NMC: THE BEST ALBUM EVER (read page 5)

WHO?	START DATE	END DATE	ALBUM	STRIKES	TO REVIEW
Lamrock	Sept. 11	Sept. 21	Radiohead - OK Computer	0	1
Pdub	Sept. 16	Sept. 26	The Police - Regatta De Blanc	0	2
PhatGeezer	Sept. 21	Oct. 1	Soundgarden - Superunknown	0	1
ratrac	Sept. 26	Oct. 6	Linkin Park - Meteora	0	1
Ben	Oct. 1	Oct. 11		0	2
shadowgrin	Oct. 6	Oct. 16	The Killers - Hot Fuss	0	1
Jae	-	-	Metallica - ....And Justice For All	0	2
DrGonzo	-	-		0	1
Joe`	-	-	Bob Dylan - New Morning	0	2
thierryhenry	-	-		0	2
BigKaboom2	-	-	Petra - Beyond Belief	0	2
Mayerhendrix	-	-		0	2
Nick	-	-		0	2
Doobie	-	-		0	2

Anyone not illini, Jae or Joe without a date is "not confirmed in" and Lamrock can change his album since it was from the before times. Reviewing JaoSming's old album is also permitted, since I already credited ratac and illini for it.

If the last column exceeds two, you get a strike.

Last edited by benji on Tue Sep 15, 2009 3:09 pm, edited 6 times in total.

For no apparent reason, I am going to back out of this project/club/gangbang/funtime group.

Mine's ... And Justice For All by Metallica.

Lame new system I must say, but my revised suggestion is OK Computer was Radiohead.

It's the same as the old system, we're just trying to find a way where people may actually care and participate. Then we'll look at changing or liberalizing the "choice guidelines."

I'm stoked about the new system...the albums will be easier to find/get ahold of and theres just as much room for variety as ever...
(also stoked i dont have to finish that LCD album...it was paining me)

Just an idea. But how about albums to be reviewed are personal favorites?

1. You're not in the club. Thankfully.

2. How is that any different? This is declaring "the best album ever." I.E. Your personal top favorite you've ever heard. And I'm not even being a dick because I can't tell what your true favorite ever is, and so for like Pdub I have no problem with him picking one of his top three or five. Me and Jae were of the mind that people might have just been naming the last thing they heard, or something recent, and many people were whining about the quality of them and not participating because of that.

The other option was to just shut it down and go back to the Music Recommendation thread where only 1/100 people even look into anything you recommend or discuss it.

Well if that was what you were doing, sorry for being late or something.

Is the second round of this second best album ever?

I think that is the current round, since Thriller was already reviewed.

Radiohead - OK Computer is go. Should be easy enough to find.

If a movies one is done, I am definately in.

Radiohead - OK Computer

For the record, I was really close to putting Kid A as my album selection. However, I doubt Brent Dicrescenzo's review can be topped, and I actually get more enjoyment out of the anthemic OK Computer. OKC is probably as close to a perfect album as there could be. All twelve tracks are fabulous, and not once have I skipped a track. While it serves as a stepping stone in the evolution of the band's sound (this LP was preceded by The Bends, a full-out rock album), I feel they were their most fully formed here.

OK Computer starts with pumping opener "Airbag", which puts the sonic texturing on display and was good enough to have an EP with its namesake. Then, it segues into lead single "Paranoid Android". I dislike prog rock, but the one time in Radiohead's career where they dabble in that genre, it worked.. It makes such a great debut single as it encompasses all of the elements of the album in six jawdropping minutes. The multi-layered song is riddled with tempo shifts and would make a great Guitar Hero song.

It then drifts into melancholy tracks "Subterranean Homesick Alien" and the Romeo and Juliet inspired "Exit Music (For A Film)". Considered first single "Let Down" is an excellent song that, while never actually released as a single, everyone thinks they have heard, because it is in a sense the quintessential Radiohead track, containing all of the elements that makes them who they are. The second single and most popular song from the album, "Karma Police" rounds out the first half, and is the album's most accessible track.

