Ok Computer

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With the exception of Nirvana's Nevermind, no rock of the '90s is as widely accepted as a masterpiece as Radiohead's 1997 OK Computer, and even partisans of Nirvana would have to acknowledge that OK Computer creates its own universe in a way that Nevermind does not. This makes it a bit of a tricky candidate for a deluxe reissue like this 2009 double-disc set: it's nice to have it enhanced with all the released B-sides from the Paranoid Android, Karma Police, and No Surprises singles, along with three BBC sessions, but it's not necessary. A large part of this is because all of the great songs from the sessions wound up on the album proper. While some of the non-LP B-sides here are quite good -- particularly Pearly, Melatonin, Meeting in the Aisle, and How I Made My Millions -- they're not a patch on what is on the album; they're a nice addition, but they don't enhance the album and that is true of the live cuts here, which are noteworthy only in how they illustrate that Radiohead's creativity was not limited to the studio (the remixes of Climbing Up the Walls sound like electronica artifacts compared to these). While none of this material is bad -- and much is quite good -- this isn't a disc that's necessary to the appreciation of OK Computer. It's not revelatory; it's a good set of footnotes carrying some mildly interesting supplemental material. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi