Kid A

Kid A is an album that would not sound out of place on the Warp Records roster, as keyboards, sequencers and electronic effects take the place of guitars on most tracks (particularly unusual for a band that boasts three guitarists). In fact, this is an album that succeeds without rock's bombast, from the looping keyboards of album opener "Everything In It's Right Place" to the bouncing, bass-led "The National Anthem" to the album's hauntingly atmospheric highlight, "Idioteque". Meanwhile, more traditional Radiohead tracks like "How To Disappear Completely" and "Optimistic" offer a natural bridge between the electronic noodlings of Kid A and the (slightly) more mainstream-sounding OK Computer. Radiohead may well be the most innovative popular band since the Beatles; as such, Kid A represents the most successful evolution of a major British act since Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. --Robert Burrow

How is it that Kid A's opening track, laden with an electronic vocal stuttering "bleh, bluh-bleh bleh bluh" is the most fascinating statement made in rock & roll this year? Because somehow, even when Radiohead blathers and blips nonsense, it's profound. The band's future-perfect musical grammar may be hard to decipher, and the melody is even more subliminal, but the journey traveled with Radiohead reveals them to be not only rock music's greatest adventurers in 2000, but teachers as well. --Beth Massa

Chronique amazon.fr
Remarquable trajectoire que celle de Radiohead. Musicalement, leur parcours est un sans-faute, et ce quatrieme album studio confirme une discographie toujours a la recherche du depassement, de l'experience nouvelle, de la surprise. Humainement, les cinq garcons se sont engages dans une demarche anti-capitaliste, et environnementaliste, qui pointe desormais un doigt accusateur sur chacun de nous. Quelle planete laisserons-nous a nos enfants? C'est un peu cette prise a partie que renferme cet album. Il fait suite ainsi a une succession de concerts et d'actions de soutien (pour l'abolition de la dette des pays pauvres, en particulier). Ce statut a part continue de gagner au groupe des fans qui adherent par milliers a leurs causes, et a ces chansons qui resonnent comme autant d'hymnes. Ainsi de "Optimistic", le premier single extrait de cet album qui s'ouvre dans un climat quasi contemplatif. On pense au Robert Wyatt de Rock Bottom. Plus loin, c'est au Syd Barrett de l'apres-Pink Floyd que l'on songera, et quand on sait que Thom Yorke, le leader charismatique du groupe, se passionne pour les climats planants, on s'explique mieux cette evolution. Radiohead ne se montre pas pret a vendre son ame pour quelques dollars de plus et les dix plages de ce Kid A, apres avoir conduit l'auditeur dans un survol de la planete en danger le ramenent sur terre pour des boucles et des samples qui aboutiront a une ultime chanson presque liturgique. Un vrai bonheur. --Jose Ruiz

Rubbish.


A great musical experience; Love this album!   July 11, 2005
 2 out of 3 found this review helpful

Most reviews make me very angry for a variety of reasons, so I appologize to those like me out there. Having said that, I will continue to review this album because it is my co-favourite ever (with Amnesiac). Fewer guitars than OK Computer, more atmospheric, comparisons are odious. The soundscapes created in each song are beautiful and rich. The lyrics and message can be hard to catch and enigmatic, but it becomes clearer with each subsequent listen. This album is far from intellectual jibberish. I can listen to Kid A continuously and always find something new. Simplicity and complexity in every track. I prefer Amnesiac to Kid A, but both are absolutely essential and astounding. If you do not own either of these albums, you are seriously missing out on some of the best music ever created. Yes, it seems weird if you haven't been exposed to anything like this before. Different, challenging and beautiful; with a few listens you will be in awe.


Artistic Perfection   June 28, 2005
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

For years and years as a youth, I had hated Radiohead. I figured why waste my time with a band whos lead singer sounds like a whiney cat that cant pronounce when he sings. But I started to get tired of the repetition that is Nickelback and modern rock radio, and I wanted something completely different. So on a total whim, without hearing anything whatsoever, i went out and bought Kid A.

And now it's my favorite album ever. EVER.

The album explores sonic landscapes layered with unique and pulsating textures. It almost sounds like each song had to just exist, like putting it together would have been too complex, instrument by instrument. The 10/4 beat of "everything in its right place", the seemingly random xylophone notes on "Kid A", and tracks like "idioteque", which completely blows you away near the end of the album ("now they're doing techno? Or pop?")

Sheer perfection.