Er...what's the album title again?

Number 31

'Amnesiac' by Radiohead

Trotter's Top Ten position : Top Ten in 2001

UK Chart high : 1 in 2001

I have to declare here how much of a Radiohead fan I am.  It's hard to imagine a music scene without them and their willful boundary-pushing.  They could have easily gone the U2 route after 'OK Computer' in 1997.  Instead they deconstructed, experimented...and almost split up when some of the band were wondering if they would actually play on any of their new songs.  'Amnesiac' was the 'second born child' from the sessions which had also produced 'Kid A' a year earlier.  In a way, like any second offspring, there's no getting away from comparing to the elder child and being slightly less impressed when they take their first steps and do funny things.  It does suffer slightly from being odd at times for its own sake and being too happy to be noodling away.  However, going back and listening to the album again, it's surprising how accessible a lot of the tracks actually are.  And perhaps that's a credit to Radiohead for having taken us with them on their musical journey.  'Knives Out' and 'I Might Be Wrong' would have been massive if they'd been on 'The Bends' or 'OK Computer', 'Like Spinning Plates' is a genius track, looping backwards and forwards constantly.  It is 'Pyramid Song' though that is the standout tune, loaded with atmosphere and that touch that Radiohead often have of conjuring up something special that's more than the sum of its parts.  Phil Selway's drumming here is absolutely tremendous too.  Radiohead released four albums in the Noughties...there's a clue there.

Look at Pyramid Song ; I Might be Wrong ; Like Spinning Plates ; Knives Out

Listen to a sampling of the Top Fifty on Spotify as we go or the 'one from each album' version