Board 8 > Rank the Tracks Week 10: Radiohead's OK Computer (plus Achtung Baby results)

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CasanovaZelos
05/09/21 10:37:16 AM
#1:


Previous results can be seen here:
https://board8.fandom.com/wiki/Rank_the_Tracks

The rules:
1. Listen to the album in full
2. Rank every track on the album
3. For the results, there will be a curve at the top of each list; two additional points between #1 and #2, and one additional point for the next two ranks. This way, the songs that really stick out to someone get an edge that is not immediately negated by someone else putting it lower. In the case of Demon Days, someone's 15th track will get 1 point, 14th 2 points, 4th 12 points, 3rd 14 points, 2nd 16 points, and 1st 19 points
4. If you want to include comments for individual songs, I will compile them in the results
5. The results will be posted at the beginning of the next topic
6. The deadline to vote is Sunday, May 16 at 8:00 AM EST - though if you are for whatever reason listening to the album around that time, just say so in the topic and I can delay a bit
7. You can sign up to be added to a user cycle for after we finish the queue; once we get through the last planned album, the next person on the list will choose 3 albums which the other users will vote on for the next topic.
7a. To ensure people are being given an actual choice, the three nominated albums must be by different artists. You can otherwise stick to a similar sound or era.
7b. The tiebreaker for these polls will be whichever is listed first in the poll options - make sure to deliver the results in order of your own preference (which will hopefully have the added benefit of influencing people toward your first choice if they can't decide).
7c. The order of the user cycle will be randomly determined, but users will first be sorted into tiers by how many of their nominations have been covered during the early nominations period.

Radiohead's OK Computer:
1. Airbag
2. Paranoid Android
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
5. Let Down
6. Karma Police
7. Fitter Happier
8. Electioneering
9. Climbing Up the Walls
10. No Surprises
11. Lucky
12. The Tourist

Schedule:
5/16: Alice in Chains - Dirt (ZeroSignal620)
5/23: LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver (CasanovaZelos)
5/30: Pink Floyd - The Wall (Johnbobb)
6/6: Pixies - Doolittle (VeryInsane)
6/13: Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (Johnbobb)
6/20: Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City (Start the Machine)
6/27: Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell (Seanchan)
7/4: Lin-Manuel Miranda - Hamilton (TomNook)
7/11: Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid (TheArkOfTurus)
7/18: The Strokes - Is This It (MoogleKupo141)
7/25: Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters (CasanovaZelos)
8/1: Massive Attack - Mezzanine (Giggsalot)
8/8: The Killers - Hot Fuss (Seanchan)
8/15: Ben Folds Five - Ben Folds Five (jcgamer107)
8/22: Air - Moon Safari (ZaziGuado)
8/29: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced (Johnbobb)
9/5: Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine (Steiner)
9/12: The Knife - Silent Shout (CasanovaZelos)
9/19: Billy Joel - The Stranger (Seanchan)
9/26: Spice Girls - Spice (SpikeSetsFire)
10/3: Iron Maiden - Powerslave (TheArkOfTurus)
10/10: Rancid - ...And Out Come the Wolves (Snake5555555555)
10/17: OutKast - Aquemini (Giggsalot)
10/24: Of Monsters and Men - Beneath the Skin (Jesse_Custer)
10/31: Taylor Swift - Speak Now (Snake5555555555)
11/7: The Avalanches - Since I Left You (SpikeSetsFire)
11/14: Moby - Play (SpikeSetsFire)
11/21: Steely Dan - Can't Buy a Thrill (Seginustemple)

User Cycle sign-ups:
11/28: MetalmindStats
12/5: TheArkOfTurus
12/12: Snake5555555555
12/19: Jesse_Custer
12/26: ZaziGuado
1/2: SpikeSetsFire
1/9: Johnbobb
1/16: VeryInsane
1/23: CasanovaZelos
1/30: Seanchan
2/6: Giggsalot

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CasanovaZelos
05/09/21 10:39:48 AM
#2:


U2 - Achtung Baby results

Participants sorted by deviation from final results:
CasanovaZelos (12)
ZeroSignal620 (12)
VeryInsane (20)
Jesse_Custer (24)
Seanchan (24)
Johnbobb (26)
Snake5555555555 (28)
Raetsel_Lapin (32)
SpikeSetsFire (36)

General Album Comments:

