I remember this album being considered one of the best of all time shortly after it came out. Twenty-five years has not changed that assessment for me.
Let Down started off as a middle of the road OK Computer song for me (still incredible!) Over time it has become my favorite Radiohead song of all time.
Homesick subterranean Alien is Still one of the best songs ever made IMO. Love the space tones and Rhodes and Jonny’s guitars. Pure amazing soundscape that is a pleasure to listen to with a toke in headphones before bed.
Totally underrated song, that's for sure! One of my favorites, if not my most favorite, out of their whole catalogue. Up there with How to Disappear Completely and Weird Fishes in my opinion.
Everything from OK Computer from start to finish was an epic journey. It changes from day to day. I buy albums all the time and usually, I just listen o it and not give it a second pass, or just maybe try to enjoy it as best as I could but OK Computer was an album I randomly came across and bought one day from Best Buy and during my drive back home, I had to pull over in my car because every single song that keeps coming up was blowing me away. I was like "What is this?!? I have never felt anything like it before listening to an album." I went and and bought everything in their discrography and was even further blown away by it and this was before KID A came out so you can imagine back in October 2nd of 2000 when I ran out for a midnight release and heard the album for the first time. It will be forever my favorite album. I drove along the pacific coast listening to the album and it was just absolutely beautiful. I pulled over to a 24 hour joint and ate a midnight dinner while flipping through my KID A inlay booklet. We don't have that kind of experiences anymore because you can just download an album sitting on the toilet. Back then, you couldn't do that. You have to get in your car and physically drive out there to a record store somewhere which by the way, RIP Tower Records, and buy a copy. I miss it. I miss the whole experience of hardship and journey just to go and find your favorite band's music. Sitting at home and clicking on the "Buy it now" button is convenient but it doesn't have that adventourous spirit of day's of old. It was the memory involved that makes it special. I appreciate now that I can just download, or buy Albums on a whim but I will never ever forget the old days where it was something truly special when you pop that CD into your stereo system in the car and have that trancendental moment.
Yes, many old album memories are attached to physical 8 tracks, vinyl, cassettes and sometimes radio and MTV videos. It is a different world now, but I was in a record store today and it was busy. Wonderful to see people valuing music that much.
If you want to continue listening to Radiohead go for Kid A next and just follow the discography! All great albums, some are masterpieces. It really shows the further progression they made as a band.
@@deanwolfechannel subbed just to see your evolution... I'm currently watching and your initial reactions "this sounds like the Beatles" is exactly why I got obsessed with Radiohead. They learned so much from the Beatles and use the knowledge to experiment with current and past genres... Very very like the Beatles for their whole career with some musical references to them without ever feeling like a ripoff
I was little more than a kid when OK Computer was released. I remember buying it and the little chat with store owner I had, he was telling me how good it was. I was so excited. I remember sitting on the wooden floor of my room, arms laying on the bed listening to the full album while staring at the art work, flipping through the pages. It was such a trip. It's a perfect album. Yes, "Climbing up the walls" is amazing. The following albums are that good too.
I've always thought they had excellent taste in album art etc. You know how it can be, it's a spotty thing with a lot of bands. Radiohead seems to have had a vision about it all.
In Rainbows and Kid A are considered a similar quality as this album. Also personally I think A Moon Shaped Pool, their latest record, is one of their best records. Every album has such variety of brilliant instrumentation.
Magnificent! This is in my top 5 albums of all time. I would agree with you that Climbing Up the Walls is one of the best on the album, but every time I think one is my favorite I hear another and think, "no, this is my favorite." I would agree that you should just do the rest of Radiohead chronologically. It really is magical how they progress.
The section in Karma Police where he sings "For a minute there I lost myself" is one of the most beautiful sections of any song I've ever heard, it's just so perfect. I want it to go on forever!
I watched the Beatles anthology on ABC back was in ‘95 as a teen. I was instantly obsessed and listened to all their albums -White Album was my absolute favorite. That same year, I bought Radiohead’s The Bends album and loved it, then OK Computer came out a few years later and changed my life. Fast forward to 2022 and I see a random TH-cam video that said that Paranoid Android was inspired by Happiness is a Warm Gun and Karma Police was influenced by Sexy Sadie. I thought that was so cool that Radiohead was influenced by The Beatles and could totally hear it, and wondered why in the last 25 years I had never thought of that. Meanwhile, you say they sound like the Beatles after listening to 90 seconds of the first track on the album.
you just got me thinking. Imagine if the Beatles had broken up much earlier, and never made revolver, Sgt pepper White album and abbey road, they would have been only a minor band in the history books. It's all those later albums that spun them into the stratosphere.
I'm a metal guy. Mostly anyway. But there's many metal bands I love that sort of "dwell in darkness" that will never record a song that so viscerally captures descent into madness and degeneracy as Climbing Up the Walls. That track is a brilliant lesson in brutality. Sonically. Lyrically. Atmospherically. It's like someone dragging the mangled corpse of the Cure behind a steamroller driving over broken glass and rusted metal. And it's being driven by the embodiment of psychopathy. Grittier than a waterslide make out of sandpaper. Brilliant.
Let down is one of my favourite tracks of all time. As it reaches the cresendo it moves to a different level. Add in the lyrics and what they mean, it's simply one if the greatest tracks written.
@@deanwolfechannel Really? More than OK? That’s cool though. Have you listened to Amnesiac yet? Because I think I like it slightly more then Kid A. Gotta give In Rainbows a listen as well . Might be an unpopular take, but I can’t really get into the Beatles, I do like Sgt Pepper, but that’s about it . Crazy , I know. Radioheads waaaaay better than the Beatles any day.
Climbing Up the Walls is definitely one of the coolest songs on this record, and its a taste of the direction they start to head in after this album. This is a good Rock album. But they became so much more after.
Dude. Climbing Up the Walls might be their most underrated song. My favorite, for sure. Fun little story: I was getting into this album after not really liking it. At the same time I was watching Neon Genesis: Evangelion. I had just watched the End of Evangelion "movie" and had a crazy ass dream about it with this track overlaying the whole thing. Woke up, turned on my laptop and made a music video of the two, which I still love. I don't do that kind of shit. Not before, not since. I'm generally not really very creative, but it was like I was being directed to do it. Wild.
