The Bends

Good!

Hyvä levy. Pari kovaakin biisiä ja ehkä tunnetummasta poiketen jaksoi viihdyttää koko albumin läpi

I've always been more of a fan of Radiohead's later output - OK Computer, Kid A etc., rather than the earlier indie stuff. That said, there are some amazing songs here. And I have to give at least four stars for the incredible end track. Favourite tracks: Planet Telex, High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Just, My Iron Lung, Street Spirit (Fade Out).

It's good. MY favourite of Radiohead so far. Will I listen to again: 80%

I keep thinking I don’t like Radiohead, but then I listen to this album again and change my mind, at least temporarily.

SUBLIME

Real good. Not my favorite of their albums but the second half really gets cooking

Sort of felt like a tale of two albums, really. The first half is loud, gritty, and at times more accessible than I expected any Radiohead to be. Then it sort of starts to dial back the energy near the end and it just didn’t work quite as well for me. Was going to give it 5 stars but it just ended so counter to how it started and it kind of threw me. I lost a little bit of interest. Overall it’s quite an artistic statement, especially knowing that this isn’t even their peak. Standout tracks: The Bends, High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Bones, Just

El mejor tema Black Star

Great

liked a lot more on the second listen, really solid sounds throughout although personally one didn't stand out as truly unforgettable. excellent lyrics

Feels a little odd to hear The Bends right after OK Computer - but this album seems a little more straightforward guitar-oriented pieces, with a dabbling of experimentation. Comparing Creep from their previous album, Thom Yorke's voice seems more developed, with more falsetto and vibrato, but for me OK Computer is the stronger album more tight, more developed, more experimentation, tho this has many very good tracks such as Fake Plastic Trees, High and Dry, and Street Spirit (Fade Out). Despite my favoring OK Computer, I'm rating it the same at 4 stars.

Pretty good but don't really get all the hype.

Fun as hell. Coming off the back off the new smile album, and having never listened to this one before, it's really interesting. Never gone this far back in the radiohead discography, it's rock and roll baybeee. No max/msp patches in this one, just pedals, amps and microphones. I like it, but it's not perfect. Some kinda yuck moments in here (thinking about the doodoodoodooo bit in the bends title track). High and dry hits different because of the Jamie Cullum CD my parents had in rotation back in the day.

After listening to OK Computer a couple of times and just not getting the band, this album helped me understand why people like Radiohead. Chill album.

Where it all changed for Radiohead. I thought Pablo Honey was pretty poor whereas OK Computer is one of the greatest albums ever written, so this is a lovely stepping stone to get there. The Pablo-esque songs are the weaker points (Bones, Just, Sulk). The stronger points are when they begin to explore the elements of their sound that would shortly propel them to the echelons of music. Solid 4*

Ver

Amazing album, not quite as good as OK Computer. Excellent songwriting. 4.5

I’m not a fan of Radiohead and quite frankly I don’t know how they’re so big. About a week ago my daily album was Hail To The Thief and thought it sucked. The Bends however was less whiny and had crunchy riffs so that was a plus for me.

One day I'll figure out what's preventing me from REALLY getting into Radiohead. I don't not like them! It's fine! They're good! It just hasn't clicked yet. Will this be the countdown that clicks me?? Not yet! I'll keep at it!

This is an amazing 90s rock record. It sounds like the other music of the time, but it has a certain quality that’s hard to describe, but is distinctly Radiohead. It’s. It my favorite Radiohead record, but it’s a damn good album.

I really liked it actually. Definitely worth another listen

Much more chill than i thought it would be.

This is a tad unrefined compared to the greatness of the album that followed it, but still a big improvement over Pablo, some indication of where Radiohead saw themselves in the 90s grunge-ish rock scene. The album itself doesn't have nearly the thematic depth that OKC would show, but makes a decent-enough comment on fame to justify its existence as an album.

A brilliant second album after an eminently forgettable debut.

What a great album. Not quite as consistent and quirky as OK Computer - but very strong. Great songs. Great sound. Especially The Bends and Bones.

Not the best Radiohead at all. No true identity yet but still amazing

Great late 90’s rock band. Good songs, good sound.

Is it great? Well maybe... Do I want to listen to it lots? Well maybe, but I'm never sure when

I can see why the reviews for this are so good. This is a classic and holds up very well to this day. I loved every track.