CasanovaZelos: Achtung Baby is my #567 album of all time and #11 for 1991. This is one of those all-time classics that never fully clicked with me, though I'm happy to give it another listen after Zoo Station and The Fly grew on me over the last couple years. While I vastly prefer The Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby is where U2 became the coolest band on the planet. At the same time, this change set them up to become the most easily hateable. Are U2 trying too hard to appeal to everyone? Their sound is almost unclassifiable; this is 'rock' at its purest level, not quite classic nor alternative. There are few if any other artists I classify as 'rock' and nothing more specific. In that sense, U2 is fascinating. On another, they teeter on the edge of the generic. In fact, this album might represent the finest tip before falling over; U2 really hits it out of the ballpark with these tracks, a quality they never again achieved. At the same time, there's a noticeable gulf in quality between the big hits and the other tracks here; they could have dropped a couple and had a much tighter record. "One" is easily the highlight, an all-time great questioning the concept of unity in a fractured world. Bono's vocals there blow me away every time.

Jesse_Custer: In my view, Achtung Baby is U2 at their best, breaking away from the idealistic sound that made them famous in the 80s for a more experimental and darker style, without losing the earnest soul-searching of The Joshua Tree. Id also say its U2s most consistent album to date, on which almost every track is great.

Seanchan: I did a first listen of Achtung Baby and it mimiced my feelings on U2; it's fine but ultimately unremarkable. It felt like the type of album I'd stick on at low volume in the background of a party just to have some noise.

Snake5555555555: I ended up liking this album a lot more than I thought I would. The Fly crafts a wall-of-sound that feels industrial inspired, approaching almost Ministry-levels of vocal distortion with a superb guitar solo, the track exudes an eerie atmosphere while still being a scorching rocker. Mysterious Ways truly lives up its name with a dance-rock groove that lures you in with addictive percussion and Bono's entrancing vocals. My Preacher bias shines through on Until the End of the World, a truly heartfelt story that turns the tale of Jesus & Judas into a slow-burning rock song with biting lyricism. One is a classic for good reason, I love the song's message and it's well written musically of course but I probably wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it. Love is Blindness wowed me with sparse but impactful guitar work and a throbbing bass you can feel in your chest. The next few songs are just solid rock tracks, a tad forgettable but if they came on they would be a fun listen! Acrobat's time signature is at first uncomfortable to get in to but it ends up really working as further experimentation of U2's sound on this album. The last couple of songs are just bloated slogs, way too long while lacking any true distinct features for me even if I can appreciate some of the sentiment in the lyrics.

Overall there's some good songs on this album but it really suffers from bloated track lengths and some sameness in the vocals despite wild experimentation in the instrumental side. I like what this album represents in terms of its impact on the music landscape and for U2, but I'm not in a rush to listen to it again; I'll just stick to the cream of the crop on this one.

VeryInsane: I think it was pretty good! I cant get into their newer stuff, and if I listen its generally to Unforgettable Fire or Joshua Tree, but I think this was actually better than both.

Seanchan (further thoughts): So, I guess the album grew on me a little bit. I feel like it falls off a cliff after Mysterious Ways though.

I can understand a little more why U2 is popular. Their sound can be all over the place, sometimes in a very cool way. I enjoyed a lot of the instrumentality (if that's the right word) but I'm still maybe not always the biggest fan of Bono's vocals.

Johnbobb: I normally like U2, but I really didn't care for this album much beyond Mysterious Ways, which is a classic.

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CasanovaZelos
05/09/21 10:43:46 AM
#3:


Achtung Baby Track Ranking

12. Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World (Track #9)
Score: 17 (Average Rank: 11.11/12)
Biggest Fan(s): SpikeSetsFire (#5)
Biggest Detractor(s): CasanovaZelos, Jesse_Custer, Raetsel_Lapin, Snake5555555555, VeryInsane, Seanchan, ZeroSignal620 (#12)

11. So Cruel (Track #6)
Score: 31 (Average Rank: 9.56/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Snake5555555555 (#7)
Biggest Detractor(s): Johnbobb (#12)

10. Love is Blindness (Track #12)
Score: 43 (Average Rank: 8.22/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Snake5555555555 (#5)
Biggest Detractor(s): VeryInsane, ZeroSignal620 (#11)

9. Acrobat (Track #11)
Score: 46 (Average Rank: 8.11/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Johnbobb (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): Snake5555555555, SpikeSetsFire (#11)

