Hail To The Thief
by Radiohead
  • Record Label: Capitol
  • Release Date: Jun 10, 2003
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 647 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 606 out of 647
  2. Mixed: 28 out of 647
  3. Negative: 13 out of 647

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  1. BrandonR.
    Aug 6, 2003
    9
    Perhpaps the smartest rock/post-rock band to prosper as a pop act and still maintain oodles of integrity. (As a musician, I wish I was in a band versatile enough to play whatever we like, using whatever instrumentation I want.) Something for all Radiohead fans on this one, kids, even though it seems like a direct cousin to "Amnesiac". Probably some of Thom's best vocals since The Perhpaps the smartest rock/post-rock band to prosper as a pop act and still maintain oodles of integrity. (As a musician, I wish I was in a band versatile enough to play whatever we like, using whatever instrumentation I want.) Something for all Radiohead fans on this one, kids, even though it seems like a direct cousin to "Amnesiac". Probably some of Thom's best vocals since The Bends. Faves: "2+2=5" is a sneaky opener, "Sit Down Stand Up" is hypnotic; "Where I End You Begin" is bittersweet; and "There There" is ingenious pop. Prediction: "Go To Sleep" will be the next single and it will be huge. (A-) … Expand
  2. DaveJ
    Jul 30, 2003
    10
    Brilliant.
  3. DavidB
    Jul 18, 2003
    9
    Best album ever
  4. truelove
    Jul 18, 2003
    10
    big fan since pablo honey. impressed with everything since. this one makes my heart swell. i can't wait for more.
  5. NseE
    Jul 14, 2003
    10
    Brilliant stuff. Their best yet. From the dirge like 'We suck young blood', to the snappy 'Where I end & you begin', through to 'A wolf at the door', awesome stuff.
  6. JoshuaW.
    Jul 8, 2003
    10
    I have never felt anything less than love for any of Radiohead's albums (since The Bends) and this one is no exception. It's a perfect mix of good old rock and the more experimental music from their last two albums. I love this album.
  7. MeyerD
    Jul 7, 2003
    10
    Give it a couple of spins in your CD player, I guarentee that it will become one of your fav CDs!
  8. BonzaC
    Jun 23, 2003
    8
    A very good album, but there are a few fillers on this album.
  9. nathans
    Jun 22, 2003
    10
    Hail to the Radiohead!
  10. Kristospherein
    Jun 16, 2003
    10
    Not sure what I was expecting out of this album, I like (in their own ways) OK Computer, The Bends, and Kid A/Amnesiac and yet this seems like, once again, a completely different work. The intervals and chord changes that the band uses on this CD are dramatic and unusual and quite different from those used in any of their other works. I agree with the reviewers that mention that you Not sure what I was expecting out of this album, I like (in their own ways) OK Computer, The Bends, and Kid A/Amnesiac and yet this seems like, once again, a completely different work. The intervals and chord changes that the band uses on this CD are dramatic and unusual and quite different from those used in any of their other works. I agree with the reviewers that mention that you shouldn't judge a band by their previous works-a band can't ever go backwards-always remember this. If you are an "old" Radiohead fan that liked The Bends or OK Computer and haven't liked the direction that they are going, that's your perogative. However, don't drag the rest of us through your rubbish about how they don't rock anymore, this and that. Times have changed, Radiohead has changed, if a band were to never change their sound or recreated themselves over and over, they would just fade away. Human existence is all about growth and wisdom. I don't know if I could quite classify this as perfect, classic, or an other nostalgic title for such a piece of art. Yet, I can say that many many bands wil use Radiohead as an influence in the future cause Radiohead are doing things that are not being done by any other mainstream band for the past 15 years and that is powerful. Either like it or don't but do understand that this is where music is headed. We've exhausted pop and there are only so many directions ifor music to go in, this being one. Twenty years down the line, I know that I will be proud to say that I was a fan of Radiohead. Can you say that about bands like Limp Bizkit or Britney Spears or whatever it is that people listen to? They are for entertainment purposes only, this is where the music really shows. Oh, and don't be a music snob and say this band or this band is better than Radiohead cause it's unfair to compare an artist like Bowie who we've been able to see his immense influence over the past thirty years. This is brilliance and it should be recognized as so, even if you don't understand why.… Expand
  11. monkey
    Jun 16, 2003
    10
    how do they do it? 5 classics in a row
  12. MatthewL
    Jun 14, 2003
    10
    Worldclass !!!
