An Airbag Saved My Life

OK Computer by Radiohead is probably some of the most beautiful and artisitic music ever created. There is no doubt in my mind that it is one of the best albums recorded in the last 25 years or so, and they are the most creative group in the mainstream today. One of the most glaring aspects of OK Computer which makes it so special is that it truly is an album. It's not just a jumble of songs thrown together, but rather a cohesive unit in which all that matters is what comes between the opening of song one and the ending of song 12 ('Airbag' and 'The Tourist' respectively).

The lyrics seem to be written from the perspective of a sane man in an insane world, alienated by society's fixation on technology. In today's hectic and consumer-driven world, they are as relevant as ever and reflect a longing for a simpler, kinder world. From an exultation of relief after narrowly avoiding death in a car accident; to horror at the self destruction of people through drugs, alcohol, and networking, and being smothered by its presence; being abducted and taken to a perfect world by aliens; moving on to two lovers trying to escape the world; a man depressed by the dull routine that modern technology has created and is longing to break free but doesn't quite have the strength to pull himself up; the schizophrenic 'Karma Police' featuring an angry narrator threatening people he doesn't like, only to realize that the angry person isn't who he is at all and is shocked at the levels of vitriol of which he is capable; an interlude of a computerized voice describing the pleasentries of an everyday, ordinary, quiet existence; a cynical take on politics and elections; a frightening journey into the mind of an escaped mental patient; a weary summary of a dreadfully boring life by a man who wants a new beginning; the feeling of optimism knowing that you can sink no lower; a desperate plea to a tourist to slow down and enjoy life instead of rushing through the sights and not taking the time to appreciate the finer details. This is it only in a small nutshell.

Not only are the lyrics amazing, but the music is superb as well. The sleazy guitar riffs on 'Electioneering' scream "corruption!" at full volume, the mournful wails on 'Lucky' add a certain depressing element to otherwise optimistic words, the opening riff of 'Airbag' actually sounds like a car crash. As an interesting side note, the album starts with a man being amazed at surviving what seems to be a serious car accident, and ends with a plea for a person to slow down and enjoy life, making a cycle of the record that is really interesting and isn't found much on other records.

This is truly a classic album that everyone should appreciate for its timelessness. I know I do. More than a few songs on here are deeply personal to me. 'No Surprises' is about a man who is fed up with the way life is going for him; his job is terrible, he has a painful ache in his heart, and there are giant stresses placed on him at work and he is simply bored with routine and it's driving him crazy. While I may not exactly be contemplating suicide, I have definitly felt a connection to this character. A heart that's full up like a landfill: check. A job that slowly kills you: check. Bruises that won't heal: check. You look so tired unhappy: check. Bring down the government, they don't speak for us: check. I'll take a quiet life: check. A handshake, some carbon monoxide: uh....not exactly.... Such a pretty house and such a pretty garden (get me out of here): check. No alarms and so surprises, please: check.

The other song is 'Lucky,' which is about the feeling of optimism one gets when they know that their depression has hit rock bottom and they can't sink any further. It's a paradox of sorts, really. Lately, I have been feeling lots of stress in school, band, and life in general, and the weight of it all has really been keeping my spirits down. I don't want to disappoint the people I care about, nor do I want to be rejected by them. I look back on the past at times and wonder what went wrong and why didn't I realize that things were happening which would eventually lead me to this current state of mind I'm in. Haha, how can it possibly get any worse? That's really my only comfort. That, and knowing that at least some of it will be over in just under a month, and more in just under two months. At least the weather is getting nicer now.

So, there's my rant on Radiohead and their best album. I don't know what I'd do without it, honestly. It's just had such a soothing effect on me in troubled times that I can't imagine not owning it. God damn. I'm going to go pour myself a drink and toast Thom Yorke, Phil Selway, Ed O'Brian, Jonny Greenwood, and Colin Greenwood.

The Night And I Are Still So Young

Warning: mopey emo post ahead

Gen said an interesting thing to me the other day. "It's sad how we think we're so mature but we're probably not even close." It got me to thinking about how I live my life, and just what is meant by mature. In one sense of the word, I think I'm very mature. I'm respectful of others; I don't go out of my way to do harm to others, whatever "harm" may be; I work hard; I have realistic goals for the future. On the other hand, I also lead a very sheltered life. My curfew is pretty early compared to most of my friends, I'm not allowed to bus by myself to a lot of places in the city, even in the afternoon, until very recently I rarely ever went out on weekends (except for reffing). Mature means living? Will I start to live more when I'm 18? When I'm done IB exams (in 30 days)? Not until the summer? The night and I are still so young.

If you're ever in need of a quick new music fix, just start up Limewire or any other filesharing program, and search SXSW in the album section.

Edit: we'll have none of that.

You ain't ever gonna burn my heart out