Lets Rank The......

Radiohead Discography

Amidst the flannel shirts and feel-bad emotions of the grunge movement, a young band from England decided to throw their toque in the ring, albeit to establish in the US, and diversify from there.  Radiohead, to the typical 18 year old college student in the early 1990s, was all about “Creep” and being “so fuckin’ special”, while since then, Thom Yorke and company,  have taken the early days, and built one of the best rock franchises in the past 20 years.  In this inaugural edition of “Lets Rank The….”, it’s time to look at the entire Radiohead catalogue, and dissect the work, 1 album at a time……

8) The King Of Limbs:  God, do I hate to start this list with their latest offering, but when you rank brilliance, sometimes “less brilliant” has to be recognized.  After the unreal offering of In Rainbows (you will have to scroll WAY down) I had high hopes for Limbs.   And, as a whole, it didn’t disappoint.  However, with most Radiohead albums, I can point to 3-4 songs that I would put on a mix tape for a new fan without hesitation.  With Limbs?  Maybe 2? If that?  Now, that said, Separator is in my top 10 Radiohead tracks ever, which is saying something.  I don’t know, it just feels rushed.  Good, not great.

7) Hail to the Thief:  After a long layoff, Radiohead came out with Hail, among much fanfare and hype…and I am sorry, it fell flat.  Yes, there are some thrilling songs, yes, Yorke and company were back in the public eye…..but after the strong opener of 2x2=5, the rest of the album just seemed to be laying in the weeds.  While I would never think that a band would mail in a record, Hail felt that Radiohead, for the first time, was uninspired, and not breaking new ground as they had done early in their career.

6) Amnesiac:  In inner circles, collectively known as Kid B.  After the enormous pub and adoration of Kid A happened, Radiohead fell into “that trap”….how the hell do we follow THAT up?  Amnesiac has the same look and feel of Kid A, so much so that it almost becomes a companion record.  Now, for many a band, to follow up something groundbreaking with a “part 2”?  That would be an accomplishment.  For Radiohead, it became a bane.  Like any offering , Amnesiac is a “must own”, but maybe buy it when there is nothing else to buy at the record store.

5) Pablo Honey:  The young, grunge, I-was-a college-Music-Director in me wants to rank this MUCH higher, as this was the album that made me say “holy shit, this is groundbreaking”  However, when I am objective and thinking rationally, I can’t move this up higher than here, based on the music that would follow.  Yes, Creep is unreal, groundbreaking(ish), and angst personified.  Thinking About You has the lighter side covered in a beautiful acoustic way, and I have put Ripcord and Prove Yourself on comp discs….but…  This is a tremendous debut….and the fact that it ranks in the lower half speaks more about the tremendous outpouring that was yet to come, more than it being inferior.  

4) Kid A:  Admittedly, of the entire catalogue, this album took me the longest time to come around on.  But, once I did?  It became a nightly listen.  The National Anthem and Motion Picture Soundtrack are the two highlights, but front to back, this album is one that makes you sit back and appreciate EVERYTHING that is going on with the band.  What they accomplished with OK Computer earlier, they capitalized on , and brought to a new level.  Kid A may be one of the most under rated albums of all time

3) The Bends:  If someone, and WOW what a strange conversation this would be, asked me tomorrow what my favorite Radiohead song is, Fake Plastic Trees would probably be the first one out of my mouth.  Listening to albums on vinyl has made me re-appreciate the value and oh-my-good-god nature of a Side 1…..when I was growing up, I would argue with friends, friends of friends, relatives…..the merits of a side 1 of an album.  Re-issue vinyl brings me back there in 2013.  That said, side 1 of The Bends is near perfection.  The Bends and High and Dry and Fake Plastic Trees is in my all-time greatest three song progression on an album….ever

2) In Rainbows:  it’s close.  I love the #1 album, and it’s a clear winner, but wow, does Rainbows come close.  After Hail To The Thief, my expectations were down.  Yes, it was Radiohead, but my god, Hail was “ok”, they almost have to prove it to me.  So, imagine my surprise, that I could download this music at ANY cost I wanted (a brilliant marketing move by the band…”hey, you tell US what it’s worth”) and it was absolutely brilliant.  Starting with 15 Step (and it’s OMG use of “etcetera”) to the unREAL Bodysnatchers and on and on and on.  THIS was what I wanted Hail to be.  THIS was what I wanted out of Radiohead.  THIS was the next step.  And, on a personal level, it produced my favorite Radiohead song, All I Need.

1) OK Computer: It’s kind of an inevitable conclusion, as OK is recognized as one of the top 10 albums of all time on most “lists”.  Who am I to disagree?  Where Pablo Honey started, and The Bends moved them to…..OKC was the proverbial LEAP into immortality.  I would put the first 3 songs (Airbag, Paranoid Android, Subterranean Homesick Allien) up against any “lead off “ of any album…ever.  (my Pearl Jam fans are screaming….”WHAT????  Have you LISTENED to Ten?) And then, there is Exit Music, Kharma Police, No Surprises…etc…  As close to a perfect album as there could be.  And truly deserving, not only of this top spot, but a top spot in any list of “greatest albums”