Radiohead - Hail To the Thief REACTION/REVIEW

[@occhio2377]

2+2=5 - 1:09 Sit Down Stand Up - 3:11 Sail To The Moon - 4:55 Backdrifts - 7:19 Go To Sleep - 9:21 Where I End and You Begin - 11:51 We Suck Young Blood - 14:10 The Gloaming - 16:29 There There - 18:26 I Will - 20:56 A Punch Up - 22:16 Myxomatosis - 23:50 Scatterbrain - 26:06 A Wolf At The Door - 27:51

[@aldo34]

'There there' is absolutely one of their best ever tracks

[@Trim_Brakes_06]

This is easily Radiohead's most underrated album in my opinion. It's not quite as consistent as some of their other records, but the standout tracks here are among the best from the band. The vibe and atmosphere of the album also is super unique. It's a top three Radiohead album in my opinion. Here's some albums I would love to see you react to. The Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition Muse - Origin of Symmetry

[@dakotawaite7965]

this one definitely grew on me to become one of my favorites by them!! Smags you are such a legend. Recs... haven't changed Broken Social Scene - You Forgot it In People LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver Built To Spill - Perfect From Now On

[@seanm241]

Sound of Silver talk to me Makes you want to feel like a teenager Until you remember the feelings of A real live emotional teenager Then you think again

[@simonstrash]

loooove these

[@MurraysMistake]

I absolutely love your reactions, you have such a talent of analyzing and understanding the meanings of songs. I live your perspective!

[@mauxroxrh]

Where i end and you begin is just masterpiece

[@whatdothlife4660]

It feels like the prototype for their In Rainbows aesthetic.

[@bobmaget5956]

Sail To The Moon and A Wolf At The Door are in my Radiohead top 10. Absolute masterpieces on an album that is hit or miss for me.

[@whatdothlife4660]

The first three songs on this album create one of the best suites in modern music. I love this album dearly and I feel like it could have been a perfect 10/10 if a few songs got cut. It's excusable for me in the end anyway seeing how lean Radiohead kept every album before this. They cut some absolute bangers and put them on B-sides or compilations like Airbag EP and Amnesiac.

[@rfa8699]

All you have left is The king of limbs!

[@j.prt.979]

King of mid

[@feli6277]

Ew, no, lol 🤣

[@Londeton]

The best album 🐟

[@Zavala1]

Unless I've missed the best two albums, I don't think so.

[@feli6277]

@@Zavala1 there are no reactions to OK Computer, In Rainbows and Kid A because he already heard those three before he did reactions to Radiohead.

[@The_RedVIII]

You gotta listen to the In the Basement version of The Gloaming. It's so much better than the album version! They add an insanely great baseline and acoustic drums to the song, which should have been on the album version.

[@chaosmos24]

I like all of the Basement versions of songs off this album better.

[@rozbot86]

This was the first album written post 9/11. Alot of the songs were about political unrest. This was also the album that got me into Radiohead.

[@cbtalks6966]

Bro why are you rizzing me in the thumbnail

[@Bringadingus]

I think this one is actually an interesting example of the way mood, and how we feel physically, can effect how we respond to art. I've never seen you say things like straight-up "I don't like that" until this video, and it's hard not to suspect some of it might be that you were feeling like crap anyway! Hope you feel better soon, my man. Make a Patreon or something, let us throw you some cash.

[@Klui_]

HTTT is a one that grows as time goes on for sure. I think it's biggest weakness was that it's too loaded, there's too many ideas, and there's fat to trim on it, Thom even made a re-arranged tracklist with I think only 10 of the songs. I've personally grown to love it's weirder moments, like Backdrifts or Gloaming, but I understand why they're not too popular (even though the band loves playing The Gloaming lmfao). The highs though, are so fucking good. 2+2=5, Where I end, There There, Wolf at the Door, etc, so much energy, there's an edge to the album and it's addictive, Colin and Phil kill it as a rhythm section, some of my favorite drumming and bass lines. TKOL is definitely controversial, but it's personally one of my favorites, just like this one. It's definitely a "jump" from their other stuff, but there's so much to appreciate, so much to enjoy from it, I hope you go into it with an open mind and find something, can't wait!!

