Third appointment dedicated to Radiohead: today we talk about "Kid A".
After the success of "Ok Computer," the English group embarks on a journey of experimentation with the aim of incorporating new styles and influences, from electronic music to jazz, using a wide range of instruments and effects. It is primarily the leader Thom Yorke who drives this renewal, indifferent to the logic of the music market. However, the creative process that will lead to the release of “Kid A” (2000) and “Amnesiac” (2001) is anything but smooth. Yorke experiences a period of writer's block following the "Ok Computer" tour, convinced that rock has somehow reached its end. In this disillusioned perspective, the singer begins to listen almost exclusively to electronic music, particularly artists from Warp Records like Aphex Twin and Autreche, and is struck by how their tracks, despite not using the song form, still manage to move him. Modular synthesizers and Ondes Martenot (the latter, an instrument similar to the theremin) become the new field of exploration for the band, not without obstacles and uncertainties. The group struggles to follow the direction taken by Yorke and clashes with new methods for writing songs. If previously the lyrics were the starting point from which to build the arrangements, now electronic loops, parts composed on sequencers and synthesizers, or short recordings provide the foundations. On these experimental tracks, Yorke writes increasingly abstract and enigmatic lyrics, cutting and stitching words and phrases randomly, treating them as "shattered pieces of a mirror" and combining them into unpredictable melodies. Over twenty tracks are produced from recording sessions held in Paris, Copenhagen, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire, divided between the two albums "Kid A" and "Amnesiac" because, according to Yorke, they "come from two different places." The first song Yorke writes for the album, "Everything In Its Right Place," addresses the depression experienced during the "Ok Computer" tour period, and with its dark and anguished atmosphere, it paves the way for the subsequent "Kid A" and "The National Anthem." It is followed by the ballad "How To Disappear Completely," introduced by the strumming of an acoustic guitar and built around Jonny Greenwood's wonderful string arrangement. The instrumental "Threefingers" acts as a watershed and introduces the second part of the album. In "Optimistic," we seem for a moment to find the Radiohead of "Ok Computer," but in "Idioteque," the atmosphere becomes claustrophobic again with electronic percussion and Yorke's dragged voice. The album concludes with the disorienting rhythm of "Morning Bells" and the relaxed atmosphere of "Motion Picture Soundtrack." No singles are released for "Kid A," and the band limits itself to releasing a few interviews and short animated films to promote it. Despite this, the album debuts at number one in both the UK and US charts. Furthermore, the public's appreciation is fully matched by that of the critics: the album receives the Grammy for Best Alternative Album and has been included in numerous lists among the best albums of the decade.
Today we suggest listening to the dark "Everything in Its Right Place," to gradually immerse yourself in the elusive atmospheres of "Kid A." Enjoy listening!
