Hail to the Thief
Capitol - Capitol
Radiohead
Release date: 2003-06-10
Audio CD
Alternative Pop/Rock, Britpop, Experimental Rock, Indie Electronic, Pop, Pop/Rock Music, Rock, Rock/Pop
1. 2 + 2 = 5
2. Sit down. Stand up.
3. Sail to the Moon.
4. Backdrifts.
5. Go to Sleep.
6. Where I End and You Begin.
7. We suck Young Blood.
8. The Gloaming.
9. There there.
10. I will.
11. A Punchup at a Wedding.
12. Myxomatosis.
13. Scatterbrain.
14. A Wolf at the Door.
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Hail to the Thief
Date undefinedHail to the Thief is in my opinion one of the best Radiohead cd's period. Most when thinking about Radiohead immediately think about Kid A, completely disregarding Hail. But! That's a mistake. Hail.. has the brilliant songs: Myxomatosis, Backdrifts and The Gloaming. If you don't already own it, get it now. And if you can, see them live. It will give you an even greater appreciation
Hail to the Thief
Date undefinedRadiohead-Hail To The Thief ****
What strikes me about Hail To The Thief is that it is Radioheads boldest statement, and yet probably the bands all around weakest album. Where as every other album the band released would grow in a new direction, Hail just simply reverted back to Kid A and really only slowed it down. You find basically the same themes through here as you did there as well. So why is this so bold? Well we always expect Radiohead to go somewhere new and they deliberately didn't. But what is this albums greatest merritt is also it's downfall. There is nothing new here which feels like we have already heard this album before. Though at the same time, In Rainbows only took everything the band ever did and put it all on one album, and I personally feel that it is their strongest album to date, even surpassing the highly acclaimed Ok Computer. So what we have is a paradox.
'2 + 2 = 5' with much thought put into this statement, just might be the very best song Radiohead has ever released. It's beautiful melancholy, in a fast angry gun shot to the face delivery with a soft silk screen silohuetted over it. I am aware that statement made no since, that was the point. 'Sail To The Moon' needs no mention as the track speaks for itself. 'We Suck Young Blood' and 'The Gloaming' scare the bright side out of you upon first listen.. 'A Wolf At The Door' might be the weakest track Radiohead has ever released making the end of this album perfect. Don't ask me how that works, I don't know. The fact is that everything this band does should suck, because it goes against everything that we are told to like, and maybe that is why we love them so much. In an alternate universe I believe the world hates Radiohead in the same way that we love them.
So why not give Hail To The Thief a five star rating, I don't have a reason for that. I just feel that five is too many and anything less than four would be treason. Aside from a few hand claps thrown in nothing new is here as I said making this album feel like you have heard it before. So for that I can't give it a higher rating, and I can't give it a lower rating because all the groups other work is brilliant so it would be hypocritical to lower a rating for that lone reason. I highly recommend all Radioheads work!
Hail to the Thief
Date undefined "Pablo Honey" spawned mega hit "Creep", skip some years down the road (and two albums) "Kid A" is released gone is the alternative rock sound. In return we got a electronic minimalist style. Compare and contrast their sound all you'd like, fact remains they are creative and entertaining. Knowing the bands intentions to change their dynamic highly layered music, one must be filled with anxiety...You really never know what to expect! Scrolling through a few more years after "Kid A" and the decent attempt "Amnesiac", "Hail to the Thief" emerges. "Hail to the Thief" is immersing, brooding (but not nearly as dark as past work, some songs are actually quite uplifting), and clever.
"2+2=5" is as complex a song, as it is to prove 2+2 actually equals five. The intro is simply a input jack from a guitar being tapped. Clouds of sound billow each song some slowly and some stormily fast. "Sit Down, Stand Up" has bridge that breaks the songs mold and speeds the whole process up.
Before my laptop dies (4 minutes left so little of time), my pick off the album is "Sail to the Moon". Such a beautiful song. I just had a surgery and listening to this as an ambiance playing a game or relaxing in a dark room really painted images in my mind.
Overall fantastic artsy album, easily their most assecible album to date. Easily worth a listen, congrats Radiohead.