[@ryanmcbride3806]

i think this album is up there with all their other albums except it’s just not cohesive like all their other ones. i think the king of limbs is very underrated and has some of my favorite radiohead songs so it’s worth a reaction for sure. yk i gotta request the ooz by king krule again i think you’d really enjoy it.

[@ZakTheGuy]

I know you said you're already familiar with In Rainbows, but I'd still love to hear what you think about it; it's definitely my favorite of their discog

[@witchduck2230]

some important context behind this album: it’s radiohead’s most explicitly political album and is a response to the new labour politics england had going on at the time with tony blair. essentially, their left wing party underwent a massive shift to the right which frustrated a lot of those on the left at the time, radiohead included. it’s commonly seen as a betrayal against their previous ideals. very oversimplified, but i hope this provides some good political context behind the album (usually i wouldn’t bring up politics but it’s an explicitly political album so it helps to know where they were coming from)

[@alexanderbradley4750]

The Eraser - Thom Yorke solo!!!

[@JM-wr2fo]

There There is not only a super fun song to play on the guitar, but one of my favorite songs ever ^-^

[@katieryan1188]

i love there, there and where i end and you begin so much. chills

[@cleanplastic6057]

My two favorite things in the same vid, Smags and Radiohead

[@עופרמרחב]

That's the best coincidence ever!!😃 I literally listened today to HTTT as well

[@chickenfeet8321]

There There is probably my favourite radiohead song. I would heavily recommend you check out A Wizard/ A True Star by Todd Rundgren

[@oliver6530]

YESSSSS

[@cleanplastic6057]

you know what i’m here for… SONGS FOR THE DEAF REACTION ‼️

[@Aeeavah]

yes yes yes thank you for doing this after i requested it on the amnesiac review. i love your summaries of the tracks on this album putting new perspectives on the meanings of the tracks. This album defo has grown on me since my first listen to now. Great Entertaining video As always, here is another recommendations for you to look into: Andy stott-Faith in strangers: IDM Based Electronic album incorporating dub techno into it Thom Yorke-Anima And Thom Yorke-The eraser

[@erichernandez549]

Love your reactions man! You should try some Frank Zappa. It’s a much different experience listening to his music and I think it’s worth a shot. I’d recommend either “Hot Rats” or “Apostrophe”. Keep up the good work!

[@wonderfulwomp]

Surprised and impressed that the Sit Down Stand Up drop didn’t kill you stone dead in your current condition. Feel better soon!

[@kevins1379]

Radiohead played in my University bar in 1993 just as Pablo Honey was released so I got to see them in a room with about only 50 other people. I could tell right there they were very very special.

[@egorovvladimir7304]

Imo their best album

[@smags1082]

Idk bout that

[@synge9116]

i know some people who have it as their favourite but for me its probably number 5

[@gregbong]

Its so bloated

[@synge9116]

@@gregbong yeah if they chopped out 4 songs it could be a rly great album

[@jorgekech]

In fact, years ago Thom presented an alternative tracklist with 10 songs@@synge9116

[@benoitdesmarais2948]

The band did say they felt it was too long, and the following albums stick to 40-45 minutes running time. It's like they stuck the b-sides on with the core of the album. (But there were actual b-sides on top of it!)

[@feli6277]

This is better than the Bends imo

[@mariamman]

Ofc it is, objectively

[@Literallyjustmint]

@@mariammanthe bends is my favorite radiohead album...

[@satriaagungkalirasa3587]

@@jd1800 agree man and creep is my all time favorite song

[@Nowaysis_]

The bends is an absolute beauty, underrated by people who feel the need to diss stuff that's not avant-garde.

