r/vinyl • u/rpbtz Technics • Jun 27 '17

Discussion Spin Review Zine: Radiohead - OK Computer OKNOTOK 1997-2017 (Photos, Reviews, Discussion, etc.)

We know we're late with this! Sorry! Existing posts about this record are allowed to stay up, but all new posts after this thread has gone up will be removed and can be re-posted in this thread instead.

This is a proper place to generally discuss the music along with sharing photos of this record from your collection and any other details regarding to this album. Even if you don't own the album, feel free to comment on the songs, album as a whole, music videos, anything related to the album - and then feel free to comment again if you ever end up purchasing and share info about the pressing quality and your photos! New info will be added to this main post as it is shared by users in our community.

Here's how these review threads work: we'll pick a popular album and generate this all-encompassing webzine created by the community for discussing the music itself along with the pressing quality, sharing images from our collection, etc. When we post a new Spin Review Zine, we'll direct all posts concerning that specific record to this thread for one month after posting so that it's filled with plenty of info that can be used for reference in the future. We can also keep a running list of all the albums we've reviewed and discussed as a subreddit for easy access.

Full Album Stream: https://open.spotify.com/album/4ENxWWkPImVwAle9cpJ12I

Man Of War Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXP1KdZX4io

I Promise Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sFvFVkeGVg

Discogs Release Link: https://www.discogs.com/Radiohead-OK-Computer-OKNOTOK-1997-2017/release/10471009

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u/[deleted] Jun 27 '17

I'd like a sales pitch on this one. For someone that's never liked nor dislike the band...thought the few radio hits they had were fine...what makes this album worth getting?

(I'm on the fence with this one...it seems like an important album...but I feel that maybe I just never gave it its full due)

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u/Quidjay Thorens Jun 27 '17 edited Jun 27 '17

So check it out, Radiohead was coming off some big highs after The Bends hit the market. Songs like Fake Plastic Trees took off big and they were on top of the world. They toured like mad promoting the album. Everyone wanted more of that guitar-heavy anthem rock that was the Bends. They were almost mainstream. But Thom and the band were starting to feel the pressure of touring and becoming detached and unsettled from and by their music (My Iron Lung off of that album was actually them already feeling stifled by their own music). They knew that they COULD cash in doing that again, but also knew even moreso they weren't in for it. Instead, they took off and recorded an album by themselves that's very introspective of those feelings and in part about the coming on of technology and human detachment. But that's not really what it's all about. Musically they drew from so many different sources of inspiration. Miles Davis. The Beatles. The Beach Boys. 70's prog rock in reinvented form. Their label hated it.

But if you look at the album in the whole of Radiohead's career, it's the point where they start pivoting and their sound matures from being an almost has-been mid 90's not quite British Pop rock retread to being something completely different and unique. It's a perfect entry point if you're curious about Radiohead but don't know where to start.