KID A

With the exception of a few remarkable songs, Kid A is one of the most tedious albums in my collection. And whenever the band sees fit to kick it up a notch, it's inharmonious and horrid. The lyrics do not have clear meaning- in fact, it is reported that Thom Yorke drew phrases out of a hat, but even if the words did have meaning, no one would know what the words were, since the man sings like he has just come out of oral surgery, having had four wisdom teeth extracted, and drool oozing down his mouth. Radiohead's fourth studio album is a far cry from their masterpiece, the 1997 album OK Computer. I wish I had researched more before purchasing this while still on the high of their previous record.

"Everything in Its Right Place" Rich electric piano pours over the first track, as sputtering semi-vocals sneak in. The soft organic lead singing is manipulated electronically. Memorably somber, this is one of Radiohead's greatest works, and pretty much the only one I really love on this indolent disaster.

"Kid A" The title track is more like a stripped-down version of the previous song sound-wise, but this time incorporates drums and a pitch-bent, distorted vocal melody, which is like a cancer victim singing through his mechanical larynx.

"The National Anthem" This piece has a solid bass and drum groove, with electronic noises hovering about. Obnoxious brass blasts through what has effectively become a noisy affair. Other times, it sounds like music for the Sim City video games- only not as good.

"How to Disappear Completely" A restless bass line and acoustic guitar give way to pleasant vocals. This is much closer to the Radiohead I want to hear- it is a decent mellow song with a languid vocal. Unfortunately, the music devolves into discordant strings that is painful to hear.

"Treefingers" Drowsy synthetic pads offer sleepier music from the already placid listening experience.

"Optimistic" Grungy guitar, pounding percussion and Yorke's feathery voice make for a pretty good alternative rock track with a nice interaction between the vocals and the instruments on the refrain, but nothing nearly approaching the level of most anything on Radiohead's previous album. A seemingly misplaced drum track is the conclusion.

"In Limbo" A creative guitar riff works as the anchor to this otherwise loose, floating song. Like other tracks on this album, this one turn into a noisy mush.

"Idioteque" The electronic beats and Yorke's practically unaccompanied high-pitched mumbling is like the Saturday afternoon doodling of a teenager who just got his first recording software but for whatever reason cannot open his mouth.

"Morning Bell" Flowing directly from the previous track, this has a more coherent rhythm and that delightful electric piano. But like most of the compositions (I use that term loosely) on this album, "Morning Bell" is dreary and slipshod.

"Motion Picture Soundtrack / [untitled]" Yet another dull, sluggish piece of music, this at least has dazzling keyboard. After about three minutes, there is silence. The hidden piece is just a terse, fuzzy bit of synthetic and orchestral sound, after which one may expect two minutes of silence, which is a good thing, since the listener has probably embraced slumber by then.