Reviews (page 5 of 14)
Litt som naturvin. Det her får noen andre stå for..
You would think that Radiohead at their worst is still better than most bands at their best, but actually no, this album sucks. It's just so boring, it's all stuff they've done before and done better on previous albums. All the preachy political lyrics about authoritarian dictators doesn't mean shit when most of the band is still in love with Israel. I'm usually down for Radiohead, but this just isn't an exciting listen at all.
They can't all be Ok Rainbows Kids
I’ve always said this album was slept on, even my Radiohead fans. I’m a huge fan of their entire discography and this is in my top 3 albums by them.
It was ok. A wolf at the door is an excellent closing song though.
Bedre enn jeg husker👍
Noen høydepunkter 2+2=5 There There myxomatosis Kanskje det svakeste albumet deres sammen med Pablo Honey
Langt ifra det verste de har gjort
👌
Hørt hjemme lørdags formiddag, 10/01/26. Ganske uinspirert album, minner nesten litt om MUSE. Litt uheldig der.Tar seg litt opp andre halvdel, men fortsatt ganske kjedelig.
Føles utilgjengelig og ganske kaldt. Nok gode sanger til å fortjene en treer.
Radiohead again?!? Why?
Dreary, even for Radiohead.
LIKED BACKDRIFTS & go to sleep
amo radiohead mas esse eh mid
Yeah, yeah, it's perfect. Signed, a very reluctant Radiohead fan
I can see why Creep was their only really well-known (to the masses) song. This album was not my cup of tea. In fact, I found myself avoiding listening to it and wishing it was over
Bit too stark in places
Vind Radiobead een toffe band. Goed album. Maar moet er wel voor in de stemming zijn.
I have tried quite a few times to listen to and appreciate this album. I thought maybe this time would be the charm, but sadly not. I love all Radiohead's albums up to OK Computer but have always been ambivalent about their later work. I respect their decision to be more experimental and leftfield and, mainly, less commercial. But I have never really enjoyed any of the music. This is so dour and dreary that it eventually started irritating me.
Although not as groundbreaking as the top-tier Radiohead albums, this is still a very solid record with some amazing songs on it (2+2=5, There, There, etc). That said, it does also have a couple uncharacteristic duds IMO like We Suck Young Blood and The Gloaming.
It's not a bad album, it's just not good. I was bored. And the falsetto in every bloody song is just annoying. The electronica touches were nice, but it was like... are they a rock band or an electronica band? Make a decision, embrace one or the other, don't try to do both. My Rating: 3/5
song by song: — 2+2=5 - 3/5, love the 1984 reference but other then that… meh sit down. stand up - 3.5/5, better better Sail to the moon - 3.5/5, “i sucked the moon” SOKKA Backdrifts - 2.5/5, way too long outro Go to sleep - 2/5, he just sounds annoying Where I end and you begin - 2/5, keep sounding annoying We suck oung blood - 3/5, mcr said hello The Gloaming - 1.5/5, hmm There, there - 3/5, whaitaaaaaaaaaaaaaaain I Will - 4/5, this could be such a good edit song A punch up at a wedding - 3/5, I zoned out Myxomatosis - 1/5, 1 second in and I can’t with that synth. no. Scatterbrain - 3/5, I get weak when he drags the words out A wolf at the door - 4.5/5, UUUGHHHH overall score - 2.8 / 5
why are these albums by men
Hail To the Thief - Radiohead Oh, I didn’t know this was a jam. Besides the political undertone, this record has some crazy melodies & instrumentation that hit different. Clearly they ate this up real bad. There’s quite a pervasive feeling of impending doom that hangs just below the surface of every record. And of course, the last one is a BANGER.
My therapist will not like this but I had forgotten how good Radiohead is. I’ll return listening to them on a regular basis
(Oops thought I reviewed this already) Hail To the Thief is great! It could maybe be a little shorter, but I like just as many songs on this as on In Rainbows, so I consider that pretty good sign of a good album. In particular I've had Myxomatosis stuck in my head
This is one that it took me longer to warm up to than many of Radiohead's more acclaimed albums, and it still juuust misses the 10/10 mark for me. However, it's still got some of Radiohead's best songs on it, with bangers like 2+2=5, There There, and A Wolf at the Door peppered throughout. It's also their most politically incisive album, coming as it does right on the heels of the invasion of Iraq by the Bush administration. Shame they didn't maintain that political acuity into the present day...
There seems to be traditional rock music Radiohead (The Bends) and more experimental, abstract concept music Radiohead. I apparently don’t love the latter, though i can obviously see they are talented musicians doing their thing. Most of the songs don’t seem to go anywhere, like sort of building up to something that never happens. I enjoyed some parts but most of the album passed me by without making an impression. Meh, sorry.
I really wanted to like this more. In usual Radiohead fashion, the production is lush and begging for multiple revisits to truly dig into it, but simultaneously there really wasn't anything blowing me away or having me itching to listen again. Eh. To their credit I do greatly appreciate how much each of their releases reinvents their sound in an unique way. For now I'm glad to know Hail To the Thief exists, and I'll keep it in mind next time I'm in the mood for this specific sound. Standouts: Where I End and You Begin • There, There • A Punch Up at a Wedding • A Wolf At the Door
Very solid effort by Radiohead that is mildly hampered by being a teensy bit long and not really having a signature, unique sound to anchor it in their catalog.
A radiohead album that didn't have really any songs I know from them. Really enjoyed the musical expressions and experimental feel to the tracks. I don't think I've heard a song like "We suck young blood" in a long time. Thom Yorke's vocals really bring up an unsettling vibe and his harmonized cries drag over the slow tempo. Really interesting stuff.
I liked a lot of this and the album seemed to stick to the theme pretty well. 2+2=5 and wolf at the door were my favorites
yayayay radiohead! absolutely fire, will def revisit
I had this on CD when it was first released. Tried very hard to like it, but it never grabbed me in the same way as Radiohead's earlier albums. Over the years I've listened again a few times, wondering what I've been missing. It's still never clicked with me and, honestly, I can't stand the thought of playing it again today. It's technically very interesting but I can't find any emotional appeal. Thom's singing and lyrics are unrelentingly gloomy, morbid and (dare I say) self-indulgent. Sorry!
No lo entendí :P
my second favorite radiohead album! love it
o album interio eu achei meio monotono, uma vibe legal mas as vezes era tanto do mesmo que eu dava uma brisada
Ja just ... Radiohead! Stark fyra
its okay, had some good songs, but nothing memorable. i wouldnt listen to the whole thing again, just a few songs
I can see the appeal of this album (and Radiohead) -- the soundscape is vibrant and emotional. I just can't get into the tracks. There aren't really any songs I enjoyed, even if the album as a whole wasn't bad.