Found a new song I liked, plus the usual hits. Good background music.

catchy, brooding, and sad teenage Radiohead angst in a more traditional alt-rock band package. excellent stuff 4.5/5

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A less techno-sounding album but no less outstanding.

(Nice Album)

Amazing album with some 5 start songs on it.

The Bends can be thought of as an interim or transitional album between the mainstream Alternative Rock of Pablo Honey and the more esoteric psychedelia of Ok Computer. The only radio hit from the album, Fake Plastic Trees, fit well with the mainstream of Alternative and could well have been an outtake from Pablo Honey. Other songs, including High and Dry, point to what Radiohead would become. That said, it is more accessible than later albums to listeners who are not Radiohead fans, and yet, still will satisfy the hardcore fanbase.

ovo cu slusat na nocnim voznjama s poluotvorenim prozorom, jako lipo!!

Uz popodnevnu kavu. Top. Mislim da mi je prva pisma najbolja

Zapravo 3,5 ali ajde. Sviđa mi se, slušala ga dosta kroz dan i ima par pjesama koje su mi se basss svidjele. Ali bolji mi je “In rainbows” koji sam slušala nedavno.

A fucking classic

Hated the singles from this at the time. But grew to realise my mistake and embrace this excellent original but still firmly rock and pop album.

My first listen since 2010, definitely enjoyed it more now than I did then, especially the first three tracks

Good album, would listen again. Probably not my favourite Radiohead, but very cool and a bit more raw than other albums.

Had you asked me to review this a year or so ago it would have gotten a 2. But recently i’ve become RadioPilled and am really understanding their music. This isn’t my favorite by them but god damn it’s a good one. Honestly listening to fake plastic trees randomly on shuffle last year fueled my newfound love for RH. so thank you bends

A little slow to start but then Just comes in and hits like a brick.

•own, 3-4 times over •This is the first record on this that I’ve listened to a million times but I’m going to focus on how it sounds as an album—as compared to an article from my life. That said, I hear the filler that people complain about, even RH fans. It’s a formative record—you can pick which songs came from the Pablo Honey sessions, which ones lead them to OK Computer—and it still contains some of their greatest songs (Street Spirit, Just, Fake Plastic Trees) and some of Thom’s best lyrics (“Drying up in conversation/ You will be the one who cannot talk. / All your insides fall to pieces/ You just sit there wishing you could still make love.”) And yes, that also includes comparing a lover to Coca Cola. •4/5

Album 271 of 1001 Radiohead - The Bends Rating : 4 / 5 Good album. Did me well as I made breakfast this morning. A little less grunge than their first album. One to keep.

3.8/5 Best Track: High and Dry

Stones, U2 - and the paindriven voice of Thom Yorke …

Radiohead’s sophomore work is a massive step up from their debut in all aspects; while still far from their best work, The Bends is 90s alternative essential, which helps to establish the distinctive Radiohead sound which is further consolidated in their coming magnum opus. Stacked full of underrated tracks like Planet Telex, Just, Black Star to name a few, The Bends is always a reliably great listen.

it was really good i liked it a lot 4.5 stars

I know why people are into them now. Everyone took a page from these guy's book.

Some solid Radiohead. My first Radiohead album, in fact. Not 5 stars because I'm not sure it's aged that well.

Day 2- Expectations on what songs would be like were averted.

Disco muito bom, ajudou a derrubar boa parte dos estereótipos que tinha em torno da banda. Não é meu estilo favorito de rock, mas mesmo assim é um disco incrível. Bati cabeça em umas 5 músicas. 4/5

Very good

Great radiohead album with some great tracks but one of my leest favourites compared to their others

Multi-layered, if one-song-overlong listen. Heard it years ago and it sounds much better now than it did then.

Väkevä bändi. Tämäkin varsin eheä kokonaisuus! 4/5

Vähän liian balladia mun makuun ollakseen 5 tähteä, mutta kyllähän radiohead kelpaa.

Kova levy ja etenkin alkupuoli aika ikoninen. Raskaammat rock-hetket tuntuu tässä vähän päälle liimatuilta eikä ole ihme, että bändi niistä pian luopui.