I liked when you said that the band is really creative. Their first album was kinda pop-rock, then The Bends was just straight rock, then OK Computer is way different and then Kid A is way different and so on and so on. It really is crazy how different their albums are.
I agree: Climbing up the walls is incredible. The whole album is a masterpiece, but when I first listened to it at 13, i initially wasn't a fan of this one, but with time, it became one of my favorite. I was probably too young at the time to get it, but yeah, one of the best atmospheric song out there
Just in case you didn’t know the “choir” in a lot of these songs is a Mellotron with EMI “choir” tape from the 80s manipulated by Jonny. I don’t believe there’s a way to fully replicate how warm and alien it sounds today as all the tape Mellotron uses optimally stopped being produced in the 80s. Love your reactions.
I'm so happy you're doing Radiohead reactions, they are my favorite band alongside The Mars Volta! Can't wait for you to get to my favorite album of theirs: The King of Limbs (2011)!
No Surprises -- possibly the cheeriest song going about self-termination (maybe) ;) This was my formative college album as well. New to the channel, and it's lovely to see your reaction! :)
Ive seen them play live 3 times, and you could tell that the band really enjoyed playing "Climbing Up The Walls" together. All three times it finished with them playing together in a tight circle.
In Rainbows is a great album, and then they play the whole thing live 'In the Basement' and it sounds cleaner and crisper than the album. Absolute pristine musicianship... and so many great songs on In Rainbows to get your head around.
As someone from the UK and also that age went the album came out, this band along with a number of others shaped my life. Outstanding musicianship and proof of writing a great album. Absolutely brilliant review and explanations, you hit all the right points to me. Thank you for your reaction. Subscribed and will have a good time watching and cant wait to see what you release next. Keep up the good work
Haven’t seen any of your videos before. I really enjoyed your commentary and experience that you bring into music review. No better time to start watching than on my favorite Radiohead album. I would love to see more Radiohead listen throughs! Kid A will certainly meet your desire for a unique and progressive style
I love the honesty in your intro. I've done the same thing many times in my life. We all have dismissed things because we didnt like who or what was presenting it.
I remember going out to the woods in 1997 to drink with my school friends to listen to this album, when Paranoid Android kicks off we loved it. Such a great album, The Tourist is such an incredibly great track too.
They are Generation x's version of the Beatles, especially on this album. And yes both of the basement sessions are overwhelmingly awesome. What a fantastic band!
What a great album! There are 8 songs that would be the highlight of any other album... or career... and they are all here on this masterpiece. Thom may not have liked all of the attention that this album produced, but it was totally deserved, and we are all very fortunate that Radiohead went through whatever they went through to produce an album like this.
Climbing Up The Walls - Love that you said the vocal feedback was a bit annoying…that annoying, irritated, uneasy feeling they created gives you the sense that you are climbing up the walls…👌👌
Great, honest reaction. I shuffle around the order of my top albums year to year but there’s no doubt this one will always be around or in my top 5. Just a gorgeous soundscape front to back
I think you should had into their next album 'Kid A' where the too also wanted to totally ditch the 'singer/songwriter' vibe as well and by do they ever. "Kid A" is a singular piece of art that stretched boundaries of genre and sound many of which haven't been duplicated successfully (though it is incredibly influential just as OK Computer is) - lead Thom Yorke was so sick of traditional rock sounds he was ready to ditch all instruments altogether as much as possible and the result is pretty astonishing and a much more challenging first listen - some of the songs don't just take multiple listens but multiple years to HIT and resolve - I think from your reaction you would really find it interesting or more. Thank great vid!
Something that I pretty quickly picked up on in the writing is how the band takes all these old addages and platitudes and renders them into something...barbed, almost disconcerting.
Great review. This is 25 years old. My goodness do I feel old. Brings back good memories for me. I see you have a Kid A review up. I will listen to that as well. Subscribed
We recently did a CD exchange of this album. This was my recommendation for the group - all of us are a little older. At 27 - didn't really feel the vibe, but I relistened to OK Computer about 3 years ago during the pandemic on my journey to 3000 albums and I was blown away. I see it's importance in that it offered a clear path forward for alternative music during the late 90's when music on pop radio was just terrible. It was ok to take chances and have a vision for a body of work and not just placate the masses with uncohesive singles.
Great album, there is definitely a reason it's on virtually every list of greatest albums of all time and or albums of the 20 century. Not sure if anyone mentioned it, but the track Lucky is about James Bond, which isn't overtly obvious but makes perfect sense, once you know.
@@DavidTate-nn5ie So are you trying to ask me if it was the first album of the 20th century? Or are you suggesting that it was? Because those are 2 very different things and it's not at all clear what you are trying to say, if anything. Apologies if English is a second language or you are a non-English speaker, who is using a translation app and that's the cause of the misunderstanding.
This came out in 1996 ish and here in 2023 if a new artist played these songs for the first time on, say, an indie channel, they’d fit right in and few just as fresh and new.
The way the church choir comes in, then two songs later the "choir" sound plays on the keyboard - the choir digested by the computer. Gets me every time.
I fell in love with Radiohead with In Rainbows, but this was the second one to catch me. one of the arrangements that surprised me in that time was the polyrhythm in Let Down, I mean, that background pattern in 5/8 (I think), which is very reminiscent of minimalist academic music (Phillip Glass, and so on). Thank you Dean!
Radiohead and Mogwai are my two favorite bands of the last twenty-five years, with massive catalogs of amazing music that I've enjoyed immensely over a vast amount of time. In Rainbows, Kid A, and A Moon-Shaped Pool are must listens for anyone interested in knowing why Radiohead are so highly regarded. And live they are simply unbeatable. Thanks for finally giving them a chance.
They are fantastic, very cinematic. A bit repetitive at times. Rock Action and Mr. Beast are great modern rock albums. They went to number one on the album charts in the U.K. last year which surprised everyone, especially them.
