Album of the day (#2867): OK Computer by Radiohead - Music

albummaster
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Gender: Male
Location: Spain
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Today's album of the day

OK Computer by Radiohead (View album | Buy this album)

Year: 1997.
Country:

Overall rank: 1
Average rating: 92/100 (from 4344 votes).

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Tracks:
1. Airbag
2. Paranoid Android
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
4. Exit Music (For A Film)
5. Let Down
6. Karma Police
7. Fitter Happier
8. Electioneering
9. Climbing Up The Walls
10. No Surprises
11. Lucky
12. The Tourist

About album of the day: The BestEverAlbums.com album of the day is the album appearing most prominently in member charts in the previous 24 hours. If an album, or artist, has previously been selected within a x day period, the next highest album is picked instead (and so on) to ensure a bit of variety. A full history of album of the day can be viewed here.

DommeDamian
Imperfect, sensitive Aspie with a melody addiction

Gender: Male
Age: 23
Location: where the flowers grow.

The best album of 1997, best album of the 1990's, and the best ever album (on this site), is also Album of the day. Wow........

Fully deserved Very Happy

DommeDamian
Imperfect, sensitive Aspie with a melody addiction

Gender: Male
Age: 23
Location: where the flowers grow.

If this was my album pick for Radiohead on my top 100 chart (instead of Kid A), here's my description:

Cover Art: 0.96/1

6th grade. Couple of weeks away from summer holiday. Local hang-out place announced a free ride to Malmö, and only four came along (I was one of them). When we arrived, I walked around town, until I saw a street singer, performing of course. Just as I saw, he was selling CD’s, in his guitar bag. I had exchanged some coins from DKK to SEK, and handed him 3, took a CD, and gave him a thumbs up. He smiled back at me, obviously (shoutout to Gian Paolo Pastor).
After a long day, when I had to catch upon some sleep, I realized (‘cause att I was listening to classical music 2 fall asleep 2), both my iPod and PC was dead (0% battery). Plus, I didn’t own any CD’s att, which were consistently relaxing. Uncoincidentally, I found the street singer’s homemade CD in my bag. Took the chance, put it in my player, and jumped in bed: it’s pretty good - absolutely the best choice I could make that night. Upcomin' day, I checked the track list, this is exactly what was written:
"Fake plastic trees
No alarms No
surprises
Personal jesus
The scientist
Shape of my heart
Tears in heaven
Wherever you will go“
Now, I know and love all of these songs as you read this, but back then, I’d only recognize the last song. Yes, I didn’t even knew the Coldplay yet, either. But the CD contained 8 tracks, and the second one was the unwritten one on the cover. I remembered he sang “This is what you get, when you mess with us”. I named it “What you get” in my iTunes library - until, some weeks later, I wanted to figure out the originals. And of course, it turns out, that 3 (opening) songs was covers of the same act. A band called Radiohead. Plus the second song was called “Karma Police”. I listened to the song on YouTube, and I really disliked it. Like…why is this guy singing outta key? Why does this sound so unoriginal as alternative 90s airrock? Etc. Days later, I wanted to hear Karma Police again, just to make fun of it, but then I found the track to be pretty decent. Then on the third listen, it was actually great. And you probably guessed the fourth listen, right? (Btw: I liked No Surprises at first listen, and Fake Plastic Trees too - but last mentioned is from another album)
The month after, I was traveling through the US, and once stumbled upon an underground vinyl store in New York. Because duh, I’m always out looking for a shop that contains music to availably purchase. However, I did not know what to buy. But why don’t I find that album with Karma Police and No Surprises by the band called Radiohead, why not? I searched in the vinyls, and they had it. The album was called OK Computer. When I came home, I started playing it………..and……….the…………….. rest is ‘history. //// Alright so, after telling my story, why do I now have to explain why I love OK Computer? I mean, it’s the number 1 album on here, RateYourMusic, etc. There is enough substance of reasoning to absolutely adore it, to find. (1) Everything that I could ever write about it, has already been written, in greater words with more consistent aspects. (2) ‘Cause there’s a decent probability, you already are bumping it, and loving the hell outta it - just like me and thousands of others.
If you haven’t listened to OK Computer, what n the whole-wideworld r u w8ing 4? If you have, and don’t love it, then boy/girl, I gotya some links and sources for a helping hand 2 that::

