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Radiohead's 'OK Computer' is 20 years old

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M

Menome

Member
It's not my favourite Radiohead album (Amnesiac) but it's their 'best' one. The only track I'm not fond of on there is The Tourist and as that's at the very end, I can just avoid it altogether if I'm not in the mood for it.
 
R

robotrock

Banned
Menome said:
It's not my favourite Radiohead album (Amnesiac) but it's their 'best' one. The only track I'm not fond of on there is The Tourist and as that's at the very end, I can just avoid it altogether if I'm not in the mood for it.
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4efcda6185e98de15c8def9e6bf39a55.jpg
 
B

Blader

Member
Screaming Meat said:
It's all about the Meeting People is Easy version of Man-O-War / Big Boots for me. At least Johnny mentioned Lift recently. Big Boots doesn't even get a look in...
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Ooh yeah, I was listening to that version recently actually, I love how all these discordant sounds -- even in a very broken up recording -- clash but still work together on that song. I don't think it'll ever see the light of day though... they always called it their Bond song, and when they had an opportunity to make an actual Bond song, they did something completely different instead. Which leads me to think they don't even think about Big Boots anymore.

Thom actually played a bit of Lift at an Atoms for Peace a few years ago, so I'm sure some new version of that song will appear someday.
 
P

PalaceBrother

Member
lastflowers said:
Hyperbolic alright. I you want people to take you with a modicum of respect, treat them not as dupes and maybe just say you don't like them. What are your top ten albums, just so I can get a taste for your music profile, because I'm intrigued why you hold their recent putput to such low esteem.


It's fine to not like something, another to just call everyone's taste trash and then kinda sorta maybe maybe backtrack.
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I toyed with the idea of bolding "I think everything they've done since...." to emphasize that it's simply my opinion.

I would never imply that someone else's taste is trash. That's not what I'm saying - I simply have zero affinity for it and don't respect the artistry. That's just where I'm coming from, I'm not trying to convert people or push an agenda.

I also wouldn't suggest that the albums I like better than Radiohead's are objectively better, just that I think they are. My list can easily be picked apart and that's totally fine. Obviously it changes daily some that are always present in my life are:

Palace Music - Viva Last Blues
Jeru The Damaja - Wrath of the Math
Modern Lovers - ST
Labradford - E Luxo So
Charles Mingus - The Clown
DJ Shadow - Entroducing
Microphones - The Glow Pt 2
Songs:Ohia - Magnolia Electric Co
Breeders - Last Splash
Velvets - Loaded

I also love me some Neil Goddamn Diamond & think Carly Rae Jepsen's recent work is ridiculously good.

My taste isn't any better or worse than anybody else. I'm listening to OK computer now and it's still a fine album.
 
R

RedSparrows

Member
Blader said:
What a shame that Lift never made the cut.



Yeah, TKOL took me a while too, but the live arrangements and especially the From the Basement show gave me a newfound appreciation for the album. It's a good album for a certain kind of mood (or getting you into a certain kind of mood).

And Staircase is a great jam.
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From the Basement KOL is amazing. Bloom is utterly beautiful and Give up the Ghost is heartwrenching, whilst Lotus Flower just oozes... something.

Edit. Mellon Collie represent. Still think a best of of MCIS and TAFH is best Pumpkins. Pick top 20 across those 7 discs. Wow.

Anyway, Radiohead.
 
S

Screaming Meat

Unconfirmed Member
Blader said:
Ooh yeah, I was listening to that version recently actually, I love how all these discordant sounds -- even in a very broken up recording -- clash but still work together on that song. I don't think it'll ever see the light of day though... they always called it their Bond song, and when they had an opportunity to make an actual Bond song, they did something completely different instead. Which leads me to think they don't even think about Big Boots anymore.
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:(

They played it live a few times, but they were very different performances to the far superior MPIE one. I ripped the audio from there so I could listen to it whenever. :D

Lyrics are great too. DAMN IT, THOM.

Blader said:
Thom actually played a bit of Lift at an Atoms for Peace a few years ago, so I'm sure some new version of that song will appear someday.
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They have a habit of resurrecting stuff. I've no doubt that Lift is next on the list!
 
A

Anoxida

Member
Calling it their worst song is kinda ludicrous though. They've actually made some proper shit songs and scatterbrain aint it. But opinions and all that I guess. I think its the second best song on that album. The ending of that song is amazing.
 
M

Menome

Member
krazen said:
I love it, one of my 3 fav's on that album. What gets me is the dark lullaby vibe of it

It was on repeat when I first got the album.
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Back when I first got the album, I ripped the tracklisting from the CD and made sure to untick the box for it. Have it back on there now years later now, but it's never warmed itself to me.