8. Zoo Station (Track #1)
Score: 53 (Average Rank: 7.11/12)
Biggest Fan(s): CasanovaZelos, VeryInsane, Johnbobb (#5)
Biggest Detractor(s): Seanchan (#11)

7. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses (Track #5)
Score: 58 (Average Rank: 7/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Raetsel_Lapin (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Jesse_Custer, Snake5555555555 (#11)

6. Ultraviolet (Light My Way) (Track #10)
Score: 62 (Average Rank: 6.56/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Jesse_Custer (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Seanchan, Johnbobb, SpikeSetsFire (#10)

5. Even Better Than the Real Thing (Track #2)
Score: 69 (Average Rank: 6.11/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Seanchan (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Snake5555555555 (#10)

4. Until the End of the World (Track #4)
Score: 85 (Average Rank: 4.67/12)
Biggest Fan(s): VeryInsane (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): SpikeSetsFire (#12)

3. The Fly (Track #7)
Score: 90 (Average Rank: 3.89/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Snake5555555555 (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Raetsel_Lapin, SpikeSetsFire (#7)

2. Mysterious Ways (Track #8)
Score: 99 (Average Rank: 3.22/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Johnbobb (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Jesse_Custer, Raetsel_Lapin, ZeroSignal620 (#5)

1. One (Track #3)
Score: 112 (Average Rank: 2.44/12)
Biggest Fan(s):CasanovaZelos, ZeroSignal620, SpikeSetsFire (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Snake5555555555, Seanchan (#4)

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CasanovaZelos
05/09/21 10:46:08 AM
#4:


OK Computer is an album I have strong enough opinions on that I can probably provide thoughts on every song even without relistening (I will anyway, of course), but it's also Mother Day so those thoughts will be delayed as I visit my family.

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Jesse_Custer
05/09/21 11:01:31 AM
#5:


  1. Paranoid Android
  2. Let Down
  3. Karma Police
  4. No Surprises
  5. Climbing Up the Walls
  6. Airbag
  7. Exit Music (For a Film)
  8. Subterranean Homesick Alien
  9. Electioneering
  10. Lucky
  11. Fitter Happier
  12. The Tourist
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Johnbobb
05/09/21 11:42:31 AM
#6:


Man I thought for sure Mysterious Ways would be the easy winner

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CasanovaZelos
05/09/21 11:53:30 AM
#7:


Johnbobb posted...
Man I thought for sure Mysterious Ways would be the easy winner


I posted the Acclaimed Music rank of the albums last week, but I think it would also be interesting to see how our song ranks compare to theirs. In the case of Achtung Baby, it looks like critics have it as:
104 all-time - One
2042 - Mysterious Ways
3563 - The Fly
5647 - Even Better Than the Real Thing
7870 - Zoo Station
8529 - Until the End of the World
Bubbling - Love is Blindness
Bubbling - Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses

The rest are unranked

So our top three matches the critics here. "One" is far and away the critic choice; it also won with us, but by a lesser margin (though I think that's more because Achtung Baby has a very clear split between its better and lesser tracks, similar to how 1901 and Lisztomania dominated the Phoenix ranking).

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CasanovaZelos
05/09/21 11:56:25 AM
#8:


One also has 304 million plays on Spotify compared to Mysterious Ways at 45 million and everything else on the album at 17 million or less. That could be another fun set of data to compare.

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Snake5555555555
05/09/21 12:55:36 PM
#9:


  1. Electioneering
  2. Paranoid Android
  3. Airbag
  4. Lucky
  5. Exit Music (For a Film)
  6. Karma Police
  7. No Surprises
  8. Climbing Up the Walls
  9. Let Down
  10. The Tourist
  11. Fitter Happier
  12. Subterranean Homesick Alien


