MovieChat Forums > Meeting People Is Easy (1999) Discussion > Ponderance on OK Computer

Ponderance on OK Computer

posted 18 years ago by Two_Lists
18 replies | jump to latest

I bought OK Computer, my first Radiohead album, after seeing that on a Channel 4 (UK) poll it was the best album ever, so obviously i had to have it. When i got it it took a while to get into and all that, and then i realised that it could well be the best album ever. I later got The Bends, and then all of the other 4 main studio albums (not being a 'singles' person!). Loving a good percentage of the music i became a big music fan and started to really widen my taste in music, filling up my Led Zeppelin collection and even trying out some Beatles work.

After contemplating music in general for a long time I took OK Computer into consideration. I had realised that with songs and albums, it wasn't really a matter of being good or bad, but more of the particular effect that a piece of music creates, and i don't mean 'Oh yeah, I heard that song and burst out into tears', i mean the colours and texture of the music and the general aura that the music gives out. In case you were wondering, I see OK COMPUTER as being light blue, The Bends and Pablo Honey as a sort of 'corn-field' yellow, Kid A is a myriad of colours, Amnesiac is predominantly shadowy and HTTT i can't decide on. Obviously i realised that the image of the band and the album artwork help to cement colours that you relate to the band into your mind when you listen to the music.

After this, I began to formulate three possible theories for OK Computer. The first is that it is simply the greatest album that ever was, full stop.

The second is that it isn't the greatest album ever, but instead (and get this) it cons the listener into believeing that it is. The effect/aura/feeling that it gives out is: 'This music is good', though whether it is actually good music is a moot point as we are being told that it is by the music itself. And so, in this way with music, the title of Greatest Ever, has become more of a category than a single piece of work. Imagine is the greatest song ever. So is Bohemian Rhapsody. And so is Stairway to Heaven. Are they conning us as well with their sound, tricking us with their sheer difference from the rest of music? Giving out a signal that says: 'Greatest Song Ever'? I had a little laugh to myself about this when I realised that the songs that we rate as being the best are often not the songs that we listen to the most...

The third concerns Airbag and Paranoid Android. When Airbag opens the album it creates a great 'satisfaction' inside me that the simpleness of it doesn't seem to warrant. It creates a feeling/aura that completely matches the album cover. Paranoid Android then goes on to continue this feeling nicely and the two of them make my favourite musical pairing of songs. The rest of the songs on the album, however, differ and evolve from the formula, though Lucky does stay fairly true to it. So, my third theory is that it is Paranoid Android and Airbag that are almost solely responsible for making the album so deserving of all the accolade it has recieved. In short, what has been labeled as 'The Greatest Album Ever' is in fact Airbag and Paranoid Android and the other songs are just bonuses to the great two-tracked album that come free with it.

NB: I LOVE OK Computer, don't get me wrong, I have no gripe with it, it still is my favourite album ever (though I try not to listen to it too much). I was just trying - probably unsuccesfully and confusingly - to share something I have observed about it, which is likely to be wrong, though I would absolutely be amazed and thrilled if someone said that they thought the same thing for theories 2 or 3!

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] comfortinsad 18 years ago

goosebumps. there's a word i haven't used to describe radiohead. i like it.

[–] electricseaansaphone 18 years ago

After contemplating music in general for a long time I took OK Computer into consideration. I had realised that with songs and albums, it wasn't really a matter of being good or bad, but more of the particular effect that a piece of music creates, and i don't mean 'Oh yeah, I heard that song and burst out into tears', i mean the colours and texture of the music and the general aura that the music gives out. In case you were wondering, I see OK COMPUTER as being light blue, The Bends and Pablo Honey as a sort of 'corn-field' yellow, Kid A is a myriad of colours, Amnesiac is predominantly shadowy and HTTT i can't decide on. Obviously i realised that the image of the band and the album artwork help to cement colours that you relate to the band into your mind when you listen to the music.

Are you the one who posted something like this on the Green Plastic message boards? (before it went nuts)

And we all went to heaven in a little rowboat
There was nothing to fear, nothing to doubt

[–] Edd-N-Furter 18 years ago

well, what can i say OK Computer is a masterpiece. It bursts with life (which is ironic considerating Thom's lyrics) and a sad energy that makes it incredible

You have turned me into this...

[–] Icipher 18 years ago

OK Computer is a bit overrated.

The Bends is the best overall album in my opinion.

If Jesus comes back, we'll kill him again.

[–] Edd-N-Furter 18 years ago

The bends is my 2nd favorite album

You have turned me into this...

[–] BloodBarn 18 years ago

All Radiohead albums are great so far (yes, including pablo honey)
But Kid A is just plain genius.

