It was fascinating to witness the public reaction to Kid A, Radiohead’s long-awaited follow-up to the much hyped OK Computer. I mean, when a band is raised to a throne that nearly equals The Beatles, they very well can’t ignore anything the band records, even if it’s a collection of fart noises. Fortunately, the result was not as difficult listening as many mainstream fans initially thought. If anything, it is the ultimate vindication of writer Simon Reynolds that his much-scoffed at label “post-rock” is not only alive, but has even crossed over to mass appeal.
Radiohead takes the innovations made by bands like Tortoise, Seefeel, Autechre and Labradford into a more accessible direction. While a few of the instrumental tracks seem slight by themselves (“Kid A” and “Treefingers”), the album flows nicely as a whole. The first stunner is “The National Anthem,” which features a raging beat not dissimilar to an OK Computer track, and seems to sample the organized chaos of a Charles Mingus-sponsored horn battle. “How To Disappear Completely” is a grandiose ballad with sweeping strings and marvelously crushing crescendos. “Optimistic,” “In Limbo” and “Idioteque” bleed into each other like a sidelong suite, peaking with the latter track which resourcefully updates the chilly desperation of Joy Division, with an old-school beatbox. “Motion Picture Soundtrack” is the last highlight, a soaring lullaby with Bjorkian harps. Radiohead has assured fans that this spring they will release a more traditional rock record. Little do they know that Kid A will probably be their most memorably lasting legacy.
September 17, 2025
Chameleons – Arctic Moon (Metropolis)
September 1, 2025
Lathe of Heaven – Aurora (Sacred Bones)
