Honestly the mixing is kinda hit or miss in each track. They very obviously had the problem that plagues a lot of 90s debut albums. They had a limited amount of studio time to mix the tracks, so they put a lot of time into mixing the singles, then rushed the mixes on the album tracks.
Listening to how do you after creep makes it very apparent. But also, mixes are subjective blah blah blah it’s just my opinion
I love the crunchy, wall of sound guitar tone across the album, and despite some of the lyrics being weak it more than makes up for it sonically. Sure, it's not the most technical album, but you can't beat Ripcord or I Can't if you want to just rock out. Very fun songs to play as well
It’s a great album, just not their best. My only dislike for Creep is that it’s the one Radiohead track that gets play on your “local” classic rock radio station and it gets played way too much.
I'm going to be a bit contrary, and say Creep. But not about the song itself, just the effect of it. Pick any song on the album and pretend that's the one that got that big, it doesn't matter which one. But the effect is that the band got a lot of recognition and popularity, and that helped put them on the general path to where we are now. The internal (within the band) backlash to the song also specifically influenced their musical path.
So, while I don't really listen to this album very often, I appreciate it and Creep for being the catalyst that jump-started my favorite band's trajectory.
The songs on this album are all good rock songs and if you make a playlist of all Radiohead's songs separated and disambiguated from their albums the songs from Pablo Honey lend the playlist a dynamic punch and become high points. It's only listening to it in the context of the whole album that you get listener fatigue.
This album reminds me that even the greatest in the world have to start somewhere. When my kids are struggling and think they'll never do better, I'll say to them "you know Radiohead, who did OK Computer, Kid A, In Rainbows, and so on? This was their first album."
I always dismissed this album like most Radiohead fans do, but I went and gave it a fair try and it is legitimately good, it just pales in comparison to the rest of their catalog because they evolved so much and so quickly
I love Ripcord, honestly. I know it is generally considered one of the weaker tracks on the album but it’s fun and I think they enjoyed playing it - especially in the Astoria live version.
Ripcord, along with Vegetable, are great, I have an import (to the USA) version of PH that has both of these tracks live, & they're excellent versions.
How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you
when i got kind of into radiohead after bends came out, everybody was into the smashing pumpkins. okc turned me into a hardcore radiohead fan so i got myself a copy of pablo honey and it was great! like pumpkins on steroids. i love it.
When this record came out, it was such a different sound than the Seattle grunge scene and the trail end of the hair metal era, which is what we were all listening to on the rock radio stations. I know in hindsight it's not well revered compared to their next LPs, but imagine popping this CD into the car stereo and hearing it open with "You"... it was awesome; It was different; it was familiar yet unique. For us 50-somethings, it was one of the best records at that time!!
Lot of brilliant ideas they’d expand upon in The Bends. Even for a run of the mill alt rock album in the 90s, their musical identity is very clear on this album, especially tracks like You, Blow Out, Prove Yourself, How Do You?…. it’s a good record, overshadowed by Creep and the successive albums.
It's definitely their weakest but by anyone else's standards, it's a really good album. An 8.2/10 for me. Plus I LOVE grunge, so a British grunge album, let alone one from the same guys as HTDC and Reckoner is really, really cool. Ripchord's one of my favorites.
Also if anyone asks who is a fan of this album, just say Kurt Cobain. Seriously. He and Courtney loved it, I checked. It's a trip knowing this.
I just listened to it for the first time last friday. It was much more interesting and had more in common, musically, with the bends than I imagined. I guess I bought into the whole narrative about Nirvana clones whilst also hating the single. A case of judging a book by it's cover. I missed out back in the day, but I'll likely not listen to it again.
Guitar tones are brilliant, arguably rivaling what Sonic Youth were doing around this time at certain points.
The artwork is still great too, as is the art for the singles.
Blow Out is just an excellent closing track.
The flow of the whole album is smooth, nothing feels too out of place.
Thom's vocal on Thinking About You hits you in the back of the throat, followed by that lovely watery electric guitar section.
Other stand out tracks for me are I Can't, Lurgee, Vegetable and Stop Whispering for their ability to capture the essence of grunge in the UK; they really do hold up all this time later. Forget Radiohead's experimental stuff that came later and you've got yourself a pretty fantastic selection of fuzzy alt rock tracks.
