It only lasts for about four seconds, but the chillingly quiet note cluster that opens “How To Disappear Completely” might be the most magical moment on “Kid A.” The eerie tone transforms into a backdrop for Thom Yorke, who seems to be reciting from the diary of a madman—half of the lines Yorke delivers are “I’m not here / This isn’t happening / I’m not here / I’m not here.”

“Amy In The White Coat,” Bright Eyes

We can imagine a different world—one in which Bright Eyes singer Oberst decides that maybe an unforgivingly explicit song about a girl who gets abused by her father just isn’t necessary. But Oberst instead decides to speak in shockingly specific detail, his voice wavering wildly as he plays the part of the father, whispering, “Your older sisters, I had them, too / but you’re my favorite, you know it’s true.”

“Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst,” Kendrick Lamar

“good kid, m.A.A.d city” is a turbulent and emotionally charged journey through growing up in Compton. “Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst” is the album’s heartbreaking version of a posse cut, but with Lamar taking all three characters’ verses, one for Dave’s brother, one for Keisha’s sister, and one for himself. By the end of the track, Kendrick is alone—one verse ends abruptly in gunshots and the other just fades away.

“Say Yes,” Elliott Smith

It could be argued that “Say Yes” is one of Smith’s more optimistic songs. A pop chord progression accompanies Smith’s assertion that he’s turned his life around and is finally in love with the world. But in the context of the rest of his shortened career, “Say Yes” seems more like a desperate attempt to manufacture happiness than any genuine expression of it.

—Se-Ho B. Kim can be reached at sehokim@thecrimson.com