Hail To The Thief is a very disappointing Radiohead album

[CrashedCarDriver]

can we get over oasis already?

they have done absolutely fricking nothing to advance music and music's cause

its just a bunch of sing-songy crap for drunken soccer fans to not feel as foolish as each other to sing with

 

[Kieran McConville]

Zoomerang, I've heard you bring up the production before re. this album, and I can't quite get it. I mean, I'm not saying I LOVE the production on Hail to the Thief, but nearly all the faults you picked out are things I never even thought of. Maybe it feels a little sterile in places, but then again, why would Nigel be the problem now? Has he not produced basicaly everything they ever released?

I dunno.

PS Punch Up at a Wedding is one of my favourite newer Radiohead songs. It's some kind of 21st century english blues, and a royal fuck-you to all the people who haven't been paying attention and think radiohead still do 'weird electronic bleeps and bloops'.

For other pointers to this new direction in Radiohead, see:

I am a Wicked Child
Life in a Glasshouse
(did you lie to us) Tony

 

[Kieran McConville]

Crashed Car Driver, I agree with you on Oasis. There was a 'battle' once between Blur and Oasis to see who was the 'greatest' band or some shit. Gotta tell you, I'd rather be Damon Albarn these days.

 

[CrashedCarDriver]

i thought it didnt matter in the end with the battle between oasis and blur because oasis is deeply irrelevant

and damon albarn only exists with the gorillaz

 

[lazarus]

i thought it didnt matter in the end with the battle between oasis and blur because oasis is deeply irrelevant

and damon albarn only exists with the gorillaz

well Think Tank was only a couple years ago, and that was a great fucking album, even more impressive as it was made without the band's lead guitarist.

Albarn says blur won't continue w/o Coxon but you never know...

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

Ha! Oasis in a million years couldn't put together a song as brilliant as Fake Plastic Trees. Or Bulletproof. Or High and Dry. Or Street Spirit.

Instead you get overdone Beatles wannabes like Champagne Supernova. Give me a fucking break. And yeah, Wonderwall is a great song but the difference between that and the above-mentioned Radiohead songs is SUBSTANCE and transcendence. Something The Beatles knew about but Oasis can only imitate emptily.

Haha...rolling out the lazy Beatles rip-off comparisons..funny how people will believe something when its repeated often enough...how does C. Supernova sound like the Beatles?? sounds nothing like any of their songs at all. As for your first remark, have you ever listened to Slide Away, The Masterplan, Don't Look Back In Anger, Whatever etc?? that is pop at its finest, some of the greatest melodies by anyone..so yes, Oasis can match anyone in terms of the overall quality of their songs. Also, you mention substance and transcendence, well surely that is down to the individual listener..all I know is that a ton of Oasis's songs sound magnificent and powerful10+ years on..apart from that, there is no way I can listen to a song like Wonderwall and file it under "generic" when in fact during 1994-95 Oasis were churning out extraordinary songs (that any band would be proud of) at a frightening rate, and were the best band bar none.

 

[Zoots]

I agree with Sleep Over Jack. They are far from just Beatles wannabes now. Sure, every now and then there is that one song like Guess God Thinks I'm Abel that is very very Beatlesque. But for the most part, they do have a distinct sound that's unmistakably Oasis.

But forget Oasis. I simply cannot understand how some people find HTTT disappointing! I'm listening to it non-stop, everyday on my way and back from work. The only song I skip (and I admit is pretty tiresome) is We Suck Young Blood. And it's conveniently located right in the middle of the CD so that the last song before I reach work is Where I End. And the first song I play when I leave work is The Gloaming.

 

[Kieran McConville]

Yeah i wasnt talking about blur, i wasn't i wasnt i wsnt.

i want


blah

 

[Zoots]

Kieran, have you gone mental again?


Blur is awesome! at least they 'were' awesome.. haven't really listened to think tank.

 

[intedomine]

can we get over oasis already?

they have done absolutely fricking nothing to advance music and music's cause

its just a bunch of sing-songy crap for drunken soccer fans to not feel as foolish as each other to sing with

That tired old philosophy again!

The old "a-band-is-only-credible-and-relevant-if-they-make-progressive-music-and-sound-like-noone-else."

If every band TRIED to be as bold and brilliant as Radiohead, there would be some very wierd shite out there, and most of it unlistenable and barely even categorisable as music.

Progressivism in music should be applauded, but progressivism should not be defined as "trying to create a new genre", but instead challenging yourself musically. Exploring genres that already exist...

...which Oasis have done.

There is significant self-progressivism between (WTS)MG and Heathen Chemistry.

Listen and Learn.



I'd rather hear a decent unchallenging song that makes me feel good rather then a muddle of sounds that make me feel nothing.

 

[intedomine]

But forget Oasis. I simply cannot understand how some people find HTTT disappointing! I'm listening to it non-stop, everyday on my way and back from work. The only song I skip (and I admit is pretty tiresome) is We Suck Young Blood. And it's conveniently located right in the middle of the CD so that the last song before I reach work is Where I End. And the first song I play when I leave work is The Gloaming.

I CAN understand why people find the album disappointing, but I still love the album and the songs which are on it.

It seems to lack the coherence and flow of previous Radiohead albums, and seems rather like 14 songs slapped together without a lot of care for order.

I think they are in a period of transition though. They've done their thing with KidA, Amnesiac and some of the tracks with HTTT. Now they are looking to reinvent themselves, and what a good time for it.

 

[gareth brown]

For other pointers to this new direction in Radiohead, see:

I am a Wicked Child
Life in a Glasshouse
(did you lie to us) Tony

what the...? That last one is called 'Follow Me Around', I've never seen it being referred to as anything else...and it's been floating around since some time around the OK Computer tour. There's a brief snippet of it on the 'Meeting People is Easy' movie.