Tykkään kyllä tästä alkupään Radioheadin suoraviivaisemmasta rock-ilmaisusta myös! Tällä levyllä maistuu erityisesti menevämmät biisit ja kitaravallit. 4/5

Classic

I prefer the Scroobius Pip version of Planet Telex tbh. Nah actually its kinda an underrated Radiohead song in my book. Chorus is nice. The Bends is a very 90s tune, perhaps the most Britpop-y Radiohead. It's still a tune also though. High and Dry is also just such a beautiful song, same for Fake Plastic Trees. The Bends starts so hot. Bones I guess sounds quite derivative of much other 90s alt rock. Bassline sounds a bit like Green Day, echoes of Oasis. Nice Dream sounds much more like a Radiohead song. Just is both a bit overplayed and underappreciated to me. The guitar lines have some of the first murmurings of what OK Computer would do - like the passage at 2:08 or in the verse along the line "One day he'll get to you And teach you how to be a holy cow". I'm not a big fan of the My Iron Lung chorus - if you can call it a chorus. I can give or take Bullet Proof. Blackstar is a bit of a ditty. Sulk is kinda boring to me. Street Spirit is haunting. The Bends is still a very decent mainstream rock album to me. 4.1/5

The Bends is obviously great but presumably we have at least 3 more radiohead albums to come, so I have to leave myself somewhere to go and my knob doesn't go to eleven. My ratings are a mess anyway.

Great reminder of the power of Radiohead

The soundtrack of my teens. I remember listening to the line "Talking to my girlfriend, waiting for something to happen," and thinking I'll never have a girlfriend. Now all I do is talk to my girlfriend and wait for something to happen. Radiohead were the band for the weird kids who didn't dig Oasis. A little trite in places, but the crazy arrangements hide so much. "Just," "My Iron Lung," and "Street Spirit" are still incredible, and not quite like anything else at the time, almost grunge, semi-Britpop, 90s prog, but something else also. Better than OK Computer in terms of consistency.

Rock Radiohead is best Radiohead.

Radiohead is one of my favorite bands, but this album has always left me a little cold. Not that I have thought it was bad, just that it doesn't compare to the magnificence of their other albums (though I have always found it to be better than Pablo Honey). Since I generally skip this one when I'm in a Radiohead mood, it was fun to listen to this with a "fresh" perspective. While I don't think it's a timeless classic like most of the rest of their catalogue, I still think it's a very goddamned good 90s rock album. I'm comfortable with 4 stars here.

Not bad whatsoever, a solid 4. I love the variety in styles and chord progressions and rhythms. My only criticism is the lyrics aren’t really clear which is fair given the time this was recorded

good

I've never quite been on the same Radiohead worship level as others, but I do think it's pretty enjoyable

Yea I can admit it's pretty damn good

fave tracks: high and dry, fake plastic trees, just, bullet proof, black star I enjoyed this album more than OK Computer, but my opinion could change

What an album!

Radiohead is a band that, for some reason, I've largely ignored over the years. Looking over my Last.FM profile, I've only ever spun 5 tracks from The Bends over the past decade, never the full album. I was impressed by its two strong openers, Planet Telex and the title track, leading me nicely into a state of sonic familiarity with High and Dry and Fake Plastic Trees, both of which I enjoy and are true 90's classics. From here on, I was engaged and invested. I relished in this album more than I thought I would. A solid 4/5.

I don't know what to make of Radiohead - they capture the atmosphere of the UK in the 1990s and can sometimes sound depressing, but the overall sound and feel of the album is one that I like.

I thought this was really great actually; my favorite was probably "Bones". 8/10

4/5. An interesting and depressing collection of songs with great guitarwork. Yorke is still finding his voice in this one but on the songs he got it figured out, it really stands out. The first half of the album is the highlight with some okay songs near the end. Overall though, a surprisingly good album that I wasn't expecting and gets better with each listen.

Sad boi soundtrack

Transfered me back to being a sad and angsty 16 years old.

My Iron Lung is still one of my favourite Radiohead songs. Having moved beyond this album preferring their newer output, it was great to listen again to it with fresh ears. It sounds more under-produced than I remember - perhaps 'less-well' produced is more accurate - but I love this album more than I remember. It is fresh and the songwriting holds up extremely well to this day. Nothing sounded like it at the time of its release, and I remember being unnerved by its unusualness in a great way - much like listening to the Pumpkins when they first arrived on my headphones. It's a fantastic album that isn't as cutting edge as their subsequent offerings but paved the way for OK Computer perfectly. A banger.

