Radiohead - OK Computer: This was leagues better than I expected. I’m not 100% sure what to say about it…while I’m not much of a cynic myself, I can definitely relate to many of the more pessimistic and cynical lyrics throughout the album even if I don’t fully agree with them. I feel the songs as more how one feels in the moment, not so much overall world-view, which makes it much more personal to me. One specific feeling I can relate to is “Karma Police”, in which (as I interpreted) the singer is judging all these people, rubbing ‘karma’ in their faces, only to pull back at the end and realize that he’s being just as bad by judging them. I have a problem with saying, doing, or feeling things in the moment that I regret later, particularly in arguments. My favourite though is, hands-down, “Climbing Up the Walls”. I just love the latent paranoia and unease littered throughout ever glint and glimmer of the scattered instrumentals, the innocent-yet-crippling worries many people feel, unfounded anxieties and such. I love that. And just in terms of sheer prettiness, “Exit Music (For a Film)” is quite the work of art.
So yeah, my favourite is easily “Climbing Up the Walls”, followed by “Exit Music (For a Film)” and “Karma Police”. From there I have some scattered third-tier favourites and a couple songs I didn’t like as much just by sheer virtue of not being as amazing as the rest, but there was no song I thought wasn’t wonderful.