https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album...reviews/1/
(Page 1 - ca. 140 (Sort: positive))
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu8sC7YDOZg=984s
.
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/bands/Radiohead/86/ ← click on OK Computer and read the positive reviews (4.0, 4.5, 5.0)
.
http://gaffa.dk/anmeldelse/15927/radiohead-ok-computer (Danish review)
.
>20 listens of the record.

Lastly, for die-hard fans, I colossally recommend the book Radiohead And Philosophy, just when you thought Radiohead’s discography couldn’t get any deeper. After reading the book, I can state that it’s one of the best and most eye-opening books I’ve ever read, and I’m ninety-seven percent sure you guys would agree, just like we agree that this (no matter how clichéd it seems, it’s still true) is wanna-the greatest albums of all-time.

HoldenM
To Pedantically Split Infinitives

Gender: Male
Age: 29

It's fine. In Rainbows is better.

Track picks
1. Airbag
4. Exit Music (For A Film)
5. Let Down
8. Electioneering
9. Climbing Up The Walls
11. Lucky
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AfterHours

Gender: Male
Location: originally from scaruffi.com ;-)

I wouldn't call it the "greatest of all time" -- or even close -- but it is superb nonetheless.

Possibly Radiohead's best, along with Amnesiac and Kid A.

Probably:
1) Amnesiac
2) OK Computer
3) Kid A
4) The rest...
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Fischman
RockMonster, JazzMeister, Bluesboy,ClassicalMaster

Gender: Male
Location: Land of Enchantment

I'm one of the ones who finds Radiohead rather overrated, but this is probably their best album and well worth a listen. I just couldn't do it often. It is creative and expressive, but their expression can at times be a turn off. I understand when Henry Yeats on NME said "There’s no defiance, gallows humour or chink of light beneath the curtain, just a sense of meek, resigned despondency."

indieshins

Age: 25

Fischman wrote:

I'm one of the ones who finds Radiohead rather overrated, but this is probably their best album and well worth a listen. I just couldn't do it often. It is creative and expressive, but their expression can at times be a turn off. I understand when Henry Yeats on NME said "There’s no defiance, gallows humour or chink of light beneath the curtain, just a sense of meek, resigned despondency."

Despite Radiohead being my favourite band, I agree with that. It's their most Floydian album not only in its proggy grandeur but also in its bleak worldview. In Rainbows, for example, is far more approachable in sound and subject. So yes, even though this album got me into them, it's hard to listen to it often.
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RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

Easily within their 3rd best.

craola
crayon master

Location: pdx

Fischman wrote:

I'm one of the ones who finds Radiohead rather overrated, but this is probably their best album and well worth a listen. I just couldn't do it often. It is creative and expressive, but their expression can at times be a turn off. I understand when Henry Yeats on NME said "There’s no defiance, gallows humour or chink of light beneath the curtain, just a sense of meek, resigned despondency."

f'real? man... it's maybe fifth or sixth on my list.
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theblueboy

Fischman wrote:

I understand when Henry Yeats on NME said "There’s no defiance, gallows humour or chink of light beneath the curtain, just a sense of meek, resigned despondency."

True, but this doesnt make it any less of an album. I think Johnny Greenwood said something like "it's the sound of feeling like everything is out of control". It's also about the fear, confusion and alienation we experience beneath the chromium plated surface appearance of normal daily life. It challenges the notion that everything is "OK" in our little worlds. As such, it's a deeply touching and beautifully human album.

indieshins wrote:

It's their most Floydian album not only in its proggy grandeur but also in its bleak worldview.

Yes, totally agree. And there is something about the human vulnerability of both OK and Dark Side that resonates quite deeply with large numbers of music fans. More so than a traditionally rockist " let's stick it to da man" kind of mentally.