Radiohead
"Amnesiac" (CD)

Anyone who knows me (fairly) well has probably heard my theory on Radiohead.  It goes something like this:

More often than not, when people quote their "favorite" Radiohead album to me it turns out that it was the first Radiohead album they really got to listen to completely.

"Amnesiac" is my first time.  It happened during a summer music festival in Texas.  Call it the result of basting in music nerd-dom for six weeks, but I was ready to receive the musical tapestry that is Radiohead.  Everything from the opening rhythm/noise of "Pakt Like Sardines..." to the 9-beat (or 18-beat) lop-sided patterns that seemed to herald Radiohead's summit atop Mt. Weird.

This band has continued its unique vein of musical evolution and I'm eternally happy for that, but this remains one of my favorite landmarks for the band.  For a long time this was my Favorite Radiohead Album, but since 'In Rainbows' was released I have slowly been shifting that mantle.