OK Computer

The beginnings of this Radiohead that we known know them today can be traced to the 1999 release of "Ok Computer." It is not nearly as electronically influenced as their follow up album "Kid A," which barely qualifies as "rock" with it's spacey, electronic sound. But if you're looking for a precursor to "that" era Radiohead, which offers a successful amalgam of both hard-core rock outs and dabbles of electronic emotion, look no further than "OK Computer."

"Ok Computer" is an album that flirts between technology and deep human emotion...both in lyrics and in the presentation of the music. In one moment, you have lead singer Thom Yorke murmuring about the beauty of his life being saved by an airbag and the next you have Yorke giving a performance of "Romeo and Juliet" in the way only Radiohead would. You also have the slowly strumming guitars followed by unmistakable electronica backdrops.

And in listening to the album, its clear that Radiohead deals with sounds. "They are musicians," you say, "of course they bloody deal with sound." Well yes, but more than any other band, the words they are saying mesh with a dense and multi-layered production to form songs that can only be described as an auditory experience.

And while on the subject of those lyrics, it must be noted how incredibly poetic they are. This isn't so much as a compliment, but just something a listener should understand before listening to them. It's the way the words sound that give you the emotions, not in the literal meaning of the word itself. In ancient Hindu tradition, the recitations of certain chants were deemed powerful not because of the literal meaning of the words being said, but because of the sounds of the words and the emotions and power one feels in those sounds. So although the lyrics can be something difficult to decipher. I simply don't know what they are talking about on some songs. That's for Radiohead to know. But the lyrics nonetheless remain Radiohead's atman. This gives the songs a mantra like quality. They often contain a repetitive nature based on simple, but almost surprisingly powerful phrases like "I lost myself, I lost myself, I lost myself." It's kind of something you need to listen to in order to understand.

Compared to the powerful first half of the album, the second half is a disappointment. For whatever reason, it just won't grab your attention as forcefully as some of their first songs on the album.

This album is a must-listen though, just keep in mind you won't find anyone breaking into a smile while listening. Rather, expect a more melancholy trance that holds strong initially but fades away when what they have to sing about no longer intrigues. The trance is broken.