I wasn't listening to it whilst feeling like an absolute loser and a depressed person, so didn't hit hard. Relisten later, when feeling like piece of shot.
there, there and myxomatosis is my fav, the atmosphere is so cool the this album, can be a bit boring at some points in the album tho☹️
This is not may favorite Radiohead album. But it’s still fantastic. I need to give it more time, as I really spent so much time on their first 5 albums and those after have been neglected a bit. 4.25
Don’t like his voice, otherwise could be a chill music.
familiar with this album due to my radiohead obsession when i was 11-12. Amazing amazing amazing
interesting gives the vibe of delta dawn mixed with some like beachy rock elements.
If I ever rate a Radiohead album below a 5 then you can reliably say I've been replaced by a simulacrum (unless we're talking about Pablo Honey lmao). Hail To The Thief isn't their best album by any stretch - it's held up by its strongest singles in songs like '2 + 2 = 5' and 'Sail To The Moon', whereas before this they had a pretty stellar track record for no-skips. That said, I'm all over this one like a rash. fav tracks: 2 + 2 = 5, Sail To The Moon, There There, Myxomatosis
Radiohead has an interesting way of sounding different but the same. It was good. But not worth a relisten, minus a few songs.
A great Radiohead album, and I would say it contends for their third best. Lots of memorable moments, however this one feels a bit more like they are playing it safe. Good, great even, but not a Radiohead album I come back to often.
Not my favorite, but that okay! It's not an album I'd casually put on, but it definitely has some qualities I enjoy and expect from radiohead.
This is a difficult rating for me. It's not Radiohead's best, no, but some of their albums break the scale imo--Kid A in particular is a 6+ next to some of the albums I've given 5s to already. All that said, I really like this, save maybe 2 tracks that feel like they'd have benefited from more refining. I could easily be swayed into giving this a 5--it keep growing on me after 3 listens this week, but let's call it 4.5.
Curious why this one would be added to a top-list, but I've always been fond of this adolescent record betwixt the Kid A and In Rainbows eras. I listened to it endlessly on discman between classes in uni. I actually really like the quasi U2 numbers Where I End and Backdrifts. The only really annoying cut is We Suck Young Blood. I Will is a fun loopback (literally) to Amnesiac's Like Spinning Plates. Fond memories.
Not terrible but nothing really stuck out to me.
Smooth but not my fav
One of the most forgettable albums. The terrible albums will hold a place in brain but this just eh album won’t.
still mad at you york
7/10
I like this album, all Radiohead kind of sounds the same to me. I like it, but I wish I really liked it like some people do.
fantastic
Perfection
If indie did prog rock then this is it, self indulgent with nothing for the mob. I imagine a lot of critics will love it for that but for me it's an album you are supposed to like and you end up clinging to snippets of excellence.
4.5
we really could have picked a different radiohead album, this was whatever. they had to have been bullshitting on some of these. saved: 2+2=5, there there.
Strike two, Radiohead.
Ok. We get it. There were a lot of raindrops. Smh. The second album from Radiohead to make this list and I’m still not that impressed; although it was definitely better than Ok Computer. This feels like a rough draft of an unfinished product to me. There seems to be an under lying thought for these songs to work together but a lot still needs to hit the editing room floor, if you are picking up what I’m putting down. As the album went on, I felt like the tracks got better musically, but I was still wanting more from the band. Maybe the monotone vocals just never got me excited enough to buy in.
Even Radiohead hates this Radiohead album. Why should we disagree?
I ennnnnjooooooyed thiiiiis faaarrrrr lesssss thaaaaaan oooookaaaay compuuuuuuterrrrrrr.
I don't know that every radio head album has to be on this list. This was a bit of a drag to get through. Very vibey and I guess I just wasn't feeling the vibe.
More than a bit whiny and drones at times. I get it that it is their “sound” but it gets old. Some good tracks though.
Radiohead album number six. Front half of the album was alright, back half not as much.
Playlisted a few of the songs but overall the album wasn't exactly memorable. Ngl I didn't even notice it ended and ytb music started queuing other songs.
3.5, not their best
Dreamy and inventive and mesmerizing.
I think they’re playing it safe album? drivel at some points. some stuff I wasn’t crazy about, clearly Yorke wasn’t either by the tedium in his voice at times. was relatively just OK compared to their other stuff hence the 3 myxomatosis <3_<3
This one’s a bit boring to me #sorrynotsorry but it’s got its moments
theres 5 other radiohead albums on here why would we need what is like very much accepted as their third worst album.
RADIOHEAD !!!!!!!
i was not familiar with your game radiohead 🥇backdrifts 🥈scatterbrain 🥉a punchup at a wedding
Removed
How the fuck was Katy Perry making out to Kid A (she confirmed that)? Even this would've been a better pick for that particular activity. First time I'd actually consider myself a fan of whoever I get on this list, but it's nowhere near the best album of theirs. It's alright, but I never thought it would be deserving of top 3, and clearly not deserving of this list at all. It kinda blends together at some point; I don't feel like there is anything standing out. Well, "2+2=5" is good, but "Myxomatosis" is my favourite one. I haven't seen anyone else mention it, that's why I felt the need to do so. "A Wolf At the Door" is also up there, but the rest kind of drags on. I don't hate it, but I wouldn't really seek out anything else on this album.
Yes, incredible
Lots of good sounds!
Not their worst, not their best. Some of their records sound like they just want to be different and don't care what it sounds like. This sounds more natural. I didn't hate it, but it's not really for me. Favorite song: myxomatosis
Not my favorite Radiohead but still spectacular
High peaks but not as good as their best
Skapligt även om det inte är helt min grej
Fantastic album. Love Radiohead
Quality Radiohead, at the time it took a few listens to get acquainted but once I did it revealed a truly great album.
Not Radiohead's best, but still a great album. I was only a kid in 2003 and not in the UK or USA, so a lot of the political stuff here go over my head. Not that that is an essential part to enjoy this, as the bulk of the band's greatest moments are musical, not lyrical. The relatively longer tracklist should give the band more room to experiment and try different things, but for some reason some of these songs end up blend together for me. But when they're good, they're amazing. Not the Radiohead album I would recommend as first exposure to the band but still a worthwhile listen. Key tracks: 2+2=5 Go to Sleep There There Myxamatosis
This is what Radiohead sounds like when you try to explain them to people who don't listen to Radiohead.
Incredible incredible album. Their 6th studio album and last of their recording deal with Parlophone marks a turning point. Meets a perfect blend of the music of The Bends and Kid A/Amnesiac.
I liked it! Really good piano sounds! And then electronic sounds too! And the nasal whine! Wowsa, what an album! Reminded me of Muse and SOAD at points for reasons.
What is it you incels see in this crap?
- sad - could fall asleep to
Decent album. Wasn’t really in the mood for it Saturday morning.