[–] supersam032 18 years ago

Two lists.. I think it is great that you have put so much time and deep thought into probably the most meaningful art since say-Jane's addiction. They started with minimalist rock compositions with "Pablo" and progressed, then chopped down the tree with "Kid" ( in order to find the root of the matter) and started new growth from there. Absolutely genius. The crazy thing is that I don't bend toward popular music but Radiohead somehow has become just that-by making everyone believe they are deep whether or not one has ever thought deeply about anything. They touch the soul. My belief is that Thom and the band have been able to tap the real root of art which is to relate the awesomeness of the unknown of being to the masses. The true medicineman. Jungian. The boys have realised the spiritual/soulish power that music is inherently.

[–] stephan-128 17 years ago

two lists and supersam032, two great great posts on the meaning of art and the interaction between artist and listener, they way great art can take you down your own personal rabbit hole and expand infinitely within, make you feel connected with others who help you understand parts of your inner self, the world, and eachother that you previously couldn't even have put your finger on, let alone describe musically. So nice to see not just a usual "ranking" of songs, because i find that impossible with radiohead. i find my time spent with them is always about the thing in the moment from second to second, shaking my head in amazement, so glad to be alive. I think when Radiohead capture listeners and really get inside them they make people better human beings. i really do.
i find i always see OK Computer in three parts: part One: Airbag through Karma; part two Fitter Happier through Climbing Up the Walls; part three No Suprises to the final triangle ting to end the record.
It seems Radiohead posts here are longer on average than any other posts i've read on IMDB, except, sadly, some strident pointless holocaust debate posts over on the Schindlers List topics. I find i only skim the posts by others here dealing with Radiohead, but that's fine. I think the length of the posts shows the general depth, breadth, and passion felt by Radiohead fans. How wonderful it is that Radiohead exists. I cannot imagine my life the last ten years without them. It seems unlikely that anyone will read my post either, as no one has written anything in this thread in six months. But that's fine too, really.

[–] sexyman145 17 years ago

I get what you're saying with the song ranking stuff. That angers me, especially with bands of the caliber of Radiohead. I just started listening to radiohead in the last month or so and have three of their albums - The Bends, OK Computer, and Kid A. I don't see any of these as better than the other because they are simply incomparable. Radiohead has changed their musical style more in one decade then the entire music industry has since it shifted from swing to Rock and Roll. It's hard to even comprehend that Kid A and The Bends are from the same band. But what makes Radiohead truly great is not that they change their style, but that the new things they do are amazing. The only other bands that i can put in the same category with Radiohead in accomplishing this would be Led Zeppelin and The Beatles. To sum up, I'd have to say that if there ever was a poll for greatest band ever then i would be pissed off if Radiohead were not near the top, if not on top, of the list.

[–] felixmoralesiv 17 years ago

Well i have a theory on OK computer and i was just wondering what you all thought...
I think that this album has (is the first to have?)a circular structure...
it's kind of common knowldege that this album is about man vs. machine...

well i think that this album starts out with a man surviving a car crash...surviving a machine...man over machine but machine starting to take over (he buzzes like a fridge / he's like a detuned radio), machine winning (death in exit music), machine takes over (computerized communication, fitter happier), then man gettin hope again and winning over the machine (it's gonna be a glorious day)......then the car crashes and we start over

sorry to have this so choppy, i know it looks like just notes but i'm really tired and have to go to bed and just stumbled on this message board...

i'll make more of it later...

Felix..

[–] samjackprice 17 years ago

I enjoyed this comment, I found it very insighful and enjoyable. Well done.

“Free speech means the right to shout 'theatre' in a crowded fire.”
- Abbie Hoffman (1936-89)

[–] salty25 16 years ago

Wow some great posts here, they really are thought provoking. I have only been a dedicated Radiohead listner for about 3 months, but already love them. With most music the more you listen the better it gets, with radiohead it goes to a whole another level. Nearly everytime i listen to their albums i get a new feeling of theory on what they are about. For me one day The Bends is my favorite RH album, the next Kid A, the next HTTT etc...and for that i am thankful.

[–] Degree7 15 years ago

I know exactly what the OP means when he talks about Auras.

OK Computer: Feels a light, pale blue. Electricity.

The Bends/Pablo Honey: Yellow

The EP, 'My Iron Lung': Dark Blue/White

Kid A: Myriad of colours, predominantly red, orange, yellow against a back drop of black.

Amnesiac: Red and black

Hail to the Thief: Orange

In Rainbows: Green

Those are the images my mind conjures up when I listen to each seperate album.

"He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant, and she was the East River."

[–] Ceephax 12 years ago

I think this is mostly down to the artwork. I see Kid A as being Iceberg White.

THE GREATEST ENEMY OF ART IS CENSORSHIP.

[–] Degree7 12 years ago

It is down to the artwork, but don't you also think it's because the artwork is what they, the band members, see when they create this music?

The artwork is like a visual snapshot into their minds and world.

