LogFAQs > #971102456

I've been a big Radiohead fan ever since the release of their 1995 album, The Bends. Before that, I really didn't understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on The Bends where Thom Yorke's presence became more apparent. I think Fake Plastic Trees was the group's undisputed masterpiece. It's an epic meditation on intangibility. At the same time, it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding album... Listen to the brilliant ensemble playing of Greenwood, O'Brien and Selway. You can practically hear every nuance of every instrument... In terms of lyrical craftsmanship, the sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism.. Take the lyrics to Karma Police. In this song, Thom Yorke addresses the problems of abusive political authority. Creep is the most moving pop song of the 1990s, about monogamy and commitment. The song is extremely uplifting. Their lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I've heard in rock... Thom Yorke's solo career seems to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way. Especially songs like Harrowdown Hill and Rabbit in Your Headlights... But I also think Thom Yorke works best within the confines of the group than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist. This is Airbag, a great, great song, a personal favorite.