As a member of the Zac Brown Band , Matt Mangano is no stranger to Atlanta music, having gleaned early on in his career from the city’s musical ecosystem. As such, our neighbor, now living in Nashville was a natural “About the Album” pick for KID A. 

“The year 2000 was a transformative year in many ways. On the heels of the Y2K scare and reeling from an influx of post-grunge rock, music was ripe for a revolution. Having recently arrived in Atlanta following a 3-year stint at music college in Boston, I had been heavily influenced by Radiohead’s OK Computer. The vast sonic landscapes of OK Computer were a world unto themselves, and revered by young musicians of the day. When the highly anticipated Kid A was released, I was one of the first in line at Tower Records to get my copy.

When I popped the CD into my car, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Kid A sounded

nothing like the grandiose production of OK Computer. The sounds were dry and immediate, and relied heavily on synthesizers – an unfamiliar timbre compared to the guitar-laden world to which I was accustomed. Radiohead had flipped the script and headed in a strangely different direction. As the album progressed, its stark nature subsided, and the songs continued to unfold and evolve. As the album played on, the band began to incorporate familiar sounds – bass guitar ostinatos, swirling electric guitars, and undeniable drum grooves. Thom Yorke’s brilliant melody writing was on full display, and at times the harmonic instruments completely stripped away, leaving only the vocal and a very lo-fi sounding drum program. Odd but familiar time signatures appeared so subtly that the casual listener might never notice. Instruments unusual to electric rock bands such as a horn section and the harmonium were ever present.

The final song gave a burst of crystalline sound, and suddenly silence. The album finished with almost an ellipse…and I wanted more. So I started again from Track 1. And then I got it – Everything In Its Right Place. On the second listen I devoured the record – every note, every sound, every word became apparent. I had a new perspective on what music could be, and it wouldn’t be long before many other musicians would have a similar experience.”