'Amnesiac' by Radiohead

Finally, some Radiohead. And while 'Amnesiac' might not come top of my list of Radiohead albums to listen to, it's still nice to come across it. I remember being very excited about the release of 'Amnesiac', having waited so long for 'Kid A', the previous album, and in fairness, when it was released, I loved it. It was only later that it fell from favour a little, and I hadn't listened to it as a whole album for quite some time.

Devoid of its context, it holds its own pretty well. In fact, it has some real strengths. Almost every track, in its own right, is a good one. As with all Radiohead's work at that time (and now, really), it ranges from the accessible to the downright hard work, but there are things to enjoy across the spectrum. The most accessible points to this album are, I guess, the singles: 'Knives Out', and 'Pyramid Song' (the Top Of The Pops performace of which is one of the funniest things I've ever seen on television). The most difficult track is 'Pul/Pull Revolving Doors' which consists of a programmed drumbeat, a melody-free and heavily treated vocal line, and the occasional piano burble. It's more of an experiment than a song, but it's very atmospheric.

In between, there are all sorts of interesting moments. 'You And Whose Army?' is a highlight for me. It's the fourth track of the album, but the first one to really show off Yorke's voice, and it's a textbook example of how to start a song with nothing, and finish at a crescendo. 'Life In A Glasshouse', the final track, featuring Humphrey Littleton and friends on brass is also magnificent.

Despite all this, the album doesn't hang together in the way 'Kid A' does, and it does feel slightly like a rounded up collection of left-over tracks, somehow adding up to less than the sum of its parts. If it had been released before 'Kid A', it would probably now be viewed as a landmark record, but it's destined to sit always in the shadows, and it doesn't really deserve to.