The first couple tracks of the second halfm "Fitter Happier" and "Electioneering" are the only ones to show their age. The former employs a computerized voice over ambient noises, criticizing modern self-help society. The latter is a catchy rock song that would have been better suited to be on "The Bends", but is great nonetheless. "Climbing On The Walls" and third single "No Surprises" eases back into the melancholy. On "Lucky", the best track on the album, Nigel Godrich's production really shines, as does Yorke's lyrics. The album closes well with the climactic fan-favorite "The Tourist"

Unless ratrac really thinks that his Linkin Park album is the best album ever, then this will likely be the most divided of the best album nods here. I know many people who hate Radiohead, be it Thom Yorke's voice, or because they hate the genre. Nonetheless, OK Computer is a classic album, and probably my favorite of all time. I've listened to it over 100 times, and I still pick new things up every listen.

Rating: 10/10
Favorite Tracks: Paranoid Android, Let Down, Lucky
Singles: Paranoid Android, Karma Police, No Surprises

Code:

hxxp://www.mediafire.com/?1ejhhdqkjnm

- Turn hxxp into http

I think I'm a day late, meh. I'll still post it.

Sweatshop Union - Natural Progression

The Answer - I know it's an intro but wtf. The lyrics are nice but they could have made the intro a littler better with a beat that would make the listener take notice or they could have just kept it down to a minute instead of more than two minutes.

Radio Edit - Not bad follow up to the intro. I'll probably like this album if the the build-up I'm expecting happens after each song.

News Flash - huh? Does the album really need an interlude like this?

I Got News - Even though the build-up I'm hoping is taking slowly, I'm liking the arrangement of songs at this point in the album. The 'soft' beat of the song isn't bad either.

Don't Be Afraid - my expectations for the album are about to be met with this song.

Better Days - I just realized the album title is probably the 'theme' they are going for with the arrangement of the songs. They certainly are delivering the goods at this point. It's hard to separate this song right now from the previous songs ,which is a good thing, as I get the feeling that the strength of this album is in the sum of its parts. No complaints for now with this song.

Today - not as good as the previous songs but not that bad as to halt the 'progression' of the album.

US - good one, catchy.

Truman Show - the beat of the album slows down with this one. The song's not bad though.

Baho ang Titi mo - WTF, I thought Jao changed the title intentionally, guess not. It means "your dick stinks" in Filipino . An interlude, nothing more. It's pretty short, about a minute and a half so it's not annoying.

On the Sly - The album picks up the pace of the beat again. No complaints with this one.

POTB - and it slows down a bit with the laid back beat. Tolerable because of the lyrics.

Garbage Love Songs and Cheesy Jingles - yeah

The Way - I hate those kind of sampled vocals in the beginning of the song, and unfortunately it's also present in parts of the song. This song is my most hated so far because I have already outgrown my fondness as a kid for Alvin and the Chipmunks.

Stolen Memories - decent listening.

Any Reason - yawn

The Thing About It - good song as the album comes to a close. I just hope the last song doesn't ruin it.

The Question - not bad a way to end it all. I really like the first two minutes. After that one, I don't know if they were trying to give some sort of message by doing a two minute silence but they could have shortened it to a minute. The last three minutes is okay to finally close out the album.


I still think the album is good because of the sum of it parts despite some songs that are lacking for my taste. The strength of the album is probably its weakness too as no song stands out except for one or at most two songs.

I'll probably listen to some songs twice or thrice to see if I want to add it to my playlist. Provided that the group has one 'black' member because that's how I want my rap collective or I'm racist in a way.


I give the album an above average 3 out of 8-hype. Jao you wigga.

I'm in in this 'new' one. I don't have a best album ever like Pdub. I'll just recommend anything which I think can be tagged as a 'best album' of something.

Mine would be Hot Fuss by The Killers because I think it's their best album to date compared to the mediocre crap they released after that.

I'll review Radiohead later, but I got a question first: my favorite album of all time is Led Zeppelin IV, which, as you know, has already been suggested.. Should I suggest my second favorite album of all time or what?

