Radiohead fans are rabid

Now, this is not to say that everyone who likes the above band is a crazy person. I liked Ok Computer as much as any sane person. But in my first class today, the kid who sat behind me dared to say that Radiohead was the "best band ever." One of my ex-boyfriends was the same way. While I'm grateful to him for introducing me to the band, I was a little freaked when I listened to what he said he believed was perfection in music. Now I'm not denying that they aren't original, influential, and downright awesome at times. But best band ever? Seriously, some of their songs are the musical equivalent of my fifth grade teacher's nails running down a chalkboard.

Furthermore, in a tide of "Best of 2007" lists in every magazine from Rolling Stone to Time, it seems like people across the country are head over heels in love with In Rainbows. And there's nothing I hate more than puppy love. It's obsessive, silly, and not thought out.

It was good, sure. And varied as well. The first song, "15 step", is compelling enough with a solid driving beat and satisfactory lyrics. But it's not amazing. "Body Snatchers" is a nice change, heavy on the guitar with much less of their normal computerized tinkering bullshit. However, "Nude" was deeply depressing. While it starts off morose and soulful, halfway through the singer just turns into this wailing, really annoying person that i want to hit in the face. The same can be said for "Arpeggi". Then, "All I Need" drags on for what feels like eight-million years. The lyrics, "I am a moth/ Who justs wants to share your light/ I’m just an insect/ Trying to get out of the dark" are quite intriguing, but the sheer repetitiveness of that song is well, lame. "Faust ARP" intrigued me with the title alone, and that song did not disappoint. "Reckoner" has a great riff, that is almost entirely drowned out by a tambourine. The mellow guitars in "House of Cards" remind me of the music i listened to when i was younger, though the rest of it is pure Radiohead style. "Jigsaw Into Place" is so kickass that for a second i thought I was listening to a different band. Then, of course they close with "Videotape", which though it has alright lyrics, simply bores me.

It's a solid album, with a few really awesome songs. But none of it is really revolutionary. With their slower songs, I get the feeling they're trying to reach the emotional pull of Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize," but just can't make the jump from "okay" to "fabulous." Maybe I'm just easily annoyed. After listening to all the hype about this album, I put off listening to it so that I wouldn't be swayed by the opinions of others. Now I have. And I found that I still feel the same way about Radiohead as I felt 6 months ago. They are better than good, less than best ever, and their rabid fans are really annoying.