Hail to the thief

[zwolf]

The arrival of a new radiohead album is a big event in my life. This one does not dissapoint at all in the songwritting or performance, HOWEVER, it doesn't sound very big to me. It is well mixed in terms of the balances, and in keeping with the radiohead opus it is full of interesting and challenging sound effects, but the overall sound is lacking.

The stereo field sounds narrow... Acoustic drums (where they exist) are not full bodied... A/B it with OK computer and anyone will hear the difference: It's plenty loud enough, but not BIG.

Why??????? I read that it was recorded very quickly in a two week marathon session. Could it be that in order to save time, they bypassed the step of recording to 2 inch first? Needless to say, it is mastered way too hot and clips right left and center. This in and of itself wouldn't collapse the stereo field, would it? It can't be nigel goodrich's mixing/recording skills- that has been a constant.

Anyone have any facts/theories? I'm kinda distressed.

[citizenkeith]

Check out the vinyl... it sounds much better than the CD (2 LPs at 45 RPM). It's not nearly as hot as the CD, (but a little hot for vinyl). However it's much "warmer" and less compressed, IMHO.

I'll have to listen closer to the drums though. Maybe I'll A/B the LP and CD.

[ottokbre]

please do! i don't wanna get anymore CD's.

[thearnicasync]

Yeah...agreed on all accounts of bad sounding "Hail to the Thief." My girlfriend and I got it, all excited, and I was a little disappointed in the sound quality. There's one song..damn, which one...?..., that sounds so digitally dirtorted (overs) that it's really distracting. And, well, I just don't know about that last song on the record.

bah humbug,

kellyb

[CDSager]

In defense of Radiohead, and quite possibly one of my favorite, albeit; new albums, Hail to the Thief rules. I think that first off, the songs are fantastic. Even the last track. Radiohead deffinitly took a cue from The Beta Band who opened for them one a couple of tours. You can really hear the beta bandish grooves on track 4 and others. Sound wise, I think that this is also a great record. An album does not have to be THE LOUDEST THING ON THE PLANET to be good. For whatever loudness that the cd is, I take it at that level and love it. Many of my favorite cds have been more subdued. And material wise, HTTT is incredible. The vox on this album are really stellar.




Rock and Roll

[thearnicasync]

Hi CDsager.

1. Ya know, I don't think any post before yours professes loudness or overly-hot mastering. On the contrary, one post said the recording didn't sound big, but sounded loud enough. Another post soon after praised the virtures of the vinyl version because it was more dynamic and not as master-compressed.

2. Thanks for defending Radiohead. Really, they are great and I too, love many parts of the new record...especially "Where you end and I begin." Yeah, there's a little Beta Band going on (great!). I think there's a little Fugazi, too...in the revved up moments. Funny you should mention how great the vocals sound; I think Thom Yorke has an amazing voice and worldy expression, but honestly this is the first time I'm starting to get a little tired of the drama.

Good day, kind sir!

kellyb

[JES]

I know this is very very naughty to say, but there are a couple moments on the album where I hear the vocals and think "Elmer Fudd falsetto doing artrock."

I'm really really sorry.

But I do love the CD anyway. Definitely their best yet IMO.

Best,
--JES

[trashy]

I think you're all missing the point. Despite hitting the limiter on every song almost constantly, "Hail to the Theif" contains the best recorded handclap sound ever, and also the best use of handclaps since Archie Bell and the Drells "Tighten Up".
That more than makes up for any recording disappointments.

[zwolf]

Yeah, I knew starting a post of this nature was likely to trigger defensive reactions.....

I agree that the album is wonderful. I think they are the greatest band on the planet. I just think the sound quality is lacking compared to every other release. I was kinda hoping that somebody had some insight - i.e., it was the first album mixed entirely digitally or something. I guess more info will come out in time.

It is interesting that (at least my copy) doesn't have a listed mastering credit. the more I listen to it, the more I suspect that herein lies the damage. In addition to my prior complaints, there is something clearly lacking in the low end. Do the the A/B test.

And Trashy, great point!! The handclaps on "We suck young blood" ARE beautiful - I love the lazy feel between the purposely off time hits and the infrequent spacing. Man, those fellows are the kings of conjuring up and utilizing all the cool ideas first!!

Did I mention that I'm not knocking the band?

[luckybastard]

i love the record. but being objective, i dont think it sounds as "warm" as kid a. i dont know what it is. on my list of radiohead albums, it comes in at # 3 behind kid a and ok computer. great record though, best record i've heard since yoshimi.

[L.L.JamBnds]

Radiohead is not the greatest band ever, in fact they are quite overrated, and the only reason they even should be allowed to stick around in the popular conscious is because they lucked out on the producer of OK Computer and made a startingly original album. But as far as talent, they are severly lacking.

Artrock? No, try again. They wish they could hit the artrock mark of great bands like Henry Cow, or Etron Fou, but the end up sounding totally unoriginal... like they are striving for tempo shifts in songs that need re-writing anyway.

I am really sick of people calling them prog and seeing them get so much press as a "radical new sound."

and for a band that is suppose to follow the "dis-information" path of authors like Chomsky and Zinn, Radiohead sure have a hell of an ad campaign.

[Rick Hunter]

Hey, you're trippen. I would really like to hear the earth shattering stuff you are doing, if you think radiohead is overrated. I don't mean to lash out or anything but you must be pretty hot shit if you think that Radiohead is overrated. What should they be doing different to make them less Uncool. By the way this thread is so not as cool as the new metallica thread. This is so overrated.


Justin

[/i]

[foley]

I have to concur with the "Radiohead is overrated" post. There are so many other, more original bands out there right now that the Radiohead idolatry is missplaced.

Why is it a good thing that they sound like Beta Band? And, really, is any Radiohead album better than 4 EPs?

Just remember Creep. That song sucked then, and it still sucks now. Any band that wrote that worthless piece of cheese pie deserves to have a huge red flag flying over every album they make. I have better things to spend my money on.

Rip this post to shreds if you want, I won't post another reply. But remember ... opinions are like Radiohead albums ... they are all rip offs of better artists.

mf

[CDSager]

Yo man. No fronting. But in all respect. I, personally am a big Radiohead fan. And I am also a huge Beta Band fan. They are not exactly alike, but they are at least similar in sound enough for Radiohead to want to tour with them. And Radiohead should dig The Beta Band, because, IMO, The Beta Band has better grooves than anyone. So I am always down for two of my favorite bands to cross paths and whatnot. Saying that Radiohead not wanting to have some Beta Band groove is like saying that Nirvana did not want to have the Pixies' or Sonic Youth esqu angst.

And I, personally, would put most Radiohead albums ahead of the 3 EPs on my list. Dry the Rain is the maad note, but Radiohead still never ceases to leave me unaffected.



Rock and Roll

[soundispatch]

Rip this post to shreds if you want, I won't post another reply. But remember ... opinions are like Radiohead albums ... they are all rip offs of better artists.

kind of a strange analogy, i think... maybe radiohead has been borrowing some material, but i don't see what that has to do with 'opinions'...

i'm not a huge radiohead fan, and i haven't heard the new album, but from what i've heard ('creep' aside) i think they're putting some good music into the 'pop' sphere. i mean henry cow and deerhoof and the boredoms are great, but they certainly don't have the kind of influence this band is responsible for. for what it's worth, i think they've kept their integrity intact.

and as far as trashing a band in the face of people who sincerely respect what they're doing, then fleeing any possible rebuke... c'mon --- this is a discussion board, not a children's playground. no one's going to take their football in go home crying.

i think i'll pick up the album and check it out for myself this week.

-cal