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.

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We have news of a Decemberist going it alone, at least for a home recording release and a string of West Coast dates as the Flash Hawk Parlor Ensemble. The guitarist who dueled with Colbert Frampton in a battle of the shred offers up Plastic Bag In The Tree, a collection of tunes featuring mainly Mr. Funk, along with some of his Portland neighbors, featuring covers (Radiohead, Fleetwood Mac, the Pretenders, Massive Attack) and a couple of originals. No shanties here; the Flash Hawk Parlor Ensemble specializes in acid-tinged instrumental folk ditties which are, as Chris jokes, “good intermittent music for NPR’s All Things Considered!” Find a taste from the record below. We like this song’s tuning, which he nicked from John Fahey; tab fiends, he “thinks” it’s a low C (CGCGCE).

Flash Hawk Parlor Ensemble – “Chained To A Pole” (MP3)

Head to MySpace for a sweet cover of Massive Attack’s “Teardrop.” You can catch Chris with a veritable ensemble of support players (including Norfolk & Western’s Peter Broderick and fellow Decemberist Jenny Conlee) on a string of west coast dates. Chris booked the tour without remembering the Fahey tuning, so maybe just go to relish the potential dissonance. Take the jump for the dates.

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