Tunes. Tunes. Tunes.

Redux review: This seems to be a lot of people’s favourite Radiohead record which I understand - it's certainly their most direct alt-rock/almost britpop album and fits nicely with some other acclaimed British albums of the mid 90s. However it's only maybe my 4th favourite Radiohead album, which says more about the consistency of their catalogue than the quality of this record While I would ordinarily give this a 5, considering every album here is regarded as one of the best of all time I'm being a bit harsher with my ratings, as there shouldn't be too many absolute stinkers [side note - this comment hasn’t aged too well, but on the whole I still agree. There is also the run of tracks of Bulletproof - Sulk towards the end which, while still good, isn’t quite as strong as the rest of the album] Therefore 5s are going to be relatively sparse, and The Bends can make do with a comfortable 4

Favorite songs: high and Dry; fake plastic trees; bullet proof….I wish Melodic. Understated. Really solid.

An album for a time

I wanted to hate this, but I didn't. I still hate their later records. Favorite song: Bones

It’s a pretty good album with some beautiful songs on it. Didn’t know much about Radiohead going in but was pleasantly surprised

Known before: Yes Standouts: Just, Fake Plastic Trees, Planet Telex, My Iron Lung, Street Spirit (Fade out) 8/10

Known Before: band, album Standouts: High and Dry; Fake Plastic Trees; Just; Street Spirit (Fade Out) 8.5

Known before: Yes, everything. Standouts: 03. High and Dry 04. Fake Plastic Trees 09. Bullet Proof...I Wish I Was Rating: 8.5

Known Before: Band/Lot of the songs Standouts: 3. High and Dry 4. Fake Plastic Trees 12. Street Spirit (Fade Out) 8.5

Finally another masterpiece of music yet this is only My 3rd or 4th favorite album by Radiohead depending on how I’m feeling. This one has a stronger alternative rock sound and fits that mold of 90s music. It’s probably one of the better 90s alternative albums. This is the album that made Radiohead great and showed they were going to do some interesting things. I could listen to this one any day it’s very consistent. 8.5/10

Mostly like their hits

NOT a radiohead fan. Most overrated band in history. That being said, I had never really dug into this record. This album actually made me forget why I stray away from them. Okcomp and KidA get all the hype but this is a clean concise effort that delivers from the jump

Ok, je sais pas si je deviens lentement un fan de Radiohead, mais cet album là était vraiment meilleur que les autres. Moins de chignage et plus de rockage

Forgot how great this album is.

Excellent 90s alt rock album. The vocal stylings and musicality on both the bass and guitar are superb. Fav tracks: Black Star, Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Was, My Iron Lung

I really like Radiohead

Starts off a little flat, but builds to something really beautiful. I don't know if Radiohead has made anything less than an excellent album, but this one is gorgeously crafted and highly listenable. I would recommend this as a nice entry point into the band. Fave Songs: High and Dry, Black Star, My Iron Lung, (Nice Dream), Fake Plastic Trees, Bullet Proof... I Wish I Was

I liked it quite a lot - not as much though as other Radiohead albums early favorites: Fade Out, Just, The Bends

This a pretty solid album with a lot of interesting songs. I was familiar with songs like High and Dry and Fake Plastic Trees and they kinda turned me off a little bit from this album because they were a little too soft/empty sounding for me. My favorite song was definitely Black Star. I also liked The Bends, Bones, and Just.

Great album! Some very brash songs, but many beautiful ones.

One of the great albums by one of the great bands. This is the last "guitar" album that Radiohead made, and what a sendoff.

I'll admit that I have very little familiarity with this band though I have been led to understand by friends and by the press that I might like it. I heard a playthrough of "In Rainbows" at the Dead & Co shows in Boulder in 2023 during set break and it reminded me that I needed to check these guys out. Fade to now, definitely interesting stuff. I suspect that Wilco, Beck and Radiohead are some of the only enduring music to come out of this era.

Really enjoyed the vibe. No skips and cohesive enough where you can just play it through w/o stopping. Listened to it quite a bit. Lacking any standout song which demands I keep going back to a particular track. Kind of reminds me of coldplay a little bit but less pop-ish/contrived (?)

