ElephOK Computer

Before we begin the review, let me just say that the lack of comments on my Cat Power review leads me to believe that you all agree with my spot on analysis, and that as much as you wanted to write about how right I was, your awakening left you too ashamed to say anything, so instead you just hung your collective heads, sighed, walked slowly over to your CD shelves pulled out all of your Cat Power albums and threw them in the garbage.

On to new business.

These two albums, which at first glance appear quite different, have a lot in common. They are both brilliant albums. They both have strong front men. They both have annoying spoken word sections. A lot of time and energy was put into the image surrounding these albums, even though you are supposed to believe that no time or effort was put into it, they just happened that way. Both bands got credit for re-energizing the music scene upon the release of the album.

Let’s dig deeper:

OK Computer

I have some baggage with this album, I’ll admit it. I loved The Bends, and was one of the few people I knew who was championing Radiohead when it came out. Then OK Computer came out, and everyone loved Radiohead and acted like they had loved them forever. And then a ‘friend’ who had promised me a ticket to the Radiohead show gave it to someone else because I was going more to see Spiritualized open than I was for Radiohead (which was partly true, but still a sucky thing to do). Plus I really can’t stand Thom Yorke. I have trouble with the tension of a band who rails against the system, but enjoys all the benefits it has to offer. And, let us be honest, they participate in it fully. Thom Yorke has a carefully sculpted image so that at all times he looks like he:
a) just woke up
b) just showed up to a party
c) wasn’t aware of the party
d) doesn’t understand why everyone is fussing over him
e) couldn’t care less anyway

It was like when the guy from Coldplay said he doesn’t consider himself a rockstar because he doesn’t wear the right pants. Then puts on huge stadium shows with outfits which were obviously picked out by a costume designer.

Here is a quote from Thom Yorke about his thoughts surrounding OK Computer: "It was like there's a secret camera in a room and it's watching the character who walks in - a different character for each song. The camera's not quite me. It's neutral, emotionless. But not emotionless at all. In fact, the very opposite." Makes me want to punch him in the face.

But I digress…

So I developed a grudge against OK Computer. I know this sounds very high school, but I was recently out of high school, and let’s not forget I am emotionally developmentally delayed by at least 4 years. Nevertheless, I’m going to try to put that behind me and listen fresh.
And listen I did. And it is a really great album. It is incredibly well textured. Airbag sounds a little more like the bends than I had remembered, but then Paranoid Android switches things up. I’d say nicely, but I’ve never been a huge fan of this song. We get some good stuff until Karma Police, which is the best song on the album for my money. Then track 7 sucks and makes me hate the album, but then Electioneering makes me forget how annoying track 7 was. And it’s tight the rest of the way through. No Surprises in particular. It’s a great album, no doubt about it.

Elephant

Speaking of douchebags, Jack White is at least as insufferable as Thom Yorke. From on article on ‘It Might Get Loud’: What happens when you put three of the most revered guitarists of the past 40 years in a room together? "Probably a fistfight," cracks Jack White.

Gee Jack, what a clever, off-the-cuff remark that certainly you hadn’t been planning on dropping the next time a reporter asked that type of question to promote your image as some sort of bad boy of rock. And then there is the whole creepiness of introducing your ex-wife as your sister, and finding it amusing to keep people guessing whether you used to sleep together, or whether you used to sleep together. So he sucks.

In the last several years my interest in new music has waxed and waned. It usually needs something to jumpstart it during the lulls, a great new band, a great live show, something. It was during a period of waning that I discovered Elephant. I hadn’t heard any White Stripes before, but I had put it on my Amazon wishlist because it seemed to be making the rounds. And I loved it. There are only two tracks on this album that I am not that fond of (Ball & Biscuit, and Hypnotize). The guitar sounds are great, the drumming is raw, everything clicks. ‘The Air Near My Fingers’ is my favourite on the album, but there are several others close behind.

So why do I care so much about the people making the music? Shouldn’t it just be about the music itself? No, and shut up. Because these aren’t just albums. At their best they are art, but at their worst they are product. Again, it strikes me as ironic that Radiohead put out such a carefully produced item that complains about our lack of connection due to our over-reliance on carefully packaged items. The biggest difference between these albums is that one leaves the mistakes and dissonance in intentionally, and one puts the mistakes and dissonance in intentionally.

In one of my earlier reviews I think I said something about liking boring rock music. It stands to reason that I would like awesome rock music even more.

Elephant wins.