Generally a perfectly solid debut, way too over-hated for what it is. Love you Pablo Honey x
If they released 4 songs on this album today, they would instantly become your favorite song:
You
Blow out
Stop whispering
(And some sound that ryhmes with deep)
I cant is sooo underated man i love that song, prove yourself, thinking about you, anyone can play the guitar, you, stop whispering, creep, lurgee how you do are pretty good and amazing in some of the songs. Only songs i didnt like was ripcord, vegetable and blow out (sorry for the blow out lovers) just that song for me didnt hit for me.
I LOVE this album and I enjoy every song. It's a product of its time, which was my time too. A band in the midst of becoming something different, but the bones are great.
Honestly, only song I can't really vibe with on this album is Thinking About You. The rest are solid to good and some even great. This album gets way too much hate and isn't even their worst imo tbh. That might be a hot take.
Half of the album is actually pretty solid. You, Creep, Thinking About You, Blowout, Prove Yourself, I Can’t and Anyone Can play Guitar are all really solid songs. The rest of the album is pretty weak.
You and Blow Out slap.
This AMAZING, rock it out, closer version of Blow Out from a top quality 1994 gig. Honestly amazed by the video and sound quality for 1994.
https://youtu.be/RjQZd8p-eBM?si=8MFngBXjog46SGBq&t=3633
You’re amazed by sound quality from 1994?
Imagine what you’ll think when you hear sound quality from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s.
The time signature in You is cool.
And the scream.
23/8, (12+11)/8 is a really interesting time signature that I’ve surprisingly seen used more than once in popular media!
Its not that time signature, mostly 6/8 with a couple of interruption with a 5/8 I understand to sum that up but its not rythm accurate
Is this a joke?
It’s their best debut album.
That's a stretch.
Lurgee is Underrated
came here to say the same
Way underrated, best song on the album for me
I love this song. Came to say something similar.
I feel better now you’ve said that.
Blow Out is an excellent album finale
When Thom sings I wanna be, wanna be, Jim Morrison.
Especially in the Astoria show
You, Anyone can play guitar, Thinking about you, Stop Whispering, and Blow out
This human(?) Radioheads
The strangeness of Everyone Can Play Guitar (and the accompanying MTV Beach House video)
Yeah I'm glad they didn't use "Anyone", Everyone is much better
You, Blow Out and Lurgee also exist....
It's very well produced, mixed, and mastered. It's actually a great debut album. But the name and cover art is shite.
Yeah the album title seems like the most unRadiohead thing about the album. I wonder what a better title for it would have been.
70,525
The cover art is my favorite thing about this album lol
Honestly the mixing is kinda hit or miss in each track. They very obviously had the problem that plagues a lot of 90s debut albums. They had a limited amount of studio time to mix the tracks, so they put a lot of time into mixing the singles, then rushed the mixes on the album tracks.
Listening to how do you after creep makes it very apparent. But also, mixes are subjective blah blah blah it’s just my opinion
Blow Out is the track that best hints at their future trajectory and it's a great song!
Yessssss!!! Thissss!!!
Thinking about you
Was Jonny and Colin’s moms favorite off the album. She didn’t realize the lyrics, everyone had a good laugh.
Was going to add that. Funny story. 😆
I fuckin love that song, it gives me high school-ish vibes
I love Thinking About You. I don’t get why it’s underappreciated on this sub.
The guitars in Lurgee
You is such an incredible way to start a record.
Stop Whispering is amazing.
It's a great U2 song! (I love them both, really)
BLOW OUT AND THINKING ABOUT YOU (like many have pointed out)
This AMAZING, rock it out, closer version of Blow Out from a top quality 1994 gig. Honestly amazed by the video and sound quality for 1994.
https://youtu.be/RjQZd8p-eBM?si=8MFngBXjog46SGBq&t=3633
How many times are you gonna say this?
Sorry, I have to do it. Every time someone clicks, I get paid 6 radio heads.
I love the crunchy, wall of sound guitar tone across the album, and despite some of the lyrics being weak it more than makes up for it sonically. Sure, it's not the most technical album, but you can't beat Ripcord or I Can't if you want to just rock out. Very fun songs to play as well
I think I Can’t is a great song it was my most listened to song of the year a couple of years ago!
