Parlophone to release 2CD Radiohead ‘Best Of’
By: Charlie Potter
Well, here we are - Parlophone squeezing the very last drops of cash that they can out of former label stars Radiohead with a typically formatted, vaguely chronological best of.
It's easy to be cynical, but that said, there are a couple of bits and bobs that you may not have, namely 'Talk Show Host', which originally appeared as the b-side to 'Street Spirit (Fade Out)', and 'True Love Waits' which featured once on the live album I Might Be Wrong.
The extensive 2 CD track list also contains a surprising amount of tracks from much maligned first LP Pablo Honey, although the chronology is broken by those that aren't 'Creep' being stuck away at the end of the second disc. The compilers seem to be working under the impression that the first CD is for people who will buy this 'Best Of' having been vaguely conscious of Radiohead and been fans of that 'Creep' song, also assuming that they are the same kind of people who will never listen to disc 2. That latter disc is of course for the people that love Radiohead soooo much that they'll buy this compilation even though they have everything on it just because it bears the stamp of the centre of their affections.
There are also a few songs that have been placed together quite interestingly, 'Street Spirit (Fade Out)' followed by 'Everything In Its Right Place' for example. I wonder what that feels like?
Yet the fact remains that if Parlophone were to release a b-sides and rarities set then they would have both my full attention and whatever stupid amount of cash that they charge for it. Yes, it's nice that it's 2 CD's long and it does give a pretty proper representation of Radiohead's most important songs. But other than that, really guys, get all their albums! Come on, you can make your own little playlist of this in your iTunes then if you want, can't you?
CD1
Just
Paranoid Android
Karma Police
Creep
No Surprises
High and Dry
My Iron Lung
There There
Lucky
Fake Plastic Trees
Idioteque
2+2=5
The Bends
Pyramid Song
Street Spirit (Fade Out)
Everything In Its Right Place
CD2
Airbag
I Might Be Wrong
Go To Sleep
Let Down
Planet Telex
Exit Music (For A Film)
The National Anthem
Knives Out
Talk Show Host
You
Anyone Can Play Guitar
How To Disappear Completely
True Love Waits