Can you believe… I was in a jazz ensemble that did a whole array of Radiohead songs and the guitar player never said anything positive about them. He hated their music! I was baffled. I thought Radiohead was universal, but here you go
Love Radiohead and love "Ok computer ". But i'm speechless 'cause i see on the left of the screen( your right) "Sparkle in the rain" cover of my beloved Simple minds. I' m almost 55 ,so what a beautiful memories( and New gold dream!!) . 80's for me were Simple minds, U2,Cure,Depeche mode, Tears for fears,90's Radiohead ,Pearl jam,Nirvana,Smashing pumpkins,Cranberries....and now since 2000 ,Muse!! Ciao, greetings from Italy!!
wow this is a nice surprise!!! thank you Dean! they are my favourite band, i'm surprised you haven't listened to them and we have such a similar taste i know you will like them!
i have a bit of a challenge for you, react to Pyramid Song and try to guess the time signature in the first half of the song (the second half gives it away)
Gosh, I'd never listened to this album (I've lost count of how many times I have listened) and not made a connection with the sound of Karma Police with Geoff Lynn, and I think I do agree with you; it does have a ELO vibe. Nice video, great breakdown of arguably one of the most important albums of all time.
I like what you said about the uncomfortable feedback sound in Climbing up the Walls and that it's ok to not like something in a song. I quite like when songs make me feel a bit uncomfortable at the start, or catch me off guard, or do a non-standard chord or note that sounds off to begin with, etc, because as you say, that's life. It makes me feel more emotion in the song, I'm more interested and invested in it, and then over time that initial discomfort keeps the songs fresher for me.
i like these full album reviews. I think Exit Music is underrated on this album. Call me simple but I love the buzzy bass effect...and the lyrics take a 180 degree then too going from asking someone to "Breath" at the beginning to "hoping they choke" at the end.
What made me look for this band was Westworld( An HBO series) which used Exit music for a film, fake plastic trees, no surprises... all in piano by the amazing Ramin Djawadi. Also the show version's of Motion picture soundtrack. Perfection
There’s definitely some good bands I missed out on for similar reasons to this. Can’t imagine if I hadn’t had Radiohead throughout my life, though! You’ve got a lot of amazing music to make your way through. Hope you enjoy it!
A master piece. Up there, next to Led Zepp, Pink Floyd, Genesis (with Peter Gabriel, obviously), Yes, King Crinsom... The entire album feeds itself from all of them-
I was a huge fan of The Bends (previous album) but couldn't really appreciate OK Computer at first. A few months later, I was in bed with the flu, high fever, I put the cd in the player and ...*shazaaam!* - I totally fell for this album, for the rest of my life. Sometimes, you need to listen to an album at the right moment.
Besides Tool this is my favorite band and this may be my favorite album by any band. It took me a few listens and some chemical inspiration but it eventually captured my heart indefinitely. Good job. Keep going. These guys are worth it. I understand your initial hesitation to listen because, like I said before it’s Tool and Radiohead in my heart, but both of their rabid fans can be some of the most pretentious off putting people I’ve ever met and can actually turn you off to the wonderful music. Anyways thank you.
I have been following your channel since your early Tool reacts and have been waiting for this one! Better late than never: this album means so much to so many. Thanks Dean.
@@deanwolfechannel By the way, how you just played those three chords from The Tourist "just like that" was very cool. I made an audible WHOA. This album made a huge impression on a late teen me, and Let Down may be my favorite song. Can you distinguish what you mean by "singer/songwriter" from other types of music you like, if you have a moment? Thanks.
by singer/songwriter I mean the songs sound like they are based on a single guitarist on an acoustic guitar in front of an audience singing songs. Of course it all built up around him instrumentally but feels fundamentally like that for a lot of the album
@@deanwolfechannel they go into different territory on Kid A and its sister album Amnesiac, less guitar centered, it was considered a big left turn. Yorke seemed to change the entire method in which he was writing songs.
I see a lot of people are recommending to listen to In Rainbows after Kid A, but I strongly encourage you to hold off and just listen to them in chronological order. Amnesiac and Hail to the Thief are both great albums in their own rights, and the overall experience will be better to listen in chronological order instead of cherry-picking the "best" albums first. If you're a completionist, The Bends is worth listening to at some point, and Pablo Honey should be dead last.
This vid made me listen to OKC again after an extended period. Its a great album (altho not my fav of their discography, that would go to Kid A and In Rainbows). Thanks for that. I have a recommendation for you: Godspeed You! Black Emperor. They are a Canadian legendary Post Rock bands who kinda defined the 2nd wave of Post Rock. Their 2nd album, lift your skinny fists, is to this date my favourite album of all time. Maybe youd like it
If you're looking to get away from singer-songwriter style, you'll be very pleased with their next album Kid A. Thom grew tired of the generic rock formula and made a bunch of guitarists play triangles. Kid A is easily my favorite album, though I love all of their albums (ignoring Pablo Honey which never happened).
Absolutely loved Radiohead. From the extraordinary 'Airbag' to the sumble 'Exit for a Film'. It is a masterpiece from start to finish. I was blown away when I first heard it in 1997 and it still blows me away 25 years later.
Best Album of the 90's, imo and one of the best concept albums ever made. Good analogy to the Beatles- I agree; both bands are simply brilliant at time and brilliantly simple at others. The album is an experience and the band captured/reflected what many of us were feeling at the time (especially if you were in your mid-20's to early 30's); they were ahead of their time in terms of portraying/describing the angst that is much more prevalent today than it was in the 90's. I was a little depressed knowing, (and the band knowing as well), that something as profound as this would not be able to be achieved again.
I am still surprised by the capacity of this album, which to date continues to sound fresh and current. maybe it's just because I remember it fondly, but the first time I heard it was in the year 2007 or 2008, ten years after it came out and then I heard it again on its 20th anniversary and if they had done it then it would still sound like something new. I love this album maybe my favorite of all
Still my most favorite album of all time, pretty much since my first exposure in the summer of '97. To be clear I have dozens of favorite albums by a wide variety of generally pop/rock bands, grew up in the 60s with The Beatles and the British Invasion, and probably 90-95% of my favorites are from the UK (I'm in the US). Radiohead has ultimately become my favorite band, just narrowly edging out The Beatles. All of their albums from The Bends on are great and in a league of their own, but OK Computer is, to me, perfect. They've grown bit by bit to continue to expand their soundscape in the following 25+ years, and OKC seems kind of dated stylistically now, but the songs, omg, still the best. Revolver, Gang of Four's Entertainment!, Xtc's Drums and Wires, Cocteau Twins' Victorialand, the Clash's London Calling, and about 20 others if I were to go on, all come close, but this is the one. Number one.