I’m better off deadddd
Fat UGLY dead
Or anyone can play guitar
It’s a great album, just not their best. My only dislike for Creep is that it’s the one Radiohead track that gets play on your “local” classic rock radio station and it gets played way too much.
Lurgee
I'm going to be a bit contrary, and say Creep. But not about the song itself, just the effect of it. Pick any song on the album and pretend that's the one that got that big, it doesn't matter which one. But the effect is that the band got a lot of recognition and popularity, and that helped put them on the general path to where we are now. The internal (within the band) backlash to the song also specifically influenced their musical path.
So, while I don't really listen to this album very often, I appreciate it and Creep for being the catalyst that jump-started my favorite band's trajectory.
I love it's teenage vibe, so nostalgic for me.
It's easy to find in record stores.
How do you
Love this one and wish more people felt the same. Feels like Radiohead trying to do a Cheap Trick song and it fuckin rips
I will always love how his voice comes crashing in.
The songs on this album are all good rock songs and if you make a playlist of all Radiohead's songs separated and disambiguated from their albums the songs from Pablo Honey lend the playlist a dynamic punch and become high points. It's only listening to it in the context of the whole album that you get listener fatigue.
This album reminds me that even the greatest in the world have to start somewhere. When my kids are struggling and think they'll never do better, I'll say to them "you know Radiohead, who did OK Computer, Kid A, In Rainbows, and so on? This was their first album."
"But it's trash, dad"
"Exactly, son".
blow out is a mega banger.
This AMAZING, rock it out, closer version of Blow Out from a top quality 1994 gig. Honestly amazed by the video and sound quality for 1994.
https://youtu.be/RjQZd8p-eBM?si=8MFngBXjog46SGBq&t=3633
You is my favourite song here
Blow Out
This AMAZING, rock it out, closer version of Blow Out from a top quality 1994 gig. Honestly amazed by the video and sound quality for 1994.
https://youtu.be/RjQZd8p-eBM?si=8MFngBXjog46SGBq&t=3633
I know that performance well! I also saw them play Blowout in Chicago in 2018. That was great too.
I Can't is one of their ten best songs lyrically
I always dismissed this album like most Radiohead fans do, but I went and gave it a fair try and it is legitimately good, it just pales in comparison to the rest of their catalog because they evolved so much and so quickly
The drumming on prove yourself
Everything...... Especially the guitar riffs in each song
Anyone Can Play Guitar.
The irony in anyone can play guitar. A glimpse of big things to come. Future Tragedy and Comedy condensed.
I love Ripcord, honestly. I know it is generally considered one of the weaker tracks on the album but it’s fun and I think they enjoyed playing it - especially in the Astoria live version.
Ripcord, along with Vegetable, are great, I have an import (to the USA) version of PH that has both of these tracks live, & they're excellent versions.
Anyone Can Play Guitar is a banger!
It's a fantastic album, lots of bangers
You and Blow Out, with some slight modification to production styles, are good enough to have appeared on any other album.
This AMAZING, rock it out, closer version of Blow Out from a top quality 1994 gig. Honestly amazed by the video and sound quality for 1994.
https://youtu.be/RjQZd8p-eBM?si=8MFngBXjog46SGBq&t=3633
Blow Out is top Radiohead tier
I know nothing about Radiohead except Creep idk why this post was recommended to me but I feel called out
WHERE IS THE VEGETABLE LOVE ITS AMAZING
The last minute and a half of “Blow Out”
Blow out
This AMAZING, rock it out, closer version of Blow Out from a top quality 1994 gig. Honestly amazed by the video and sound quality for 1994.
https://youtu.be/RjQZd8p-eBM?si=8MFngBXjog46SGBq&t=3633
I love that they got their 90s grunge phase out of their collective systems very quickly
Nothing on this album is grunge.
Classic album, I bought it
Lurgee is a masterpiece.
I unironically love the whole album
That it ends. But on a serious note, that scream in You absolutely sends shivers down my spine every time I listen to it
Lurgee
How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you How do you
Blow Out and Stop Whispering
I love "You", sounds so grunge.
