There’s no way Pablo Honey or even The Bends could have prepared us for OK Computer. This isn’t a new thought, but it is worth mentioning that in just over four years Radiohead graduated from “Creep” to visionary status. It’s startling, too, realizing OK Computer was released a decade ago: June 16, 1997 in Europe and July 1, 1997 in the U.S. Very heavy summer listening, no?
To celebrate the anniversary we’ve asked some of our favorite musicians to participate in a song-by-song OK Computer covers compilation. Indicative of the album’s continued importance, each invitee jumped at the chance; the results are personal, intense, tellingly various.
(Click here to go straight to OKX: A Tribute To OK Computer.)
Some folks honored the original “sturdy” design. Others looked to add difference. A couple wanted to flat-out shatter. None sound like Coldplay. Because critics have written more than enough about OK Computer‘s influence, we also asked each contributor to write a response to their take. But first, more from the critics?
Radiohead has spoken about attempting to overlap DJ Shadow and the Beatles on OK Computer (remember this was pre-Danger Mouse, wasn’t meant so literally), but what the quintet created — existential dread, paranoia, and technophobia set to a lush, icy soundscape — has an entirely unique sound and feel, something our generation could grab onto and own. Yorke intones, “ambition makes you look pretty ugly” before one of “Paranoid Android”‘s guitar-roar ascensions, but not here, Thom, not here? OK houses a post-everything guitar rock made fleshy and skeletal with spiraling pop arrangements, arty progressions, and complexly ingenious/uncompromising recording techniques. As those of us haunted by its melodies know, OK Computer‘s often as important for its sound as for what the band wanted to say. In fact, it’s safe to say quite a few fans know said melodies more than the words (anyone care to belt out an acapella “Electioneering” or “Climbing the Walls”?) Regarding “The Tourist,” Decemberists guitarist Chris Funk comments, “I’m sure the words are amazing and mean something, but ? it’s always the melody for me first and I find this one just like an attic space full of opium and air-conditioning.” (This coming from someone who tours with Colin Meloy?)
While Yorke’s shimmering falsetto could likely exhale a shopping list and conjure tears (to be honest we haven’t tried this yet), OK Computer‘s themes are equally ambitious: There’s that existential dream world, a need to escape empty feelings, and a wish/dread to find transcendence beyond “a heart that’s full up like a landfill, a job that slowly kills you, bruises that won’t heal.” As Twilight Sad drummer Mark Devine notes, “the fear of modern society [is] evident in every corner of OK Computer.” All that said (and placed on infinite repeat), we embrace the irony of releasing OKX as a series of MP3′s sent to us by their makers via email and enjoyed by you on a computer. Kissing might still include saliva, but putting together and playing a record no longer requires human contact. In our over-documented, blogged, reality televised, YouTube/MySpace realm — “a town where you can’t smell a thing” — OK Computer‘s sense of vacuum-packed alienation remains presciently relevant. “Yuppies” are busy networking in “Paranoid Android”; now it’s everyone (yeah, even you kid). Now more than ever we need to heed “The Tourist”‘s request to slow down and look at the scenery (unless, of course, your scenery’s an iPhone “touch” screen).
Analysis aside ? the record’s also just flat-out beautiful. Songs can’t always keep you warm, but goddamn if OK Computer doesn’t usually do the trick. OKX‘s contributors know this: My Brightest Diamond “votes Radiohead [her] favorite band of all time”; John Vanderslice votes “Karma Police”‘s bridge “the best bridge ever.” Or, David Bazan recalls being “instantly moved” by “Let Down”‘s “first depressed/hopeful (now classic) guitar line,” adding “by the end of the second verse I was choking back tears, undone.” And Cold War Kids’ Nathan Willett sums it up perfectly: “OK Computer is the single most important album to be released during my youth … it was a rite of passage ? I have never had an emotional connection with an album quite like I have with this one.” Hopefully some of that (or that or that) magic has made its way onto OKX. Slow down, dig in.