  13. AaronF
    Jun 11, 2003
    8
    This album is good, not great, and definitely not revolutionary. There I said it. That's not to say it is bad, quite the contrary. Basically if you like Radiohead, you'll like this. Just some extra notes: -This album's blend of techno pieces and guitar songs is the best yet (Not that b-side feel you got from Amnesiac). -Speaking of the guitar songs, they are the worst songs This album is good, not great, and definitely not revolutionary. There I said it. That's not to say it is bad, quite the contrary. Basically if you like Radiohead, you'll like this. Just some extra notes: -This album's blend of techno pieces and guitar songs is the best yet (Not that b-side feel you got from Amnesiac). -Speaking of the guitar songs, they are the worst songs on this album, well some of them. Go To Sleep and Scatterbrain just don't really go anywhere. -Speaking of the techno pieces, they are the best songs on this album (for once), well some of them. Backdrifts is possibly the best beatbox Radiohead yet. -This album is the most Thom Yorke centered of them all. Remember how Kid A sounded like Radiohead even if it didn't sound like a rock band. Well some songs on this piece of plastic would not sound like Radiohead if it weren't for those seperation anxiety vocals. -This album features a LOT of piano or keyboard! Thanks for Reading!!!… Expand
  14. JookydogX
    Jun 11, 2003
    8
    You know, all artists are only as good as their last release. But it seems that, unlike any other band I've ever seen, Radiohead is entirely defined by what people THOUGHT of them at one time, and that's sad - for the band, for the fans, for the critics, etc. Radiohead makes music to please themselves - if you don't believe this assertion, check out their entire catalog and You know, all artists are only as good as their last release. But it seems that, unlike any other band I've ever seen, Radiohead is entirely defined by what people THOUGHT of them at one time, and that's sad - for the band, for the fans, for the critics, etc. Radiohead makes music to please themselves - if you don't believe this assertion, check out their entire catalog and how it is has changed. The reactions of others outside the band really don't matter to them all that much. And they deserve a lot of credit for that. On another note, no-one seems to be willing to stand back and listen to a new Radiohead release without forcing a comparison to either The Bends, OK Computer, or the Kid A/Amnesiac sessions. That's patently unfair to Hail to the Thief. If Radiohead had never existed before now (and therefore, none of its antecedents like Coldplay would have either) and then come along and released an album like HTTT, the critics would be raving, and it would be cool to say you were a fan. Another thing - how many of us fans - or critics - knew what to make of OK Computer when it first came out? It sure as hell wasn't The Bends, now, was it? Give Radiohead a break. And yourselves. Take this album at face value. Either you like it (like I do) or you don't. But don't judge them on their past. It's not fair to what is some truly good music.… Expand
  15. Jules
    Jun 9, 2003
    10
    Fantastic stuff - Dan D has it just right - this album lives and breathes much more than the headspaces of its predecessors - it even has something that so few reviewers have mentioned - a sense of humour - dark and perverse, but defintely there. There is a camp sense of its own drama throughout this album - coming to a head in the hilarious (and troubling) we suck young blood. Don't Fantastic stuff - Dan D has it just right - this album lives and breathes much more than the headspaces of its predecessors - it even has something that so few reviewers have mentioned - a sense of humour - dark and perverse, but defintely there. There is a camp sense of its own drama throughout this album - coming to a head in the hilarious (and troubling) we suck young blood. Don't be too earnest people - this is the greatest show on earth and Radiohead know it.… Expand
  16. BenR
    Jun 9, 2003
    10
    Wow Yet again, Radiohead have proved why they are in a league of their own. Hail To The Thief is a great mixture of the best bits of their four previous albums, but gives everthing a much darker and more sinister edge. It also adds plenty of new ideas, such as the 'funk' of A Punchup At A Wedding, the rapping in A Wolf At The Door and the unique Myxomatosis. There are loads of Wow Yet again, Radiohead have proved why they are in a league of their own. Hail To The Thief is a great mixture of the best bits of their four previous albums, but gives everthing a much darker and more sinister edge. It also adds plenty of new ideas, such as the 'funk' of A Punchup At A Wedding, the rapping in A Wolf At The Door and the unique Myxomatosis. There are loads of classic Radiohead songs on this album, with 2+2=5, Sit Down Stand Up, Sail To The Moon, Where I End And You Begin, There There, I Will, Myxomatosis and A Wolf At The Door all set to be up their with the best of them. My highlights of the album would be all of Wolf At The Door, the end of Where I End And You Begin (Thom sings 'I will eat you alive' over some great bass playing and electronics), and best of all the middle of 2+2=5. After a hypnotic beginning based on a catchy guitar riff, the song slows down for a bit. Thom Yorke then yells 'YOU HAVE NOT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION' and the song becomes one of the fastest things that they've ever done, and definitely one of the best. Like loads of other great albums, Hail To The Thief has loads of different music styles, but blends them all together so it flows so well on the CD. Probably not as good as the flawless Kid A, this is still a classic, and one of the best albums ever. So why are you still reading this; go and buy it!… Expand
  17. JoshNobodinows
    Jun 8, 2003
    10
    This is a great cd hands down. However this site needs to add the review of it by www.drownedinsound.com (5/5).
