Radiohead's biographer offers eight possible explanations as to why their new album, Kid A, is quite so. odd.

1. With EMI's share price near an all-time low, this is a predetermined attempt to release an album so non-commercial, the company's share price will become further depressed and the band can buy up EMI stock - and therefore their own contract - at rock bottom prices. As Uncle Thom told Investors Weekly, "Capitalism is very bad. The only way to escape its ignominious grasp is to own everything." *

2. RSI is last year's thing. Kid A is an attempt to ensure the band never have to attend the high court to defend themselves against "repetitive listening" charges.

3. Producer Nigel Godrich's throwaway comment: "It's freezing cold in 'ere" was misinterpreted by the band as "It's too fucking linear".

4. Whereas previous albums have alluded to Thom's desire to contact aliens, this album documents the resulting dialogue he's had with them.

5. Muse and Coldplay sound more like Radiohead than Radiohead do these days, so why not sound like traffic noise instead?

6. The songs are a direct result of the band holding a private competition to see how few chords a band possessing no fewer than three guitarists could commit to one album.

7. It's a concept album about commercial suicide - and, as such, executed beautifully.

8. Radiohead are tired of their corporate branding, so Kid A is a shot across the bows for EMI: "Let us do our own thing, or next time we get REALLY weird".

* This quote, like the commercial appeal of Kid A, is entirely fictitious.

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