I’ll admit there’s a strong nostalgia factor here but I do just love this album

More generic rock than their layer experimental albums but this album really showcases Thom Yorkes fantastic voice. “(Nice dream)” into “just” is probably my favorite part of the album

I expected to like it as much as I have in the past but something this time around didn’t hit me the way that it had in prior listens. Still, too many gems, and the songs flow so beautifully from one to the next, to rate it below a four.

1. Musical Style: "The Bends" represents a significant shift in Radiohead's sound from their debut album "Pablo Honey." While the earlier album had a more straightforward alternative rock and grunge style, "The Bends" showcases the band's evolution towards a more complex and experimental sound. It incorporates elements of alternative rock, post-punk, and hints of electronic experimentation, setting the stage for their groundbreaking work in later albums. 2. Songwriting: The album is renowned for its thought-provoking and emotionally charged lyrics. Thom Yorke's songwriting on "The Bends" explores themes of alienation, disillusionment, and personal introspection. The lyrics are often introspective and emotionally intense, resonating with many listeners. 3. Notable Tracks: "Street Spirit (Fade Out)": This haunting and melancholic track is one of the album's standouts, featuring Yorke's ethereal vocals and evocative lyrics. "Fake Plastic Trees": Known for its poetic and slightly surreal lyrics, this song is a moving commentary on consumerism and urban life. "High and Dry": A beautifully melodic and accessible song with memorable guitar work and Yorke's emotive vocals. "Just": An uptempo, edgy track that reflects Radiohead's ability to create intense, rocking moments. 4. Production and Sound: Nigel Godrich, who would later become a crucial collaborator for Radiohead, played a significant role in the album's production. The soundscapes are rich and layered, featuring a blend of electric and acoustic instrumentation. The mix of Jonny Greenwood's inventive guitar work, Colin Greenwood's basslines, Phil Selway's drumming, Ed O'Brien's guitar contributions, and Thom Yorke's distinct vocals created a unique sonic palette that set them apart from their contemporaries. 5. Impact: "The Bends" was a critical and commercial success upon its release and marked a turning point in Radiohead's career. It's often seen as a bridge between the band's early rock-oriented work and the more experimental sound they'd explore on "OK Computer" and subsequent albums. The album's success helped Radiohead gain a devoted fanbase and established them as a force to be reckoned with in the alternative music scene. 6. Legacy: "The Bends" is regarded as one of the greatest albums of the 1990s and a classic of the alternative rock genre. Its influence can be heard in the work of numerous bands that followed. The emotional depth and musical innovation on display in this album set the stage for Radiohead's continued evolution as a band. In conclusion, "The Bends" is a timeless album that showcases Radiohead's growth and artistic maturity. Its combination of introspective lyrics, innovative sound, and memorable melodies makes it a must-listen for fans of alternative and rock music, and it remains a cornerstone of Radiohead's discography.

Maybe the 5th best Radiohead album but shit STILL slaps. Great band.

Classic

Jesus what an album

very 90s. two huge songs. it’s radiohead. liked more than I thought i would

I like King of Limbs bedder lol if you don’t you kinda blow lol

So fantastic songs and baseline grunge tunes, but it lacks the musical identity of many Radiohead albums. Still a solid listen.

Lovely album by Radiohead, it’s hard to say it’s their best though, I’m sure some would argue. Not my favourite style of Radiohead, but very, very good.

Now this is how you do a depressing album. Consistency and don’t change the mood. Whoever bought this would have done so because of a single song hoping the rest would reflect a similar mood and they do! In the right frame of mind this would be spot on.

voi pirulainen vieköön... vieköön lapset kauas kauas pois... tulkoon kylään ja vieköön lapsent...huonompi albumi mitä muistin. perkl...perkl.. kauan on kärsitty. kuuakuden sisään KOLMAS!!!! KOLMAS (3) radiohedi... jaksa rupee mitän alanisoida, vittu hyvä albumi kyllähän tämä kelpaa olisi voinut ylläpitö vähän levittää näitä mutta noh.. street spirit

Pretty solid, but didn't hit me that hard. I think I prefer Ok Computer, Kid A, and In Rainbows over this, but still pretty good.

Muito bom.

