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Hail to the Thief
Radiohead
Retail Price (not our price): $18.98
Release Date: 2003-06-10
Manufacturer: Capitol
Format: Audio CD
Discs: 1

Track List
Now here, for your listening pleasure, the tracks...

Disc 1

Editorial Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):

1) Amazon.com
Filling the gulf between OK Computer's epic progressive rock and Kid A's skittering electronic theatrics, Hail to the Thief borrows equally from each. Its title implies that this will be a collection filled with songs of anger and dissent, but Radiohead no longer howl at the moon like they did on 1995's The Bends. Instead, they use eloquent metaphors and complicated arrangements to express the uncertainty, fear and anger arising from the 2000 U.S. presidential election and a post-9/11 world. There's no doubt about where Thom Yorke and company stand; the prog-rock break on "2 + 2 = 5" and Yorke's terror at the thought of being "put in a dock" make that immediately clear. But there's a prevailing sense of powerlessness here. The tinkling piano behind the cold sonic surface of "Backdrifts" and the brief, swooping melody in the middle of "Sail to the Moon" are islands in a sea of confusion. Like the band's best work, Thief requires more than a few listens to fully appreciate, but those who stick around will be richly rewarded. --Matthew Cooke

2) Amazon.com
Radiohead PhotosMore from RadioheadOK ComputerThe Bends Kid APablo HoneyAmnesiacThe Astoria London Live

Customer Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):
Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5

1) one of their best   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
I know this isnt one of their most popular albums but I think its one of their best. I think its their best after Kid A , The Bends, & Ok Computer. Their best albums in order IMO:Kid AThe BendsOk ComputerHail to the ThiefIn RainbowsAmnesiacPablo HoneyOn a side note, Thom Yorke's solo album The Eraser is a great album & IMO just as good as this album.

2) In Rainbows Part 1 (In Parts)   [Rating: 4 out of 5]
Regardless of some of the grumbling about this release, 'Hail To The Thief' contains some of Radiohead's best work.At fourteen tracks however it's overall quality is diminished and the ten track 'In Rainbows' would seem to indicate a lesson learned - not that disc two of In Rainbows contains any inferior material.The band have said that nobody was happy with this record, themselves included. I feel that the omission of three or four of the tracks would have helped, bringing greater focus to the remainder both for the band and for the listener.For example, the 'Com Lag' e.p. contains the 'L.A. version' of the song 'I Will'. I never really cared for the original version found on 'Hail To The Thief' but the L.A version sounds fully formed and would have been a great addition to the album.Once the 'b-sides' are removed what you have are some exhilarating and incredible songs, the best of which are:2+2=5BackdriftsGo To SleepWhere I End And You BeginThere ThereAfter four years I still love these songs and 'There There' has been my favorite Radiohead song since I first heard it, only rivaled by '15 Step' from 'In Rainbows'.'Scatterbrain' and 'A Wolf At The Door' are also worthwhile and some people feel that 'A Punchup At A Wedding' is an essential Radiohead track. So, there is much to enjoy here and the quality, in places, is equal to 'In Rainbows'.

3) Radiohead - Good But Inconsistant   [Rating: 4 out of 5]
I own 3 Radiohead albums. This one, "Ok Computer" and "Kid A". Stylistically I find "Hail To The Chief" to fall squarely in between these other two. There are elements of both albums to be found here, yet "Hail" is not really like either one of them in many ways. Overall I do not like this album as well. The material has a lot of peaks and valleys. When it is good it is very good, but I can find other parts of the album are almost sleep inducing. The disc really starts out strong with the first 3 cuts "2+2=5", "Sit Down Stand Up" and "Sail To The Moon", but the rest of the album tends to meander a bit too much. I respect the fact that these guys are always pushing boundaries and it is to be expected with a band like this that some of their sonic explorations will bare fruit while others will not pay off. Overall the album is certainly worth owning for fans of the band or modern progressive rock, but as an overall piece of music I think it is a slight let down from their best material.

4) Radiohead the 8th great wonder of the world.   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
Radiohead's album Hail to the Theif is utterly amazing. I know my judgement may be clouded by my emmense love of this band, but seriously folks I urge you to give this album a try and another try and another try, and so on. I don't know of any other band I could listen to day in and day out and not get bored with it. Radiohead is that band. Thre will be weeks where I will listen to album after album of Radiohead, one after another. This is my all-time favorite Radiohead album. Something just seems to speak to me from it. It is very intriquing and mind stimulating. It gets inside my chest and I can feel it there and it wells up inside and makes me want to drive fast and live life. I really enjoy every song from this album but there are some definite gems that stick out. There There is probably my favorite Radiohead song of all time. Go to Sleep, 2+2=5, Sail to the Moon, A Wolf at the Door, these are all amazing songs as well. Radiohead delivers a unique and diverse sound on Hail to the Theif and acheives greatness. It is just so wonderful that they share their beautiful and awe-inspiring music with all of us.

5) On Their Way Back   [Rating: 3 out of 5]
Well at least Radiohead are coming back from the stars to the topsoil. I fell in love with Radiohead when they released The Bends and OK Computer. Why The Bends didn't capture the world will always mystify me. With OK Computer it was a different affair, an album that truly snuck up on me and knocked me off of my feet.Radiohead know quite well what they are good at but I wonder what made them so motivated to deconstruct themselves. On one level with Kid A and Amnesiac I could almost understand it. At 1st listen these albums were a treat but nothing stuck or made them even remotely memorable. That's either Radiohead's brilliance or my inability to dig deeper into the music. The truth lies in the middle.With Hail to the Thief, the boys are coming back down to their roots in noticeable ways. There are constructed songs that show some form of one or the other. I like the album but there is a definite thread of the trademark Radiohead dissonance and disaffection. And I have to say this "trademark" is getting all so...tired.In some ways I appreciate it but it other ways it dissappoints me. I see and hear growth musically but I have to admit that I have a hard time seeing growth in their views and their arrangements and the wonderful career that they have constructed.I almost feel that I have outgrown them.I was complaining to a friend the other day that Radiohead are just too sad and cut off these days. Where is their evolution? I just don't see, feel or hear it any more. And my friend said: "Well what do you want? It's Radiohead."Sigh...are we to expect nothing else?