[@mariamman]

@@Nowaysis_ I love the simplicity of The Bends, but with everything, every component, the main theme and idea of an album and many many deep criterias, I think it’s pretty objective thing to say that HTTT indeed IS a better album, I just said what I think, you didn’t have to take it so personally :ddd

[@brianscli9567]

Great channel and content, was just thinking i'd love to see this vid. Love this album

[@derk486]

My favourite radiohead album

[@karson0000]

You should do TKOL from the basement live version instead of the studio version imo

[@snekinoke38]

Fun fact about I Will, they played it in reverse and that's how they got the reversed synth sound and chord progression that Like Spinning Plates (Amnesiac) is built around

[@gulliver1755]

Great reaction as always! Yeah so this one came after Kid A/Amnesiac and was marketed like it was their RETURN TO ROCK album(even though it wasn't...really). Definitely a diverse album sound and certainly not my favorite in their discography but I think their are a handful of really great tracks on there and it's nostalgic to me cause I saw them on this tour. MY RECOMMENDATIONS Oneohtrix Point Never - R Plus Seven Lil Ugly Mane - Volcanic Bird Enemy and the Voiced Concern Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dreams

[@turqdeth]

can we get some more fishmans reactions maybe to uppon?

[@chaosmos24]

I am sorry, but I can't help myself... AND THE RAINDROPS AND THE RAINDROPS AND THE RAINDROPS AND THE RAINDROPS AND THE RAINDROPS AND THE RAINDROPS AND THE RAINDROPS AND THE RAINDROOS AND THE RAINDROPS AND THE RAINDROOS AND THE RAINDROPS

[@sally2shoes]

Loved Radiohead since around 1994 (13yo) and I find on SOME of their albums.. I tend to not put much attention on lyrics because Thoms voice is like its own instrument. Like the Ballet.. it’s an experience with a message and no words. 😊

[@VCCassidy]

Album recommendations: Fugazi - 13 Songs Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antarctica Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Murder Ballads

[@TDawgTogo]

Personal favorites are sail to the moon and myxomatosis

[@arthur5574]

Album requests: A Light For Attracting Attention - The Smile 13 - Blur Dirty - Sonic Youth Room Of Fire - The Strokes Like Clockwork - Queens Of The Stone Age

[@bebebethany4531]

love going thru new music w u

[@smags1082]

Thank You!

[@obsidianman50]

Definitely listen to The King of Limbs and just be ready to analyse what is quite a divisive album. It’s not very long, and has some really great songs on it like Lotus Flower and Seperator, and I personally love some of the more controversial ones like Little by Little

[@alabasterdisaster]

Yes and then follow up with the In the Basement session of that album to show how they translate it all to live performance

[@James-vv7vh]

FYI 'We Suck Young Blood' is about Hollywood and child stars

[@kadinfehr785]

Myxomatosis is a highlight, def a song you need to jump around to at max volume. Give it a relisten in the future!

[@mememan3799]

Truest intro of all time

[@nathanhunt3104]

I need Siamese dream smags please for me 🥺

[@olli__]

yes Siamese dream please smags🥺

[@nickagarrie]

"Bro, I need Cheezits." Lmfao. I will be saying that the rest of my life. TY.

[@falcongal63]

I'll buck the majority and declare HTTT was my favorite album until In Rainbows. (And then the sublime Moon Shaped Pool.) I love A Punch up at a Wedding and other songs that you really weren't feeling. Honestly tho lyrics are not important to me as it's all about the sound of his voice in conjunction with the instruments.

[@Lmaoh5150]

Please do King of Limbs! It’s one of my favorite Radiohead albums

[@potato44_]

The King of Limbs is worth checking out, because even though many say its their worst (not me included, i actually really like the album), there are many songs on the album that 90 to 99% of people enjoy... especially the 2nd half

[@leefr76]

Suede’s 1993 debut album, give it a reaction. It won the acclaimed Mercury award that year in the UK. Primal Scream’s Screamadelca won it the year before, another great album.

[@misterdumb]

LCD Soundsystem anytime soon, bud?