I remember when ever I heard the name radiohead I thought depressing music but about 14 years ago I listened to this album and paranoid android just gripped me in the first 10 seconds I fell in love with it and instantly started binging all of there albums and trying to get everyone who I knew to give them a chance ( they still haven't haha ) I'm still yet to meet anyone who actually listens to radiohead and likes them wich baffles me as I would definitely be placing them in the greatest bands bracket.. ps jigsaw falling into place is a banger hope you give it a listen soon if you haven't already
If you like the more experimental side of Radiohead, then you are in for a pleasant surprise with the rest of their discography. Kid A especially is such a great album. Amnesiac is somewhat overlooked and is a great experimental record as well.
You mention the likeness to the Beatles. I always thought that the very last note in the last song of the album The Tourist, the triangle “ding”, was a tongue in cheek nod to the last extended grand piano note on A Day in the Life off of Sgt Pepper’s
This album is just fantastic, certainly one of the best I've ever heard. I bought it maybe back in 98 or so just after it came out, was obsessed with it for years, but really I hadn't listening to it in a very long time before this past week. It's basically a perfect album, no songs are bad (I don't really count fitter happier as a real song, more of an interlude), and most songs are great, the production is great, it's just beautiful stuff. Like I said I hadn't listened to this in a very long time prior to this week, but after listening to it again I'm just so impressed with it.
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►Part 2: th-cam.com/video/U6DjKOugWM8/w-d-xo.html
I'm jealous you get to experience this fresh. This was a big, headphones on, start to finish album at just the right time of my life.
I remember this album being considered one of the best of all time shortly after it came out. Twenty-five years has not changed that assessment for me.
Same, I was 16 when this came out. Bought the album and listened to it from start to finish, many times.
Let Down is the best song on this album in my opinion, especially the last verse and chorus with the panned voices, it's so beautiful
no.
@@tupojohn1509 but actually yes.
Let Down started off as a middle of the road OK Computer song for me (still incredible!) Over time it has become my favorite Radiohead song of all time.
@@alexmw14 It's one of the rare songs that gets better every single time I hear it.
It's pretty damn good. Chorus is killer. I like the clean guitar picking parts and the keyboards feel like a nighttime lullaby
That last section in Let Down when everything comes together, man...One of best moments in music for me, absolutely astounding song
Homesick subterranean Alien is Still one of the best songs ever made IMO. Love the space tones and Rhodes and Jonny’s guitars. Pure amazing soundscape that is a pleasure to listen to with a toke in headphones before bed.
Totally underrated song, that's for sure! One of my favorites, if not my most favorite, out of their whole catalogue. Up there with How to Disappear Completely and Weird Fishes in my opinion.
So many more to mention, but you get the gist of it, I could sit here happily typing out at least a couple dozen more songs...
Radiohead make music that is the soundtrack to our lives. Everything they create is cinematic. Climbing Up The Walls is my favorite.
Climbing up the walls is so awesome!! 😁
Everything from OK Computer from start to finish was an epic journey. It changes from day to day. I buy albums all the time and usually, I just listen o it and not give it a second pass, or just maybe try to enjoy it as best as I could but OK Computer was an album I randomly came across and bought one day from Best Buy and during my drive back home, I had to pull over in my car because every single song that keeps coming up was blowing me away. I was like "What is this?!? I have never felt anything like it before listening to an album." I went and and bought everything in their discrography and was even further blown away by it and this was before KID A came out so you can imagine back in October 2nd of 2000 when I ran out for a midnight release and heard the album for the first time. It will be forever my favorite album. I drove along the pacific coast listening to the album and it was just absolutely beautiful. I pulled over to a 24 hour joint and ate a midnight dinner while flipping through my KID A inlay booklet. We don't have that kind of experiences anymore because you can just download an album sitting on the toilet. Back then, you couldn't do that. You have to get in your car and physically drive out there to a record store somewhere which by the way, RIP Tower Records, and buy a copy. I miss it. I miss the whole experience of hardship and journey just to go and find your favorite band's music. Sitting at home and clicking on the "Buy it now" button is convenient but it doesn't have that adventourous spirit of day's of old. It was the memory involved that makes it special. I appreciate now that I can just download, or buy Albums on a whim but I will never ever forget the old days where it was something truly special when you pop that CD into your stereo system in the car and have that trancendental moment.
Yes, many old album memories are attached to physical 8 tracks, vinyl, cassettes and sometimes radio and MTV videos. It is a different world now, but I was in a record store today and it was busy. Wonderful to see people valuing music that much.
🤮 so they write elevator music and movie outtros and that's your favorite band in the world 😂👍
@@cryptojohndoe4923 ah yes, nothing says elevator music like bloom or electioneering
If you want to continue listening to Radiohead go for Kid A next and just follow the discography! All great albums, some are masterpieces. It really shows the further progression they made as a band.
Yes, I'm all ready to do Kid A probably in the next day or so
@@deanwolfechannel subbed just to see your evolution... I'm currently watching and your initial reactions "this sounds like the Beatles" is exactly why I got obsessed with Radiohead. They learned so much from the Beatles and use the knowledge to experiment with current and past genres... Very very like the Beatles for their whole career with some musical references to them without ever feeling like a ripoff
Cool, keep in touch Luke!
I was little more than a kid when OK Computer was released. I remember buying it and the little chat with store owner I had, he was telling me how good it was. I was so excited. I remember sitting on the wooden floor of my room, arms laying on the bed listening to the full album while staring at the art work, flipping through the pages. It was such a trip. It's a perfect album. Yes, "Climbing up the walls" is amazing. The following albums are that good too.
I've always thought they had excellent taste in album art etc. You know how it can be, it's a spotty thing with a lot of bands. Radiohead seems to have had a vision about it all.
