Here's a little something I prepared for a dear friend entering her college years (aka Radiohead-discovery years). I thought I'd share it with you all for kicks. Enjoy!
An Airbag Saved My LifeA Play-By-Play Synopsis Of Radiohead’s Complete Catalog
Pablo Honey (1993)
Pablo Honey is a pretty good album by regular standards, but it pales in comparison to what Radiohead would follow with in the coming years. This album is most noteworthy for the song “Creep,” which remains the band’s lone radio hit.
My Iron Lung (1994)
My Iron Lung, both the EP, as well as the song, served as a turning point for Radiohead. A new beginning that would pave the way for greatness to come.
The Bends (1995)
The Bends is Radiohead’s first masterpiece. Large guitars and pleading vocals both pull you in and pull you apart.
OK Computer (1997)
Among critics, this album is regarded as the best work of the past three decades. Even when compared to Radiohead’s own catalog of stellar work, OK Computer stands out above the rest. My mind is still bent each time I listen to this album.
Airbag/How Am I Driving? (1998)
This collection of OK Computer-era b-sides demonstrates that even the band’s leftover songs are amazing. The instrumental track, “Meeting In The Aisle,” serves as a hint of changes to come.
Kid A (2000)
Following the success of OK Computer, the band made a conscious decision not to rest on their laurels but rather recreate their sound entirely. The result was Kid A, a hybrid of blips, bleeps, rock, beats and the end of the world. The change both shocked fans and rattled the music industry a bit.
Amnesiac (2001)
Recorded simultaneously with Kid A, Amnesiac maintains many of the same elements yet still stands apart as an equally great album with its own distinct sound. This album will always hold a special place to me, as it was my introduction to Radiohead.
I Might Be Wrong – Live Recordings (2001)
Comprised of live material from the difficult Kid A/Amnesiac tours, this EP includes a live recording of the song “True Love Waits,” a standout track unavailable on any other releases.
Hail To The Thief (2003)
This is Radiohead’s most eclectic piece of work. The listener journeys through a variety of styles that all are uniquely Radiohead. On one extreme is the freak-out “2+2=5” and on the other is the subtle ballad “Sail To The Moon.”
Com Lag (2plus2isfive) (2004)
A collection of Hail To The Thief b-sides that prove yet again that many of Radiohead’s best songs never made it onto a proper album. Two standouts are "Fog (Again)," a live version of an Amnesiac b-side and the Lou Reed-esque "Wicked Child."
Jonny Greenwood –
Bodysong (2004)
The first solo work from any member of the band, this album is actually the soundtrack to the film Bodysong, which documents different stages of human life from birth to death. Composed by Greenwood, the soundtrack combines the traditional instruments of a film score with the soundscape of a Radiohead album.
Thom Yorke –
The Eraser (2006)
Most similar to Amnesiac, The Eraser brings beats galore and mad vocal hooks to the table. You’ll be bobbing your head and singing “This is fucked up” at the same time.
Thom Yorke –
Spitting Feathers (2006)
B-sides from The Eraser, the extended version of “Harrowdown Hill,” makes this one worth the price of admission alone.
The as-of-yet-untitled, long-in-the-works seventh album from Radiohead is expected to be available by year’s end. Get ready!