Good one

High and Dry Fake Plastic Trees Nice Dream Just Street Spirit

Music to have break up sex too, with the gravy stroke being just. The remaining songs are a mixture of feelings including angry, happy and rubbing out out cause it was kinda hot

A favorite

My appreciation of this album continues to grow every time I listen. So many of these songs start unassuming and by the end they absolutely fucking take off like a rocket. Jonny Greenwood is like ground control, making sure Thom makes it through the atmosphere into outer space. The only thing that keeps this from being 5 stars for me is, it's not even in my top 3 Radiohead albums - probably top 5 though.

There was a time, before Kid A came out, that I would've given this 5 stars. But like the Beatles, Stones, etc., the heights they went on to reach ended up making their quite excellent initial output almost pale in comparison. These are good songs, but the thing that I really love about Radiohead is the texture. There are glimmers of that here, but it doesn't create a completely immersive atmosphere. Also, a fair amount of these tracks are emotional songs about interpersonal relationships, etc. When this came out that worked for me, since that was still an important aspect of my life. But as I get older, I simply prefer wallowing in the existential dread they went on to perfect in subsequent albums.

Radiohead is my fav band but this is not a 5. There are some duds that are just “okay” like High and Dry, Bones, and Sulk. There are still some amazing tracks like Fake Plastic Trees, My Iron Lung, and Street Spirit to name a few. Maybe in a vacuum where this was their only album it would be a 5 but, just a sign of what’s to come!

classic

I mean jeez, this might be up there with albums I’ve heard the most in my life and while it’s no longer probably my favorite Radiohead album full-stop the way that it was, it’s still almost endlessly singalong-able and features many of their best, most anthemic tracks. I still love it wholeheartedly.

IMO this is mid Radiohead. Not on the same level as OK Computer but I like it a lot better than Kid A.

I liked it more than I thought I did or would

4/5

Radiohead is a band for insufferable people. And I am insufferable for this band. Their music has captured me for so long now, I can't think of a time in the last year and a half where I wasn't absolutely in love with Radiohead. I only have my high school art teacher to blame for that. I got into them because of him. So getting the excuse to hear The Bends all the way through again under the new lens of having heard all of their other albums was exciting. In all honesty, The Bends is probably the album from Radiohead I listen to the least. On first listen, I didn't really get most of the songs on this. But that was nearly 2 years ago. The Bends is kind of an interesting album, because it came so soon after Pablo Honey. Nothing about Pablo Honey was really special. Other than Creep, almost no waves were made with that album. Radiohead was just another angsty indie alt rock band. The Bends changed that perception. Because this is something much more special than Pablo Honey. The complexity and songwriting is so many worlds better than its predecessor, it amazes me there was only a two year gap in between these two. Thom Yorke's voice sounds so insanely young on this, but it only works as proof that his vocal capabilities have not faltered one bit since this album was released. There is definitely something juvenile about how everyone plays their instruments on this, but it fits the wild and unleashed energy of the whole album. Planet Telex is the first song I ever heard from them, and I can remember it immediately blowing me away, even if the rest of the album didn't at the time. It was the first song of theirs that I fell in love with, and I still regard it highly today. I love the build up after the post-chorus in the title track, plus the guitar work on the bridge of that same song is also amazing. High and Dry proved that they were still capable of making big hits for charts, but I personally prefer Fake Plastic Trees. Just is easily the most chaotic song on the record, and feels like a bad hair day in the best way possible. The main guitar on My Iron Lung is crunchy, but the chorus borders on grunge, like something you might hear on a Nirvana record. Black Star is an interesting song, because it's great, but it feels as if you are coming into an ongoing song that they chose to cut and fade in. And Street Spirit is a fantastic closer, and feels like something that wouldn't be too out of place on Hail To the Thief. I think The Bends is about as fine tuned as a sophomore album can get. They took their sound in a different direction, while still keeping the alternative energy flowing through, and hit the jackpot. This laid the groundwork for everything they would come to make in the future. It isn't Thom and his band mates at their absolute best, but it was a damn good step in the right track.

i MUCH prefer post ok-computer radiohead. but this one is probably my favourite album from this era of the band. also the first radiohead album i ever listened to :) fav songs: the bends, fake plastic trees, just, my iron lung, bullet proof...i wish i was, street spirit.

Great album, only a couple weaker tracks.