@@deanwolfechannel the artist behind all their album covers (apart from their debut) is called Stanley Donwood. His art fits the music perfectly.
0:00 Intro/ Why I ignored this band
1:01 Airbag (5:38) comments
6:15 Paranoid Android (12:45) comments
13:20 Subterranean Homesick Alien (17:40) comments
18:04 Exit music for a film (22:31) comments
23:33 Let Down (28:27) comments
29:57 Karma Police (34:18) comments
34:38 Fitter Happier (36:30) comments
36:43 Electioneering (40:30) comments
40:58 Climbing Up The Walls (45:42) comments
47:12 No Surprises (51:09) comments
51:40 Lucky (55:53) comments
57:07 The Tourist
1:02:23 comments/ final comments
In Rainbows and Kid A are considered a similar quality as this album. Also personally I think A Moon Shaped Pool, their latest record, is one of their best records. Every album has such variety of brilliant instrumentation.
Magnificent! This is in my top 5 albums of all time. I would agree with you that Climbing Up the Walls is one of the best on the album, but every time I think one is my favorite I hear another and think, "no, this is my favorite." I would agree that you should just do the rest of Radiohead chronologically. It really is magical how they progress.
Climbing up the walls has easily always been my favorite track off the album it’s different and euphoric I’m glad you really enjoyed it :)
Most definitely!
How beautiful is *Let Down* it's timeless.
The section in Karma Police where he sings "For a minute there I lost myself" is one of the most beautiful sections of any song I've ever heard, it's just so perfect. I want it to go on forever!
It gives me chills every time. Amazing song
I watched the Beatles anthology on ABC back was in ‘95 as a teen. I was instantly obsessed and listened to all their albums -White Album was my absolute favorite. That same year, I bought Radiohead’s The Bends album and loved it, then OK Computer came out a few years later and changed my life. Fast forward to 2022 and I see a random TH-cam video that said that Paranoid Android was inspired by Happiness is a Warm Gun and Karma Police was influenced by Sexy Sadie. I thought that was so cool that Radiohead was influenced by The Beatles and could totally hear it, and wondered why in the last 25 years I had never thought of that. Meanwhile, you say they sound like the Beatles after listening to 90 seconds of the first track on the album.
you just got me thinking. Imagine if the Beatles had broken up much earlier, and never made revolver, Sgt pepper White album and abbey road, they would have been only a minor band in the history books. It's all those later albums that spun them into the stratosphere.
I had a similar experience with the bealtes and radiohead just much later.
I'm a metal guy. Mostly anyway. But there's many metal bands I love that sort of "dwell in darkness" that will never record a song that so viscerally captures descent into madness and degeneracy as Climbing Up the Walls. That track is a brilliant lesson in brutality. Sonically. Lyrically. Atmospherically. It's like someone dragging the mangled corpse of the Cure behind a steamroller driving over broken glass and rusted metal. And it's being driven by the embodiment of psychopathy. Grittier than a waterslide make out of sandpaper. Brilliant.
The Tourist always gives me goosebumps... it's just beautiful...
Let down is one of my favourite tracks of all time. As it reaches the cresendo it moves to a different level. Add in the lyrics and what they mean, it's simply one if the greatest tracks written.
Oh man. I've spent countless hours listening to this album. I'm in awe of its magnificence.
I'm really loving Kid A more but I just heard them both in the last week
@@deanwolfechannel Really? More than OK? That’s cool though. Have you listened to Amnesiac yet? Because I think I like it slightly more then Kid A. Gotta give In Rainbows a listen as well . Might be an unpopular take, but I can’t really get into the Beatles, I do like Sgt Pepper, but that’s about it . Crazy , I know. Radioheads waaaaay better than the Beatles any day.
Climbing Up the Walls is definitely one of the coolest songs on this record, and its a taste of the direction they start to head in after this album.
This is a good Rock album. But they became so much more after.
Cool! I'll be heading to kid a next
agree Kid A is a must if you enjoyed this
@@deanwolfechannel then in rainbows dude. my personal favourite.
Dude. Climbing Up the Walls might be their most underrated song. My favorite, for sure.
Fun little story:
I was getting into this album after not really liking it. At the same time I was watching Neon Genesis: Evangelion. I had just watched the End of Evangelion "movie" and had a crazy ass dream about it with this track overlaying the whole thing. Woke up, turned on my laptop and made a music video of the two, which I still love.
I don't do that kind of shit. Not before, not since. I'm generally not really very creative, but it was like I was being directed to do it. Wild.
The link, if you're interested.
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I liked when you said that the band is really creative. Their first album was kinda pop-rock, then The Bends was just straight rock, then OK Computer is way different and then Kid A is way different and so on and so on. It really is crazy how different their albums are.
I agree: Climbing up the walls is incredible. The whole album is a masterpiece, but when I first listened to it at 13, i initially wasn't a fan of this one, but with time, it became one of my favorite. I was probably too young at the time to get it, but yeah, one of the best atmospheric song out there
Just in case you didn’t know the “choir” in a lot of these songs is a Mellotron with EMI “choir” tape from the 80s manipulated by Jonny. I don’t believe there’s a way to fully replicate how warm and alien it sounds today as all the tape Mellotron uses optimally stopped being produced in the 80s. Love your reactions.
I'm so happy you're doing Radiohead reactions, they are my favorite band alongside The Mars Volta! Can't wait for you to get to my favorite album of theirs: The King of Limbs (2011)!
No Surprises -- possibly the cheeriest song going about self-termination (maybe) ;)
This was my formative college album as well. New to the channel, and it's lovely to see your reaction! :)
Thanks otto.
Ive seen them play live 3 times, and you could tell that the band really enjoyed playing "Climbing Up The Walls" together. All three times it finished with them playing together in a tight circle.
In Rainbows is a great album, and then they play the whole thing live 'In the Basement' and it sounds cleaner and crisper than the album. Absolute pristine musicianship... and so many great songs on In Rainbows to get your head around.
As someone from the UK and also that age went the album came out, this band along with a number of others shaped my life.
Outstanding musicianship and proof of writing a great album. Absolutely brilliant review and explanations, you hit all the right points to me.