  18. sirazhtabukov
    Jun 7, 2003
    10
    no comments
  19. sirazhtabukov
    Jun 6, 2003
    10
    no comments
  20. StephenB
    Jun 6, 2003
    10
    Pure genius radiohead. They haven't once recorded or released a bad record and this is no exception to that rule. A nice blend of the older, more guitar based songs with some new electro classics like the gloaming chucked in there.
  21. DanD
    Jun 5, 2003
    10
    The problem with reviewing a Radiohead album is that it's hard to find relevant comparisons. They are the most skillful of magpie bands - taking a bit from here, a bit from there, and twisting it all together into something that generally sounds quite unique. So critics, without an easy reference point to go by, tend to evaluate each new Radiohead album by comparing to their previous The problem with reviewing a Radiohead album is that it's hard to find relevant comparisons. They are the most skillful of magpie bands - taking a bit from here, a bit from there, and twisting it all together into something that generally sounds quite unique. So critics, without an easy reference point to go by, tend to evaluate each new Radiohead album by comparing to their previous work, especially that famous third album. The NME review of Hail To The Thief, for example, could be summarized roughly as follows: "It wasn't OK Computer." The reply that comes immediately to my mind is that... well... yeah. It's not. Was anyone actually expecting that? People seem to forget that Radiohead is a band that has always survived through change. Their sound has been altered drastically for each album, and while Hail To The Thief does contain moments that remind one of various earlier work, the album as a whole sounds like nothing else in their catalog. It sounds alive, and a little raw, and definately imperfect. It's not quite as pretty as OK Computer, and it doesn't have the mood or the purity of Kid A. What it does have is life. Hail To The Thief is the sound of a band living and breathing and thoroughly enjoying themselves, and it's a little rough in places. So while the sounds may be a bit familiar, the spirit of the album is something that is very new for Radiohead. If OK Computer is a watercolor, and Kid A is an oil painting, than HTTT is a snapshot on a disposable camera. And when you evaluate it on it's own merits, rather than those of it's predecessors, it stands up almost as well as any other Radiohead album. Brilliant, then. I wonder what's next?… Expand
  22. jackc
    Jun 1, 2003
    10
    incredibly amazing
  23. AntonisL
    May 31, 2003
    10
    In Brief: Excellent album!!! Judging by the reviews that have been appeared in the Metacritic so far, I really didn't expect from most of "professional reviewers" to treat it fairly. Take NME for instance... their empathy towards Radiohead is well known. While praising Coldplay and insisting that it's the best rock group that exists at the moment (...forgive them Father...), In Brief: Excellent album!!! Judging by the reviews that have been appeared in the Metacritic so far, I really didn't expect from most of "professional reviewers" to treat it fairly. Take NME for instance... their empathy towards Radiohead is well known. While praising Coldplay and insisting that it's the best rock group that exists at the moment (...forgive them Father...), it's Radiohead the ones who wants to take their musical art one step further. In this album they managed to combine the experimental elements of their last two contributions with the straightforward forms of their earlier works (especially The Bends and OK Computer)...it's like the missing link, but truly this album sounds extremely refreshing and modern. Yorke's vocals reveal his maturity as a singer once again, especially in songs like "I Will", where his falsetto should be studied in musical schools. Strong melodies (some even catchy), demanding songs, poetic and emotional lyrics, a magnum opus in general without doubt. I really can't see a failure coming from Radiohead's camp coming any time soon. Listen for yourself and leave the NME crap behind...those guys have proved in the past their inability to foresee the future and appreciate/rate a band/album.… Expand
  24. AntonisL
    May 31, 2003
    10
