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Thursday PM, I was in Pittsburgh, Penn., and enjoying a honey latte on soy at Crazy Mocha (my new favorite cafe franchise) when the barista played Ok Computer. A few thoughts:
(unu.) First bite of the madeline, "Paranoid android", reminds me how metallic this album is. I had forgotten that (fairly early from the release) with all the criticism of the disc detailing its progressive and electronic affectations. So, my opinion of OKC is elevated... Apparently, they weren't trying so much to be mid-period Floyd as early Sabbath. Oh, baby.
(doi.) Tone established, my mind unspooled further, and I was back in '97, Fourth of July, when I bought OKC in one of its first weeks of release... Not because I was a hipster -- in no way nor shape nor form -- but just because I really, really liked The bends. (Other titles bought that day: Black love, Definitely maybe, Word from the 'Wise (Pennywise ep on Theologian).)
(trei.) More time-travel: having fulfilled my quota of high-school era nostalgia, I moved to '99, summer more accurately. I was back from first year at college, and in keeping up with my scenester friends, I discovered that OKC had been adopted by the emotive-posthardcore nation as a signal release. I really never heard the influence... But, however it goes, I leant the disc out a coupla times for burning purposes, and hung my hat on being the source for what was hot.
(patru.) Sunday PM, and back in Milwaukee, I saw a babe at Stone Creek with her fiance/baby-father (one of the two, or both), and she was wearing what looked to be a long-sleeve with Hail to the thief cover on it. In fact, it was. I caught up with her as she exited, and asked her if she had any word on the new record.... She didn't, as well she proved nonplussed when I asked about the proto-nouveau-emo.
(cinci.) Conclusion: OKC is a solid record, unexpectedly heavy but not transcendent, and as to its emo bona fides... I think Chris Roberts -- who, apparently, is married, and going by Christopher (I learned this from my cousin, Josh, who has played a coupla gigs opening for the Silence (for which C. Roberts drums); also, Roberts is married to a former Kettle Moraine High classmate of my cousin) -- was just on some mess, and trying to seem cooler than he (and the rest of my boys) could ever have been. (On that, it's funny that both he and M. Carey (nickisnotdead to the rest of you) are married, as they, like the rest of my boys, OPENLY reviled the idea of set relationships and traditional social arrangements. Hell, I bet they stopped shoplifting, too... Then again, they overthrew the capitalist hegemony in Milwaukee about three years ago; so, no need to continue the war.)
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