Radiohead - OK Computer

Hello everyone, welcome back to my blog. Today, I will be reviewing the best album of all time according to rateyourmusic.com, OK Computer. Radiohead had a massive step up from their debut to their previous album, and this is no different. But is it the best album of all time? That's up for debate.

We open on the heavy, yet warm Airbag. The distortion on, basically everything, tells us this album is gonna be hard. The bells add a nice flavour to the percussion and Thom's vocals build on the warm sound of the song. And of course, the guitars are crunchy and punchy, giving us one of the best openers in all of Radiohead history.

As acoustic guitars and easy drumming greet us to the next song, Thom hits some especially high notes. Not much to comment on here, but then, the instrumentals swell up a bit to bring in a groovy guitar melody, as Thom pokes fun at someone. The heavy distortion comes back again, alongside a ringing guitar solo at the three minute. But after that, the instrumental quiets down, as more of the sounds from the beginning of the song come back, but Thom's vocals is much sadder and full of sorrow. With another effect filled guitar solo, we end this prog rock masterpiece.

Subterranean Homesick Alien, an obvious nod to the Bob Dylan song, is a much slower song, filled with atmospheric guitar fills, reminiscent of the ambience and sounds from Miles Davis' B!tches Brew. We also find pianos, which is a nice inclusion.

And then, the album's most beautiful moment, Exit Music (For A Film) opens on some quiet guitar strumming and very close-up whisper singing from Thom. A choir shortly there after. Then, a buzzing comes in, alongside drums, signifing a climax. As Thom gets louder, the instrumental swells into a lush soundscape lead by Thom's vocals, slowly returning to quiet, with only vocals.

Let Down brings a slight leitmotif, with the lead progression being very similiar to No Surprises. The guitar on here is pretty nice, but I would be lying to you if I said this song was memorable.

In contrast, Karma Police opens with some acoustic guitar strumming and soft vocals. Whilst not as complex as the previous song, it hits harder. Around the middle, a bunch of reverb is put onto everything, creating a much dreamier sound. Slowly, a repeating tone starts screaming, overpowering the instrumental, and leaving the song in a buzzing mess.

Suddenly, a computer voice reads our new and "perfect" code, as a bare piano melody plays in the background. It's haunting.

But immediately contrasting that, Electioneering is a very energetic rock song, but it wasn't anything stand out, as we already heard similiar stuff before.

Climbing Up The Walls is a slower song, with buzzing synth tones leading the song, however, neither was this song anything amazing.

But then... we find my favourite Radiohead song ever. No Surprises is a nostalgic tune that sounds like a lullaby. The repeating plinking and gentle guitar strumming create this warm atmosphere, accompanied by Thom's mellow vocal performance. And then, when we reach the final chorus, we are embraced once more by the welcoming soundscapes of this song.

Lucky is nothing special. More of the slower songs on here, with a bit more of the distortion of the harder tracks.

And finally, we end on a bit of a dud with The Tourist. Nothing very special here, thus ending the record on a sour note.

Now: Was this album good? Yes. Was it flawless? Definetly not. We do find many energetic songs, and some of Radiohead's greatest, but it does have it's fair share of weak points. Is it still worth checking out? ABSOLUTELY!

Favourite tracks: Airbag, Paranoid Android, Subterranean Homesick Alien, Exit Music (For A Film), Karma Police, Fitter Happier, No Surprises;

Score: 8/10