Go ahead Joe and recommend away your favorites:

I have no problem with him picking one of his top three or five

Radiohead - OK Computer
Genre: Alternative Rock
Year: 1997

Review:

I've always reckoned Radiohead were a good band, yet I never really listened to any of their albums thoroughly (I've had this one for years yet iTunes informs me the last time I've listened to it was over two years ago.) I guess I just get too held up by labels; I've never particularly enjoyed experimental rock (with the exception of John Frusciante) and I really despise the implementation of electronica into rock music, space rock, excessive reverb and flanger and all that. But with this album, Radiohead made it all very, very pleasant.

Right from the start, with the album's first song, Airbag, I was hit by the complexity of the instrumentals, and I was very surprised a sound so complex and layered could also be so enjoyable. I feel as though the vocals could've been more powerful.

I can't even begin to describe Paranoid Android. This will definitely sound ridiculous, but its mixing of a very wide range of sounds and musical styles, and its stylish solo very much remind me of Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.

Subterranean Homesick Alien's relaxed beat and Exit Music's outbreak (which could've been arranged to begin a minute earlier) are good efforts, but of course after Paranoid Android anything sounds pretty insignificant. Let Down was a very nice surprise, I've had this album for years and I had honestly never listened to this song until today. I really enjoyed how they tried to keep the instrumentals a bit simpler here, definitely one of my favorites on this record, along with the next song, Karma Police. Again, I love how the instrumentals are a bit cleaner and less cluttered, the piano in the chorus is mint.

My thoughts on Fitter Happier aren't as positive as with the rest of this album. What a way to ruin a perfectly good record. Electioneering is just too loud and untidy for my likings, not my cup of tea. Climbing Up the Walls is an improvement, would've been better without the free jazz near the end.

No Surprises is another very pleasant surprise. Very clean song and just overall very likable. And just when I think the album is over, two great songs like Lucky and The Tourist come on. I really like how Lucky's slow beat breaks into the chorus, and The Tourist is just epic from beginning to end.

Overall rating: A very solid 4/5.

What I liked: Paranoid Android, Let Down, Karma Police, No Surprises, The Tourist.
What I didn't like: The vocals on some songs, Fitter Happier, Electioneering, Climbing Up the Walls.

Go ahead Joe and recommend away your favorites:

Alright then, my recommendation is New Morning - Bob Dylan. Not my second favorite, but definitely in my top 5. Very underrated album.

Britpop? No… It killed it as a matter of fact. Compared to the earlier hit albums of the Britpop era, this one came with a different taste. It doesn’t have the album-long guitar pop motif that other Brit bands at that time are using on their albums. The opening part of Airbag still echoed their previous album’s sound until those other layer was put in the mix and it went surreal. Can’t say Thom’s voice is a let down on this because it fits the atmosphere of the song. Paranoid Android is mega. It’s very complex and mind blowing. I can’t blame why Jonny Greenwood's having a seizure whenever he plays this song live. Subterranean Homesick Alien is like a backmasked song on some parts, I don’t know why I came up with that though… maybe Thom’s vocal delivery. I like the simplicity of Exit Music, reminds me of Spirit Fade out of their previous album. I love the flow of Let Down but I reckon they should’ve shorten the song. Oppositely Karma Police should’ve been longer. It’s a cock tease. I wish they’ve put some more stuff in it. I reckon this song is the reason why we have the likes of Coldplay and Keane today. Fitter Happier… shut the hell up man. The swing-like Electioneering got over layered. Too many guitars in it. Friday the 13th.. I mean Climbing Up The Walls is descent. The horn section is a great fit. The climactic part when both the guitar and synth gone berserk got my nod. I love everything on the lullaby No Surprises . Thom nailed the vocal part in it. Another lost sibling of Spirit Fade-out, Lucky. Again Thom nailed the vocal part, everything about the guitars on this is fantastic. The slow tempo of The Tourist is a great way to finish a complex and laidback album. It’s kinda repetitive though. I thought The Bends got the better songs but I've changed my mind.

*********

9/10
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Mine's Superunknown by Soundgarden by the way....

OK Computer:

I like Radiohead, I doubt you could call me a fan but I enjoyed The Bends and Hail To The Thief.

Airbag:
I can't understand a word he's singing, which is something for me considering the music I listen to. The song just seems to coast through and really sounds the same the entire song. Didn't enjoy it at all.