[@naumchomsky8840]

how many people knew he was gonna stand up \o

[@dreww1609]

Strong review - love the real time honesty. "There, There" is my favorite all time RH song. Check out the acoustic version, and also check out the Live From the Basement version of "Where I End and You Begin". As for the next album, it gets a bad rap - they were going super experimental with rhythms, and the "The King of Limbs - Live From the Basement" is crazy how much better it sounds live than the studio. Also, the 2 best songs arguably from the session, were left off the 8 track studio album and released a month later, "The Daily Mail" and "Staircase" both on the live set, so you do your thing of course but just consider for a moment going on a limb for the king of limbs and doing the live version, it doesn't get copywright striked. However, I'll still enjoy it no matter how you do it. Lastly, the first 4 songs are much weaker than the 2nd 4 songs, so when you listen, hang in there, as it gets better as it goes. They try something new every album, and it all fits together in their entire evolution, so think of this album (just as the one you just did has to happen to get them to "In Rainbows" this one had to happen to get them to "A Moon Shaped Pool." Great review as always! Peace//

[@TheCinnyBun]

you might be the goat honestly

[@TheCinnyBun]

also listen to pink by boris

[@warpwoofwimble]

Definitely cover The King of Limbs! I've never understood the hate for it, and it's aged surprisingly well. I agree with a lot of your opinions on Hail to the Thief. It's too long and disjointed, and it really dips in quality in the middle. Thanks for another great reaction, and feel better!

[@MasonDaw]

Fuck yeah Smags delivered the reviewwwwwww. Dude you should try Skiptracing by Mild High Club next that's a great trip!

[@negsterarchive7911]

There There is an all time goat

[@mauxroxrh]

Finally!!

[@albert5838]

If you do king of limbs you would be better off doing the live from the basement version

[@rikurodriguesneto6043]

king of limbs is awesome.. i'd definitely dig it if you reacted to that one.

[@worldofcheese5886]

I know u listen to Hiop-Hop already. but I wanna hear an All My Heroes Are Cornballs by Jpegmafia reaction if you haven’t listened to it yet. It’s very much in the vain of all these albums you react to.

[@hennerz93]

I really don’t get why so many reactors don’t like Backdrifts...

[@senatorsheevpalpatine3712]

Please do king of limbs, it’s more underrated, but better than Hail to the thief, in my opinion.

[@demo_sphere]

Bruh, The King of Limbs is my favourite:)

[@alabasterdisaster]

Love this album but I find it easier to take the songs individually on this and not listen all the way through. Where I end and you begin is such a killer dance track.

[@Straaaayyyy]

This album could be really good if they just removed a few tracks lol. And also added 4 min version of I will. Still very good for an album that was made in 3 weeks

[@cb6619]

We gotta get The King of Limbs!

[@clairedex]

There are a few ways to read We Suck Young Blood, but just to help guide you think on it as being from the perspective of the upper class, the people in power. This is a very political album, and this song, 2+2=5, and A Wolf at the Door are probably the most clearly so on the album (and my 3 favourites by no coincidence).

[@aldo34]

This album is pretty much Thom Yorke being really p*ssed off at US foreign policy and New Labour, who were the government in the UK from 1997. Particularly their leader, Tony Blair. An angry album.

[@maxmiller1950]

You’d Prefer An Astronaut by Hum PLEASE

[@rowanchavez4109]

Yo you gotta review DSU next in your Alex G discography !

[@christopherztooi]

Very cool mr smags but im gonna need the how to leave town or teens of denial reaction soon tq mr smags

[@ZenixRulez]

Love the videos! A few recommendations: Process - Sampha (experimental r&b, great production) Nurture - Porter Robinson (light summer electric with fun production) Koi No Yokan or White Pony - Deftones (very heavy, sexier and heavier radiohead imo) Hypochondriac - Brakence (very experimental emo rap, glitch pop)

[@spvilles7556]

I highly recommend checking out The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance, easily the best pop punk album ever made.

[@Kast_311]

Hey Smags, I really recommend Waiting to Spill by the Backseat Lovers. It’s a great album and 10/10 for me

[@nostalgia_clinic]

other albums for your consideration: mewithoutYou - Brother, Sister Animal Collective - Isn’t It Now? The Mars Volta - The Mars Volta

[@jesseklijzing]

Can you listen to Royal Blood - Back to the Water Below? Edit: I recommend Typhoons too

[@jtotheulian708]

jeez 2+2=5 was awsome havent listend to this album in a while and that hit me like a bus

[@cleanplastic6057]

How do you feel about reacting to albums that aren’t on streaming services ?

[@smags1082]

I’m down for whatever

[@meatgrinder9506]

@@smags1082 So Flood and Atomizer are coming?

[@SinisterHalloween]

would love to see horseshit on route 66 by the garden. great fun halloween album!

