I Am Full Of Pity

This band, at this point really needs no introduction. If you have entered any store within the last month that carries music magazines, if you have gone online to purchase a single cd, if you have watched any MTV over the last month, the hype has been inescapable. However, in case you live in a cave of some sort, or generally just avoid any of the above settings, Radiohead has a new album, it is called Kid A. Oh, and there is a lot of hype around it.

So, let's get right to the point. Is it worth it? Yes. Does it go overboard? Doesn't it always? Star Wars prequel. The Batman Sequel. Harry Potter. GnR's Use Your Illusion I and II (pulled that one out of a hat). Almost any Pearl Jam album. Yes, yes. Hype is one of the most annoying cultural sins of our society these days and it very rarely does the actual product any realistic justice. The cover of many monthly music magazines this month have a picture of Radiohead with a caption below: "The Greatest Band of All Time." Pretty big claim. A lot of people believe it. I don't.

Make no mistake. This album is one of the coolest albums that I have picked up in a long time. Yes, like it is hyped up to be, it does explore new boundaries for rock music. The album opens with an awesome electronic balled, although filled with the cryptic lyric, "Yesterday, I woke up sucking a lemon." Hmmm…I will have to lean back and get really really wasted to understand this one. The second track is just plain odd. The third, awesome guitar/bass sound opens it and the opening leads into an excellent vocal display. Enough description, I get bored of coming up with adjectives. The album is incredibly different and the promotion of it is just as strange.

Radiohead, to my understanding, is not the biggest fan of their popularity, thus explaining the release of these images of each band member with computer enhanced eyes that make them all look tweaked out on depression. They are tired of seeing their faces everywhere…it is like they don't own them anymore…. Another band wanting to escape the trappings of fame. Man I pity these guys. Their life must really suck. I am so lucky to be some unknown schlep working a 9-5 job.

No single will be released to promote the album. I am unsure if there is a single on this album…In order to convince employees of Capitol records to give the album a chance, the President of the company rented vans for people and told them to listen to it on a portable cd player while driving to the beach. That is a good summation of this sound. The band is releasing little 30 second spots, tracks, video, something like that. So you may hear some of it while a video clip for some fashion model is crossing your screen on E! or on MTV or something. Who knows.

Let the hype continue. We have no choice. However, do not let it frustrate you into not buying this album. The sound is compassionate, chilling. It is a great listen while just hanging out on your couch regretting whatever woman is your current regret. It is a good backdrop to mindless work and good for long introspective drives into the country. Give it a shot.