This one was pretty darn cool

Good jams. Not particularly my style but still good music.

I struggle with this album. On the one hand, I quite enjoy it as an easily enjoyable Radiohead release. Like Radio-Disney Radiohead, if Radio Disney was all sad-boy pretense and cheese. And on that same hand, I actually quite like all the pretense and cheese. And really appreciate the Bends in a campy way. A good listen for when I feel like feeling like a post-pubescent boy again. On the other hand, I don't feel like feeling like a post-pubescent boy very often, which makes this album a tough listen most days. On the former hand, the production and music itself is so phenomenal that I *almost* don't feel cringe-y listening to and enjoying Thom Yorke's lost croon most days either. Then again, the latter hand: the real problem I have with this album is it is impossible to separate from everything it inspired. All the Coldplay and Muse and radio-friendly alt rock of the 21st century that Radiohead undoubtedly spawned even as they took off in another direction all together. I hear every good song here over the closing credits on some cringey-tween drama of the era, or on, like, the OC. So yeah. It's a chicken and an egg thing maybe. If this album existed in a vacuum I suppose I'd like it as much as I appreciate it, perhaps. And—on the former hand again—just the idea that Radiohead ever sounded like a perfect band to soundtrack the OC is kind of amazing. And it is undoubtedly the same concept that made Thom Yorke and co. tear off in that other direction we most love his band for today. So it's important they ever sounded like this. I'll round up to a 4.

Thom Yorke is a genuinely weird frontman for the band Radiohead almost became. We have more context for what Radiohead would turn into than the band themselves had in 1995. They seem to have no idea that they are about to break hugely influential ground. On this release they sound significantly more tethered to the times. This album has almost more resemblance to something like Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill of the same reason than to OK Computer— let alone Kid A / Amnesiac. As a mid-career Radiohead fan, there’s little you can grasp onto— other than “weird chords”— that doesn’t have a tiny smattering of 90’s Britpop attached. But you can definitely see some glimpse of what might have been… if the band had just listened to one too many A&R men, flew a little too close to the sun imitating the success of Creep, gone for more radio. In that future, we don’t get Weird Yorke. We only get worse music. So it’s a weird listen! But I like it! Fake plastic trees is a favorite. 4/5

Not a bad album by any means, but I just prefer Radiohead's later work. The Bends feels a bit underdeveloped, like they were trying a lot of things to see what works before settling in on a more consistent sound. That being said, it's interesting and unique enough to catch and maintain my attention and that's worth something.

Moodier, pessimistic and sarcastic compared to Pablo Honey's more raw rock and roll. The Bends has a more ethereal sound to it which is somehow incredibly catchy yet somber. This is not Britpop, this is not Grunge, it is simply an alternative to everything else out at the time. It was way over my 13-year old head at the time. I wanted Thom Yorke to just shut up and let me listen to Green Day and the Offspring instead. As an adult this hits so very different. From the sarcastic rebellion of My Iron Lung to the absurdity of Fake Plastic Trees, this is another example of a bands transformation. In this case, we see their disillusion with the industry and their desire to make their music their own. Unique groovy earworms that stick with you both musically and lyrically. 4* for me. I prefer OK Computer through Amnesiac, but can completely understand why some would prefer this.

The message of 'Everyone is broken' is a real powerful statement to have at the start of an album. It sets this tone for a dystopia. I love hearing the emotion in his voice. Love when singers have little cracks and imperfections in their songs. It makes it feel so raw and like real emotions. One of the reasons my favourite band is Korn is because he is so real with his feelings and that is projected through his voice. You can really hear his struggle with mental health and that he is a broken man. Fake plastic trees is such a beautiful song, one of my favourites. I love how he gets really high pitched and drags out syllables of some words and the repetition of 'It wears him out'. Also really appreciated 'Just'. I found it so catchy and repetitive and relatable. 'Black Star' is definitely one of my new favourites now. It had so much emotion and it just made sense to me. There were times during the final song where I felt like time was running out. It sounds like a cry for help. Very emotionally powerful album.

This is such a fascinating listening knowing what Radiohead will eventually become. There are hints of their later brilliance on this album, but it’s so WEIRD hearing things like Thom York annunciating in that stereotypical Britpop cadence on the title track. At the end of the day this is not the best Radiohead album, but it is an incredible alt/indie record for the mid 90s. Songs like High and Dry and Fake Plastic Trees are Pop songs, but they’re outstanding Pop songs. Great record with some tracks that probably could have been cut, just not fully realized.

