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| Radiohead- AMNESIAC **** out of ***** possible More electronic art-rock gems from a band that no one understands. Radiohead is probably the most interesting band since Sonic Youth (and just as experimental, as of late), but unlike the aforementioned group, seem to have not yet written their masterpiece. Although some of OK COMPUTER seemed to hint at an electronics fetish, it was at KID A where Radiohead took their digitally-enhanced turn. The story goes that Radiohead recorded both AMNESIAC and KID A at the same time but didn't want to/weren't allowed to release a double album. Personally, I think AMNESIAC should have come first, in terms of album continuity from OK COMPUTER. At any rate, this is thoroughly interesting album. Some tracks are a little too experimental for even my taste (namely, "Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors" [not a typo!] and "Like Spinning Plates." However, most of the tracks are quite enjoyable and interesting. The opening cut, "Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box" seems a little drawn out, but keeps you entertained. The amazing "Pyramid Song" follows, and then the aforementioned "Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors" which seems to have afterthoughts of "Pyramid Song" in places. Next are the three most traditional songs, "You and Whose Army?" the shockingly guitar-based, "I Might be Wrong" and the OK COMPUTER-esque "Knives Out." Next is a reworked version of KID A's "Morning Bell," which isn't wonderful, but doesn't fail either. "Dollars and Cents" has a certain charm, but again is possibly a little too long. The ff'ing weird instrumental "Hunting Bears" follows, with some cool guitar riffing, and is proceeded by the equally weird, but less cool "Like Spinning Plates." The album closes on a high note, with the heavily jazz-inflected "Life in a Glasshouse." All in all, this is a highly experimental piece of beautiful modern music. Radiohead- I MIGHT BE WRONG: LIVE RECORDINGS *** 1/2 out of ***** possible This is a decent live album. However, it's not being sold as an EP at major music chains, as it should be, since the track list is fairly short. The album begins with the always-cool "National Anthem." "I Might Be Wrong" kicks out the funk/blues, but gets a bit sloppy at points. "Morning Bell" isn't quite the KID A or AMNESIAC version, but is still interesting. My personal favorite from this album is a completely reworked "Like Spinning Plates," based around a piano bit, which I think may have actually been the core sample on the AMNESIAC version, but under processing. "Everything in its Right Place" and "Dollars and Cents" work out fairly well. I know plenty of people are gonna buy this album exclusively for the previously unreleased "True Love Waits," and as long as they didn't pay major music chain prices for the album, I'd call that a fair buy. It's certainly a nice track. All in all, this album is worth your money, but don't buy it for a full length cd price. Radiohead- KID A *** 1/2 out of ***** possible Four stars for experimentation and artistic integrity, less a half for taking it too far. Some of the songs on this album are superb, don't get me wrong. However, minor flaws, such as the incredibly tedious repitition present in many songs and the vocal processing, particularly on "Everything in Its Right Place" and "Kid A" , become annoying over time. Not that the two opening album cuts (respectively) are not interesting songs, because they are; but hearing Thom Yorke's voice processed into a machine-like groan and chopped up like the album's artwork is almost painful. "National Anthem"'s horns hit the disc like, to appropriate a Frank Zappa phrase, jazz from hell, and the damn weird "How to Disappear Completely" is, well, damn weird; in that it seems almost as if Radiohead took the previous album's "Exit Music (For a Film)" and decided to reshape it in their new brand of technology rock. It is, however good, as are the next two tracks, the very ambient "Treefingers" and the only traditional song among the lot, "Optimistic." "In Limbo," "Idioteque," and "Morning Bell" all sound nice together, and experiment in such a way that it is tangible to the average listener. "Motion Picture Soundtrack" is ambient, much like its namesake, nothing too interesting though. All in all a good album, but I recommend AMNESIAC over it. Rage Against the Machine- THE BATTLE OF L.A. ***** out of ***** possible. Wow. Freaking wow. I couldn't believe what i was hearing. Rage has hit paydirt yet again with this album. The album never gets bad. Even at its low points, it kicks the @$$ out of everyone else who'd dare compete. The highlights include the first single, "Guerilla Radio," also, the best of all, "Calm like a Bomb," the great "Sleep Now in a Fire," and a rousing tribute to Mumia Abu Jamal titled, "Voice of the Voiceless." A good buy, period. |
 zeromus06@netscape.net |
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