Not my type of music honestly but I haven’t listened to the full thing 😞
so good
No l’he escoltat
criminally underrated album, love the use of pianos, if another artist made this it would be their best, awesome record
Meh
I like some Radiohead songs. I'm less keen on the ones that sound only like a miserable wail (miserable wailing isn't a problem as such, but, unless it's really beautiful, there has to be something with a bit of drive behind it, for me to enjoy it - for example on There There, which I liked very much). There were a few overly waily ones here. I always enjoy Radiohead's creativity, though.
Radiohead are one of those bands that are either 1 or 4/5 stars. Serious and and musical and boundary-pushing. I’m in the 4/5 camp but I understand the 1 star people too. They’re the band I want to be in while not-so-secretly adoring Duran Duran.
I’ve already been served The Bends, Ok Computer, Kid A, Amnesiac, and In Rainbows. I’m not sure if this album was dropped on later editions, but it’s definitely the weakest Radiohead album I’ve been served so far, and the only one I’m rating less than 5 stars. Radiohead is absolutely an important band, and this album does serve as an interesting transition from the purely studio focused Kid A/Amnesiac to incorporating their electronics and live performance on In Rainbows. But where In Rainbows is a perfect album, this one is a little messy. There are legitimately great tracks, but even in the bands own assessment it’s overstuffed and rough around the edges. Even Thom Yorke posted a revised track list that dropped 4-5 songs. I’m a fan of Radiohead and like a lot of the material here, so it’s still 4 stars, but definitely their 2nd or 3rd worst album.
Album ok, esperava una altra cosa de radiohead. M'ha semblat avorrit.
I'm a fan...so there's that. I like Portishead far and away more than Radiohead, but these guys are heads/shoulders above most of the pap we have to put up with on this journey. Even an album I'm more or less on the fence (4 star fence, to be clear). But shit, I just had to listen to Paul Simon for f's sake. And that is good but banal. These guys are not banal imo. Plus, other than his 1st released solo album, better than McCartney. 4 solid state stars.
I never think to listen to Radiohead. I mean, I know they're good and that people love them, but it just never occurs to me to put them on. And it never seems like the right time or seeing to listen to them. But then when I'm "forced" to I really like it
A rare 4 star radiohead album that is not The Bends. Great blend of indie alternative sound and synth forward melodies. Harsh and bold but well defined. I for once enjoyed a radiohead album that is not the bends. Its about the little things yall.
Not my favourite from them but it was a good listen!
2.5 - Nothing memorable but not bad.
Classic radiohead
Already listened to it, has some pretty cool sounding songs but fails to impress me as much as their other albums. Doesn't mean it's bad though. 7.5/10
Got kinda boring after a while. I think all of these songs are fine to good in isolation but they're mostly slow and sad
wow
Birthday album! Very good and Sail to the Moon is so out of body incredible and nostalgic crazy for me as a high girl in an uber
Maybe it's not a 5 as it's not as good as their best albums. But it's still better than just about anybody else.
I got about halfway through it and gave up. I'm not much of a Radiohead fan.
Yikes! Another toe tapping uplifting album from a toe tapping uplifting band. I get it, but then I don’t.
This was always going to be a 5, so I listened to the new live version. It also gets a 5.
Just really not a Radiohead fan.. This album especially is very wainy and drags on. There are few good songs, I actually do really enjoy the intro track, probably one of my favorite Radiohead songs, but there isnt much after that IMO.
It's great. I always liked "A Punch Up at a Wedding." I still feel overall how I always feel with Radiohead in that I'm just not really into it. It gives me a complex, like me not liking Radiohead is itself a complex I have. I don't know what's wrong with me but I feel like a dick about it. I want to like Radiohead like everyone and their respective mothers loves Radiohead, but I just don't feel it. But it's great. Like, I know it's great.
Every time I listen to this album I take something different away. It's got a little bit of everything and the song writing is just top notch
This was a Radiohead album I had never listened to, but I really enjoyed it. Lots of variety and plenty of very interesting ideas on this. It's a little long, but it's so vibey that the time passed quickly. 4.0/5.0: Great
i think radiohead is growing on me. im liking each album more and more
It’s a pretty good album, but I feel like Radiohead has stronger ones than this one. I really really wanted to like this one more, but came out feeling… just ok about it. That being said there were quite a few songs I enjoyed, and at the very least moments within songs that gave me a “Ooh! I like this!” reaction. There were also moments where I felt the album as a whole was dragging a little bit. Like I didn’t really enjoy the album as an album- I noted more songs I liked than usual, but the album didn’t seem to flow very well to me. Not my favorite from Radiohead, but I definitely didn’t hate it. A lot of great individual songs without a lot of cohesion.
Not my style but I’m sure it’s fine lol
A good album, I liked 2 + 2 = 5, Where I End and You Begin and There There the most.
This isn't the best Radiohead album, but even "not their best" is a lot better than many bands. All in all, an excellent album.
Yep it’s Radiohead
Awesome gets better with age
Probably my least favorite album of theirs, although with my favorite song "There, There"
I'm wasn't a fan of radiohead before listening to this , but I gave it a crack. After listening to this I'm still not a fan. The album was boring and depressing.
I don't think I get Radiohead
The overwhelming majority was just mildly depressing background noise
I already like radio head but am a casual fan. not my favorite album but my likes playlist gained a few new songs.
Delighted to get another Radiohead album out of the way
Tirando o, ainda excesso de partes eletrônicas (ruídos experimentais), é um bom disco. Destaque para as melodias de guitarra.
No need to clog this list with Radiohead albums. If you like 'em, you like 'em. If you don't, you don't.
Some of the best and some of the worst of Radiohead on here. I'm feeling generous though.
Epic
Good but overrated.
Fuck you W! Love how Myxomatosis disrupts the quietness of the second half
Number 101 in a series of "things people presume I really like, but I don't": Radiohead. This album is dull in the extreme from start to finish, I don't see where all the adoration for this record comes from to be honest. I love a melody that takes you somewhere unexpected, but every track here just seems to drag the listener through odd meters and weird modal shifts which go nowhere inspiring just for the hell of it. An unexciting journey through wandering guitar arpeggios and half-arsed electronic bleeps with York's warbling of laments draped uncomfortably across the unusual melodic terrain they create.
This radiohead album sounds a lot like a radiohead album. Kind of boring/repetitive. Classic radiohead! 5/10
Sounded similar to the other Radiohead albums. I liked it
great album. wish Thom Yorke wasn’t a raging Zionist but great album.