Still, that's one of the high-points to Radiohead really, there's so much difference between the album tracks rather than just being filler, that there's something for everyone somewhere.
 
A

Anoxida

Member
Menome said:
Back when I first got the album, I ripped the tracklisting from the CD and made sure to untick the box for it. Have it back on there now years later now, but it's never warmed itself to me.

Still, that's one of the high-points to Radiohead really, there's so much difference between the album tracks rather than just being filler, that there's something for everyone somewhere.
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I agree. Radiohead has something for most. Some of their songs are 'difficult' and some are really easy. I think if people list their top 5 or 10 rh songs the lists would be so different. I think creep and paranoid android would've been the only songs we'd see on nearly every list. I honestly dont know if I could make a top 5. Keeps changing.

see5harp said:
People don't like Electioneering? What the fuck is wrong with you?
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Who said this?


Lonestar said:
Did a search on "Airbag"

Not enough mentions.

Still my favorite song on the album, and one of my favorite opening album songs ever.
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Imo best opening track I've ever heard. Unsure if it's Let Down or Airbag that's my fav song on OK computer though.
 
L

Lonestar

I joined for Erin Brockovich discussion
Did a search on "Airbag"

Not enough mentions.

Still my favorite song on the album, and one of my favorite opening album songs ever.
 
S

Screaming Meat

Unconfirmed Member
RedSparrows said:
All of Pablo bar the extended Stop Whispering can get tae fuck.
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Come on now... what about You? Lurgee? Blow Out? I Can't? Thinking About You (the best song about masturbation since the rather racist I Think I'm Turning Japanese)?

Pop is Dead wasn't even on my copy of PH.
 
G

groansey

Member
No Surprises was just a Today rip-off.

along with:

There Goes the Fear by Doves
AM 180 by Grandaddy
Closing Time by Semisonic

(Relax, I'm only half-serious)
 
M

Menome

Member
Bored at work, so made a list of the tracks from the album, from favourite to least-favourite. I expect I'll ruffle a couple more feathers:

Paranoid Android
Exit Music (For A Film)
Karma Police

No Suprises
Airbag
Lucky

Climbing Up The Walls
Let Down
Electioneering

Fitter Happier
Subterranean Homesick Alien
The Tourist
 
A

Amirnol

Member
OK Computer really is a timeless classic that I often revisit. Its lyrics are still incredibly relevant today, maybe even now more than ever. The only thing more impressive than this album is that they somehow topped it 3 years later with Kid A, which in my mind firmly cemented Radiohead as one of the greatest of all time.

Their latest album is also incredibly well done. That they've stayed at the top of their game after so many years feels like a precious gift to music lovers. I can only hope there are many more Radiohead albums to come.
 
D

disappeared

Banned
I'd heard a couple tracks off Pablo Honey years prior, didn't really know anything about Radiohead, but buying and getting to sit down and listen to OK Computer, everything about the band was just summed up perfectly at that point. Been a fan ever since.
 
R

Reverend Funk

Comfy Penetration
Its fucking nuts to me that songs as good as no surprises, karma police, paranoid android, and the tourist are all on the same album. Like those 4 songs are in my top 15 and they all sit on the same disc.
 
T

toddhunter

Member
disappeared said:
I'd heard a couple tracks off Pablo Honey years prior, didn't really know anything about Radiohead, but buying and getting to sit down and listen to OK Computer, everything about the band was just summed up perfectly at that point. Been a fan ever since.
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The life of a radiohead fan since then:

"OMG Is this album going to be like OK Computer or is - yep electorica again... maybe next time"
 
B

boredandlazy

Member
toddhunter said:
The life of a radiohead fan since then:

"OMG Is this album going to be like OK Computer or is - yep electorica again... maybe next time"
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Not quite. For me it's their post Hail to the Thief stuff that hasn't really grabbed me.

Anyways, not enough Pyramid Song love in this thread. Also has a fantastic movie clip.
 
D

dreamlongdead

Member
Congratulations to the anniversary, but OK Computer is just not my go-to album when I listen to Radiohead. The highs (Paranoid Android, Karma Police, No Surprises, Tourist) are sky high, but the album overall lacks the consistency of other LPs.

Electioneering is not a good song, and other tracks just don't hit hard enough for me to consider OKC a masterpiece.

It's really all about Kid A, In Rainbows, and Moon Shaped Pool for me. I can easily listen to these from beginning to end. The first two are basically tied for my #1, since they just offer such a different, but sublime experience.

I love Radiohead, but I'm just one of those fans that doesn't really get behind their most acclaimed album.
 
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