I said I never had much use for one....never said I didn't know how to use it.

[–] Ceephax 12 years ago

True, the music they create does inspire the artwork a great deal, but I'm not sure that Kid A can be described as a myriad of colours, it always reminded me of being a very cold, winterly album (hence the iceberg against a black backdrop) and Amnesiac as being more 'summery', therefore, the artwork is red with hints of black. Also, notice that the albums were released in the winter and summer within a year.

When I first heard Kid A, it was like the ultimate winter album. Even listening to Treefingers makes you want to snuggle up in the covers to keep yourself warm because it's like the sound of ice, if ice had a 'sound', and it makes you feel cold, and Amnesiac the ultimate summer album, not because it's happy, I don't know why, but I remember being really psyched up about it in a very long and happy and hot yet pleasant summer season, and both albums reflected my moods within seasons more so than any other I can imagine (as I have seasonal affective disorder). I just hate the cold, and the short days when it gets dark so early as even 4-5 pm.

In Rainbows is undoubtedly meant to be a myriad of colours, hence the title, and also look at how the fonts are projected:

http://tube.hk/images/news/music/radiohead_in_rainbows2.jpg

I agree with the others though, as OK Computer is white and pale blue like electricity. White is the most purest of colours, and blue and pale blue is like electricity, static (perhaps a metaphor for technology). Which incidentally is the albums main concept.

You could also say that Hail to the Thief is a myriad of colours (it was also released in the summer) as every song is different and has different moods.

http://sleevage.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/hailtothe_theif.jpg

As for King of Limbs, I have no idea what kind of colours it's meant to portray! Perhaps forest, earthy brown? Like the limbs of a tree? The inserts of the artwork have trees, so I guess I would say brown.

http://timbretantrum.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Radiohead-The-King -of-Limbs-album-art.jpg

http://cdn.pitchfork.com/media/radiohead_5.jpg

http://www.cougarmicrobes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Supercollider -TheButcher.jpg

But in most cases, it's also about the images on the artwork, the albums title, and when they were released (the seasons I think also effect the bands artwork subconsciously, or at least, 'proper' intelligent bands like Radiohead), not necessarily always the colours. Quite often, they'll wait for a release date to reflect the season.

Also, if your into that whole 'colours projecting the psyche of a musicians' work, you should check out Boards of Canada (perhaps the most interesting electronic duo ever, Radiohead are huge fans and they inspired alot of their stuff on Kid A onwards) you should check out their artwork, it's VERY seasonal and beautifully crafted. The band themselves are obsessed with the colour turquoise, orange, yellow, etc, as well as numbers, and have it on alot of their artwork and tracks. They even sample colours and numbers in various different voices (check out the video below).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg-iKP0zI9Q

http://www.gnus.com/circus/jukebox.php?image=sleeve.jpg&group=Boar ds%20of%20Canada&album=Music%20Has%20the%20Right%20to%20Children

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GPU_fGFWH9s/TbQ9-BGX0XI/AAAAAAAAHyU/_Ahfl96o PRs/s1600/az_B101719_The+Campfire+Headphase_Boards+Of+Canada.jpg

Except the album Geogaddi, which, incidentally, was also released in the summer (it's red and orange all over).

http://musiteka.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/allcdcovers_boards_of_c anada_geogaddi_2002_retail_cd-front.jpg

THE GREATEST ENEMY OF ART IS CENSORSHIP.

[–] Degree7 12 years ago

That is a great post Ceephax, I never really thought about how the seasons correspond to Radiohead's work. In fact, now that I think about their first album being Pablo HONEY, with a yellow honey flower on the front and a baby's face blooming from within, perhaps this is a reference to their birth? It was released in February, not far off from spring. Or maybe it's just a coincidence.

And I see what you mean about Kid A being like a winterly iceberg of an album. The electronic effects they employed were very cold and distanced a lot of listeners, intentionally no doubt. Although what do you think of "Everything in It's Right Place". While the song is filled with strange samples and manipulations of voices, at its center is a wonderfully Warm and relaxing keyboard sequence (Electric piano I think) as well as Thom Yorke's reassuring vocal performance, it's just so... human, and one of the most uplifting songs on the album. At least that's how I see it. I'm sure others see it as haunting.

Amnesiac, on the other hand, is a very summer-time fair (but not a feel-good thing). There's so much more hustle and bustle going on in this record, the band really pulled out all their tricks for what I believe is their best and most concise album. Just listening to Knives Out, the layers and layers of guitar work, apparently it took them 373 days to record!!!! But yes, on the whole, I find the album much warmer than Kid A, and I think this is because of the Jazzier direction they took.

And I am familiar with Boards of Canada, I have their album "Music Has the Right to Children", sort of glitch-electronic, similar to Aphex Twin, although not as demented.

I said I never had much use for one....never said I didn't know how to use it.