Good. Not my favorite. 4/5
Look, I know Thom Yorke is a miserable bastard, but he's got talent and skills and he's the closest thing we have to a protest-song maker these days. This album is a slight return to a more rock-oriented effort after the twin electronic-based releases Kid A and Amnesiac. Even though they create vibin' grooves, they still manage to keep an original edge with lots of experimentation, using the studio as an instrument. And Jonny Greenwood has mad guitar skills. Except for a couple songs that sound like a New Orleans jazz funeral, they mostly weave their typical claustrophobic sonic paranoia electronica-rock on this one like a spider wrapping up a late-night snack. There really aren't any bad Radiohead records, but that doesn't mean that any of them are easy listening by any stretch of the imagination. There's a lot going on in their later work, and Thom's delivery can be kind of whine-y, but it works in the context of the music. After all, our culture is pretty shitty these days. Standout tracks: Go To Sleep, Where I End and You Begin, 2+2=5, and Myxomatosis
One of my favorite Radiohead albums I’ve heard, wasn’t expecting that at all. So so good!!!
It's Radiohead. Pretty straight forward. It was good.
It’s an intellectual experience. Interesting and neurotic. When the album was revealed I was disappointed because I wasn’t up for a tedious listen. Some people claim that Radiohead is effortlessly compelling to them. I think they’re lying. They can be rewarding but it’s work.
Impressive for a "second tier" Radiohead album.
Another Radiohead album and, as a big fan of their music, it's another difficult one to rate. This is one of their least cohesive albums, but it is still head and shoulders above most of the 400 albums I've listened to so far. It also contains some of my favourite Radiohead songs in 2+2=5, Myxomatosis and A Wolf at the Door. Fuck it. I'm still giving it a 5. A weaker Radiohead album is still a very good album.
Overly long. Some great songs, in particular There There. Not in my top 3-4 Radiohead albums. Might be better than Amnesiac.
My god they’re boring
Probably their best outside of the big three. Not sure why I don't revisit it more often (exception being Where I End and You Begin at least, which is one that not so inoften crops up in my rotation.)
Decent album, going into this list I had a notion that I didn’t like Radiohead without ever having listened to them, but this is now my third Radiohead album on this list and they’re definitely growing on me Standout Songs: Backdrifts Go To Sleep Where I End and You Begin There, There Myxomatosis Scatterbrain
This has officially won me over to Radiohead. I’d only heard Amnesiac before this and I definitely enjoyed it and admired the creativity, but this clicked with me way more. I love the melding of electronica with rock, it feels pretty unique. The harmonies sound lovely every time they show up. Thom Yorke’s vocals work really well. 4/5
messy, claustrophobic, unsure of itself - the best parts are the experimental parts, the noisy, uncertain sections
2.5
4.0
myxomatosis
Хорошо для депрессивного настроения
Preporučam ovaj novi live, možda i bolji od albuma
I'm not a radioheadhead, and in fact I don't think I've ever heard a single song on this album. But they really are amazing prog musicians. And it's really accessible prog, barely anything over 4 minutes. I listened through twice and I'll hang on to at least a few songs.
Never listened to radiohead before, now I want to rage against the machine from 2003.
I love Radiohead and very neat album for them.
I like the tracks individually, but as a concept album, it feels cluttered. Also, I gave In Rainbows 4 stars, and Hail to the Thief isn’t a better album than In Rainbows, so I’m giving it 3 stars.
I get it now. So wonderfully layered, absolutely peak. Favorite Track: Sit Down. Stand Up.
Great
A bunch of ghosts haunting Bush era politics using dial up internet.
While Radiohead has some great stuff and I appreciate the experimental nature of the album, the music did not click for me. The lead vocals are just too whiny and end up making the album feel immature.
Definitely some interesting things going on on this album, but the vocals are just so whiny. Not bad listening, but I also am not going to be the one to turn on Radiohead.
*2003. *Tried listening to this a couple of times, and it didn't really stick with me. *Some decent stuff, but mostly it's way too whiny for me. RATING - 6/10
Radiohead jusr never does it for me
It's a mediocre Radiohead album.
Great album! Love Radiohead!
Near perfect
When this album came out I was over Radiohead. I had seen them in concert and it seemed like a had my fill. The lead single "There There" was nice, but not excellent. So I skipped it. So unlike their previous five albums, I am not very familiar with this one. Listening today when my appreciation for Radiohead is what it is, I am not impressed with this album. It just kind of drags on. I think I was okay to bail when I did.
A moody entry into Radiohead discog, good but nothing special compared to their other works
Pretty solid
Kind of background music, but i liked it
What a dreamy and melancholic rock album, i was mesmerized from the beginning to the end! I love Radiohead, big fan, always been. This adds up to the huge legacy of the band, and they made something new and beautiful.
Love Radiohead but this one ain't my favourite. Some really solid singles but a lot of tracks that are just kind of filler to me
a unique variety of songs that still felt cohesive. sail to the moon was my fave
Would give it 2.5. There is something about the vocals that bugs me and I dont know why
Despite being one of my least favourite Radiohead records, Radiohead at their worst are still better than 95% of bands. Standouts for me are Myxomatosis, There There, 2 + 2 = 5, Sail to the Moon and Wolf At The Door. In a way I feel like this is actually an interesting 'intro to Radiohead' (considering this is the first one to come up in this group list), not because it's their best but because it probably contains the widest array of their influences, relative to the other records. There's all the Aphex Twin electronics, krautrock and balladry that appears in varying dosages throughout their discography, it's just not the best versions of all of those things. I feel like I always think I like this record a lot less than I actually do when I come back and listen to it. As I said before, the standard is just so high for Radiohead, it's a bit unfair really. It has a few forgettable tracks, but a handful that I really love. Myxomatosis is such a sick track, and Wolf at the Door is a wicked closer. It's a few tracks too long, I think the band themselves have admitted that, but I'll take a few filler Radiohead tracks any day of the week.
I think they have better albums, this was ok.
Not my fav from Radiohead but still solid
Just remember that this was the time Radiohead were touring in Bologna, Italy, so the fact that you got this album feels pretty un-coincidental. This isn’t an album I fully grasped in one listen, but even after the first play through I could already sense the depth and the potential of how much I might like it after a few more plays. It took a few proper listens to get through the dark, inaccessible and clustered layers this album has, not only musically, but also lyrically as they seem very cynical and angry here. They say this album is a mixture of everything they had experimented with up to that point: mainly the paranoia and glitchy electronics of Kid A/Amnesiac, mixed with the tighter band driven songwriting of their earlier work. It’s messy on purpose, anxious, politically charged, and full of that early 2000s dread. Overall, I’m enjoying the album more with every listen, mostly because there’s so much to discover each time. I enjoy the infusion of electronics humming like static in the background, and Thom Yorke sounding half exhausted, half furious yet they still manage to balance atmosphere with melody. There are so many details that I notice with every new listen. There’s rarely any repetition from beginning to end, and even though the songs structures are based on repetition, the songwriting is very linear and the variety in the added layers is huge. The album cover is quite interesting too. It's a roadmap of Hollywood with words taken from roadside advertising in LA and from Yorke’s lyrics. It’s basically a chaotic map of meaningless corporate/political language, just noise, mirroring the album’s themes of confusion, manipulation, and media overload. Rating this album is hard because it feels like a five star album, but compared to the rest of their discography, it’s slightly less good than their other five star records. So I’m giving it four stars because of relativity, even though on a general level it’s basically a five. Realistically, I’d call it a 4.5, so maybe I will give it a five.