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I won’t be linking to this from my music blog. I can not endorse Mobius Band’s bad cover of a bad cover. The definitive version will always be Bob Dylan’s– from his classic 1960s album “Bringing It All Back.” Radiohead did a poor job and Mobius Band only perpetuates their shoddy interpretation.
I won’t be linking to this from my music blog. I can not endorse Mobius Band’s bad cover of a bad cover. The definitive version will always be Bob Dylan’s– from his classic 1960s album “Bringing It All Back.” Radiohead did a poor job and Mobius Band only perpetuates their shoddy interpretation.
great to see a site do this so stereogum gets credit for doing something awesome regardless of how the music sounds…I think my brightest diamond definitely takes the cake though…by far the best vocals…if you are gonna do a cover you can’t COMPLETELY alter the song..I think she does a great job of changing it just enough to give it her style while staying true to radiohead.
hipper. fattier. more predictive.
THE album of sophomore year of college.
Holy crap I’m old. make it stop.
I think the person who posted the comment below is confusing ‘Subterranean Homesick Alien’ (Radiohead) with ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’ (Bob Dylan).
When listening, you may have noticed that Radiohead’s ‘cover’ sounded very different, the reason for this being; its not a cover, but… an entirely different song.
The title is a homeage to Bob Dylan’s song title. There are no other similarities. Nothing at all. You fool.
Yeah. #1 blogger is a pretentious idiot. He hoped to feel superior by belittling Radiohead’s Homesick Alien cause he thought it was a cover of Bob Dylan’s all the while never listening to the track at all cause Radiohead just changed the name as an homage. What an asshole.
Ha! Wow… you nerds just got took. Keep ‘em coming #1 Blogger! You made my day.
everybody’s saying samson dalonoga is david cross!
http://www.bestweekever.tv/2007/07/10/listen-up-pretty-above-average-computer/
i’ve heard him do a character like that. so awesome if true. that shiz is hilarious.
It’s totally awasome album. Pure beauty, really
. Nicely different 
.
It’s so nice from you to doing this and you can be proud of what you’ve done … it’s really very good, I like it a lot. Whole album is simply greate
When I was young I thought it was “this shirt makes you look pretty ugly.” Yeah, I just said that.
And yes, the Cold War Kids cover is that bad. Maybe it’s an interesting “interpretive choice,” but I admire the grit of anyone who actually got through the whole thing. Ouch.
Wow anything Radiohead related is awesome… but this… this is FREAKING awesome. A full album of Radiohead’s best album! All for free! I have my opinions about the songs but the fact that it’s free and it’s related to Radiohead make it great. Thanks so much for doing this (and I hope future Radiohead album covers are in store!)
Samson is not David. David is Samson – probably.
I like the Cold War Kids version, actually. It helps that he made it Robert Plant/Jeff Buckley-ish sounding.
thanks for your idea to do this and let us d/l for free. they (songs) are really awesome! i enjoy listening to them.
Thank you for having this idea and for pursuing it and pulling it off–it’s beautiful and appropriate. Amazingly pleasing. Really, just, thank you.
Thanks a lot !
Great ! Great ! Great !
in 3 years when you do a ‘kid a’ comp, who gets the dubious honor of covering ‘Treefingers’?
You shoulda asked Rob Dickinson to do a song…
Kidding, of course.
pedro the lion used to cover let down back in the day, so dave doing this cover makes perfect sense.
that’s an awesome idea! thanks for going to all that effort guys!
Does the first post read… “never been much of a fan of “OK Computer” myself. It always just seemed like a necessary stop-gap that allowed them to reach the majestic heights of “Kid A” and “Amnesiac.”"…
WOW! OK Computer is one of the staple recordings in modern music. A legendary album that helped to establish Radiohead as one of the premier bands across the globe. No doubt that Kid A and Amnesiac helped to push into newer territory, but to overlook or cast aside OK Computer is crazy. Would there be any Sgt. Peppers without Revolver? Just as The Bends fed in to OK Computer which fed Kid A, etc… And yes I did make a reference to 2 of the greatest albums in history to make this comparison, but OK Computer deserves such accolades.