Thank you for your reaction. Subscribed and will have a good time watching and cant wait to see what you release next.
Keep up the good work
Thanks. More radiohead cued up
Haven’t seen any of your videos before. I really enjoyed your commentary and experience that you bring into music review. No better time to start watching than on my favorite Radiohead album. I would love to see more Radiohead listen throughs! Kid A will certainly meet your desire for a unique and progressive style
looking forward to kid a - doing that one in the next day or so
This is probably my favorite Album of all time! Thanks for the reaction I loved it! I look forward to your next Radiohead album reactions brother!
Album was recorded and produced in an old English Castle. Absolutely breathtaking album that changed the way I listened to music.
The best album of all time
exit music left me speechless after first hearing it, masterpiece.
I love the honesty in your intro. I've done the same thing many times in my life. We all have dismissed things because we didnt like who or what was presenting it.
Amazing album! One of my favourite albums from the 90’s. Exit Music is hauntingly beautiful.
some eerie mellotron choral sounds there....!
If you liked Climbing Up The Walls then you'll probably dig their next album, Kid A. Great reaction.
Great choices for full album reactions lately!
Thanks! I'm getting tired of the slow pace of single song reactions....
Thanks
Radiohead is proper prog in the true sense of the word, maybe except for the very early stuff.
I agree.
The end progression from climbing up the wall to the tourist is just magical. They manage to reach a musical climax.
I remember going out to the woods in 1997 to drink with my school friends to listen to this album, when Paranoid Android kicks off we loved it. Such a great album, The Tourist is such an incredibly great track too.
To me Radiohead is my generations Beatles and they are fantastic live the two basement sessions are legandary.
They are Generation x's version of the Beatles, especially on this album. And yes both of the basement sessions are overwhelmingly awesome. What a fantastic band!
Hey, good stuff here. First time watching you. You’re knowledgeable, open minded, and interesting. Glad to join you on this journey!
thanks wimmy!
Kid A! It's such a left turn, and the ambience the whole album creates is so powerful. I think you'd really like it!
I never made the beatles connection before and now I can't get it out of my head lol
Same - I'm a huge (HUGE) Beatles fan (since the seventies) and I love Radiohead and I never did that connection before - but it's obvious though !!!
The band have said before that one of their main inspirations for _Paranoid Android_ was _Happiness Is a Warm Gun._
@@DovahFett interesting, never knew that!
What a great album! There are 8 songs that would be the highlight of any other album... or career... and they are all here on this masterpiece. Thom may not have liked all of the attention that this album produced, but it was totally deserved, and we are all very fortunate that Radiohead went through whatever they went through to produce an album like this.
Climbing Up The Walls - Love that you said the vocal feedback was a bit annoying…that annoying, irritated, uneasy feeling they created gives you the sense that you are climbing up the walls…👌👌
Great, honest reaction. I shuffle around the order of my top albums year to year but there’s no doubt this one will always be around or in my top 5. Just a gorgeous soundscape front to back
I think you should had into their next album 'Kid A' where the too also wanted to totally ditch the 'singer/songwriter' vibe as well and by do they ever. "Kid A" is a singular piece of art that stretched boundaries of genre and sound many of which haven't been duplicated successfully (though it is incredibly influential just as OK Computer is) - lead Thom Yorke was so sick of traditional rock sounds he was ready to ditch all instruments altogether as much as possible and the result is pretty astonishing and a much more challenging first listen - some of the songs don't just take multiple listens but multiple years to HIT and resolve - I think from your reaction you would really find it interesting or more. Thank great vid!
Something that I pretty quickly picked up on in the writing is how the band takes all these old addages and platitudes and renders them into something...barbed, almost disconcerting.
Alway a creepy sense of menace i love it Climbing Up the Walls is so great then right into the lullaby from hell is one of my favorite album moments.
This is the album where they really discovered themselves. It only gets better from here.
Great review. This is 25 years old. My goodness do I feel old. Brings back good memories for me.
I see you have a Kid A review up. I will listen to that as well.
Subscribed
Thanks, yes and in rainbows is cued up
We recently did a CD exchange of this album. This was my recommendation for the group - all of us are a little older. At 27 - didn't really feel the vibe, but I relistened to OK Computer about 3 years ago during the pandemic on my journey to 3000 albums and I was blown away. I see it's importance in that it offered a clear path forward for alternative music during the late 90's when music on pop radio was just terrible. It was ok to take chances and have a vision for a body of work and not just placate the masses with uncohesive singles.
"during the late 90s when music on pop radio was just terrible..."??? 😂😂😂 Give your head a shake...
I loved your honest reaction and yes they remind me so very much of the Beatles their progression is really amazing to witness.
Great album, there is definitely a reason it's on virtually every list of greatest albums of all time and or albums of the 20 century. Not sure if anyone mentioned it, but the track Lucky is about James Bond, which isn't overtly obvious but makes perfect sense, once you know.
First album of the 20th century ?
@@DavidTate-nn5ie Huh??? nowhere in my post do I use the word "First" so I have no clue what you are talking about.
I was suggesting if it was.
@@DavidTate-nn5ie So are you trying to ask me if it was the first album of the 20th century? Or are you suggesting that it was? Because those are 2 very different things and it's not at all clear what you are trying to say, if anything.
Apologies if English is a second language or you are a non-English speaker, who is using a translation app and that's the cause of the misunderstanding.
@@po5283 if anything ??? Even if English is your second language, you have no need for such attitude. Goodnight and good luck.
The Tourist is my favorite song on the album
This came out in 1996 ish and here in 2023 if a new artist played these songs for the first time on, say, an indie channel, they’d fit right in and few just as fresh and new.
Man.. thank you so much. I've asked for you to do this album for the last few years and its here. I'll shut up for now and listen.
The way the church choir comes in, then two songs later the "choir" sound plays on the keyboard - the choir digested by the computer. Gets me every time.
My first time watching one of your videos. Really appreciate your approach and demeanor, and the insight your brought. Looking forward to Kid A.
cool, welcome to the channel. Uploading kid a now. YT wouldn't let me upload more than 3 songs in 1 video though. Too bad, I prefer all in one shot.
