Best album of the 90s? (with bonus Radiohead discussion)

[mrJim]

Radiohead - OK Computer

Yes sir! that's the one

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

There's just not one bad song on the whole album is there? Oh how I wish we could see Radiohead return to their guitar-driven sound of old!

I'm convinced Radiohead is doing everything they can to drive away their old fans. A part of me thinks that if they stop getting the insane amount of critical praise they garner for whatever beat driven, noise album they put out then maybe they'll be inclinded to go back to their roots. Not only do I not see that happening though, I feel like if it did then they'd rather break up than record anything like their first three (but particularly first two) albums again.

 

[Musikwala]

I'm convinced Radiohead is doing everything they can to drive away their old fans. A part of me thinks that if they stop getting the insane amount of critical praise they garner for whatever beat driven, noise album they put out then maybe they'll be inclined to go back to their roots. Not only do I not see that happening though, I feel like if it did then they'd rather break up than record anything like their first three (but particularly first two) albums again.

Sad but true. Sad for us guitar rock fans. But the electronic indie fans seem to be happy.

I was actually with them until In Rainbows. But 2011's King Of Limbs I thought was quite mediocre. Of course, The Bends and Ok are still my absolute top favs... followed by Kid A. So maybe I don't mind their electronic direction too much... as long as they don't release any electronic crap and parade it as good music. lol.

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

I have no issue with electronic music if it's good but some of their albums simply haven't been. "Kid A" was wonderfully atmospheric and I love that. After that though...."Amnesiac" is forgettable, "Hail to the Theif" was mess, "King of Limps" was an off kilter bongo fronted disaster, and quite frankly if it weren't for parts of "In Rainbows" I'd be convinced they're not capable of actually writing anything good anything.

 

[Musikwala]

I have no issue with electronic music if it's good but some of their albums simply haven't been. "Kid A" was wonderfully atmospheric and I love that. After that though...."Amnesiac" is forgettable, "Hail to the Theif" was mess, "King of Limps" was an off kilter bongo fronted disaster, and quite frankly if it weren't for parts of "In Rainbows" I'd be convinced they're not capable of actually writing anything good anything.

King of "Limps"? Was that intentional?

Well, I agree that those albums did not match the absolute stellar heights of The Bends and Ok. But I still like them very much!

Amnesiac was a bit of a WTF moment when it first came out, especially stuff like Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors but I have to say I really enjoy much of that album... Knives Out, I Might Be Wrong, You And Whose Army, Life In A Glass House... all excellent stuff IMO.

Hail was indeed a bit of a mess and it was overly long. But I ended up liking most of it anyway. That song, Backdrifts I'll admit is a minute too long. And I cannot stand We Suck Young Blood. Otherwise it is okay in my book. Hail was a bit of a return to the rock sound after the far out Amnesiac.

In Rainbows was even more of a return to the rock sound while still retaining electronic sounds. I mostly liked that one too but never got the hype about the song, Reckoner. It sounds boring as heck to me. Also, I prefer the demo version of Videotape to the album version.

Anyway, The King Of Limbs was the first truly disappointing album for me. It felt like they were now just resting on their laurels and churning out mediocre electronic crap parading as music. It sounded worse than even Thom Yorke's solo effort The Eraser. I actually kinda liked the Eraser.

Despite the disappointment that was Limbs, I'm actually quite curious what they'll come up with next. Please please let it have more rock again!

 

[Aktivator]

^ Ah the old complain about modern electronic Radiohead. I'm always looking forward to a new album from them. In my eyes their only bad album was their last one and I'll take it as a fluke.

Amnesiac was a bit of a WTF moment when it first came out, especially stuff like Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors but I have to say I really enjoy much of that album... Knives Out, I Might Be Wrong, You And Whose Army, Life In A Glass House... all excellent stuff IMO.

I agree with this assessment. I was only a fan of parts of the album when it came out now I like just about the whole album. They also do great live versions of most of these songs.

Hail has some bad songs and has an uneven experimental mix of songs but There There is one of my favorite Radiohead songs.

In rainbows was a return to form for Radiohead. A great mix of electronic and early Radiohead rock. Personally where I think Radiohead has excelled is in their live performance. They still play plenty of all songs and I love the new arrangements.

 

[Musikwala]

There There is one of my favorite Radiohead songs.

There There could be in my Top 5 songs of theirs. Love it to death! I actually don't have many complaints about Hail. I even enjoy the Gloaming to an extent.

Was listening to Rainbows this morning... You take something like Jigsaw Falling Into Place... that intro and the whole song really.. that is very very rock. It is probably the most blatant rock song since Ok Computer.

Sorry for turning this into a Radiohead thread.

 

[Riff Raff]

Hail To The Thief was the biggest turd of an album Radiohead put out imo.
Electronic shit.

 

[Musikwala]

Hail To The Thief was the biggest turd of an album Radiohead put out imo.
Electronic shit.

2+2=5
Sail to the Moon
Go to Sleep
Where I End and You Begin
We Suck Young Blood
There There
I Will
A Punchup at a Wedding
Scatterbrain
A Wolf at the Door

That's 10 out of the 14 songs on Hail To The Thief. And none of those songs are electronic. They're very much rock.

If anything, Hail was a return to rock.

 

[Riff Raff]

It certainly wasn't a good return in my book. Hail to the Thief sucks balls.