Thanks for making these available.
I think if you took some of the tracks from this one, some from the Radiodread album, and then a few of the OKC tracks from the Exit Music tribute, you’d have a pretty remarkable thing. (Hmm, now that is an idea, I might just try that.)
Agree with the person who commented on The Bends. I guess that one hasn’t been deemed as ‘interesting’ from a cover perspective perhaps because the tracks are not as influential/innovative as the OKC stuff. But the nice thing about the earlier work is it’s more accessible (‘pop’) to begin with, so I would think that would open more doors for experimentaion by the cover artists. A thought, anyway. The Mark Ronson/Alex Greenwald cover of ‘Just,’ for example, from the Exit Music album–I thought that was pretty fabulous.
“Hasn’t this already been gone over? If you can’t tell the difference between Hypeful and Stereogum’s tributes then you must be slightly retarded”
Dear JEEZ – And if you can’t see the POSSIBILITY that Gum MIGHT have taken some INSPIRATION from Hypeful’s list (see: http://www.hypeful.com/2007/06/22/ok-computer-turns-10/ ) then you should have your commenting privilages revoked. Of course they are different. You’re a moron. But there couldn’t be the SLIGHTEST possibility that this idea was inspired by the SAME IDEA on another blog. If you’ve ever made music, you know that it’s more than possible to produce a song in 18 days (the difference between the 2 posts) All of these songs could have been done in a home studio in a day if they wanted. I’m not saying that Sterogum stole anything . . . I am saying that it’s possible. I’m also saying you’re a dumb ass.
Lucky is…. wow. That woman’s voice is absolutely beautiful. That chorus…. when the high harmony comes in. And the last time she says “standing on the edge.” I sharted
WOW, this is VERY VERY good. I’ve been a fan of OK Computer for quite some time now (and Radiohead in general), but this is my favourite album. It is simply beautiful… breathtaking.
I especially liked Exit Music, on the OK:X, also Lucky is AMAZING.
Wow, thanks a lot you guys, this is great
if stereogum was “inspired” by hypeful, then they talked to a ton of bands, got the ones who said yes to record tracks while some of them are on tour, otherwise engaged, etc, got it mastered, and put together the art in…what, two weeks? come on. at some point, even the biggest hater out there couldn’t claim this was stolen from anyone.
Am I the only one that prefers The Bends over Ok Computer?
great job stereogum. keep ‘em coming. so, KID A is next right?
I have heard a live rendition of “Let Down” by David of Pedro the Lion, but this studio version might possibly be more depressing than the original…and I say that to be a compliment. Really good stuff Stereogum.
Cold War Kids…. oh man…
The horrible thing about the electioneering cover is that the guitar (at least for me) has always been the heart of that song…and they ripped it out. It’s got nothing…I don’t think I’d be interested in Thom Yorke singing to drums and tambourine, and I’m certainly not interested in listening to Cold War Kids doing it. Otherwise I’m pretty impressed with the covers, Vanderslice especially.
Eh…
Pretty good, albeit pretentious, little site you have here. But this article is a joke. Great idea, let’s hear a bunch of mediocre bands butcher a classic album. But, hey, what do you expect from people who consider “OKX” a title(real grabber) and “Stereogum” a cool name.
lol
“The horrible thing about the electioneering cover is that the guitar (at least for me) has always been the heart of that song…and they ripped it out. It’s got nothing…I don’t think I’d be interested in Thom Yorke singing to drums and tambourine, and I’m certainly not interested in listening to Cold War Kids doing it.”
Exactly. Well said.
Mrs. Featherbottom,
Can we just go ahead and assume that you’re one of those gits that listens to “Top 40″ hits until the TV tells you that they’re not any good anymore?
What a jackass.
The Cold War Kids’ cover is fantastic. I’m definitely more interested in listening to more of their stuff. Which is rare on a tribute album.