I fell in love with Radiohead with In Rainbows, but this was the second one to catch me. one of the arrangements that surprised me in that time was the polyrhythm in Let Down, I mean, that background pattern in 5/8 (I think), which is very reminiscent of minimalist academic music (Phillip Glass, and so on).
Thank you Dean!
I love philip glass
Huge fan here. Gigantic, in fact.
'Zat a Pixies reference? 😉
Oh, down the Radiohead hole? Expect a lot of surprises, this band is so fucking special.
👍
Fantastic reaction, love your breakdowns. Please keep going through the discography.
Thanks tho it was pointed out I didnt comment on Thoms' singing! Weird oversight. Plan to make amends on kid a coming up soon.
Radiohead and Mogwai are my two favorite bands of the last twenty-five years, with massive catalogs of amazing music that I've enjoyed immensely over a vast amount of time. In Rainbows, Kid A, and A Moon-Shaped Pool are must listens for anyone interested in knowing why Radiohead are so highly regarded. And live they are simply unbeatable. Thanks for finally giving them a chance.
just looked up mogwai, interesting band
They are fantastic, very cinematic. A bit repetitive at times. Rock Action and Mr. Beast are great modern rock albums. They went to number one on the album charts in the U.K. last year which surprised everyone, especially them.
@@deanwolfechannel Mogwai are incredible. My favorite band of all time.
Can you believe… I was in a jazz ensemble that did a whole array of Radiohead songs and the guitar player never said anything positive about them. He hated their music! I was baffled. I thought Radiohead was universal, but here you go
They ARE incredible.
Love Radiohead and love "Ok computer ". But i'm speechless 'cause i see on the left of the screen( your right) "Sparkle in the rain" cover of my beloved Simple minds. I' m almost 55 ,so what a beautiful memories( and New gold dream!!) . 80's for me were Simple minds, U2,Cure,Depeche mode, Tears for fears,90's Radiohead ,Pearl jam,Nirvana,Smashing pumpkins,Cranberries....and now since 2000 ,Muse!! Ciao, greetings from Italy!!
wow this is a nice surprise!!! thank you Dean! they are my favourite band, i'm surprised you haven't listened to them and we have such a similar taste i know you will like them!
i have a bit of a challenge for you, react to Pyramid Song and try to guess the time signature in the first half of the song (the second half gives it away)
Gosh, I'd never listened to this album (I've lost count of how many times I have listened) and not made a connection with the sound of Karma Police with Geoff Lynn, and I think I do agree with you; it does have a ELO vibe. Nice video, great breakdown of arguably one of the most important albums of all time.
great how music can keep on revealing new things as time goes on. Gift that keeps giving
I like what you said about the uncomfortable feedback sound in Climbing up the Walls and that it's ok to not like something in a song. I quite like when songs make me feel a bit uncomfortable at the start, or catch me off guard, or do a non-standard chord or note that sounds off to begin with, etc, because as you say, that's life. It makes me feel more emotion in the song, I'm more interested and invested in it, and then over time that initial discomfort keeps the songs fresher for me.
p.s. my name looks like a bot but that's just because I can't be bothered to pick a username...
51:40 "Lucky" played live is a thing to behold. I consider my self LUCKY to have experienced it.
I bought this on cassette back in 97 when I was living in Prague. Played it until it was worn out. Radiohead ushered in the new millennium for me
i like these full album reviews. I think Exit Music is underrated on this album. Call me simple but I love the buzzy bass effect...and the lyrics take a 180 degree then too going from asking someone to "Breath" at the beginning to "hoping they choke" at the end.
Ah I never noticed the breathe/choke thing before, thanks!
I think the lyrics are related to romeo and juliet by shakespeare
@@carlosvelilla9001 This song was written for Baz Luhrman's Romeo and Juliet film with DiCaprio in it. Very fitting for the end of that story.
Underrated? It’s usually considered a top 3 song on the album, despite being the worst.
@@BRNRDNCK it is the worst song on the album? lol
What made me look for this band was Westworld( An HBO series) which used Exit music for a film, fake plastic trees, no surprises... all in piano by the amazing Ramin Djawadi. Also the show version's of Motion picture soundtrack. Perfection
Thom Yorke has afew stellar piano songs alone try Last Flowers or the song frol the Jonathon Ross show Ing I can not spell it sorry.
There’s definitely some good bands I missed out on for similar reasons to this. Can’t imagine if I hadn’t had Radiohead throughout my life, though!
You’ve got a lot of amazing music to make your way through. Hope you enjoy it!
A master piece. Up there, next to Led Zepp, Pink Floyd, Genesis (with Peter Gabriel, obviously), Yes, King Crinsom... The entire album feeds itself from all of them-
I was a huge fan of The Bends (previous album) but couldn't really appreciate OK Computer at first. A few months later, I was in bed with the flu, high fever, I put the cd in the player and ...*shazaaam!* - I totally fell for this album, for the rest of my life. Sometimes, you need to listen to an album at the right moment.
interesting!
Make sure you also listen to In Rainbows and Kid A!
In Rainbows is a must. I’d love to see that reaction
Next up
You bet
Airbag is one of the finest songs ever written
Besides Tool this is my favorite band and this may be my favorite album by any band. It took me a few listens and some chemical inspiration but it eventually captured my heart indefinitely. Good job. Keep going. These guys are worth it. I understand your initial hesitation to listen because, like I said before it’s Tool and Radiohead in my heart, but both of their rabid fans can be some of the most pretentious off putting people I’ve ever met and can actually turn you off to the wonderful music. Anyways thank you.
Radiohead and tool, that's interesting as they are very different kinds of bands. I guess together they cover the essential musical needs you have!
I just noticed your head shaking ever so slightly during Fitter Happier. Really disconcerting and Fits the song well ;)
I have been following your channel since your early Tool reacts and have been waiting for this one! Better late than never: this album means so much to so many. Thanks Dean.