Paranoid Android:
I think Yorke's voice sometimes borders on annoying, but he sounds good in this. Radiohead are at their best personally when his vocals dominate over everything else because really a lot of the music is fairly boring. Decent song, I like the change-up about 2 minutes in, the guitar solo is cool but maybe because I'm into much heavier music it doesn't really have an impact on me.

Subterranean Homesick Alien:
Pretty cool sounding song, but again too slow and subdued for me. Also his voice seems drowned out by the music again.

Exit Music (For A Film):
I like it when they strip their songs back more, even though this song is a bit boring it's the sort of thing I'd rather listen to over the almost droning qualities of Airbag

Let Down:
God this song drags on a bit, until finally building to something cool about 1:40 in. I like it from there, so far this is definitely my favourite on the album.

Karma Police:
I guess aside from Creep this would be their most popular song. It's very understated but does it without droning or burying Thom's voice under the instrumentals. I don't like it as much as Let Down but it's a good song.

Fitter Happier:
Um.. ok

Electioneering:
I think I'd like this more if again his voice wasn't buried under the instruments. Actually I'd like it a whole lot more. Still, it's not bad and despite that complaint I enjoyed the song. Good melody, his voice sounds good and the guitar is pretty sweet too.

Climbing Up The Walls:
This song had potential but in the end just kinda bored me. It reminds me a little of a Powderfinger song called My Happiness, only that actually progresses and gets better. This stays on the same level for 3/4 of the song before some random instrumentals, then it dies.

No Surprises:
Again his voice is buried underneath what is (in this song) extremely annoying music. Pretty apt song title really.

Lucky:
Very cool song. Despite the fact that it sounds like someone's boiling a kettle in the background for most of it, Thom's voice sounds great and I like the overall melody of it. It actually builds as the song goes on too.

The Tourist:
Nothing to say really, it sounds like half the other songs on the album.

Like I said before I don't mind Radiohead, I just think this particular album of theirs bored me a bit. There's no impact to it, everything feels like it's been injected with valium to calm it down. There's a few good songs on there and a couple that I'll probably listen to fairly regularly, but I think I'll stick to The Bends and HTTT.

65%

The new system is already leading to better results...lets do this thang.
Radiohead-OK Computer review

Airbag
Can barely understand the lyrics, but they're not overly annoying or bad. The back beats/riffs are all interesting and keep changing enough to make this a good start to this album. Not a perfect song, but certainly not bad.
3/5

Paranoid Android
Once again i cant understand a word they're saying (which is a bummer because I read the lyrics and would like to understand them). But once again good riffs/beats and the lyrics dont overpower anything. The sudden heavy influence coming pounding in around 2 minutes is awesome. Then we change to a hippy flowing psychedelic feel. One of Radiohead's best known songs for a reason, but still for me...without inteligible lyrics you get a lower score
4/5

Subterranean Homesick Alien
This song isnt my style. Too mellow electronica, sounds like bad 70's rock. It's still decently structured and I could see as like...studying background music. But i'm never gonna be like "hell yeah radiohead" after hearing this one. Still cant understand a damn word he says.
3/5

Exit Music (For A Film)
Digging the acoustic guitar feel at the beginning. Also the first time I can understand what the lyrics are. I almost wish I didnt. For the guys that wrote Creep, possibly one of the most relatable songs of all time, i'm surprised by this. Not a fan of this song. When the intro is the best part, something is wrong. Also the simulated acid rock noises are just...jarring and out of place.
2/5

Let Down
And back to the formula given by the beginning of the album. Nice although complex music with Thom singing unintelligibly over it. If i wasnt listening closely, i'd might ask who the hell was playing enya. What the hell was that stuff that sounded like touchtones on a phone? Not bad, but once again, not something that makes me wanna come back.
3/5

Karma Police
Digging the beginning of this. Lets see where it goes. More intelligible lyrics, nicely put together backings. Piano awesomeness. This should be a more well known song.
5/5

Fitter Happier
Oh god...computer voice.../stab. just no. Radiohead just disappointed me...by alot. god i hate transition tracks
1/5