Rare to listen to more of a band’s stuff on a tribute album? Darn near impossible I’d say…you have to get a separate album for that. And I say don’t waste your time with those guys
This is incredibly interesting… I’m downloading as I type.
Love OK Computer, in my opinion, their best album… truly changed my direction in music, I must add.
I prefer KID A, but Ok Computer is also a Fantastic album!
thank to Stereogum to this tribute album!
Regarding the title “OKX”, when I first saw it my immediate association was “OS X” as in the Mac OS. Can I tell the cool kids that I got the joke or am I reading in too much?
Great job by the way. Love to see more of the same in the future.
Am I the only one here who:
1. thought Radiodread kind of sucked, and
2. likes Cold War Kids? When I first heard them, I thought the singer sounded like Jack White on an off day, which isn’t terrible.
good job stereogum! i thought the twilight sad did the best job and man that cold war kids cover disapointed me. i really love them but they cant cover that song without guitars!
Nope, nope, nope….
I’m not a big fan of this. I don’t get what’s so great about taking this record, that could rock so hard and sing so sweet, and taking its teeth out with vague keyboard melody lines and fuzzy bumping beats. The only thing worth the work was ‘fitter happier.’ That gave me a kick.
Since when did our generation become afraid of rock and roll?
Thanks a lot! amazed by what i’m listening to!
1à years, and always inspiring work!
Thanx stereogum!!!! Love Love Love
Samson Dalonoga’s Fitter Happier is a joke.
Hello,
I’m writing from italy.
This Radiohead tribute is great, thank you for that.
I work for Midfinger Records (Italian, UK, Swedish bands as Jeniferever… Drink to me, Anthony Reynolds..) and I’d like to present our Repetition*Bowie tribute to David Bowie.
Here it is: http://www.repetionbowie.com
But on the site label http://www.midfinger.net you can listen to some bits in the catalogue page.
Thank you.
Gianluca
David Bazan is as much a genius as Radiohead.
Radioheads upcoming album..
The new OK Computer?
I enjoyed the covers just goes to show you can do just about anything with radioheads music because the melodies can be used in pretty much any musical style.
randomly heard mobius band’s cover of “subterranean homesick alien” on kcrw and they were talking about stereogum. very cool!
http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/df
You can’t hold MRS. FEATHERBOTTOM, Stereogum! I RUN TINGS!!!
Your site is crap and your tributes are crap. And your twee ass fans commenting on shit while they watch TRL are a joke.
Featherbottom is your official nemesis. OKX?! lol I guess you douchebags got tired of updating us on Jessica Alba and Britney’s hair. lol
I bet you delete this post too. Fascist morons!
lol
dammit, mom, i’m going to take away your laptop
Mrs Featherbottom sounds like a 13 year old boy still contemplating the reason for that funny feeling growing in his pants. Asshole.
I saw Vampire Weekend at Emo’s in Austin this past Thursday night & they confirmed that “Fitter Happier” was done by David Cross
Marissa Nadler’s “No Surprises” gives me chills. Love it.
“There’s no way Pablo Honey or even The Bends could have prepared us for OK Computer.”
Uhh, I don’t know. I think PINK FLOYD might’ve prepared us for OK COMPUTER. Not to say OK COMPUTER isn’t a bad album, but let’s keep our influenced in check ya’ll.
Um, Lucy Dee, I think that’s referencing the fact that Radiohead’s first two album’s couldn’t prepare folks for their third album. Nothing to do with the history of music outside of that…
Simply Awfull !!!!Get your hands and instruments off from Radiohead There’s nothing like the original OK Computer.
Welcome to the ‘Gum, Associated Press article readers!
To the guy who said “um Pink Floyd could have prepared us”. Most of the Radiohead fans aren’t old enough to get the reference but I think that Dark Side of the Moon and OK Computer hold similar importance in influencing today’s music. Or maybe as my friends say – you can only have 10 CDs – which ones are these? And I never feel certain about much except that Dark Side of the Moon and OK Computer will be there.
Thanks for this, it’s great to hear another perspective on these tunes, though the production itself was a big star on the original and very few of these come close to that kind of attention to detail (I suspect budget was a constraint!)