After the 3 album run The Bends, Ok Computer, and Kid A / Amnesiac, this was a let down. With this Re listen, I do appreciate the artistry of composition.
I mean the quality of this stuff is just off the charts. Considering some of the wannabe’s we’ve heard from this game, it just goes to remind you why we value these guys as the best of their genre. Even for this, which generally isn’t assumed to be their top album by many, but there’s just this consistency throughout it that’s just sort of untouched from other bands. I probably can’t say or express it enough regarding them, so I’ll stop here. But it’s a good album
Very frustrating listen, as the other Radiohead albums have been. We Suck Young Blood sounded cool at first, but then the whining just kept going and killed it. Myxomatosis and Go To Sleep stood out. They were good. 2/5
Very solid album, I think as a unit it is more consistent then ok computer but the highs of ok computer outshine this album, not to take anything away from this album as it was a very fin listening experience
I have never listened to Radiohead before. Today, I learned I don't like Radiohead.
Classic Radiohead sound
Any Radiohead enjoyers?
'You have not been paying attention.' Contrary to his detractors, Yorke is not a whiner, a moper, or even a lamenter: he's a nuanced and perpetual droner, a strangely aloof and not very emotional castaway. Unfortunately, he's also a very bad poet, pretentious and threadbare at the same time. When the band decides the write a song, as they do w/ 'Go To Sleep,' they are tolerable and moderately successful. When they do not, which is the case w/ much of Hail To The Thief, they're pretty unbearable. It's the worst Radiohead I've heard (I haven't listened to The King of Limbs) b/c it's not even remotely fun: 'Why so green / And lonely, and lonely / And lonely.' Ya know, I can dig the darkness, just not the weary or densely drab. Faugh!
It was actually kind of nice to be on the plane, in and out of sleep with this playing. I like this way more than the other Radiohead album we had, particularly the song A Punch Up at a Wedding which has some really nice piano and a very fun bass line. I actually think I will listen to that song kind of… a lot? Oh no. I’ve been got. 📻🧑🦲
I tried to listen to this I really did. But I stand by not liking Radiohead, Thom York’s voice makes my skin crawl.
Not many memorable tracks
Missed the Radiohead craze when it was new. Wanted to love this but it just didn't click.
Two bangers in a row. George not as keen
Some really good songs like “Punch Up at a Wedding” and “Where I End and You Begin,” but overall half of the album is worth a skip.
It’s a bit much getting 3 Radiohead albums out of my first 25. I haven’t even got OK Computer, Kid, or In Rainbows yet - my top 3 favorite and the first two are inarguably essential albums. Still I was glad to be forced to re-listen to Hail to The Thief. It’s not an album I’ve come back to much since my first listen. It’s a much better effort than their prior release and last Radiohead album I’ve listened to from this list, Amnesiac. The songs here are much more creative and varied. The first several tracks through “Where I End and You Begin” are all brilliant. The middle hits a bit of a lull but the last few tracks finish a strong note, especially the closer A Wolf at the Door. I wouldn’t necessarily say this is an essential album but I think it’s great overall.
Wasn't for me.
Whiny vocals, zero standout tracks, gritty electronic drums running the whole time. Of the sixty or so Radiohead albums on this list (I can only assume), this is the first one you line up for me? I've heard worse, but man.
While listening to Hail to the Thief, I found myself simultaneously constantly blown away by how outstanding the music was, while also thinking to myself that this is probably not their best work. I guess this says a lot about Radiohead as a band. Here is the thing though, the more I listened to this album the more I started to think that I’d previously been overly dismissive. I like transitional albums from bands I enjoy because they provide insight into their creative process and this album can be enjoyed similarly. The wide tonal variation among songs here is a manifestation of the band seeing where the innovative tones they’d previous created could take them. By leaning into more traditional rock rhythms and tones, this album offers just enough easy familiarity that it allowed be to listen to Radiohead as a rock band because I was less focused on the ingeniousness of their compositions. On previous listens I think I saw this as a short-coming, but over my later listens for this project I started really enjoying this for what it was. Another connection I’d previously missed was the juxtaposition of the existential political crises discussed in the lyrics on the heels of Yorke becoming a father. I became a father for the first time three years later and can appreciate how the experience alters ones hopes and fears about the future. The horizon of personal importance expands, which ironically makes current concerns more impactful. This album was queued at the start of winter. For me, Radiohead is a winter band. I enjoy their music most when I’m listening intently. Doing so by a fire with a glass of brandy makes the experience even better. I fully intend to give Hail to Thief the rotation it probably always deserved over the next several months.
3.5
I don't understand the love Radiohead gets. It's always so whiny and soul-crushing.
The follow-up to Kid A and Amnesiac, Hail to the Thief is a continuing progression from earlier work as was the norm from the band. Their style was instantly recognizable, but much like the last two albums, it took a listen or three to fully grasp its beauty. From the beginning of 2+2=5 where the sound of a guitar being plugged in supposedly on day one of the recording sessions, you can tell it's a bit of a departure. Bringing back an element of the rock sound from their first couple of albums. The album though is more mature and more restrained. I think this release sets up for their subsequent, and my favorite album, In Rainbows.
Wasn’t too familiar with this album. Will definitely be revisiting.
Some other reviewer noted, there is absolutely great Radiohead and then there is unlistenable falsetto draining on Radiohead
One of my absolute favorite albums, and the one that got me into Radiohead in the first place. It's sadly just as relevant now as it was when it was released in the darkness of the Bush era. The day after the 2024 election, I just put it on and rage cleaned. There's so much raw emotion in the melodies and the lyrics; it was incredibly cathartic.
Ahh the Gen X output of the EMI / Abbey Road posh boy band cookie cutter. At least unlike their Boomer predecessors (Pink Floyd) and Millennial successors (Coldplay) Radiohead at least approach their music with some spirit of adventure. So here there’s a bit of dub step and electric trickery, and Thom Yorke tries to channel late period Scott Walker. However it would be far more fulfilling to listen to Burial or Tilt.
For Radiohead, the more recent, the more annoying is his voice !
