release date: Apr. 20, 1993
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,62]
producer: Sean Slade, Paul Q. Kolderie
label: Parlophone / EMI - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 2. "Creep" - 3. "How Do You?" - 6. "Anyone Can Play Guitar" - 12. "Blow Out"
Studio debut album by British 5-piece britpop and guitar-band Radiohead consisting of Thom Yorke on vocals, guitar, tape loops, the two brothers Greenwood: Jonny on guitar, piano and organ, and with Colin on bass. The last two members are Ed O'Brien, also on guitar and backing vocals, and lastly Phil Selway handling drums. In Britain, Radiohead was compared to the bands of the American grunge rock scene, under influence of the quiet-loud school exemplified by Pixies, and Radiohead was referred to as the British Nirvana, but mostly the debut wasn't an overwhelming success and many critics found - what I think of it - that there are so many references to other bands that it's difficult to talk about a highly original release. Not so much alone because of the many sources of inspiration but simply because it either sounds as The Smiths, as U2, as Nirvana, as Red Hot Chili Peppers, or whatever band associated with or in the outskirts of grunge rock, britpop or pop / rock... and never really as something representing an original mix. Despite not knowing anything of the band back then, I find this very album a wee bit boring and of little interest, although, the above-mentioned songs are all clearly above mediocre.
The single track "Creep" became a monster hit in a slow process which involved the song going big in Israel after which it was reissued in the US, however, it brought the band a sore experience as it turned out that it's a song that shares similarities with "The Air I Breathe" by The Hollies from 1973 and Radiohead was sued for plagiarism, and lost the case, which is why Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood from The Holies are credited as co-composers of "Creep". Comparing the two songs, the case against Radiohead and the verdict only seems like an unjust court decision.
Pablo Honey is best known for the inclusion of "Creep" and only for being the band's debut album but in the band's discography the album is only for hardcore fans as you wont find many similarities with the band's later efforts.
[ allmusic.com (retrospect), Q Magazine, Rolling Stone (retrospect), Uncut (retrospect) 3 / 5, Blender 2 / 5 stars ]
