The landscapes Radiohead have created with their music are a bit barren, or at least it must seem that way to those who haven't listened to the history of the band on tape.

Pablo Honey is widely considered the "bad" album, the one with THAT song on it. And yes, for a while there, Radiohead could count themselves among several one-hit wonders of the 90's that owned a platinum record because a single song captured a wide audience. But did anyone really listen to the entire album? If not, they missed a valuable lesson on the history of English music over the past twenty years. Pablo Honey may not have reached the creative peaks their more experimental follow-up albums did, but does that make the Stone Roses-like "Stop Whispering" any less well-crafted? Does it render the aggressive tones of "How Do You?" less punk?

Still, could anyone have predicted The Bends from this band? Maybe so. At least that's what Lily Holmes seems to think: "No one comes close to the inventiveness of Radiohead. I wouldn't be surprised if Radiohead's popularity eclipsed that of the Beatles in 20 years." The Bends was certainly a stunner - from a debut that was as commercial as most rock pop came a contemplative and meticulously constructed collection of folk music, carefree melodies, and hacksawed guitar rock. Remember, this was a "one-hit wonder" making an often delicate and obliquely beautiful record that disowned the "Creep" phenomenon. Here was an album that didn't care what people expected from it. Radiohead's music took on a unique character from that point on. They were bleak, but not affected like other similarly described bands. Neither atmospheric like Portishead nor texturally dense like Pink Floyd, Radiohead straddled a middle ground that begged to be placed in different contexts.

I find it no surprise that OK Computer provided me with the perfect soundtrack for an unexpected bus trip across the empty eastern California desert. Harsh vocals, monotonic rhythm, displaced frustration, and dark introspection seemed fitting for such a desperate experience. But witnessing the sun setting on a barren horizon to the music was incredibly breathtaking.

There was a reason I felt compelled to listen to OK Computer at that moment. There are lots of weird tracks on it, the kind of stuff that inspires you to hear them again and again to make sure you caught that extra guitar in the background or an electronic buzzing that adds to the obsessive mania heard across most of the album. What better place to uncover such delicate minutiae than in the dark, spooky realm of a desert at dusk.

But on an album of despondent and dark ultra-modern reflections, there lie two shiningly pure songs. If an alien did indeed swoop down onto a country lane seeking an example of a quintessentially human song to take back to their beautiful ship, he'd find one in "Let Down," which builds to a crescendo so completely unbridled, it rivals the power of a nuclear explosion.
Then there's "Karma Police," which, with a single skewed guitar vibration in the last half of the song, turns from a dry cliché to a sympathetic example of human error recognized. These two tunes prove that whatever magic is required to make a song indelible in the minds of an audience, it cannot be defined with a formula. It just happens, whether by genius, effort or chance. Matt Melvin tries his best to describe Radiohead's genius: "I believe the best band in the world is Radiohead. Their greatest asset is their songwriting ability. The inventiveness of Johnny Greenwood's guitar playing and Thom Yorke's mesmerizing and chilling vocals put a fininshing touch on one of the last hopes for good music out there."

Radiohead's releases have always been marked by such moments. "Creep" is much like "Karma Police" in its serendipitous mingling of riotous anarchy and gentle sensitivity. "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" is laid down brick by brick, until its weight finally crashes around you. It almost seems that the band have a collection of these amazingly tender, evocative songs stashed away in a treasure chest, using a bauble every now and then to adorn their latest thematic creation for the masses to behold. And with every new song, there's that chance that a new shiny example of their impressive talents will appear. When the five members of Radiohead come together, something happens; something changes. Keep your eyes on the horizon - the 90's were only a start; wait 'til you see what they come up with next. Chantal Barrette will definitely be watching: "What's not to love about Radiohead? They have definitely redefined the standard of what I believe to be great music. Musically and lyrically they're simply the most BRILLIANT BAND EVER. Their music covers almost ever aspect of human emotion; they can sadden you as easily as they can make you laugh. They've shown the world what great music is supposed to sound like. Just by lisening to Radiohead's first three LP's, you'll realize that this bad only gets better."

Check out our Radiohead reviews:
Pablo Honey, The Bends, OK Computer

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Elvis Costello, Beastie Boys, David Bowie, Beth Orton, Sonic Youth, The Bristol Three, Björk, Liz Phair, G. Love