Radiohead- Hail to the Thief

[JohnnyRoyale]

Couldn't find the original thread on this album. I've had this album for months. When I first got it I listened to it a few times and thought it was OK, putting it on the shelf. I've had it in my car all week and am really appreciating the album more now.

"Sit down. Stand up" is great, but "We suck young blood" is my fav on the CD.

JR

[theUnnameable]

I understand what you mean. The first few times through, nothing on Hail to the Thief jumped out at me, I thought it was good (I mean, come on, it's Radiohead) but not spectacular. After a few weeks of constant car listening, I grew to love it like all of its brother and sister Radiohead albums.

[DaysWithoutEnd]

Here it is
http://msg.woxy.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7857&highlight=httt

[euro60]

Happen to see an absolute fabulous Radiohead performance "exclusively" on DirecTV (Channel 101) from 2008 where they performed in a London studio for a small audience. They played a bunch of "In Rainbows" of course, but also interestingly several tracks from "Hail to the Thief" that they don't play much anymore: "The Gloaming", "Myxomatosis" and best of all "Where I End and You Begin".

It lead me to replay the "Hail" album afterwards, which I admit I haven't listened to in ages, as I think it's the band's weakest. But as I relisten to it now, there are about 7 stellar tracks on here, and in hindsight it also gives a glimps of Thom Yorke's "The Eraser" album in 2006 (check out "Backdrifts" and "The Gloaming").

As to that DirecTV performance, check it out if you can. It's perfect. For one thing, the editing is beautiful, actually not changing angles every second or so, which seems to be so prevalent in filmed music performances these days, but simply watching the band as they perform (in a circle turned toward each other), just beautiful. And if you have movie-style all-around sound (which I have), it sounds even better.

[Donyo]

Happen to see an absolute fabulous Radiohead performance "exclusively" on DirecTV (Channel 101) from 2008 where they performed in a London studio for a small audience. They played a bunch of "In Rainbows" of course, but also interestingly several tracks from "Hail to the Thief" that they don't play much anymore: "The Gloaming", "Myxomatosis" and best of all "Where I End and You Begin".

It lead me to replay the "Hail" album afterwards, which I admit I haven't listened to in ages, as I think it's the band's weakest. But as I relisten to it now, there are about 7 stellar tracks on here, and in hindsight it also gives a glimps of Thom Yorke's "The Eraser" album in 2006 (check out "Backdrifts" and "The Gloaming").

I saw this the other day and had the same urge. And after playing it again, I still think it's by far their weakest album. The two bookends ("2+2=5" and "A Wolf At The Door") are fantastic though.

[Fourthisto]

Its my second favorite R-head album, and I think at this point shall forever be. Its very deep, not in like a Kwai Chang Caine kind of way, but in number of excellent get-your-ass-moving but then take a moment to consider this frozen lake as the moon sets into it type tunes.

Euro, was that show at the record store? I watched that one online with someone really cool, so cool in fact that I count that as going to a show with them. :)

[euro60]

Euro, was that show at the record store? I watched that one online with someone really cool, so cool in fact that I count that as going to a show with them. :)
No, this performance looks to be taped in a recording studio, or maybe a radio studio.

from DirecTV:

Radiohead
Join Thom Yorke, Ed O'Brien, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, and Phil Selway in this exclusive performance special taped in a London studio. Hear songs from their album "In Rainbows." Premieres February 15 at 9pm ET/PT.

[shaggyscotsman]

Euro,

It's not this (http://www.fromthebasement.tv/artists/radiohead/gallery) by chance, is it?

[euro60]

Euro,

It's not this (http://www.fromthebasement.tv/artists/radiohead/gallery) by chance, is it?

Why, yes it is, Shaggy. :)

[shaggyscotsman]

Why, yes it is, Shaggy. :)

That's weird. I've had that on my Tivo for at least 1.5 years. It was on VH1 that long ago to coincide with In Rainbows. But, that was all they showed, nothing from Hail... Pretty great though. I return to it every couple of months.

I didn't shearch the site too much, so I don't know if it's mentioned there, but from what I remember that's Nigel Goodriches (sp?) home studio:eek: Hence, from the basement.

[WalterSobchak]

I still think it's by far their weakest album.

You can play "Anyone Can Play Guitar" at volume level 11 as much as you want but it isn't going to make Pablo Honey anything except their weakest album. (Full disclosure: I would leave my wife for Thom Yorke)

[The Sheck]

I would say Amnesiac is their weakest. Sounds like KID A leftovers to me for the most part. Though 'Pyramid Song,' 'I Might Be Wrong' (irony) and 'You And Whose Army' I dig a lot.

The transition from 2+2=5 to Sit Down, Stand Up on HTTT is the band's best on any album. But yeah, 7 stand out tracks (those two, I Will, A Wolf At The Door, Sail To The Moon, There There, and Scatterbrain if you were wondering).

[Cyclone]

The transition from 2+2=5 to Sit Down, Stand Up on HTTT is the band's best on any album.

I've always been a huge fan of Optimistic followed by In Limbo. Along with the Amnesiac tracks you listed, I've always thought Knives Out and Life In A Glass House are underrated ... really never understood how the former never caught on. HTTT is near the bottom of my list but I agree with Walter that Pablo Honey is their weakest ... I enjoy Creep as a single but I rarely play it (or any of the album) over any of the rest of their discog. Unless of course we're not even really considering it when ranking their albums, which I tend to do.

The Bends > OKC > In Rainbows > Kid A > Amnesiac > HTTT > Pablo Honey

[euro60]

I agree with Walter that Pablo Honey is their weakest ... Unless of course we're not even really considering it when ranking their albums, which I tend to do.

The Bends > OKC > In Rainbows > Kid A > Amnesiac > HTTT > Pablo Honey

I never even think of Pablo Honey as a 'real' Radiohead album.

I'll go with:

Kid A > In Rainbows > The Bends > OKC > HTTT > Amnesiac

with special mention to I Might Be Wrong (Live Recordings), which is absolutely fabulous from start to finish. I may be playing this more than any other Radiohead album.