CD Review

Radiohead’s long awaited follow-up to the Kid A masterpiece and it’s recording session cousin Amnesiac not only demonstrates yet another leap in musical progression, but also, with a title like Hail to the Thief, a more definitive political stance than the subtleties of their earlier recordings. And though Thief may be more closely related to the melodic drama of it’s recent predecessors, the distorted guitar and groaning feedback of 1995’s The Bends and 1997’s critically acclaimed OK Computer are brought back to the forefront on more than a few tracks.

Thief may be a culmination of sounds compared to the continuity achieved by the last two records, but it still maintains a congruent flow from beginning to end. The opening track, “2+2=5,” charges out of the gate with a pop-punk, mid-90s Radiohead quality with powerful lyrics reflecting the oddities of today’s political situation, and lacking any need for deep analysis to uncover the meaning: “It’s the devil’s way now/there is no way out/you can scream &you/can shout/it is too late now/because/you have not been paying attention.” More feedback, heavy guitar wails and pounding rhythms scorch through “Myxomatosis,” but again, it is Thom Yorke’s hypnotizing vocals and the bands ability to create complexity through simplicity that makes the album another must-have.

On “There there,” and “We suck Young Blood,” the musical backdrop of pianos, clapping and repetitive bass lines provide the canvas, while Yorke captivates the listener with his wispy vocals, drawing you in even further. His sullen, funeral-like voice on the short track “I will.” beckons “I won’t let this happen to my children/meet the real world coming out of my shell,” before seamlessly transitioning into the dream-like “A Punchup at a Wedding.” Each track can easily stand alone as an example of Radiohead’s gifted visions, though if any song fully captures their emotion-invoking talents, and Yorke’s angelic voice, it’s “Sail to the Moon.” Perhaps one of their finest creations, it is simplistic in composition and in its poignant lyrics. Built on a progressively slow build-up, it never crests, but rather it is able to drift off “and sail us to the moon.”