Progressive rock for the slacker generation, combining introspective, slow-burning songs with moments of explosive hard rock, political diatribe and harsh commentaries on social isolation in an increasingly technologically-reliant age. It's downright impossible to truly listen to this album and not come away from it feeling something. Radiohead wear their influences on their sleeves here, mainly The Beatles but artists like Bob Dylan, ambient artists like The Orb, trip hop in Portishead, & classical composers get their due here too, but Radiohead smartly doesn't pigeonhole themselves and instead gets wildly creative with their compositions, and veer from the progressive-metal-esque Electioneering, which is one of the most prevalent political songs on the album, to the lush electronica structures of Exit Music, to the haunting ambient soundtracks that score terrifying lyrical motifs in tracks like Climbing Up the Walls or The Tourist, accompanied by absolutely gorgeous and ear-catching string arrangements. I would be remiss to not mention Airbag with its stop-start rhythm that is as addicting and catchy as it is frightfully meaningful as it paints a picture of car crashes and other transportation tragedies. There is no crack in Radiohead's armor, from start to finish Radiohead captivates with some of the best storytelling in music, and even tracks like Fitter Happier which run the risk of alienating even some of RH's most devout followers come across as charming and fitter to the album's overall themes (and it's an experimentation I tend to love despite its low ranking here). It's an album that totally lives up to the hype and you could spend hours dissecting the lyrical themes and instrumentation but I think it's best to just let it speak for itself.

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LiquidOshawott
05/09/21 3:14:29 PM
#10:


Johnbobb posted...
Man I thought for sure Mysterious Ways would be the easy winner

Its all right

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Johnbobb
05/09/21 4:36:40 PM
#11:


LiquidOshawott posted...
Its all right
It's all right?

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ChainLTTP
05/09/21 4:58:16 PM
#12:


The greatest album of all time. This is hard to rank because I feel differently about the songs individually vs how they fit into the album. But here goes nothing:

12. Electioneering - would be a better song on The Bends, but even with Jonny's shredding it's still a weak part
11. Fitter Happier - I absolutely adore this interlude, but it's not really a song so...
10. Climbing Up the Walls - the climax of this hits so fucking hard
9. Exit Music (For a Film) - see above, god damn this song got me through my moody freshman year of college
8. Paranoid Android - probably in your casual fan's top 2, and for good reason. This is where it starts getting REALLY hard for me to rank them
7. No Surprises - such a perfect juxtaposition of lovely melody with dark lyrics that came to define this era
6. Karma Police - it feels disgusting putting Karma Police of all things in the middle, but this album is the fucking GOAT so here we are
5. Lucky - this takes me back to college so much. The Pink Floyd track of the 90s
4. Subterranean Homesick Alien - this song is lyrically perfect and makes me more introspective than anything besides the #1. I love it so much
3. Airbag - the perfect opener: "in an interstellar burst, I'm back again to save the universe." Fuck me, it's so good
2. Let Down - Radiohead firing on all cylinders. This is a band that is clicking. You only see this once a generation, friends
1. The Tourist - The best closer next to the Abbey Road Medley and A Day in the Life. Sums up the entire point of OK Computer in a single track and god damn if it can still get to me 15 years after I first listened to the album straight through. I will be playing this song when I'm on my death bed, looking back at my life, and I will be at peace.
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LiquidOshawott
05/09/21 5:09:08 PM
#13:


Honestly Electioneering feels more like a Pablo Honey song than anything else tbh

I know this album well enough to probably just give a ranking without listening to it but maybe I should, I feel like my Radiohead album ranking always seems to shuffle between like five albums at the top

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Jesse_Custer
05/09/21 5:11:27 PM
#14:


ChainLTTP posted...
Paranoid Android - probably in your casual fan's top 2

I ranked it #1 and Im no casual fan. Ive been a fan of the band since 1997 and have listened to all their albums and most B-sides numerous times. Its just the song that means the most to me on the album.
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ChainLTTP
05/09/21 5:16:19 PM
#15:


Jesse_Custer posted...
I ranked it #1 and Im no casual fan. Ive been a fan of the band since 1997 and have listened to all their albums and most B-sides numerous times. Its just the song that means the most to me on the album.
I didn't mean that as an insult. Nothing wrong with it being anyone's #1!
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ChainLTTP
05/09/21 5:16:47 PM
#16:


LiquidOshawott posted...
Honestly Electioneering feels more like a Pablo Honey song than anything else tbh
Agreed
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CasanovaZelos
05/09/21 5:20:37 PM
#17:


That was gonna probably be my snide comment; people say it sounds like a Bends track but it would probably be my least favorite there as well. Though I still think it's fine enough.

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Jesse_Custer
05/09/21 5:20:46 PM
#18:


ChainLTTP posted...
I didn't mean that as an insult. Nothing wrong with it being anyone's #1!

I wasnt insulted, just wanted to mention its not just for casuals! Part of my love of the song is probably because it was my first exposure to the band and I remember the video blowing my mind when I saw it. But I also think its held up extremely well with time and is a fascinating song with all the shifts in tone and style throughout.

