A new Radiohead album? Oh wait, it’s a live recording release! Join us as we try to unravel the band’s second official live album, a rendition of Hail to the Thief.
Perhaps very few artists have stood the test of our contemporary times. Radiohead champions this as they move forth in testing new sounds, rhythms, and melodies. In their latest release, they bring forth Hail to the Thief Live Recordings 2003–2009, a collection that follows their 6th studio album.
Who is Radiohead?
If you’re unfamiliar with Radiohead, then maybe the point that this live set debuted on the top 10 iTunes Top Albums charts in the UK and USA would give a brief expose into their success. Like every other release, the 2003 studio album Hail to the Thief earned recognition, and eventually aided the band’s fifth consecutive Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Album.
As an ensemble, Radiohead first came together in 1985, and their journey to the 21st century music scape has been nothing short of messy. Having been in a domino-like copyright infringement battle with Lana Del Ray and others, to sparking criticism by performing in Israel, the group has seen its fair share of controversies.
Thence, when they dropped this album after over 4 years of no new music, it certainly did come as a surprise — despite being a live release.
The Tracklist, The Reception
The album hosts 12 tracks that were live performances from 2003-2009, recorded in various cities like London, Buenos Aires, Dublin. Additionally, the official vinyl release is expected to arrive on October 31.
- 2 + 2 = 5 – Live
- Sit Down. Stand Up – Live
- Sail To The Moon – Live
- Go To Sleep – Live
- Where I End and You Begin – Live
- We Suck Young Blood – Live
- The Gloaming – Live
- There, There – Live
- I Will – Live
- Myxomatosis – Live
- Scatterbrain – Live
- A Wolf At the Door – Live
Immediately, listeners and fans on Reddit emerged online to give their two-cents, and through that amass public opinion:
The mixing is great – feels crisp, loud and captures the band and crowd energy.
The Gloaming live is so much better than on the album. And is still good on the album, so this version… chefs kiss.
The mixing is great – feels crisp, loud and captures the band and crowd energy.
Certainly, this release is a remarkable lesson to every artist trying to stay relevant in an age where music lasts as long as TikTok trends do. Radiohead is perhaps one of the only artists who have been commended for sounding better live than in the studio. Hence, if you are in need of a melodic reassurance of artists whose music is here to stay, even if they aren’t, do give this release a listen. Who knows, maybe you’ll come to enjoy it!
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