It was evident on Radiohead’s 1995 sophomore release The Bends that the musical style was beginning to shift gears with songs like “Planet Telex,” and “Street Spirit (Fade Out),” even with its heavy alt rock-laden singles “Fake Plastic Trees” and “High and Dry.” While other bands, such as U2, were trying their hand with experimentation in the critically successful Zooropa, they failed to generate that same success with Passengers: Original Soundtracks I, and thus ditched the experimentation in favor of commercial success. Radiohead, influenced by the soundscapes that U2 created on Zooropa, took their own stab with electronica and synth textures in their effort to ditch the anthem rock mastered on The Bends.
Still considered in the alt rock genre, “Paranoid Android” was released as the lead-off single to OK Computer in late may of 1997. With an anti-alt rock groove that begins the song, it is almost a a plea to forget everything you had ever known about Radiohead on Pablo Honey and The Bends. As it grooves along for the first couple of minutes, Thom Yorke suddenly jolts us awake as he belts “you don’t remember!” with scorching guitars and heavy drums. After a short guitar solo, the third section of “Android” begins, much slower, solemn, before returning back to the scorching guitars for rockin’ outro truly making the listener paranoid – are we really hearing our beloved Radiohead in this A.D.D. of a song? But it’s that sheer brilliance within the A.D.D. and paranoia that forces one to get the album upon its release. And the album doesn’t fail; instead, if anything, OK Computer is Radiohead’s first complete thought and true album.
It is so hard to say which song is my favorite, as they are all great in their own right. Take any of them away, and OK Computer is an incomplete album. From the opening guitar strums in “Airbag,” to the mellow and laid-back “Subterranean Homesick Alien” and “Exit Music (For a Film),” the first third of the album leaves you wanting more, to see what other wondrous sounds they have created.
“Let Down” is far from being a letdown in itself, instead it’s the perfect bridge from “Exit Music” into probably one of the most popular and liked songs on the album “Karma Police.” Even today, the song still gets regular play on alternative and college radio. As a classically trained pianist, I can’t help but immerse myself in Jonny Greenwood‘s piano playing. ”Electioneering” pays homage to early Radiohead, as if to say “yea, we’ve changed our sound, but still have our roots.”
If I had to pick two songs that would be standouts and my favorites, they would be the slow-building, heavy climatic “Climbing Up the Walls” and the slow waltz-like closer “The Tourist.”
Admittedly, my reviews on Pablo and Bends didn’t go into this much detail with the original release, but they didn’t hit me as much as OK Computer. In the many years of listening to Radiohead, OK Computer has gotten far more plays on my iTunes than the first two albums combined.
CD Two contains b-sides from the “Paranoid Android,” “Karma Police” and “No Surprise” singles, including some remixes and live tracks, in addition to the BBC Radio One Evening Session from May 28, 1997.
The DVD is where I feel that this Deluxe Edition fell short. The previous Deluxe Editions for Pablo Honey and The Bends had plenty of videos and live footage on the DVDs, but the OK Computer Deluxe Edition only has the music videos for the singles and live footage from Later…With Jools Holland with three songs. Only live footage of three songs on the DVD for this masterpiece of an album? If there was a time to say it, now is it – what a “Let Down”.
The Deluxe Edition also contains the sleeve covers for the three singles, and the booklet from the original CD release.
OK Computer (standalone album) – 5 out of 5 stars
OK Computer (2 CD/1 DVD) – 3 1/2 out of 5 stars (due to the limited live footage on the DVD)
Disc 2 Track list:
(Taken from “Paranoid Android” single)
1. Polyethylene (Parts 1 & 2)
2. Pearly
3. A Reminder
4. Melatonin
(Taken from “Karma Police” single)
5. Meeting in the Aisle
6. Lull
7. Climbing Up the Walls (Zero 7 Mix)
8. Climbing Up the Walls (Fila Brazillia Mix)
(Taken from “No Surprises” single)
9. Palo Alto
10. How I Made My Millions
11. Airbag (Live in Berlin)
12. Lucky (Live in Berlin)
(BBC Radio One Evening Session – 28/05/97)
13. Climbing Up the Walls
14. Exit Music (For a Film)
15. No Surprises
DVD Track list:
(Music Videos)
Paranoid Android
Karma Police
No Surprises
(Later…With Jools Holland 31/05/97)
Paranoid Android
No Surprises
Airbag
Editors’ Note: PopWreckoning has one unopened copy of this special edition of Ok Computer to be given away to a resident of the United States. To win, all you have to do is comment with your favorite song from the album Ok Computer and explain why the song stands out to you. The comment that stands out to the Editors the most, wins.
Please remember to include a working email address so we might contact you for mailing information. Contest will run until June 10.