Also, I agree with you that this is Radioheads best album, which is saying a lot because theyre all great except Pablo Honey.
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Snake5555555555
05/09/21 5:21:28 PM
#19:


Electioneering rules but then again I'm weird.

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LiquidOshawott
05/09/21 5:35:43 PM
#20:


Like I think my ranking right now is like

In Rainbows
Ok Computer
Amnesiac
Kid A
Hail to the Thief
The Bends
A Moon Shaped Pool
King of Limbs
Pablo Honey

By the way, after the Abbey Road ranking I went and listened to a bunch of Beatles stuff, think its my second favorite now behind Revolver

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ChainLTTP
05/09/21 5:40:02 PM
#21:


OK Computer
Kid A
The Bends
In Rainbows
A Moon Shaped Pool
Amnesiac
Hail to the Thief
King of Limbs
Pablo Honey

imo
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Jesse_Custer
05/09/21 5:46:15 PM
#22:


This was tough, and some of these could probably swap depending on the day.

OK Computer
Hail to the Thief
In Rainbows
The Bends
Kid A
Amnesiac
King of Limbs
A Moon Shaped Pool
Pablo Honey
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Snake5555555555
05/09/21 6:00:57 PM
#23:


I fully admit to being a more casual fan:

OK Computer
A Moon Shaped Pool
Kid A
The Bends
In Rainbows
Amnesiac
Hail to the Thief
King of Limbs
Pablo Honey


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CasanovaZelos
05/09/21 6:03:48 PM
#24:


Kid A
OK Computer
In Rainbows
The Bends
A Moon Shaped Pool
Amnesiac
Hail to the Thief
The King of Limbs
Pablo Honey

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Seanchan
05/09/21 6:52:09 PM
#25:


So I guess I'm gonna be the guy who's never listened to Radiohead outside of Creep and Karma Police, eh?

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ChainLTTP
05/09/21 6:54:37 PM
#26:


Seanchan posted...
So I guess I'm gonna be the guy who's never listened to Radiohead outside of Creep and Karma Police, eh?
You're in for a treat!
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TheArkOfTurus
05/09/21 6:58:04 PM
#27:


1. Paranoid Android
2. The Tourist
3. Lucky
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
5. Karma Police
6. Airbag
7. Subterranean Homesick Alien
8. Let Down
9. No Surprises
10. Climbing Up the Walls
11. Electioneering
12. Fitter Happier

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Johnbobb
05/09/21 8:03:19 PM
#28:


Seanchan posted...
So I guess I'm gonna be the guy who's never listened to Radiohead outside of Creep and Karma Police, eh?
For what it's worth I've only listened to a few more than that

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Raetsel_Lapin
05/09/21 9:14:03 PM
#29:


1: Climbing Up the Walls
2: Exit Music (For a Film)
3: Subterranean Homesick Alien
4: Let Down
5: Lucky
6: Fitter Happier
7: The Tourist
8: Airbag
9: No Surprises
10: Paranoid Android
11: Karma Police
12: Electioneering
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SpikeSetsFire
05/10/21 8:35:49 AM
#30:


I haven't listened to this album in about 20 years!
I mean... In full. From start to end.
This is gonna be great!

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RyoCaliente
05/10/21 11:54:55 AM
#31:


1. Let Down
2. Karma Police
3. Airbag
4. Lucky
5. Climbing Up the Walls
6. Subterranean Homesick Alien
7. Paranoid Android
8. No Surprises
9. Exit Music (For a Film)
10. The Tourist
11. Electioneering
12. Fitter Happier

Honestly kinda surprised myself how low I ranked Paranoid Android. I love that song, but it didn't really hit me on this listen and I felt it kinda dragged. Especially Airbag and SHA hit me way more than I thought they would.

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LiquidOshawott
05/10/21 11:59:29 AM
#32:


Yeah I feel like my 10 and 11 are gonna be tough to rank here

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CasanovaZelos
05/10/21 12:01:44 PM
#33:


OK Computer is my favorite album of 1997 and #22 of all-time. It's hard to say anything that hasn't already been said; alongside Nevermind, this is THE big album of the 90s, and has the benefit of an obsessive online fanbase analyzing every detail. Rock and roll had been put through a blender in 1996, and Radiohead helped pick up the pieces and put them in a new direction, shedding alternative for something bigger and almost ethereal. This is one of those rare albums where no two songs sound the same, yet they all go so perfectly together. Hard rockers like "Paranoid Android" and "Electioneering" are expertly contrasted against the drifting atmosphere of "Subterranean Homesick Alien" or the subtly sinister "Climbing Up the Walls." Where The Bends was exceptional if familiar alternative, with all its focus on guitars and all that makes rock rock, OK Computer is all about atmosphere. Yet that's not to imply they went easy on the instrumentation; every layer of these songs is richly detailed. The end result is an album like nothing before it, with too large of a scope for anyone else to successfully imitate.