Probably my favourite Radiohead so far on the list. Might need to downgrade amnesiac
Okay
this album is mind numbing. Ok computer's cousin no one talks to because it sucks. Not every radiohead album needs to be on this list and this one shouldn't be called great please let it end. 2/5 6.79/10
I almost really liked it
having listened to maybe four of them, this is the most radiohead album. it’s distilled, pure, whatever you want to call it, and it left no major impressions on me other than that fact. Good work
For any other band it would be their best album ever but it just isn’t as good as other radiohead albums. Which is no slight given they have two contenders for top ten of all time. Far too long and ponderous but at the same time I could see myself listening again and again and finding something in the songs I now find boring. This and Pablo honey are the only two I’ve never bothered with really. Myxomatosis and there there would be on the greatest hits.
Radiohead is boring as hell
You have not been paying attention. This is another well crafted, mellow lullaby from Radiohead. A lot going on in the background. I still find Thom’s lead singing a bit whiny and this album runs long, I Will is a sleepy skipper. A Punch Up at a Wedding wins it followed by A Wolf At the Door. All in all not as strong as their previous efforts. (3.45*s) What’s with the flan in the face?
Like The Bends, this is another not super strong album by Radiohead in my opinion but still a good one. The band takes a heavier political angle on the record and the title rings true. It has a few top hits ("There, There," "2+2=5," "Sit Down") with ok support tracks. The finish is pretty good with typical eerie Yorke over beats. I still like the album but they are on a bit of a decline at this point...2.85 stars.
Another decent entry from Radiohead. It's got a lot of what I've come to expect from Thom Yorke and company. Some very cerebral dark electronic sounds and a couple songs I quite enjoyed. This album didn't stand out in the way the OK Computer did but still has enough of the Radiohead flair to make it worth a listen. Hail To The Thief comes in middle of the pack for Radiohead discography which remains pretty reliable. Not the top of my list but they are a good band. I like them and can see why others love them. 3.21 stars
I've listened to a few Radiohead albums and this was the first time I've 'gotten' it. I loved this album. I don't even know why. It sounds cool and it is musically interesting. There were no songs that I wasn't interested in. I'll have to give this a few listens.
I've always thought this was amazing, I think the rock blended with the experimental stuff they did in Kid A hits a perfect combination here. I think this is certainly better than Kid A, as I think some of the more experimental stuff they did was just not that good. I think they maybe felt less pressure to deliver something than on previous stuff, so I think its probably more relaxed or something. Obviously the playing is great, but I think what makes them so unique in this era is just everything sounds so good together, and every part is also so intricate individually, like the glitchy synth bits and random tape loops (I think). I think there's also a lot of unconventional instruments, probably Johnny Greenwood stuff, like delays being used as instruments. Thom Yorke is of course a brilliant singer and I love the vocal reverbs on his voice, makes some of these feel much more open. He's also really great at bridging the gap between catchy and emotive, which he does loads on here. I think this is when the more 'modern' era of Radiohead started, where they somewhat ditched standard rock for more 'abstract' stuff. Probably better than the bends and kid A and maybe similar to In Rainbows and a tiny bit worse than OK computer. Favourite songs: all but backdrifts, we suck young blood, the gloaming. Overall around 9/10
The natural assimilation of Ok Computer, Kid A and Amnesia. It's rockier than their previous efforts, but who's complaining- I'm certainly not. Its variety is its strength, and tons of great songs in this overall underrated Radiohead release.
Está guay. Overlooked Radiohead album i guess. Puede dar un pelín de pereza por momentos como todo disco de Radiohead, pero me entró bastante bien aun sin estar en el mood.
Undeniably good. Only "There, There" really sticks out as a memorable single. Not as ponderous as people would fear.
Yep
Mournful noisy noise. I really like some of what Radiohead has made but this album just sounded like Thom Yorke wailing to the sound of off-beat Pink Floyd.
There’s something about Radiohead that’s just so good. Sometimes it’s almost weird for the sake of weird, but it works. It puts you into an ambient lull but then you hear these little nuances that catch your attention and make you listen closer. It’s so eccentric, but sometimes brilliant at the same time. That all being said, this isn’t their strongest album. That title goes to their masterpiece “OK Computer” (imho anyway) but this is a great album nonetheless.
Really great album--I'm always surprised when a song pops up that I did not know was on a specific album, which always happens to me with Radiohead. Honestly, this might be their 3rd or 4th best. It kind of lags in the middle, but each song seems to have a right turn or shift that is rewarding.
Pretty cool.
Im going to hear every damn radiohead record against my will. Its maybe on of the better ones but im just sick of it. I know everyone likes them and thats cool and fine but I dont. Im over the whiney falsetto thing that happens on the vocals. Im tired of the ethereal half electronic half analog music thing. Its just not good. I thought for sure id be getting close to the end of listening to this crap but they keep pulling more records out of thier ass. I didnt even know this thing existed. I've never heard anyone talk about it. But here it is again. Im just done. Please for the love of God dont give me moon shaped pool. Please whatever deity you belive in dont let that happen to me. This record is not the worst of them but in a culmination of all my frustration with this band its gotta be low. Enjoy it if u like but I will not
En comparacion co el otro que me esuche, me ha dejado bastante mas indiferente, anque si me han gustado varias canciones, no el sonido general del disco
Great collection of songs, but one of Radiohead’s weaker albums.
I always enjoy Radiohead’s music, but it often doesn’t fully sink in for me on the first listen (as with today’s album). This has a lot of beautiful textures. I admit I have no idea what most of the lyrics were. My favorite track on this go was “Myxomatosis.” Radiohead is sometimes regarded as a heady – even pretentious – band, but tracks like that remind you that they are capable of creating some killer riffs. Looking forward to future listens.
I believe this album is best listened to alone on an overcast day. A day where the sun and the rain fight over control of the skies with the wind presiding over it all.
All Radiohead gets my vote!
Some stuff on here that I like a lot - Sit Down, Stand Up is great for instance. However overall its mostly average and not enough stands out.
I like almost every song on this album, but I wouldn’t rate it a 5 or hold it to the same regard as other Radiohead albums. Like Amnesiac, there’s a lot of great things about this one, but my appreciation for it only goes so far. In terms of style, it’s like a midpoint between OK Computer and Kid A and an indication of what’s to come with In Rainbows, and yet it somehow falls short. The best songs on this album, including There, There, Sail to the Moon, and 2+2=5, are really fantastic though.
Oh dear. Lead singer on one track gives me Bono vibe, then he is just screechy/squeaky on others. And WTF was up with the noise track titled The Gloaming? And then We Suck Young Blood...because it is almost Halloween and tis the season? And then the record redeems itself just a little bit with There, There. Listened before? N Saved tracks? N Favorite track(s)? There. There. ⭐⭐⭐ Didn't hate it. Didn't love it. Saved no tracks
I just don't care for Radiohead. I can't get past York's voice. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): N/A ⭐⭐: Didn't like it, didn't hate it. Saved no tracks.
