The Best of Radiohead (Special Edition)

iTunes Review

Since Radiohead evolved into one of the few bands of the 1990s and 2000s to use the album as a cohesive artistic statement — each album defining a particular style and approach — a “Greatest Hits” collection may seem to be a slightly perverted way to capture the group. They did, however, issue strong singles. The minor-chord dirge “Creep” from their 1993 debut album Pablo Honey established their pop potential early and with the heart-stopping “Fake Plastic Trees” and the sublime “High and Dry” expanding their range for their second album, 1995’s The Bends, Radiohead were poised to become one of “alternative” rock’s most radio-friendly groups. However, their artistic ambitions demanded they chase more adventurous tones and the challenging puzzles from 1997’s OK Computer (“Paranoid Android,” “Karma Police”) and the further abstract compositions from 2000’s Kid A (Idioteque”) and 2003’s Hail to the Thief (“2+2=5”) showcase a band constantly evolving with technology. This overview throws out chronology for an idiosyncratic pacing of its own. The limited edition version includes 13 extra cuts with the b-side “Talk Show Host” (that also appeared on the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack) being the one relative obscurity.