Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › Music › Kid A- What's the big deal?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Kid A- What's the big deal?

post #1 of 47
11/20/09 at 4:03pm
Thread Starter 
Ok. "Best album of 2000s". "Masterpiece". "Groundbreaking". etc

Is it just me or does it sound like
a. Radiohead doing a poor job of ambient
b. Low

I really like some songs (How to Disappear Completely, Optimistic, etc).
But as a whole the album doesn't hit the mark and at points is boringly repetative (The National Anthem). I don't care if the repetativeness is intended to be "ironic"; it doesnt make for good music.

6.5/10 from me.
Just another Radiohead album. Doesn't approach OK Computer.


Does anyone else not get the big deal?
Reply
post #2 of 47
11/20/09 at 4:16pm
Agreed, not even close to OKC. Easier to admire than to like.

How to Disappear Completely however is gorgeous and heartfelt.
Reply
post #3 of 47
11/20/09 at 4:51pm
I like to listen to this album as I read Chuck Klosterman's Killing Yourself to Live. Around page 85 into the book he states how "Thom York accidently predicted the events of September 11 on Kid A". He goes on to give his own song by song commentary as to how the songs are in sync with the events leading up to, during and after 9/11. A very interesting read.
Reply
post #4 of 47
11/20/09 at 4:55pm
^ loved that book. But... what a can of worms! Kid A is just okay? Wow. At certain moments in my life - I never know when they are going to occur - Everything In Its Right Place is the perfect song.
Reply
post #5 of 47
11/20/09 at 4:56pm
The first year I owned Kid A I tried to listen to it 3 times and each time I never got it, and thought it was junk. Then I heard them play them live when they were in Chicago 2001 and it was like a revelation to me, the live renditions showed a beauty and artistry in the music that I never heard before. Now I can listen to the CD and am amazed by it, my favorite Radiohead album by far.
Reply
post #6 of 47
11/20/09 at 11:49pm
I guess I'd have to see it live then because I don't get it either. It's been collecting dust in my collection for years.
Reply
post #7 of 47
11/21/09 at 12:17am
Kid A is an album like no other, it's Radiohead's (editfirst real experimental album and that is why it's so important.

Not to mention it exposed many people to experimental/obscure music.
Reply
post #8 of 47
11/21/09 at 12:19am
The only Radiohead I own - it's not ground breaking by any means. It probably made a big splash with people who thought Moby's 'Play' was a big deal...I like it because it's not over riddled with Thom Yorke's caterwauling - which always spoils my party...
Reply
post #9 of 47
11/21/09 at 1:09am
KID A while not being my favorite Radiohead album is called a masterpiece because it was the first time the mainstream heard anything like it, it set the tide of things to come in the 2000s.
Reply
post #10 of 47
11/21/09 at 1:23am
Count me as another one who doesn't "get it." I picked up Kid A a fewmonths ago and give it the occasional spin. I don't hate it, but there's nothing there for me to latch onto and grow into an album. Usually, it takes one song to pull me into an album, but that hasn't happened for me with any Radiohead album yet and I've got three or four of them.
Reply
post #11 of 47
11/21/09 at 2:24am
Seriously...another Radiohead thread?

Radiohead gets more attention on head-fi from the haters than it does the fans...
Reply
post #12 of 47
11/21/09 at 2:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by kwitel View Post
Seriously...another Radiohead thread?

Radiohead gets more attention on head-fi from the haters than it does the fans...
Hate is a very strong word. So far I don't see anyone hating them in this thread, just agreeing or disagreeing about whether or not Kid A is a big deal or not, as the thread title says. I respect the fact that Kid A set the stage for experimental indie rock to come. In that sense it was a big deal. As an album though, I don't know what the big deal is personally. Imo, they write some good songs, sometimes great, but not very cohesive albums. But hey, that's me. Just an opinion. Definitely not hate.
Reply
post #13 of 47
11/21/09 at 3:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dongringo View Post
Imo, they write some good songs, sometimes great, but not very cohesive albums. But hey, that's me.
So funny to hear that perspective. I would say if Radiohead has a weakness it is the fact that they sacrifice the strength of their individual songs for the cohesiveness of their albums - especially Kid A.
Reply
post #14 of 47
11/21/09 at 3:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrGreen View Post
Is it just me or does it sound like
a. Radiohead doing a poor job of ambient
b. Low
a. Heh, I take it you're not a Treefingers fan.
b. I like Kid A, and I like Low. I don't what that is worth, but just thought I'd say it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MrGreen View Post
Does anyone else not get the big deal?
I could swear I saw you in the albums you don't get thread.

Sure, some of the hype is in some sense about context rather than substance, but I think there is still plenty of substance. In general, I think they showed some pretty impressive range on this album.
Reply
post #15 of 47
11/21/09 at 4:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SweetAdeline View Post
a........................ b. I like Kid A, and I like Low........................
I missed the Low reference in the original post. That's Low, the utterly brilliant slowcore band right?

I never would have associated them with radiohead. I'll have to have another listen to Kid A.

Thank for the recommendation.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Music
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › Music › Kid A- What's the big deal?