So I bought the new Radiohead album at Tower Records for $13.99 on the way to work this morning. I've listened to it several times now, and I still haven't figured out how I feel about it.

It certainly hasn't grabbed me and shook me up and set me down again to collect all the contents of my pockets like OK Computer did three years ago. This album is very different. I want to say it's not as good. I want to say it's so different that such a comparison doesn't matter.

Whatever I end up saying, I'm going to try to make up my own mind and not let the reviews I will inevitably read put words into my mouth. That happens sometimes, and I'm not proud of it.

(You know, it just occurred to me that Kid A reminds me in some ways of Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space by Spiritualized. OK Computer reminded me of nothing so much as Dark Side of the Moon. At least every Radiohead album is reminscent for me of some astronomical touchstone. That kind of consistency is worth something.)