Eh so neutral
Not as good as the first
‘Hail To The Thief’ is not as good as Pitchfork or Rolling Stone will tell you it is. Certainly, it’s my least favourite Radiohead album. ‘We Suck Young Blood’ is a particularly bad song, and one of the worst things you’ll ever here. But then they pull ‘A Punch Up At A Wedding’ out of their arse and I can almost forgive them for the rest of what is an extremely uneven album.
A couple great songs, some good musical elements, a great political message, a very whiny voice
This is the second straight Radiohead record I’ve been served (I got OK Computer yesterday). The hit rate on this one is just not as high. There are some truly great songs on here, but there are also several that I was not fond of. Best Track: Sail To The Moon
A good listen. Not their strongest album. 3/5
Ugh Radiohead. This one was fine.
The only hailing of a thief I’m doing is flagging down a taxi to get me out of here and I’m asking them to keep the radio off on the ride home. I liked a few songs okay, but as an album, I thought this was cheeks. Felt like I was being held hostage by at least half of the songs on this album.
I'm not really a Radiohead guy but I liked this album alright. The vibes of the album were enjoyable. I decided to challenge myself this time by trying to convey my thoughts on this album using words from the album art. Below is my attempt to articulate those feelings: Fine
okay look, i'm not a bush apologist, all i'm saying is that this is a lot of edginess and anger towards a conservative president who did not wreak nearly as much havoc on the country or the globe as our current, and this band's most recent album, a product of similarly vitriolic times, sucks in comparison. well maybe it just sucks in general. but this album is not that album. this one is mostly good, but sometimes hard to listen to bc i'm like you people need to chill. coming to LA for your first american recording does not make you equal on the playing field of american civic engagement as the people who've been fighting the good fight for decades. but at least you gave us "sail to the moon" which is a beautiful track. between this and the number of good mario games that released during the bush presidency, i think the universe is trying to tell us something about this retired president-turned-grandpa artist who is just dootin' along in texas right now. sure, sure, the Liberal Artists hated him, but think about it. we got good mario. we got good pokemon. we got this album. actually we also got In Rainbows during the bush era, so radiohead might just need another bush to start making good music again. #ImWithBush
I wish this was the album that was shown to me when I was first shown Radiohead. I like OK Computer and I respect it for being what it is and all that. I gave that one a 3. This album is definitely more my speed over OK Computer. It's absolutely above Kid A, which I know is on this list somewhere but we haven't gotten it yet. A Punch Up at a Wedding is a highlight for me. It's funky and groovy and I like it a lot. I'd probably give this one a higher score if I liked Thom Yorke more.
I’ve always thought this was a boring album, and I still find it very boring.
None of the songs are bad and most are well above average. But, prescient politics aside, it's just nothing special and feels like Radiohead going back and seeing what worked before (albeit in a mix-and-match manner), which, for better or worse, is an impulse that they generally resist. Basically taking Kid A(mnesiac) style lyrics and combining them with more OK Computer style instrumentals. The album is entirely too long and could have used some editing. I don't think there's too terribly much individual identity on these tracks. It's one of those things where I know every single one of them but can't match the titles to the songs. Just pick 3 to cut and it's a better album. Any 3. According to Wikipedia, "In 2008, Yorke posted an alternative track listing on Radiohead's website, omitting "Backdrifts", "We Suck Young Blood", "I Will" and "A Punchup at a Wedding,"" which would have knocked this down to a lovely 39:17. So, I removed those tracks and re-ordered the album per Thom's suggested alternative. It was an overall better experience. I just can't really tell you a situation outside a random album of the day generator where I feel inclined to sit down with this and listen front to back. Also the last Radiohead concert I went to had a very HTTT heavy setlist and I found it boring.
I didn’t recognize any of these, but it still has the inventive and unique Radiohead characteristics, a good listen. Enjoyed the second half of the album more. Was caught off guard by Thom Yorke not singing his distinct high-pitched range on A Wolf At The Door!
Great Jam love radiohead
Ok - less impactful than earlier albums - felt a bit more hum drum
Un autre excellent disque ! Grandiose, majestueux ! Que de belles choses à dire à son propos ! On ne s’en lasse pas. Plus ! Encore !
My least favourite of the albums we listened to so far, mostly because I couldn’t hear the lyrics without reading them first. The percussion and guitar on scatterbrain was great! I’ll have to listen later down the road when I have more time.
I've never liked Radiohead much… The understated, whispery, static-y, and blase qualities that a lot of their music has has never really done anything for me. I did appreciate the more acoustic/less distorted sound of this album, but I wasn't blown away by anything, although I did like "Where I End and You Begin," "A Wolf at the Door, and especially "Myxomatosis." Overall, I think this was a well-made album and Radiohead is a great band, but I still haven't connected with anything they've made.
Would be a perfect album but has a little too much fat
not my fav radiohead but I LOVE THEM
Another head-scratcher. OK Computer and Kid A are absolutely necessary in this collection. I get including Amnesiac (which is actually my personal favorite) and I even understand The Bends...I guess. But Hail to the Thief? Is it good? Yeah, even great at times. But it's not Radiohead at their best, and by this point in their career they already have four albums listed! Seems like a no-brainer for the editors to dump this one and In Rainbows, and include a couple records from under-represented genres, or just from a couple artists who didn't make it in. It's my same beef with Bowie, Morrissey, Dylan, Elvis Costello, The Byrds, etc... Anyway, HTTT is a fine album. Strong 4 from me.
Vibes: 3/5 Instruments: 4/5 Production: 4/5 Emotional Value: 3/5 Storytelling/Lyrics: 4/5 Stand Outs: Sail to the Moon, 2+2=5 Overall Rating: 3.6
♥️
01) 2+2=5 - 8,0 02) Sit Down. Stand Up. - 7,5 03) Sail to the Moon - 7,5 04) Backdrifts - 8,0 05) Go to Sleep - 8,0 06) Where I End and You Begin - 8,0 07) We Suck Young Blood - 7,5 08) The Gloaming - 7,5 09) There There - 9,0 10) I Will - 8,0 11) A Punchup at a Wedding - 8,5 12) Myxomatosis - 8,0 13) Scatterbrain - 8,0 14) A Wolf at the Door - 8,0 TOTAL: 7,96 (80/100) Current ranking: 215/710
82/100. Hail to the Thief might not be the definitive Radiohead album, but it’s a great one. There’s a sense of paranoia running beneath the surface, political unease, existential dread, fractured identities and the band embraces it.
meio boring, tive que parar de ouvir no meio. cansei de tentar gostar de radiohead, acho que o máximo que vou gostar de ouvir mesmo é o the bends, talvez o ok computer. e é isso, album 4/10. voltei a ouvir, não desisti ainda. mas acho que não é o certo pra ouvir trabalhando, definitivamente. talvez uma escuta mais dedicada entregasse mais. calma aí, tá ficando bom mudei de ideia, definitivamente 7.5/10, musicas muito interessantes com texturas muito boas escolhas de produção muito boas, gostei muito dos elementos eletrônicos mesclados no rock noventista
Cool sounds, but it's amazing that Bob Dylan gets so much shit for being incomprehensible when Radiohead exists. I think I parsed 1% of the lyrics at most.
