Radiohead-Where do I start?

I saw the Flamming Lips by themselves in Atlanta between their shows with Beck, and Wayne, the lead singer, said that when people ask him to describe his sound, he says it's a mix of Pink Floyd and Radiohead (run on). They then launched into KILLER covers of Pink Foyd's "Lucifer Sam" and Radiohead's "Knives Out." A GREAT show. I can't wait to see Radiohead in October.

 

Lucifer Sam!!!!!! One of my favourites! That musta been great!

 

Well... I did exactly that a few months ago, based entirely on the recommendations of the members of this forum, as I had not heard any of the album before... and...

...while I agree it is a very good album, IMO it is also one of the most bleak, unforgiving, and mercilessly nihilistic pieces of music ever recorded. DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM IF YOU SUFFER FROM DEPRESSION. I'm not saying this facetiously. These are not tunes you will want stuck in your head if you're questioning your reasons for living.

 

Alright, i'll be the guy that does NOT think "Ok Computer" is their best. I'd have to go with the Bends or Kid A for my first pick. Maybe it's all the hype around that album, or just that i've heard it two billion times, but i definitely don't reach for as often. Go figure? Pablo Honey is hit and miss, but still worth owning.

 

I'll second The Bends. For including "High and Dry" and "Fake Plastic Trees" and "Bulletproof" alone, it's my favorite of theirs, as much as I do love OK Computer (how could you not, with "Paranoid Android" and "Karma Police" and the gorgeous "Let Down"?). Really, though, both albums are essential, IMO (and both are just lovely on LP, for all the vinyl people out there).

 

I'll dare to be different and say that "Kid A" and "Amnesiac" supported by the live album including tracks from those 2 CD's are my favourites...but I also think OK Computer is a must like everyone else.

Really, all their their albums are worth owning except "Pablo"

 

You're absolutely right, my mistake! The "My Iron Lung" EP is still worth picking up, but so are all the singles. The Ok Computer singles are excellent as well.

 

The Flaming Lips closed their set at Glastonbury with "Breathe", really great performance. There's a video of it somewhere out there.

I'll be seeing Radiohead in August with my brother and my girlfriend. A pretty good way to celebrate my 24th birthday!

 

OK...

Thanks for all the reccomendations! I know what to get now, thankfully. I do have another question though. Since most rave about how their B-sides and EP's are so great, should I try to get each CD-single and EP of songs from whichever album I get. Take OK Computer for example. Along with that, should I get the various singles or, if I can find it, the Airbag/How Am I Driving? EP to go along with the album?

I will also check out the Flaming Lips, even though I'm not sure I will like them or not.

 

For the OK Computer era, check out the Japanese EP "No Surprises/Running from Demons". The Karma Police singles (two parts) are excellent as well. Karma Police part two has the awesome Zero 7 mix of "Climbing up the walls". The "No surprises" cd has got great live versions of "Airbag" and "Lucky".

 

Tyler,

I have found the singles that you were talking about. However, I noticed that the tracks you described for the "No Surprises" EP, were only on the "No Surprises Pt. 2" single. The actual EP had different tracks than you stated, making me think that you had a mix-up. I also notice that there is a single for the song "Paranoid Android". Is that also neccesary to buy?

Gosh, I haven't even bought the album, and I'm already fretting about having to buy overpriced import singles.

 

I only listed the tracks for the No Surprises cd single. The Japan EP "No Surprises/Running from Demons" contains some B-sides from other OK Computer era singles. Some of the tracks on the EP you can find on other singles, but I prefer having one EP to three of four singles of the same song just for a new B-Side! I appologize for not clarifying that the tracks I was mentioning was on the "No Surpises" single (not the Japan EP).

Before you go out and buy any singles, check out the album first. Once you get hooked on the album then you can worry about various B-sides floating around.

I have to say that I envy you, I wish I could hear Ok Computer again for the first time.

Enjoy!

 

RadioHead is a great band. It's hard to choose their best as they are all so good. Pablo Honey in my opinion is their worst. If I had to order them it would be Ok Computer, Kid A, Hail To The Thief, the bends and Amnesiac. However, they are all so close that as I look at the way that I ordered them I want to reorder them. There is actually no reason for ordering them as you can just go out and pick them all up and play the hell out of them. As most of you know, I have often said that I don't play CD's anymore unless I have to. RadioHead is a reason for playing CD's as you can't get them on hi-rez surround yet. This is probably the only band that I still play CD's of. Most of the rest of current music that I have heard is not worthwhile. That is most that gets airplay.

 

Thank you for clarifying my confusion. Doing a search result, I found a thread posted a while back named "Easiest way to get entire Radiohead catalouge?", which included a list of all of the b-sides from each era. Unfortunatly, it seems that there is no way to get all of the b-sides without overlapping.

This is the last time I will talk about the singles until I am ready to purchase them. I am going to buy the album in a few days, and hopefully enjoy it very much. Until I hear and write a mini-review about it, this thread needs no more updating, as I have already figured what I am going to get in terms of Radiohead.

Thanks everybody!

 

Sorry, should have said that "live" album I mentioned is "I Might Be Wrong" ...but you all knew that anyway..but I might be wrong??!!

 

Well, I just got finished listening to OK Computer for the first time...

All I can say is, I'm not completley sure what just happened in the last 60 minutes. Instead it the album made me feel depressed and unsure whether I enjoyed it or not. Hopefully, the next listens will make me enjoy the true genius of this album.

Wow. Just wow. (that's all I have to say)

 

Chiron,

Ok Computer is not a happy album. I don't think I've heard a happy Radiohead song, maybe that's one reason why they always get compared to Pink Floyd.

Give it a few more listens, live with it for another week or so, then tell us what you think. I'm curious to hear what you and Magic Alex think of this album. I still get chills every time I hear "The Tourist".