Electioneering
Holy crap. Take out the transition track and thats almost 2 perfect songs in a row. I dig the more rocking feel but not losing sight of who they are as artist. This song makes me go "yes radiohead" Radiohead needs to sue queens of the stone age for stealing this sound...
5/5

Climbing up the Walls
Just boring. Nothing special about it. More background for studying music.
2/5

No Surprises
I think my mother just summed this up while I was listening to it. The exchange went something like this.
"is that your video game?"
"no mom its music"
"its making all kinds of weird noises"
"well I listen to all kinds of weird music"
"it sounds like a doorbell ringing over and over"
Mellow, too subdued for my taste. I always thought Radiohead was about angst, maybe I was wrong. /yawn
2/5

Lucky
If pink floyd and radiohead had a baby, it would sound like this. It's ok but nothing stands out about it for me
3/5

The Tourist
This song is over and i barely heard it. More background music
2/5

Alright Well...average score is 2.75. The transition track really hurt it. Not that I disliked this album...but it was almost like eating a bland food that accidentally had some excellent seasoning in it. Paranoid Android Electioneering and Karma Police are the highs. Lows are Fitter Happier, The Tourist, and No Surprises. Enjoyable enough though. Hail to the new system!

I haven't listened to this since it released. And it's still a let down. I don't get what the hype ever was on this. Paranoid Android is better than Karma Police. I tuned out after Karma Police, outside of No Surprises which I've always liked. But then again, I like The Hush Sound, and nowdays this reminds of a bit more laid back them. I don't know where my The Bends went, but I prefer almost all of the album to almost all of OK Computer. The fact that I got a McDonalds ad trying to play "Fake Plastic Trees" on YouTube amuses to me no end. Still their best song.

IIRC, I liked Kid A more. But again, I haven't listened to any of these since they released.

Top Favorites: Paranoid Android, No Surprises.

3/5 - Good.

Last edited by benji on Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.

New page, so I'm reposting the table, updated.

WHO?	START DATE	END DATE	ALBUM	STRIKES	TO REVIEW
Lamrock	Sept. 11	Sept. 21	Radiohead - OK Computer	0	1
Pdub	Sept. 16	Sept. 26	The Police - Regatta De Blanc	0	2
PhatGeezer	Sept. 21	Oct. 1	Soundgarden - Superunknown	0	1
ratrac	Sept. 26	Oct. 6	Linkin Park - Meteora	0	1
Ben	Oct. 1	Oct. 11	At The Drive-In - Relationship of Command	0	2
shadowgrin	Oct. 6	Oct. 16	The Killers - Hot Fuss	0	1
Jae	-	-	Metallica - ....And Justice For All	0	1
DrGonzo	-	-		0	0
Joe`	-	-	Bob Dylan - New Morning	0	1
thierryhenry	-	-		0	2
BigKaboom2	-	-	Petra - Beyond Belief	0	2
Mayerhendrix	-	-		0	2
Nick	-	-		0	2
Doobie	-	-		0	2

The reason the dates aren't extending past early October, is because the current date system is still up in the air and may be reformed.

Btw, Pdub's Police album is now open for review and has been a few days. On Monday, the Soundgarden one comes up for review. (I'm letting the start dates roll by everyones time zone, but I'll only strike based on US Pacific Time. Feel free to review early or do two in one sitting, whatever. Just try not to go too many albums ahead unless you have to. Try to not go past the next album coming up. I.E. right now you can really do Linkin Park if you think your schedule won't allow it, but try to avoid going past that until The Police drop off.)

Oh, and speak up if I missed a review or miscounted you. I missed illini last page and he let me know.

Remember that the "to review" means the "eligible" to review albums you have yet to review and that if you go over 2 you start to get strikes. For the last run I counted both JaoSming's suggestion and Lamrock's. When an album passes, in this case, it will be Pdub's, that count will go up if you didn't review it. If you did, the count won't change. (I.E. you'd otherwise advance back to 2, but you reviewed it, so you stayed at 1. Having "two albums to review" is the natural state and means you need to review one of the two.)

Last edited by benji on Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Ben Hur Soundtrack

Excellent news