Incredible! Thanks so much. Makes you appreciate all the more the original while still devouring these covers.
Three tracks really stand out on this tribute: “Climbing up the Walls” by The Twilight Sad; Marissa Nadler’s version of “No Surprises”; and “Lucky” by My Brightest Diamond.
“Airbag” by Doveman is OK, but the dynamics are a bit off and sadly fails to satisfy. Mobius Band’s cover of “SHA” has genuine moments of brilliance, but it suffers around the three-minute mark. Vampire Weekend should be ashamed for butchering their cover (although the synth flute actually works — lose the dance beats and the song might pass muster, guys). “Let Down” is unfortunately aptly named due to David Bazan’s Black Cloud’s lead vocal, which is whiny, off-key, forced, and lacking any merit — the music is all right, however. John Vanderslice almost had the right idea with “Karma Police” — good vocal work — but there is nothing to appreciate musically. I can’t think of anything good to say about “Fitter Happier” — please learn to pronounce “saturated” guys. “Electioneering” *needs* a guitar in the mix for it to work. And “Tourist” might have caused my ears to bleed.
So, three good tracks, a couple of almost-there tracks, and some truly awful renditions by Flash Hawk Parlor Ensemble and Samson Dalonoga.
You are kidding re: fitter happier right? Try to come up with a cover of that track that isn’t a pale imitation of the original and you’ll appreciate what those guys achieved. A real re-interpretation of the piece while remaining faithful. For an example of how it could have gone, check out the versoin at hypeful
omg omg omg fitter happier was amazing!
These covers are fricken terrible. Most of them totally ruin the feelings of the originals. I agree that it would be hard to redo fitter happier without sounding like a parody, or a copy, but thats kinda the point of the song. Take away the performance of the original and your left with a parody of itself.
Airbag was ok, but the rest are almost disgustingly unlistenable.
Ugh — awful awful covers. John Vanderslice’s cover was a bright spot as was the tracks from Cold War Kids to My Brightest Diamond. The rest was some garbage without anything that made the songs memorable — just bad photocopies/similes.
The Doveman cover is freaking brilliant. Both of the “No Surprises” covers are pretty damn good too. Actually, I’d say that the majority of the songs are pretty interesting, which is about all you can hope for with covers in general.
I actually loved Flash Hawk Parlor Ensemble – The Tourist.
Different from the original, so intense and harmonic and… alive. Don’t know why no one mentioned that track.
this is so good. these covers take the songs in all sorts of places which is great i think, we’ve all listened to ok computer over and over. this is exactly whats needed.
I know now why Mobius Band’s cover sucks: It sounds like someone who thinks they’re David Bowie and moves to Berlin and locked themselves in a room with heroin and Robert Wyatt and Kraftwerk records for years. They heard the original and thought they could do it better, but can’t.
Just wanted to tell you guys that Current TV did a spotlight on this, so expect more traffic because of them!
kudos to the bands for the excellent covers of OK COMPUTER. 2 thumbs up for them!!! peace
am i supposed to be able to download these? i have no idea how to download these, someone help me out.
Great work Stereo Gum….
Got the entire download. Looking also to download Rockabye Version to make my sleep more sweet : )
Tried so many links. None of them been a great help. Everything stopped in half a way.
If someone have the album of Rockabye Baby Redentions of Radiohead. Please let me share it. Coz its not available here in India to purchase.
Thanks and you all have a great day
mashnash@gmail.com
Tired of Ashlee Simpson and Rhianna? Rather hear about a great new album instead of Britney’s hair?
Change is coming…
This change, it will involve a certain troll? Jolly good!
I thought you guys might be happy to hear that OKX has been covered up by newspapers all the way over here in France.
http://www.lesinrocks.com/ListeNews.cfm?iditem=207481&src=rss
Congrats !
le Baron
Great idea but all these covers don’t sound good!
