Saturday, September 11, 2004

Are you kidding?

A few weeks ago, I heard one of the weirdest songs I know on Chinese radio while I was having a shower. What was odder was that it was not a Chinese song, and it was in my CD collection, the strangely named: Kid A.

The song done by Radiohead was a mix of a incoherent computer voice, with a background childhood music box playing in the background in amongst synthesizers. It is a weird song that works well, almost mocking the need for lyrics and then mocking the need to have "proper" instruments.

For me, it is interesting that someone on a radio station would notice such a song. I had never heard it on other radio stations (in fact, the album also called Kid A was released deliberately without singles). The host to the radio show explained her views on the band saying they are completely without limits and that is what made it good. It is nice to have my stereotypes challenged.

Recently, I also bought another Bjork CD, a rather challenging listen called Medulla. Some of the songs leave the strangeness of Kid A in its dust. Some to there detriment, others to their advantage. Just then, I heard a review of it on National Radio. The little riffs that they played were wonderful and made me want to hear the whole CD again.

It is strange the feelings you get when you hear songs on your own CDs on the radio.

1 comment:

James said...

When I hear songs on the radio which are on CDs that I already own, I feel like someone has heard a secret that I was already aware of. Or, found the answer to a question I had already solved.