Airbag - Though not my favorite track on the album, "Airbag" does a great job capturing what makes the full album so effective. After starting with an abrasive guitar, the song pulls back to let Yorke's gentle voice shine. Though we never return to that opening sound, it leaves a pervasive sense of foreboding. This is an album defined by contrasts, and "Airbag" makes a simple statement - after a horrifying accident, the survivor is simply happy to be alive, but he can't quite put everything behind.

Paranoid Android - "Happiness is a Warm Gun" or "Bohemian Rhapsody" for the angsty gen Xer. It makes sense for this to be the signature track; in an album full of contrasts, a song which is several distinct ideas mashed together accentuates the idea. OK Computer does a phenomenal job exploring generally untapped emotions, and this is the perfect embodiment of stress-driven narcissism. Every inch of this song, no matter how disparate each section gets, suggests someone on a manic high desperately reassuring themselves of their own greatness lest the world drag them back down. And instrumentally, this is simply an awesome song.

Subterranean Homesick Alien The comedown from Paranoid Android; not quite depression, but more an introspective take on feeling like an outsider in your own world. The spacey sound here is key to OK Computer as a whole, even if I rarely listen to this one outside of the album proper.

Exit Music (For a Film) A deeply moving song, and Ill never get over the fact that its from the Romeo + Juliet credits. A completely baffling film, but there must be some merits if seeing the ending inspired the band to write this. Again, this is a song of contrasts; after clearly embracing the depressing conclusion of its inspiration during the first half, Yorke goes a step further and ends the song with condemnation. But as with every other song on OK Computer, its mere manic rambling; Romeo and Juliet are incapable of revenge, so they can only wish harm upon their enemies, which itself fits the overarching theme of the album. Thom Yorkes vocals during the climax are to die for, while the distorted backing vocals that come in a third of the way through always get under my skin. And, gosh, when the drums come in.

Let Down My personal favorite Radiohead song. Again, contrast is the name of the game, and no other song can make me feel so simultaneously hopeful and crushed by the weight of the world. Yorke sings One day I am gonna grow wings with such force, only to tear it down immediately. But the line keeps coming back, and even if he immediately subverts it every time, the fact he cant drop the idea suggests theres reason to believe. And, just, the outro. Such a beautiful piece of music, and again accentuating the contrast as Thom Yorkes vocals split in two. It unfortunately gets lost in the shuffle for some people its not as in your face about what its doing like Paranoid Android - but I truly believe this is Radiohead at their most emotionally raw.

Karma Police While I really like Karma Police, Ill never understand people who treat it like the definitive Radiohead song. On an album where nearly every track is pushing the boundaries, this feels a little too simple. But then I get to the outro and it kills me every time. I can see why its a big deal this is the most rock radio friendly song on the album, and it has a killer atmosphere. Just, the first couple minutes are just alright to me, saved by a stunning ending.

Fitter Happier The definitive album-only track. This is going to be near the bottom of pretty much every list, but thats not to say it serves no purpose. I would never listen to Fitter Happier on its own, but I also cannot imagine OK Computer without it. Its a foreboding transition to the back half of the album that really sticks.

Electioneering The weakest moment of OK Computer, a purely alternative track that doesnt hit nearly as hard as those on their previous album. The lyrics arent nearly as interesting, either, just a basic take on political back and forth. Now that I think about it, the weird slogans make this feel like a precursor to Kid A what a difference it makes when the music itself is pushing boundaries. I dont think this is a bad song by any means, but it does stick out in a weird way.

Climbing Up the Walls Perhaps the most underappreciated Radiohead track. The atmosphere here kills me, and that final scream is one of the best things Yorke has ever pulled off. This is such an unsettling, chaotic piece, and it really surprises me that its not considered a standout. Perhaps it was too ahead of its time, as it feels like a bridge toward Kid A.

