An excellent reissue package for an underappreciated album.
Pen Name? | 04/06/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The first disc in this package is simply a re-issue of the original Pablo Honey album, an album which features unique moments in the Radiohead catalogue and also establishes elements of their sound that would be further developed on The Bends and OK Computer. But the album is often simply dismissed by critics as something derivative of other acts and/or lacking in quality next to later Radiohead albums. (It's a viewpoint also often directed towards Blur and their debut Leisure, also a great record.) I think so much of that posturing is just a result of not giving the record a chance on its own terms. Songs like "You," "Blow Out" and "Creep" retain their immediate power to this day, and the album as a whole really does not suffer from a feeling of datedness (like much of the other alt-rock of the 1993-4 era.)
The bonus features in this package really help to further establish Pablo Honey as a worthy starting point in the Radiohead discography by putting the 12 album tracks in a broader context of the band's work at the time. The second disc features the long out of print debut EP "Drill" and it's four demo tracks. The version of "You" and "Prove Yourself" were already fine at that point, while the jangly power-pop version of "Thinking About You" is revelatory for those yet to have heard it, and it makes one wonder how much potential Radiohead could have had to explore quite different musical avenues. The rest of the second disc gives all of the b-sides and released live tracks from the era, including the "Pop Is Dead" ep (another wrongly maligned release.)
Finally, a DVD features the four videos from the period (The staged live show of "Creep," the humorous rock star posturing of "Anyone Can Play Guitar," the fun and enegetic "Pop is Dead," and an REM-esque video for a faintly U2-esque song "Stop Whispering.") In addition to the videos, all of the tracks from the 1994 Astoria concert dvd from the Pablo Honey era are here (unfortunately the concert is broken up, so the other tracks appear on the reissue for The Bends) and there is also a cut performance of Creep from Top of the Pops, which is silly, as TOTP always is.
The videos and the Astoria tracks really cement how much Radiohead stood out against the hundreds of alt-rock bands of the time. Thom certainly had his own voice at the time, even if it wasn't the exact voice he would keep over the next 7 albums. The power of the live performances really brings out the full energy of all the tracks, and all of the songs played prove to stand as excellent live material.
Also included in the package are cards for each of the EP covers with replicated coverart. There is also a reproduction of the original album booklet. All 3 discs come in cardboard slip-cases.
An excellent package that presents Pablo Honey-era Radiohead in a proper light, as an excellent and emerging band with a great live show and some real range to their musicianship and lyricism. So, enjoy it again for itself and if you are a more recent fan who never got into it the first time, now is a great time to get over the negativity you've probably heard lobbed toward this record and give it a go on its own terms.
"
I feel somewhat tricked though
Buckingham | Quebec | 04/25/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I'm not about to give this reissue 1 star because the content just don't deserve it. It's a great album, sometimes showing a tougher and more human edge to Radiohead that I've always thought future albums lacked (despite they had way much more to offer).
The problem is that I'm buying this album once a year. Two years ago when I discovered it, last year in the box set, and now. While the first reissue added nothing, this one has lot of really good bonus material.
Nothing to complain about the packaging either, they done a good job.
It's just that I say like the man bleeding and diying tied to a chair pleeding Kanye West to "get" the gayfish joke in the South-Park episode.
Come on EMI, just "GET IT"!
We are no fish!
I've always like to have bonus material, it helps you understand the context of the album you listen to, but I come to a point when I HOPE
there won't be a super deluxe edition 3cd 2dvd with exclusive unreleased material any soon."
Worth the upgrade
K. Culbertson | 04/25/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Even though it is annoying how the record companies keep making us re-buy stuff we already have, the bonus material on all 3 of the new Radiohead reissues makes it well worth the purchase."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1