Stop whispering is up there with the best songs they've created
Vegetable is underrated
It really is.
Anyone can play guitar ripcord and you
I really appreciate the almost joyful style of the tracks, it makes me think about an easier reality with a less dramatic point of view
Blow Out is the perfect ender
the end of blow out
everything about blow out.
This AMAZING, rock it out, closer version of Blow Out from a top quality 1994 gig. Honestly amazed by the video and sound quality for 1994.
https://youtu.be/RjQZd8p-eBM?si=8MFngBXjog46SGBq&t=3633
Blowout
when i got kind of into radiohead after bends came out, everybody was into the smashing pumpkins. okc turned me into a hardcore radiohead fan so i got myself a copy of pablo honey and it was great! like pumpkins on steroids. i love it.
Stop Whispering is in the top tier of my favorite Radiohead songs.
BLOW OUT BLOW OUT
You, Anyone Can Play Guitar
The album rocks, love the 3 guitar sound. Inside my head and pop is dead are still 2 of my favorite b-sides.
I found out anyone can play guitar
Blow out
It’s raw.
all of the songs except thinking about you..
Lurgee
It’s a fairly decent album for its time and it would be even better without How Do You, Prove Yourself and the pointlessly long outros in some tracks
Anyone Can Play Guitar is a top tier song imo
It was good/different enough to get 16 year old me to take notice.
Strong rifts
When this record came out, it was such a different sound than the Seattle grunge scene and the trail end of the hair metal era, which is what we were all listening to on the rock radio stations. I know in hindsight it's not well revered compared to their next LPs, but imagine popping this CD into the car stereo and hearing it open with "You"... it was awesome; It was different; it was familiar yet unique. For us 50-somethings, it was one of the best records at that time!!
the songs live are tuff
Blow Out, You, and Anyone Can Play Guitar are pretty damn good, and make up for how bad How Do You is.
This AMAZING, rock it out, closer version of Blow Out from a top quality 1994 gig. Honestly amazed by the video and sound quality for 1994.
https://youtu.be/RjQZd8p-eBM?si=8MFngBXjog46SGBq&t=3633
Blow Out is great and… well, that's it, really.
Lot of brilliant ideas they’d expand upon in The Bends. Even for a run of the mill alt rock album in the 90s, their musical identity is very clear on this album, especially tracks like You, Blow Out, Prove Yourself, How Do You?…. it’s a good record, overshadowed by Creep and the successive albums.
I like you, thinking about you, stop whispering, guitar, and blow out
This AMAZING, rock it out, closer version of Blow Out from a top quality 1994 gig. Honestly amazed by the video and sound quality for 1994.
https://youtu.be/RjQZd8p-eBM?si=8MFngBXjog46SGBq&t=3633
I wanna be Jim Morrison
thinkin about you is cringe but pretty cool
Blow Out is great.
“Blow Out” is the finest song of the album, and one of the strongest closers Radiohead have ever written
This AMAZING, rock it out, closer version of Blow Out from a top quality 1994 gig. Honestly amazed by the video and sound quality for 1994.
https://youtu.be/RjQZd8p-eBM?si=8MFngBXjog46SGBq&t=3633
Blow out is PEAK
the album cover i guess
Everything including the b-sides
Blow out. That's it.
There are some really underrated bangers on this album. That scream in the middle of You is epic.
Blow Out is amazing.
It makes their other albums look even better by comparison.
It's definitely their weakest but by anyone else's standards, it's a really good album. An 8.2/10 for me. Plus I LOVE grunge, so a British grunge album, let alone one from the same guys as HTDC and Reckoner is really, really cool. Ripchord's one of my favorites.
Also if anyone asks who is a fan of this album, just say Kurt Cobain. Seriously. He and Courtney loved it, I checked. It's a trip knowing this.
I love the bassline in anyone can play guitar also my favourite line is Grow my hair I am Jim Morrison
Blow Out is a great song
You is aight.
Pea
This AMAZING, rock it out, closer version of Blow Out from a top quality 1994 gig. Honestly amazed by the video and sound quality for 1994.
https://youtu.be/RjQZd8p-eBM?si=8MFngBXjog46SGBq&t=3633
Stop whispering, thinking about you, anyone can play guitar
All great songs
Lurgee
It was a great stepping stone to awesome music.
