Hail To The Thief - Radiohead

With their sixth studio album, Radiohead faced the unenviable task of sticking to their guns and producing an album which fitted in with their reputation of mutating musicians, while retaining the quality of their previous work. After all the fuss over the transition between OK Computer and Kid A, it would have been quite the let down for the boys to rest on their laurels and turn out a half-measured piece. Fortunately, laziness was never going to be a factor for the Oxford band. They remain one of the most intelligent group in the business when it comes to gauging their situation and taking the correct steps towards a successful new sound. Hail To The Thief ...  Read the complete review

So the last month has seen Radiohead release there 6th full length album and after the disaster that was Amnesiac they really needed to pull something out the bag. To be honest Tom Yorke has almost managed it and Radiohead after a brief de-railment they have got back on track and are once again on track. Hail To The Thief in terms of gauge falls between Kid A and Ok Computer as an album, with bits of the Bends and Pablo Honey thrown in to make it sound even better. I shall warn you now for all those people who do not like long reviews that this shall be on and if you don’t like long op’s then maybe you should stop reading here. So without further a ...  Read the complete review

Hail to the Thief has never received any of the high acclaim which is lavished upon the other three big Radiohead albums, although if you ask me it's just as good, and is a logical progression into a slightly louder direction whilst retaining the vintage Radiohead bizarreness and progression. The opening 2+2=5 gets the album underway with the most aggressive track on the record - and as well as being considered the lead track many fans cite it as their favourite from the album. For me We Suck Your Blood is worthy of a mention too for its excellent structure and true bizarreness. It starts out as a piano ballad which builds up to a huge crescendo ...  Read the complete review

I started out being a huge Radiohead fan, without actually owning any of their albums. I saw a quick preview of this album in Q mag back in 2002, flicking through very "suggestive" pages about Moby, I stumble on a picture of the Gods that are Ed O'Brien and Thom Yorke with the Q award in hand. Flicking through again, I find an article on them, explaining how they were in LA for recording. "Inevitably, you soak up your surroundings" and its true. These were the times of the September 11th "disaster", "It was like working in a void"... and it shows. The 1st track - 2+2=5 instantly reminds me of what music should ...  Read the complete review

Coming after Radiohead's double-suite departure of Kid A and Amnesiac, this was always going to be a sticking point for many fans. Do they carry on virtually guitarless, or make a full blown rock record. This floats comfortably in the middle, never quite as out and out rock as Paranoid Android or Just, but never as eccentric as Idioteque. This though, gives the band breathing space, creating their secret masterpiece. While it is true that I am a Radiohead fan, and a big one at that, this album truly has everything. 2+2=5 opens the album in explosive fashion, Thom Yorke sounding as impassioned as ever "Oh go and tell the king that the sky is falling ...  Read the complete review