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#686: Radiohead – Karma Police

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‘Karma Police’ is the sixth track on OK Computer, Radiohead’s third studio album, released in 1997. That is an album that immediately was praised by critics as one of the best albums of the 20th century. It’s regarded as one of the best albums of all time to this day. I think everyone knows this one. Crowds are able to drown out Thom Yorke when he sings the ‘For a minute there’ section. It’s definitely one of Radiohead’s most popular songs. ‘Creep’ probably takes the crown as the one that really everyone knows, even if they don’t know who the band are. But ‘Karma Police’ is more engaging by a large distance.

I think I saw its music video (above) first before anything else. That’s how it went with me and Radiohead – I saw their music videos before I actually sat down and listened to any of their albums. The band’s videos were always randomly shown on MTV2 in the mid-2000s. For good reason too because they were always worth watching. But I would have been about 10 around that time and not paying so much attention to the music. I don’t know how the track ended up on the family computer – I’ll say one of my sister’s school friends sent her the song through MSN because it wasn’t anything to do with me – but it was there. I listened to it here and there. Been a big fan ever since.

The track is probably seen as an ‘entry-level’ Radiohead track but I feel a lot of emotion when listening to it. A lot more now than when I was a kid because… I guess music moves me a lot easier as I get older. It’s just so gloomy and dark and atmospheric. It has those little moments that add so much to the track, like that ‘aaaaahhh’ vocal that appears on the left side during the verses (recorded on a telephone if you didn’t know), those choir-like ‘oohs’ during the ‘this is what you get’ parts which are actually a synthesizer played by Jonny Greenwood….. the piano that sneaks in and plays its fills. It’s a track that’s full of surprises. And if you don’t feel something when Thom Yorke belts out the last ‘I lost myself’ then you know… you’re just into other stuff I guess. But I like it. Never grown tired of it. Don’t think I will any time soon.

My iPod #317: Radiohead – Electioneering

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I haven’t listened to this song for a long time. Not because I don’t want to, but only because it hardly ever comes on when I put my iPod on shuffle.

Honestly, I can’t say much about the track. I do like it. I like it a lot. Hasn’t had an impact on my life so much. Just added it because of its sound. It’s a really bouncy 12/8 rock tune, with great playing by the members all around. The jangly, out of tune introduction by Thom (or Ed, not quite sure), the piercing lead guitar work provided by Jonny and the solid rhythm section by Phil and Colin all come together to produce one of the rougher, hard hitting tracks on “OK Computer”. Everything is relentlessly delivered from Thom’s vocals to the overall instrumentation, leaving no room to breathe and even when that chance arises when everyone stops playing for a few seconds, a thunderous drum roll brings everyone back in again.

Yeah. A fine track. From a very good album.

My iPod #12: Radiohead – Airbag

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The opening track to, according to besteveralbums.com, the best ever album… ever.

I got OK Computer as a present for my fifteenth birthday, along with Hail to the Thief, and I think The Bends too.

OK Computer is an excellent album, I can say that. When I generally listen to any album for the first time, I never think anything special of it. Especially if it’s one that is always talked about, like this, or ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’, ‘Sgt. Pepper’ or whatever. But after a few listens, I always get why people talk. ‘Paranoid Android’, ‘Karma Police’ and ‘No Surprises’ were those that I’d seen and listened to and liked – the videos for those singles are something else too. But they only made the songs better for me.

‘Airbag’ isn’t my favourite song from the album. However it’s a great way to start things off, look at the opening lyrics:

‘In the next world war
In a jack knifed juggernaut,
I am born again.‘

That’s pretty awesome considering how before 1997, when the album was released, ‘The Bends’ was their last album. Putting in ‘OK’, hearing the first notes of ‘Airbag’… I could only imagine that it would have been a slap in the face for many a Radiohead fan. Radiohead certainly had been born again. I was only two, so I can’t really speak for anyone.

The chopped up drums, the semi-complete bassline, the spaced out guitar sounds by Jonny Greenwood and Ed O’Brien, Thom Yorke’s vocals. Yeah. It can’t get much better.

“In an interstellar buuuuuuuuurrrrrst.
I’m back to save the uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuniveeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrse.”

Until next time.

Jamie.

P.S. This may have seemed like a really lazy blog. I apologise if it did. Many Radiohead fans may be disappointed. But there are many more Radiohead songs to come.