Radiohead’s ‘Kid A’ shows growth

Spencer Patterson

Friday, April 30, 2004 | 8:25 a.m.

Few albums in rock history have been as divisive as Radiohead's fourth release, 2000's "Kid A."

Even among the British band's most dedicated fans, the disc opened a wide schism that has never quite closed.

On one side: those who believe "Kid A" marked a major step forward, not only for Radiohead but for a rock genre that was floundering at the turn of the century.

On the other: those who insist "Kid A" signaled the end of Radiohead's best days and only encouraged other like-minded groups to experiment needlessly.

I've always fallen into the first category. Essential as most of Radiohead's other work has been, I believe "Kid A" stands as the best example of the band's genius.

At first listen, the album's blend of electronic textures -- which range from hard-driving techno beats to patches of minimal ambience -- might seem a dramatic departure from the quintet's earlier material.

But if you spin the band's first three discs, the progression toward the experimentalism of "Kid A" actually sounds quite natural.

First, Radiohead stripped back the fuzzy guitars of their relatively benign debut, 1993's "Pablo Honey," for 1995's sparer, more melodic follow-up "The Bends." Then, they expanded on that concept, peeling back yet more traditional rock motifs for a more diverse, layered approach on 1997's "OK Computer."

That set the table for "Kid A," a disc that in turn paved the way for more sonic-collage production work on 2001's "Amnesiac" and last year's brilliant "Hail to the Thief."

Though instrumental sounds are emphasized -- from horns on "The National Anthem" to strings on "How to Disappear Completely" -- Thom Yorke's haunting vocals boil just under the surface, providing an equally important emotional counterpart to the music.

Of course, being a Radiohead fan in Southern Nevada is far from easy.

Not only have the British band's U.S. appearances become less frequent in recent years, but it's been more than a decade since Radiohead played its lone Vegas show -- a 1993 gig at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts.

Diehard local fans likely already have tickets to this weekend's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, a mere four-hour drive from Las Vegas.

That's no guarantee that we'll get to see Radiohead -- scheduled as Saturday night's headliner -- however. Yorke reportedly damaged his throat during an Australian concert this week, leaving his status for Coachella very much in doubt at press time.

Hopefully he'll recover in time to lead his band through a memorable performance.

If not, I'm bringing my copy of "Kid A" for the drive home, just in case.

Artist: Radiohead.

Title: "Kid A."

Year of release: 2000 (Capitol Records).

Tracklisting: "Everything in Its Right Place," "Kid A," "The National Anthem," "How to Disappear Completely," "Treefingers," "Optimistic," "In Limbo," "Idioteque," "Morning Bell," "Motion Picture Soundtrack."