The first and last songs are great
The b-sides.
Blow-Out is definitely a stand out. Its also my favourite looking album cover
All of it. That’s a great 90’s alt rock album.
You, Anyone Can Play Guitar, Lurgee and Blow Out
How do you? and ripcord
I just listened to it for the first time last friday. It was much more interesting and had more in common, musically, with the bends than I imagined. I guess I bought into the whole narrative about Nirvana clones whilst also hating the single. A case of judging a book by it's cover. I missed out back in the day, but I'll likely not listen to it again.
You is a great song. I love the guitars and vocals on it.
Blow Out
It's an amazing album
Blow Out is underrated. The Lo Freq cover is so damn good it got me appreciating the original way more...
You and Blow Out are meh.
I still love I Can't. From the guitar intro to the frenetic ending, it's always been one of my favorites on PH since it came out.
Blow Out!
Guitar tones are brilliant, arguably rivaling what Sonic Youth were doing around this time at certain points.
The artwork is still great too, as is the art for the singles.
Blow Out is just an excellent closing track.
The flow of the whole album is smooth, nothing feels too out of place.
Thom's vocal on Thinking About You hits you in the back of the throat, followed by that lovely watery electric guitar section.
Other stand out tracks for me are I Can't, Lurgee, Vegetable and Stop Whispering for their ability to capture the essence of grunge in the UK; they really do hold up all this time later. Forget Radiohead's experimental stuff that came later and you've got yourself a pretty fantastic selection of fuzzy alt rock tracks.
Generally a perfectly solid debut, way too over-hated for what it is. Love you Pablo Honey x
Blow Out.
I love this album, and I know that pits me against most Radiohead fans. It's raw, its grunge Radiohead, and I love it for what it is.
The long 'shout' Thom sings near the end of Stop Whispering.
Blowout is really really cool, especially playing it on drums
The end of it
The firts upbeat part in blow out is genuenly one of my favourite radiohead moments of all time
Thom Yorke screaming on TRL
I like listening for the little nuggets in the songs that point to where the band would eventually go.
You
If they released 4 songs on this album today, they would instantly become your favorite song: You Blow out Stop whispering (And some sound that ryhmes with deep)
blow out
You and Blow Out are gems.
You
I cant is sooo underated man i love that song, prove yourself, thinking about you, anyone can play the guitar, you, stop whispering, creep, lurgee how you do are pretty good and amazing in some of the songs. Only songs i didnt like was ripcord, vegetable and blow out (sorry for the blow out lovers) just that song for me didnt hit for me.
As others have said, it starts and ends very well.
I LOVE this album and I enjoy every song. It's a product of its time, which was my time too. A band in the midst of becoming something different, but the bones are great.
Honestly, only song I can't really vibe with on this album is Thinking About You. The rest are solid to good and some even great. This album gets way too much hate and isn't even their worst imo tbh. That might be a hot take.
Blow out
Half of the album is actually pretty solid. You, Creep, Thinking About You, Blowout, Prove Yourself, I Can’t and Anyone Can play Guitar are all really solid songs. The rest of the album is pretty weak.
Prove Yourself is cool
You is one of RH best songs. Love it as the opener early in their career.
It's a no skip album for me. I genuinely like every song.
Love that it made them evolve into everything that came after
The frenzied structure of most of the songs
Blow Out is one of their best songs and would not sound out of place on In Rainbows.
anyone can play guitar is one of my favorite songs out of all the albums
The cover 👀👀👀lowk fire
All of the songs
If you mix in the b-sides, you’ve got a terrific run-up to The Bends.
“blow out”
You, Prove yourself and Blow out all slap And how do you has a sample from the jerky boys
The cover stands out perfectly When you look at it for the first time it just sticks to your mind forever
You and Lurgee Blowout and many... this is a great alt rock album. Love it.
You is the song that got me hooked on radiohead.
blow out is AMAZING
Vegetable is awesome
Blow out!
Kinda love that it's named after a jerky boys skit.
You and Blow Out don't deserve to be on this mediocre album. Wish they had saved those for The Bends...