Nice stuff for “No surprises” or “Paranoid Android” but a shame for “Exit” or “Karma Police”…
Thanks Stereogum
Vince from France
Interview with the Twilight Sad about working on their cover song for the tribute:
http://latenightwallflower.blogspot.com/2007/08/interview-with-twilight-sad.html
Way to rip off Flight of the Conchords with your cover art.
This comp did much to illuminate the fact that Radiohead is still head and shoulders above most recording artists out there, especially the ones involved in this project. I suppose it’s fair to say that it’s intimidating to try and re-record one of their songs, but NO ONE had any balls on this comp. Almost all of this stuff sounds limp. Ok Computer is perhaps Radioheads most dynamic album and most of these rehashings are shamefully dull. Even Bazan (who has covered Let Down to great effect over the years) castrated himself on this one. Why all the terrible synth sounds all over the place? Why all the weak attention to vocal lines that were so expertly crafted by Thom. In my mind, only My Brightest Diamond comes close to capturing the power of the vocal melody that most of these compositions are built around… it’s a bloody shame really. but i guess that’s what you get when you ask others to redo what’s already been done perfectly.
Thanks for putting this album together. We just posted our review on Criticize This! today. Enjoy!
http://www.criticizethis.net/2007/08/album-review-ok.html
Can someone please post up the mp3s?
I never post on these things but feel somebody had to put the world to rites…
All who are dropping the negatives left right and center please read this.
The people behind OKX have done music a serious credit.
It seems everyone has an opinion however being able to leave comments on site has made everyone such a harsh critic.
I play music, i write music, i do covers and also rearrange covers. However i do have opinions myself and my own taste and preference for music over other music.
Noone cares for whether i think the covers are any good or not apart from the people involved on the project and to all involved i salute you.
I think its about time people stopped trying to force their views on others when its just THEIR opinion at the end of the day.
Would be nice if people were to give their opinion if when commenting they actually were talking sense. Someones remark on a track having vocals that are ‘off-key’ is complete madness so i’m guessing they dont actually make music.
Just in case any involved are wondering how i got here to even be in the know about OCX its due to Death Cab For Cutie having mesmerized me with the track ‘What Sarah Said’ from the album ‘Plans’
If anyone feels ive been opinionated and wants to respond to my comments feel free, i look forward to reading them.
I reckon someone should put up the mp3s again… I want to buy this, man, what a brilliant idea.
Some of its awesome, some of it kind of completely butchers the song. Loved Exit Music, adored it, but I really didnt like what was done with Fitter Happier, it totally defeated the purpose of the lyrics.
how do i buy this???
Can someone please repost the mp3′s for this? I love it and want it.
is the ZIP availiable anywhere??
try searching for okx.zip, or looking for a torrent.
Some pretty cool covers here. I like the idea and the execution. I’ve personally never heard of any of these people (except John Vanderslice) but I think that kind of works better anyway.
I’d love to have the No Surprises-cover bij NOrthern State. Such a lovely lullaby it turned out.
wow this really sucks.. whoever the hell dave zaban is, he sounds like shit..this just really pisses me off, indie rock can be so cool about 1 hour of the day the rest of the time it is just pathetic group of guys who got shoved in lockers in high school writing psuedo witty lyrics over shitty chord progressions..wow fuck you, thom yorke would slap you for making this (what a waste)
Hope you’ll enjoy…..ddefinitely best song of new album
John Vanderslice’s covor = Fab.
Doveman’s Airbag cover is astounding. Thanks for putting this together, Stereogum.
hi man yahoo.com
been poking around for a download of this somewhere but haven’t had any luck. anyone else find one?
I have listened to Radiohead almost every day for the last decade. I am not sure if OK Computer is my favorite album (poorly defined term), it is without a doubt the most touching and meaningful album I own. These covers are good. If you think they are shit then you are missing a lot. You are missing the unique arrangements and replacements. You are missing the redefined composition. You are missing the textures and stereo effects. The list could keep going.
If you do think these are caca, then you need to stop listening through your crappy laptop speakers and your crappy earbuds. Buy a decent set of headphones. I hate you.