    In Brief: Excellent album!!! Judging by the reviews that have been appeared in the Metacritic so far, I really didn't expect from most of "professional reviewers" to treat it fairly. Take NME for instance... their empathy towards Radiohead is well known. While praising Coldplay and insisting that it's the best rock group that exists at the moment (...forgive them Father...), In Brief: Excellent album!!! Judging by the reviews that have been appeared in the Metacritic so far, I really didn't expect from most of "professional reviewers" to treat it fairly. Take NME for instance... their empathy towards Radiohead is well known. While praising Coldplay and insisting that it's the best rock group that exists at the moment (...forgive them Father...), it's Radiohead the ones who wants to take their musical art one step further. In this album they managed to combine the experimental elements of their last two contributions with the straightforward forms of their earlier works (especially The Bends and OK Computer)...it's like the missing link, but truly this album sounds extremely refreshing and modern. Yorke's vocals reveal his maturity as a singer once again, especially in songs like "I Will", where his falsetto should be studied in musical schools. Strong melodies (some even catchy), demanding songs, poetic and emotional lyrics, a magnum opus in general without doubt. I really can't see a failure coming from Radiohead's camp coming any time soon. Listen for yourself and leave the NME crap behind...those guys have proved in the past their inability to foresee the future and appreciate/rate a band/album.… Expand
  25. JohnL
    May 29, 2003
    10
    "Hail to the Thief" has a little of the best aspects of the four last albums of the band. Attention for "2+2=5", "I Will" and "Go to Sleep". A great record.
  26. BitBurn
    May 27, 2003
    8
    Ok well. Mmh...What is that thing? It's an album! The new one from Radiohead!! Yeah yeah right. Music for the intellectual mind. Sounds for the soul. Simplicity. Complex, confusing?!! What am I saying. You see, my review fits the picture of this record!
  27. thomasr
    May 25, 2003
    9
    makes more sense and becomes more perfect with each listen.
  28. RoniS
    May 22, 2003
    8
    The problem is, where the hell can you really go after Kid A and Amnesiac. There is no more room to progress. Radiohead has faced that paradox of being too good. With Hail, I finally thought i had a reason to hate Radiohead as the left-wing, American-hating extremists that they are (the album title mocks W). After the first two listens, I was laughing at this album. However, some of the The problem is, where the hell can you really go after Kid A and Amnesiac. There is no more room to progress. Radiohead has faced that paradox of being too good. With Hail, I finally thought i had a reason to hate Radiohead as the left-wing, American-hating extremists that they are (the album title mocks W). After the first two listens, I was laughing at this album. However, some of the songs grow on you. But if this wasn't Radiohead, the album wouldn't have got those extra listens and the benefit of the doubt. I rate it an 8 instead of a 7 just in case these songs aren't the final versions, and are improved upon in the final release. But it seems Radiohead is going downhill along with Blur.… Expand
  29. MarcR
    May 21, 2003
    10
    An extremely strong album, as the band has managed to incorporate the best elements of their last three albums. By far one of the year's best. One question remains for arguably the best rock n roll band right now, -where to go, from here?
  30. rodrigod
    May 20, 2003
    7
    ultimately 'hail to the thief' is another disappointment from what is becoming a tired radiohead stable. the fresh electronica of 'kid a', elaborated on 'amnesiac' has failed to find the new inspiration the band claim to have. too many anonymous fillers, too little of heart they used to have.
  31. BrandonSstandsforinitial
    May 19, 2003
    8
    Haunch. This is a great album, I wish they would go back to their pablo honey roots, but thats kinda hard after the awesome ok computer came out. Best song is 2+2=5
  32. PhilM
    May 16, 2003
    10
    CLASS
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Awards & Rankings

24
#24 Best Album of 2003
6
#6 Most Discussed Album of 2003
5
#5 Most Shared Album of 2003

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Universal acclaim - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
  1. Q Magazine
    70
    As admirable as Radiohead's quest ongoing quest to ignore expectations, tear up the manual and proudly rebel against the limitations of 4/4 time seems, some of Hail To The Thief comes dangerously close to being all experimentalism and precious little substance. [Jul 2003, p.98]
  2. Flak Magazine
    80
    Of course it's political, and of course it continues to merge electronic experimentation with more familiar rock structures; but it employs all those debate-igniting props simply to further the band's more pressing agenda: to tirelessly explore beauty's terrible fragility.
    Read full review
  3. New York Magazine (Vulture)
    90
    Hail to the Thief is overloaded with miraculous sounds.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »