Radiohead: Thom E. Yorke (vocals, guitar); Ed O'Brien (guitar, background
vocals); Jon Greenwood (guitar, piano, organ); Colin Greenwood (bass); Phil
Selway (drums).
Producers: Paul Q. Kolderie, Chris Hufford, Sean Slade.
Engineers: Paul Q. Kolderie, Chris Hufford, Sean Slade.
Recorded at Chipping Norton Studio and Courtyard Studio, Oxon, England.
Before the breakthrough that was THE BENDS and the colossal OK COMPUTER, there
was the quietly magnificent PABLO HONEY. “Creep” was the surprise hit single
in the UK, but even that gave scant indication of how special this band would
become. Benefiting from a raw production, the debut was undoubtedly less slick
and accomplished than subsequent work, although Thom Yorke's vulnerable but
impressive vocal styling was already in place on songs such as “Stop
Whispering.” Many of the compositions were somewhat simplistic, but in terms
of musical maturity Radiohead were clearly years ahead of their time. An
indispensable album, it should not be parted from its two big brothers.
What the critics say…
Entertainment Weekly (5/28/93, p.56) – “…mates Smiths-type
self-consciousness with dramatic U2-like vocals and guitar, with Cure-style
heavy but crunchy pop…” – Rating: B
Q (4/93, p.86) – 3 Stars – Good – “…British teenagerhood has never
been grumpier…the best bits rival Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr. and even the mighty
Sugar…”
NME (Magazine) (12/25/93, p.67) – Ranked #35 in New Musical Express' list of
`The Top 50 LPs Of 1993' – “…is a throwback to a homegrown tradition of
great guitar-band albums…”