That's great to know, thanks
@@deanwolfechannel By the way, how you just played those three chords from The Tourist "just like that" was very cool. I made an audible WHOA. This album made a huge impression on a late teen me, and Let Down may be my favorite song. Can you distinguish what you mean by "singer/songwriter" from other types of music you like, if you have a moment? Thanks.
by singer/songwriter I mean the songs sound like they are based on a single guitarist on an acoustic guitar in front of an audience singing songs. Of course it all built up around him instrumentally but feels fundamentally like that for a lot of the album
@@deanwolfechannel they go into different territory on Kid A and its sister album Amnesiac, less guitar centered, it was considered a big left turn. Yorke seemed to change the entire method in which he was writing songs.
I see a lot of people are recommending to listen to In Rainbows after Kid A, but I strongly encourage you to hold off and just listen to them in chronological order. Amnesiac and Hail to the Thief are both great albums in their own rights, and the overall experience will be better to listen in chronological order instead of cherry-picking the "best" albums first. If you're a completionist, The Bends is worth listening to at some point, and Pablo Honey should be dead last.
Pablo Honey was the second one I listened to, and my musical taste fits that album more so it helped me get into them more
This vid made me listen to OKC again after an extended period. Its a great album (altho not my fav of their discography, that would go to Kid A and In Rainbows). Thanks for that. I have a recommendation for you: Godspeed You! Black Emperor. They are a Canadian legendary Post Rock bands who kinda defined the 2nd wave of Post Rock. Their 2nd album, lift your skinny fists, is to this date my favourite album of all time. Maybe youd like it
th-cam.com/video/eqaDdRgQ0qA/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/xyFdx956fjs/w-d-xo.html
I want to hear more too. Make a suggestion!
The bends is a must in my opinion it’s Radiohead best album
Your thing about the bass player during “Airbag” was hilarious.
If you're looking to get away from singer-songwriter style, you'll be very pleased with their next album Kid A. Thom grew tired of the generic rock formula and made a bunch of guitarists play triangles. Kid A is easily my favorite album, though I love all of their albums (ignoring Pablo Honey which never happened).
Yeah, The Tourist has always been one of my favorites. Such a great album closer!
Absolutely loved Radiohead. From the extraordinary 'Airbag' to the sumble 'Exit for a Film'. It is a masterpiece from start to finish.
I was blown away when I first heard it in 1997 and it still blows me away 25 years later.
Best Album of the 90's, imo and one of the best concept albums ever made. Good analogy to the Beatles- I agree; both bands are simply brilliant at time and brilliantly simple at others. The album is an experience and the band captured/reflected what many of us were feeling at the time (especially if you were in your mid-20's to early 30's); they were ahead of their time in terms of portraying/describing the angst that is much more prevalent today than it was in the 90's. I was a little depressed knowing, (and the band knowing as well), that something as profound as this would not be able to be achieved again.
I revisit this album and Kid A often but I feel like once a year they touch a part of my soul and cant help but cry
That's good!
I am still surprised by the capacity of this album, which to date continues to sound fresh and current. maybe it's just because I remember it fondly, but the first time I heard it was in the year 2007 or 2008, ten years after it came out and then I heard it again on its 20th anniversary and if they had done it then it would still sound like something new. I love this album maybe my favorite of all
Still my most favorite album of all time, pretty much since my first exposure in the summer of '97. To be clear I have dozens of favorite albums by a wide variety of generally pop/rock bands, grew up in the 60s with The Beatles and the British Invasion, and probably 90-95% of my favorites are from the UK (I'm in the US). Radiohead has ultimately become my favorite band, just narrowly edging out The Beatles. All of their albums from The Bends on are great and in a league of their own, but OK Computer is, to me, perfect. They've grown bit by bit to continue to expand their soundscape in the following 25+ years, and OKC seems kind of dated stylistically now, but the songs, omg, still the best. Revolver, Gang of Four's Entertainment!, Xtc's Drums and Wires, Cocteau Twins' Victorialand, the Clash's London Calling, and about 20 others if I were to go on, all come close, but this is the one. Number one.
Loved this reaction
Love to see you do kid a and in rainbows
A bit envy of you of the path you about to take
I shall enjoy it then!
I remember when ever I heard the name radiohead I thought depressing music but about 14 years ago I listened to this album and paranoid android just gripped me in the first 10 seconds I fell in love with it and instantly started binging all of there albums and trying to get everyone who I knew to give them a chance ( they still haven't haha ) I'm still yet to meet anyone who actually listens to radiohead and likes them wich baffles me as I would definitely be placing them in the greatest bands bracket.. ps jigsaw falling into place is a banger hope you give it a listen soon if you haven't already
I managed to get one of my nephews hooked on Radiohead he is the only musician out of all three and that helps.
@@jameshannagan4256 appreciating instrument's definitely helps you appreciate radiohead
The reaction while trying to figure out Fitter Happier had me in tears 😂
🤣
If you like the more experimental side of Radiohead, then you are in for a pleasant surprise with the rest of their discography. Kid A especially is such a great album. Amnesiac is somewhat overlooked and is a great experimental record as well.
You mention the likeness to the Beatles. I always thought that the very last note in the last song of the album The Tourist, the triangle “ding”, was a tongue in cheek nod to the last extended grand piano note on A Day in the Life off of Sgt Pepper’s
I have to go check that now- may be!
Paranoid Android is one of the greatest songs of all time.
You’ve almost completed your Mars Volta journey. Now its time for your Radiohead journey. Very different, but equally impressive band.
I'll do tourniquet in January probably.
@@deanwolfechannel Awesome! Suggestion, you should do it like this one, whole album in one video as opposed to separate videos for each song.
Radiohead is more consistent, as well as the songwriting being on a complete different level, imo.
@@justsomejusstsome8994 I didn’t write my comment to get into a pissing contest. Everyone has opinions.
@@TheAlibabatree Just giving my opinion like you
Driving east through the oregon/washington gorge (washington side) listening to this album in 1998. Sun setting behind us...
This album is just fantastic, certainly one of the best I've ever heard. I bought it maybe back in 98 or so just after it came out, was obsessed with it for years, but really I hadn't listening to it in a very long time before this past week. It's basically a perfect album, no songs are bad (I don't really count fitter happier as a real song, more of an interlude), and most songs are great, the production is great, it's just beautiful stuff. Like I said I hadn't listened to this in a very long time prior to this week, but after listening to it again I'm just so impressed with it.