I’m amazed I’m just now listening and really understanding what’s going on with this band. Very much enjoyed listening.
Долгое время я думал, что это самый слабый* альбом группы Radiohead, но в последние пару месяцев в рамках своеобразной подготовки к концертам я, наверное, чаще всего возвращался к нему. Скорее всего потому, что раньше я слушал его сильно реже прочих. Но типа... На этом альбоме есть одна страная песня c охуенным названием, и 13 абсолютных бангеров. Лучшая песня - Myxomatosis.
Oh come the fuck on these dude's just aren't that good. Putting OK Computer and Kid A on the list? Fine but the rest of it is just glazing them at this point. Kinda actually liked the start of this one before it quickly devolved back into meh to me. 6/10
Did not like this album, wish I could’ve skipped every song
I was legitimately interested in this one because people love Radiohead and I’ve never really gotten into it. I do not get the hype. Depressing, dull, self-indulgent, overproduced. There, There and Myxomatosis were pretty good songs. Everything else is annoying beep boop nonsense. We don’t need to reinvent what instruments sounds like for the modern age. They already sound good. Be a real artist and invent a new instrument altogether, Thom Yorke. You get 2 stars because the talent and ability is evident. But I don’t get it.
Great album if you're a teenage ghost haunting a suicide watch ward at a drug treatment center. Songwriting is interesting, I enjoyed some of the more electronic tracks, undoubtedly a thought-out and well constructed album, but it's just such a fucking bummer. I think the fact that I don't like it says good things about the state of my mental health. 2.5 rounded up because I prob would've liked it alot more in the 2000s.
So Radiohead is one of my favorite bands, and this is the album that started me on that journey, particularly seeing the music video for “There There” from this album. Weirdly, it seems the members aren’t as proud of it as other albums they’ve made, and it’s not their BEST album, but I (mostly) love it as a fan of the band. They always do a great job with choosing album openers and “2+2=5” is no exception… I feel like “Hail to the Thief” does a great job of mixing their Kid A-type experimental/moody music with some really interesting guitar music from “OK Computer”. Plus it retains some of the themes of the Bush-era paranoia about surveillance, the internet, etc. Does have some slow spots, especially early on, but i have the nostalgia and multiple listens working against that for a 4 stars.
pior que eu acho que esse é o meu favorito do radiohead........ nível elevadíssimo filho não vou dar 5 estrelas pq os membros da banda são uns merdas e não tô com vontade de separar os artistas da obra hoje :)
eu não consigo superar a voz do thom yorke. eu acho que eh isso que não me deixa gostar de radiohead, viu. no mais, tem umas boas. tem outras que ele só fica gemendo na sua orelha com barulhos eletrônicos de fundo. as boas são bem legais, na real!
I'm part of the faction that slights this one as Radiohead’s hangover record. Considering what Kid A and Amnesiac were, it’s understandable. Brilliant in fragments, yet blurred as a whole. It’s more collage than cohesion, and to me, that doesn’t hold a candle to the immersive worlds they’re so skilled at building.
3 estrelas
Trodding, quiet and Erie. I enjoyed my time with it but also it didn’t keep me enthralled the entire time. I enjoy radioheads ability to keep you on the edge of your seat but also comfortably in the recliner of life. A few hits that I saved and will maybe one day give another listen ti
I think this is an excellent album. It has variety, edge and interesting percussive elements. It mixes in all the different sounds to create something coherent but dynamic, the antithesis of this garbled review written in haste. I remain on the fence so I am plumping for a 4 but had to listen again at a minimum. Straight into the “will listen again” bucket and reserve the right to return for an amended review.
This is an extremely difficult album to review. I need more time really to give this a good crack. That said what I can tell for now is this album has a wider identify. The songs have their own unique play on things and differ in many ways musically. For example, "There There" has this prominent guitar lead and even has time to elevate it at the end with some pretty decent rock highlights. In contrast you have songs that have an overly synth effects toolbox (Literally the song before would be a good example or "Myxomatosis"). Then the song after ("I Will") was a slow dragged-out Thom vocal meander with almost no meaningful rhythm component. Next song, percussion comes immediately back in, and we have a rhythm section again. "Wolf at the door" I would not even know was a Radiohead song immediately. In summary I don't think it is as good as Kid A and seems a more random selection of musical intent and does seem to draw upon numerous more individual component tools. That said I actually enjoyed that element of this album in its own right vs others but I just don't feel this has the spectacular visceral complement that really grabbed me in Kid A for example. Guitar (There there), drums (sit down stand up), vocals (Sail to the moon), synth (the gloaming) - To blend to such good effect I eventually landed on a 5. I rounded up.
I always feel like Hail to the Thief is a little odd one out in the Radiohead discography and I remember it taking me a few listens to really get into. After transitioning from their alt-rock roots into the electronic fusion of Kid A and Amnesiac, the album seems to hark back to their more traditional rock sound. That's not to say that the album isn't infused with the chaotic, dizzying whirl of rock-electronica that typify post-Kid A Radiohead. I love how tracks like "Sit Down, Stand Up" crescendo into a panic attack of sound that isn't completely comfortable but remains beautiful. It's just that there are tracks like "Go to Sleep." which more fit the rock band formula. The core attraction of Hail to the Thief and Radiohead in general is that they perfectly capture the beauty in the darker themes of human existence. I get that this isn't an album for all occasions, but sometimes its good to just sit on your own in a dark room and wallow in this swirling beautiful sadness.
I don’t get the hype for Radiohead and this album was plain boring to me, sounds like they’re one step away from watching Andrew Tate videos.
Done
As Radiohead albums go, this was a better one for me. But Thom Yorke's whiney voice just isn't for me.
Excellent album, which is seemingly all Radiohead know how to do. Favorite track: Go to Sleep
Lots of political and social commentary, musically ok. Not very high on my list of favorite Radiohead albums
Not even in Radiohead’s top 5 albums. But still there are some cool songs and it’s Radiohead
Not my fav RH album but pretty darn solid for what it is
3.5 stars
Needs more listens so….
Music needs to be give and take. There wasn’t a lot of give in this.
Difficult one this. Possibly my least favourite album by one of the bands I most enjoy and admire.But it took me 20 years to realise how good Kid A is (despite loving Amnesiac from the get go) so wouldn't rule out an upward revision when I've had more time.