Kid A-mnesiac

[badfaith]

(non- radiohead fans look away now)

I recently added a comment on Radiohead's Kid A album, saying that I thought they should've been more ruthless, and squished the two albums Kid A, and Amnesiac together, perhaps removing some tracks to make one stonker.
Ironic Karma added the comment to the effect that the whole album stands on it's own.

This got me thinking... I became a Radiohead Fan from the release of Pablo Honey, and subsequent releases The Bends, and Ok Computer were "Radiohead albums" in that mould if you see what I mean. Like many who'd come to expect a certain style of music from them, the release of Kid A and Amnesiac was a little jarring- not that I didn't love what they were doing, in fact I think moving in a different direction is what has held my interest (otherwise they'd be Coldplay- har har!), but the two albums seemed a little disjointed, and so I rarely played them... in fact only Ironic Karma's comment made me listen to them both for the first time in a few years ( the occasional tune from either here and there notwithstanding).
I wanted to know why I found them difficult specimens to live with, and I think it's this: As, of course they were the product of one epic recording session, there's great range in there, but mainly I think there are two albums pulled to pieces and put back together in random order, one, an epic, Grand work of "conventional Radiohead style stuff", the other, a more experimental, electronic work more in the style of Autechre- one of their influences at the time if I recall.

...and here's my problem- I love both styles equally, but When I want to listen to a Radiohead Album, that's what I only half get... twice, and likewise the electronic part.

So, I did a little experiment (yes, I do have too much time on my hands, and maybe a bit of a saddo!)- If I pulled them apart, and put them back together in (in my eyes) the right order, what would they sound like?

So I did:

"Radiohead Album"

1.The National Anthem
2.Pyramid Song
3.In Limbo
4.You and Who's Army?
5.Optimistic
6.Morning Bell/Amnesiac
7.How to Disappear Completely
8.Knives Out
9.Dollars & Cents
10.Hunting Bears
11.Motion Picture Soundtrack
12.Life in a Glasshouse

"Electronic style album"

1.Everything In It's Right Place
2.I Might Be Wrong
3.Idioteque
4.Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors
5.Kid A
6.Treefingers
7.Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box
8.Like Spinning Plates
9.Morning Bell

The First "album" now actually sounds more like what I expected (hoped for) upon it's release.... But the Electro "album" sounds more of a proper bridge between that Old sound, and Hail to the theif. and has an almost ethereal quality.

So, if you're a sad Bastard like me, and you fancy having a go yourself kids, just get some scisors (ask an adult to help you with these!) and some sticky tape, and see what you think.

conclusions I have come to though, firstly- since in the process of this, I have been listening to these albums all day, I am at last learning to appreciate them both... and So a big thank you to Ironic Karma for inadvertantly making these albums come alive for me finally.
and secondly- DEAR GOD I NEED TO GET OUT MORE!!!!!!

[Norman Bates]

Re-shaped like that, the second of your albums sounds much more appealing to me. I must say that I agree with Ironic Karma though, both Kid A and Amnesiac stand perfectly on their own. To me, Kid A is really the album that made Radiohead what it is today, and Everything In Its Right Place remains my favourite Radiohead song so far, something that I would never have thought them capable of before (just like, say, Blur's Out Of Time for example).

[badfaith]

I think it's fair to say those two albums were their break away moment... in the manner of (and I don't to opena can of worms here, and I'm making no comparison between the value of bands) Revolver for the beatles, in that it plotted a new course. Bands can't keep ploughing the same furrow.

But it occurs to me, now I' I've saved the above as two play lists, that I have actually got four albums here for the price of two....BARGAIN!

I've even been listening to them as Kid A and Amnesiac as a whole, since then. This site has reinvigorated parts of my music collection that had lain dormant for a time, in a way not experienced since I bought my first MP3 player and found the shuffle button!

[badfaith]

... and since you bring it up, what are your ten favourite Radiohead songs?

[badfaith]

... and I do think it's fair to say Radiohead are the beatles of my generation.... people of my gen have grown as they have grown and changed, so there's an affinity there.... just as the beatles were for their generation.

[Norman Bates]

Well, I'm a little bit older, and I'm from France, so Radiohead are definitely not The Beatles of my generation(I know lots of people my age who have actually never heard one of their songs, they were never popular enough to get into the French top 50 for instance, even with Karma Police).

I'd say my 10 favourite Radiohead songs (in no particular order, except for the first) are Everything In Its Right Place, Morning Bell, Packt Like Sardines In A Crushd Tin Box, Like Spinning Plates, Where I End And You Begin, There There, 2+2=5, 15 Steps, Sit Down Stand Up, I Might Be Wrong or something like that. My favourite song from OK Computer is Let Down, from The Bends it's Bones, and from Pablo Honey it's Anyone Can Play Guitar. I haven't finished unveiling all the mysteries of In Rainbows, so the list might change in a few months when I've listened to it a dozen times more