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CasanovaZelos
05/10/21 12:01:53 PM
#34:


No Surprises Much like Let Down, an uplifting tune paired with depressing lyrics. Unlike Let Down, it feels like this depression will stick. Like Karma Police, I feel this one is a bit too simple to justify its acclaim, but Yorkes vocals are so powerful. Its also a better song while actively listening; there are layers here I always forget in retrospect. If Im harsh on these two tracks, its only because I feel like almost every song on here deserves the same level of attention. This is still a classic, reaching stunning emotional heights through its relative simplicity.

Lucky First he survived a car crash, now our narrator survives an air crash. However depressing this album can get, theres a theme of survival as well. This is the only outright optimistic track on the album - the way Yorke delivers its gonna be a glorious day the final time can bring me to tears. While this will likely be overshadowed by other tracks on its own, this is the cathartic release that makes OK Computer work as a cohesive whole.

The Tourist This one has never done too much for me on a sonic level, though I do like the way it cycles back around to the opening. Another crash is impending. Our narrator may be lucky, but only in the sense that he keeps surviving. There is a constant theme of feeling stuck, and using this track to make the whole album feel like a cycle drives that theme home. That elevator ding is a perfect closer.

1. Let Down (#43 all-time)
2. Paranoid Android (#59)
3. Climbing Up the Walls (#1032)
4. Karma Police (#1486)
5. Lucky (#1621)
6. Exit Music (For a Film) (#2011)
7. No Surprises (#2189)
8. Airbag
9. Subterranean Homesick Alien
10. The Tourist
11. Fitter Happier
12. Electioneering

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LiquidOshawott
05/10/21 2:32:46 PM
#35:


Let Down
Lucky
Karma Police
Climbing Up the Walls
Paranoid Android
Exit Music
Airbag
The Tourist
No Surprises
Subterranean Homesick Alien
Electioneering
Fitter Happier

Subterranean was 10th? Feels weird.

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Jesse_Custer
05/10/21 3:21:34 PM
#36:


CasanovaZelos posted...
no other song can make me feel so simultaneously hopeful and crushed by the weight of the world

This is a fantastic way to describe Let Down
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ChainLTTP
05/10/21 3:33:32 PM
#37:


Let Down looking like it's gonna make the #1 spot so far. Might just be the early week hardcore fan bias though!

Love to see it
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Seanchan
05/10/21 8:23:45 PM
#38:


First listen was generally positive, though I think it's going to take a few more listens to really sink in.

I have to say though, there are a few songs that really, REALLY reminded me of another band I'm a little more familiar with, mostly because of the vocals (but not the lyrics). They didn't get big until after OK Computer hit, so they were certainly influenced by Radiohead (which cursory internet research confirmed).

I'm guessing you guys can guess the band without any more hints, but let's go and see!

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LiquidOshawott
05/10/21 8:27:17 PM
#39:


Muse

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ChainLTTP
05/10/21 8:45:34 PM
#40:


Muse lol
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Seanchan
05/10/21 9:04:20 PM
#41:


Ding ding ding! Lol, that didn't take much!

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LiquidOshawott
05/10/21 9:12:06 PM
#42:


Yorke and Bellamy are the only two guys with that much falsetto

(Imagine delaying Origin of Symmetry because of the falsetto lol)

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Giggsalot
05/11/21 2:56:50 AM
#43:


Album

Seminal, justifiably canonized, must-listen, etc. OK Computer flows effortlessly, and the perfect production and thematic consistency can fool you into thinking that the songwriting is a lot more even than it actually is. In that way, it's a pretty perfect example of the album form, and deserves its status. As with quite a lot of albums of that kind, though, there's a very strong argument that it doesn't even stand out in its own creators' discography divorced of the sociocultural context from which it came. Still, I'd love for my 4th - 5th album to be this good!

Airbag

As alluded to above, the bookends on OK Computer feel 'appropriate', which is an ideal way of hiding that they're not especially great songs. Airbag has cool atmosphere and a nice guitar tone but not a huge amount else.

Paranoid Android

Yeah, we all know this one is great. I could make a case that the only truly spectacular section is the "rain down" chorus, but I've been snarky enough already and who needs more of that. This is a classic for a reason.

Subterranean Homesick Alien

I really like the dreamy folk vibes here, which makes me wish Radiohead would tap into this sound more frequently. But they've never really paired it with a great song (see also Give up the Ghost). I like the lyrics here and this climaxes well, but there's not a lot else here for me.

