and by a great band!
I didn't care if the press said it was tuneless and pretentious, as I knew that Radiohead would compensate for things they've discarded from before and deliver a fresh album, and boldly one away from their winning formulas on the past two albums. A suicidal, but honest thing for a band to do to keep them not only interested in their music themselves, but also to not dwindle into monotony for the industry and fans (*ahem* Oasis). And with this album being difficult (consciously or not) musically and in the marketing sense, the band were able to swerve away from the killer success of 97's 'OK Computer' (this album was also produced by Nigel Godrich, who produced that album) - which they seemed to tire of. Is this a record to deliberately try and kill of success, or what? I dunno. With the band having another record ready for Spring 2001, and dubbed as being more traditional sounding Radiohead, you wonder if this is just b-side (it sounds like some weird b-sides th
ey've done in the past) material on album, a conscious effort to not be liked for a while, or just something weird, and falling a bit short of innovative.
Anyway, the first most striking thing as you may know if you read 'Kid A' press is that there's hardly any guitar or pop format to the songs. Very weird for a band reknowned for being guitar anthem heroes. As a musician myself I would've been bored recording this album. For instance, drummer (like myself) Phil Selway (who I respect) is reduced to drumming 3 or 4 loop's worth of rhythms, doing a bit of drum machine programming (if it is him who's doing that), or nothing at all, unless he's adding other bits into the music. Thom himself is just mumbling phrases for most of the record and only sings a bit, he sounds asleep on the record. And as for Johnny, Colin and Ed - okay there's some guitar but not much. A crime when Johnny's such a great guitarist, but no doubt as the Radiohead uber-muso he's probably constructed most of everything else; there's some bass too, and is Ed on the record?; I'm sure he is, but all their input seems a little bit sparse on the record as a whole. There are samples and guest musicians, but that still doesn't fill the songs with clout.
Infact that's what I don't like really. It's not that it's experimental, it's that the songs are sparse. It's not even weird, there's not too much going on in the songs as they sound repetitive or empty. There is a kind of ambient landscape feel to the songs (matching the drawings a bit of the main inlay booklet), but these aren't very grabbing. It chills you out, but every so often makes you want to grit your teeth. There are hints of a bit of tunes in some songs, but it's mainly simple rhythm, and there should be more going on in the tracks, that's all I don't like. It's a bit dry, the content is lacking, and so the quality suffers.
A lesso
n learned: Some guitar bands should never trade their stratocasters for software. And let's just hope Radiohead wipe the dust off their normal instruments again on their next albums/releases.
Since I'm writing, it'd be nice to explain my opinions of the songs too, and then why I like the album to give it a fitting 3 stars. I'd have only give it 1 or 2 after my first few listens, if I reviewed this straight away.
'Everything In It's Right Place' sees Thom Yorke wail lightly, while a backing version of himself says treated things that can't be made out against some minimalist piano...Not bad, but not really great. 'Kid A' is just weird...Thom's voice is given some pretty weird mechansised treatments that make his sound almost unrecognisable, backed up by a tinny 80's sounding drum machine and some vibraphone like backdrops.
After these two, traditional Radiohead fans get a twinkle of hope with a groovy bass line and drums on 'The National Anthem', but they don't change much! Fortunately though, Thom's actually singing on this rather than talking (like The Fall's vocalist), but again there's a sort of subtly piercing effect on his voice. Atleast there's some extra content on here with a horn band and a bit of orchestral strings at the end. This is probably one of the most traditional Radiohead style songs on this album.
Following this fortunately then is 'How To Dissapear Completely', akin to 'Fake Plastic Trees', but with just one guitar, swirling orchestrated strings in the background and bass and drums subtly at the back. It's quite beautiful, but ambient. It's only a little like 'Fake Plastic Trees' from 'The Bends', but that's the best I can describe it in this context.
Then comes 'Treefingers'; which is a nice title, but the actual track is just boring. It's just subtle swirly vibraphones and strings *yawn*. This
is no doubt a filler, well it is to me. It's ambient, but not done in an interesting way.
Finally then, we get to my favourite track 'Optimistic', which like 'The National Anthem' has a bit of a tune, and a structure, and even more than that track sounds most closest to normal Radiohead. When I first heard it, it reminded me somewhat of Joy Division's 'Dead Souls' with it's wiry guitar and primative tom-tom drumming. "This one's optimistic" sings Thom, and indeed it is. They probably had fun recording this song, and even though it's not an anthem for happiness, it is quite upbeat. It's moving, I love this song the most off of here.
'In Limbo' shows more signs of promise that the band are playing instruments rather than just toying with machines. It's swirly and quite Doors-eque in a way, atleast to me.
Then, it seems Radiohead go back again to being electronic, with disco music for people with joint stiffness in 'Idioteque'. A song filled with weird but interesting samples and synthesizer tones, with Thom chanting a mini-panic of phrases along to a vintage sound drum machine, programmed in a minimalist way. It's quite atmospheric and a bit claustraphobic at times.
Back to normal instruments almost, and we get 'Morning Bell' which sounds like a chilled out version of 'Heart & Soul' by Joy Division, I notice this mainly from the drums. Aside from Thom singing again, there's some chilled out keyboards.
Then, Radiohead spectacularly anti-climax the album with 'Motion Picture Soundtrack', which is just a yawny vocal by Thom along to a church organ and/or accordian or something, and then there's some harp strings - and then it goes quiet for a minute, before returning with a singular tone that fades out into a vibrating chorus, and then leaves for about another minute before sodding off and then ending the album. My review only matches mos
t press reviews in parts. This is an album that can't be judged by one and then accepted, and you know - that's good!
Well, those 10 tracks, of about 50 mins have certainly been a ride, but was it all enjoyable? In honesty it was, half-way, and it was interesting half-way. But only half-way. I hope there's no 'Kid B', as otherwise, they have got to be kidding, and are they with this? We may never know. But intentionally difficult or not, it seems Radiohead are good even when they ain't all that. Come on Radiohead be yourselves again! Aphex Twin doesn't need to lose sleep over this you know....Do you even care? Overall quite a good album, but listen to it a little before you judge it. It's not one for traditional Radiohead fans really, and it probably won't get any new fans, but some people will like it, some people will probably love it, and some will probably hate it completely, and fair's fair.
The album has nice artwork aswell, they've had better. That Stanley Donwood bloke is cool, but it's getting a bit boring and obvious now personally. Still, white mountains and weird landscapes, tracing paper drawings and creatures are cool...Also pull open the toxic smelling back black lid of the CD case (where the CD holds onto), and just from the hole you should see that there's a hidden extra booklet with circus-tent like written sayings (and tracing paper drawings again), which have no collective meaning to me, but look and sound cool. There's even a drawing of what looks like Tony Blair, and that page looks like it's attacking him too.
Jeez, the weird world of Radiohead is always amazing! No doubt this album will be number one in the UK charts (atleast for a bit) just by sheer regard of their past alone, but how relavent an album will this be in the long run? It's no Beatles 'White Album', but maybe, just maybe it'll garner some kind of evergreen respect like Lou Reed's 'Met
al Machine Music' album. But please Radiohead no more 'kid'ding! I don't mind if you do something new again on the next album, but this was one dose enough, good but not ace!
...Jeez, I've written too much, sorry!

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