[@KenDudd]

You still haven’t done OK computer, Kid A and In Rainbows! Their three best albums!

[@j.prt.979]

Yeah, Backdrifts is not their best work lol Edit: We Suck Young Blood is very much supposed to be unsettling. Think of it from the same character perspective as track 2.

[@MaxLevinton]

TKOL IS THEIR BEST ALBUM, DONT LISTEN TO THE HATERS

[@simonstrash]

man this album has some serious highlights and some serious mid kind of too radiohead sometimes like some patterns just show up way too often 2+2, sail to the moon, there there, wolf at the door are some of their best though to me

[@kulfoa_1328]

Why are you rizzing me up in the thumbnail

[@smags1082]

Did it work?

[@slamkos]

smags please don't die from your sickness before you get to listen to electric ladyland by jimi hendrix R.I.P. smags 😔

[@12sleep34]

im also sick 😓

[@EerieMoon_]

I am coughing out my lungs rn🤭

[@sealex6890]

This album has pretty much nothing to do with Silent Alarm by Bloc Party, but you should still listen to that one nonetheless. Keep it up Smags, incredible work!

[@smags1082]

Thank you bro I apologize for the long wait on that album I’m going to hit it before my next ranking so not too far out

[@sealex6890]

@@smags1082 Genuinely so awesome to hear! Don’t worry about the wait though, you’ve been going at the albums YOUR way, and also listening to other people as well, so never feel forced 🙌🙌

[@fugostrawberries]

this album has some incredible songs on it but for me it's always weaker because the flow/pacing is just not great especially when some of these tracks just feel like filler which is a shame because of it housing such great songs.

[@Pickley]

Bro you for sure gotta react to "O" by Damien Rice

[@cgallagher4501]

A lot of Radiohead fans will be appalled but when this first came out it reignited my love of Radiohead - The Bends to me was 10/10 but they lost me with Kid A and Amnesiac. This was a bit bloated but combined the best of "old" and "new" Radiohead

[@cgallagher4501]

And as 9 songs this would be one of their biggies: 2+2=5 Sit Down Stand Up Sail To The Moon Go To Sleep Where I End and You Begin There There Myxomatosis Scatterbrain A Wolf At The Door

[@cgallagher4501]

Sorry one last thing! King of Limbs is actually a great album that was just badly mixed/produced - I try to pretend that the In the Basement version is the album...therefore ignore the studio version and react to that instead

[@jorgekech]

clean you ears because Kid A is a masterpiece and amnesiac is good album

[@cgallagher4501]

Wash your eyes out “mate” - I said at the time they were released I found them difficult, not now It is possible to dislike music initially- we are not all as blessed with instantly perfect music taste 😉

[@Mazzystarloverrr]

MAZZY STAR ‼️‼️

[@stratford1]

Radiohead is probs my favorite band ever but this album kinda sucks, there’s a lot of filler and a couple of songs that actually suck. The Gloaming is really funny and catchy though, I like that one.

[@svperstar]

4 songs too long, this (rather political) album is a clusterfuck. the flow and order is wrong, some songs feel like they've got better later on when performed live, with some minor tweaks added here and there. and yet, this album is still so good. but any radiohead album has the unfortunate weight of having to be better than good. Thom Yorke admitted to be a little too much of a control freak during the recordings. imagine if it was more of a band effort?

[@AngryWombat8]

Do king of limbs!=

[@lukashnewman]

Thanks for another review and quality music tip. Respect to Radiohead, but I can't listen to their music anytime (like Sigur Rós and others). It's simply existential art (which is quite depressing for me sometimes), not consumer product.

[@chaosmos24]

Good season for this one.

[@smoshbooz]

Very inconsistent album, never been my favourite, but I do like it. There There, Wolf at the Door, Myxomatosis, Sail to the Moon, Scatterbrain are great beautiful songs, the rest just does not click at all. I also don't like Thom's voice getting more nasal as the years went on, so sometimes it really annoys me. Btw, The King of Limbs is fantastic, a lot more consistent, beautiful songs, and just very well produced. It's the definition of underrated. Whereas In Rainbows is definitely overrated.