Exit Music

Yep, this is where the album really takes off for me. This has the best core melody so far by miles, and OK Computer's best songs are the ones where they hone in on a simmering, almost trip-hop-esque tension. That buzzing bass is the sound of dreams.

Let Down

One of only about three genuinely pretty songs on the album (RH got way better at this later on). I've never adored this the way most fans do, but it's crept up on me over the years. Consider me charmed.

Karma Police

Note-perfect classic, and the only one of the three singles here that hasn't suffered from overplay. Who cares that it's basically Sexy Sadie, they should teach this in schools. I will not be taking questions.

Fitter Happier

It's weird that people hate on this, it's the conceptual heart of the album and it does its job perfectly. Sure, in these album rankings it kind of acts like the fodder line, but there's no shame in that.

Electioneering

Actually kind of underrated, if this was on The Bends it would be one of the best songs there. The burst of energy the album needs after Fitter Happier.

Climbing up the Walls

Loving the appreciation for this so far in this topic! This is the best song here hands down for me. An absolute masterclass in building tension, with a climax that just completely burns the house down.

No Surprises

I came here planning to write that this was a tiny bit too cute, but that's bullshit. Not my absolute favourite here, but this is perfect in its own right. The album probably should have ended here, the last two songs feel a bit like footnotes after this.

Lucky

Actually a bit underrated, probably their best straight up britpop song. That chorus fucking soars, man.

The Tourist

Like Airbag, this feels like an appropriate end, which cleverly hides the fact there's almost no song here at all. It's definitely possible that I might think more of this if it was by Low or Red House Painters - in principle, I like a lot of the artistic choices here - but given that Radiohead closers are almost informally amazing, this is a weird exception.

Climbing up the Walls
Karma Police
Exit Music
Let Down
No Surprises
Paranoid Android
Lucky
Electioneering
Fitter Happier
Airbag
Subterranean Homesick Alien
The Tourist


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CasanovaZelos
05/11/21 11:17:34 AM
#44:


Already as many votes as Achtung Baby. Poor U2 - though this also makes me worry for the more obscure albums in our schedule.

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ChainLTTP
05/11/21 11:57:43 AM
#45:


CasanovaZelos posted...
Already as many votes as Achtung Baby. Poor U2 - though this also makes me worry for the more obscure albums in our schedule.
I think Joshua Tree would have garnered more tbh

I'd be worried about the votals for these through the summer:

5/16: Alice in Chains - Dirt (ZeroSignal620)
6/27: Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell (Seanchan)
7/11: Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid (TheArkOfTurus)
7/25: Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters (CasanovaZelos)
8/15: Ben Folds Five - Ben Folds Five (jcgamer107)
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Johnbobb
05/11/21 3:45:57 PM
#46:


Dirt is a huge album, probably the biggest grunge album under Nevermind and Ten, it should do fine

Likewise Fetch the Bolt Cutters was one of the most talked about albums of last year, send Bat Out of Hell is a classic

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Seanchan
05/11/21 4:03:33 PM
#47:


I mean, some people only want to do rankings of albums they like or know. Which is somewhat unfortunate but it is what it is.

I'm here to broaden my horizons and attempt to listen to everything. I'm more concerned about length/number of tracks being an issue for myself. So, The Wall and especially Hamilton have me a little "worried".

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Jesse_Custer
05/11/21 4:26:09 PM
#48:


I highly doubt Joshua Tree would have gotten more participation. While the singles from that album are more widely known than most songs on Achtung Baby, I doubt the majority of users who hadnt heard all of AB have heard all of Joshua Tree enough to be familiar with lesser known songs like Trip Through Your Wires. U2 is simply not that popular on this board.
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Seginustemple
05/11/21 6:59:44 PM
#49:


Ah shit I missed Abbey Road. I woulda voted for Because, I wish they did more stuff like that

AND I missed Rumors damn bro now I gotta listen to OKC again
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HBJDubs
05/11/21 11:20:49 PM
#50:


I've been working on random album rankings for quite some time now, and this is the first album in this series I already had a list for. I plan to expedite rankings for the previous albums so I can catch up.

1. Climbing Up The Walls
2. Karma Police
3. Let Down
4. Exit Music (For A Film)
5. No Surprises
6. Lucky
7. Electioneering
8. Subterranean Homesick Alien
9. The Tourist
10. Airbag
11. Paranoid Android
12. Fitter Happier

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