Cool, but hard to see it as anyone’s favorite Radiohead album. Might be a 3, but I just love music

The Bends gets knocked for being on the simple side for Radiohead, but idc I've always liked this one a lot.

I have mixed feelings in general about Radiohead, I sometimes feel like they’re a bit too pretentious. So coming into this I was a bit reserved, also due to the fact that I’ve heard this album before but it didn’t stick that well. But I was actually pleasantly surprised, I especially think the latter part was very strong. ‘Fade out’ was already among my liked songs, but ‘Bullet proof… I wish I was’ is a new addition!

Classic album. Hadn't actually listened to the whole thing but was pleasantly surprised. Sad and introspective without being too navelgazey. A lot better than "Pablo honey" but not quite as good as "Ok Computer" in my book.

This was very good! I never really gave them a chance but the record is great. Sometimes a bit too whimsical but mostly great

It tough to judge a Radiohead album I'm not familiar with since a few others I know so well are will be instant 5-stars for me. The Bends has the same dread and drama of their other releases, but tends to be too non-specific or repetitive to really grasp me for the full runtime. 7/10

Melancholy but sublime

High 4 but have to save room on the S tier for other Radiohead albums

Radiohead still coming into their own and already very good. I think the idea of them as this super grim mopey band is mostly a stereotype, but it is reinforced by this one, probably their mopiest album. (There’s literally a song called Sulk. I mean. Come on.) Beneath all the dreary moods there are some gorgeous melodies on quality songs, a great mix of rockers and ballads and mid-tempo combos with big choruses. Instrumentally they’re nothing particularly special yet, but Thom Yorke’s ghostly wail is already here and pretty powerful in my book. Best song: Street Spirit (Fade Out)

Black Star is fantastic

Excellent characteristic indie. It is fresh melodic, with little gestures of the later Radiohead in some of the arrangements. Genuinely an extremely enjoyable album but not quite the heights of OK Computer and In Rainbows.

don't love it as much as I did in 90's and early 2000s but still a solid album

Good stuff, I was very familiar with this album, but it was probably almost a decade since I last listened.

I loved every minute of it. An album that must be played loud rather than quietly.

The 1-2 punch combo of Just and My Iron Lung put this over the hump from 3 stars to 4. Def there is a LOT of great stuff on here, and it's period-perfect to a fault. High And Dry and Fake Plastic Tress felt a bit dated actually - maybe just overplayed? I feel like if Radiohead had spent their later years chasing that Just/My Iron Lung thread I may have been along for the ride a little more.

Not their best but jesus christ this thing slaps. Definitely a step up from Pablo Honey and so many songs on here are some of the greatest alt rock songs from the 90's.

I liked it, not my normal genre but it was good.

Having only meaningfully listened to their other 'big' album, I was expecting to be blown away by this, given the reviews and reputation. It was good, by my mind remains intact.

An album I actually know! Fake Plastic Trees is my favorite Radiohead song. I know people that feel that Radiohead went "full weird" after Kid-A. I don't agree with that but I would listen to this again and again. It certainly has a bit of a Coldplay vibe to it. In a good way

im a little biased because this is the Radiohead album I listen to the most and I just really enjoy it more than some of the others, not perfect but still great

Actually really enjoyed this one, bones in particular. I'm a sucker for a moody falsetto.

Not my jam

very bien

ja lit

Quite a crazy experience listening to The Bends by Radiohead, they really discovered and dived deep into depression in society, fake plastic trees talks about "fake" people, bones is literally about how you turn older it's about ageing, one of my favorite tracks is My Iron Lung which talks about the bands hit song "creep" from Pablo Honey, it talks about how the song is their "Iron Lung" it is in the same scale, the album also references Nirvana , the way Just starts the same way as smells like teen spirit and My Iron Lung has the chorus similar to heart shaped box

This 90s (80s) born kid didn't listen to Radiohead when I was growing up in the early to mid 90s. I heard of them later on alternative rock stations or movies (Clueless/Romeo & Juliet) with their most acclaimed hits -- the way I heard Pearl Jam and other grunge era bands. I listened to them as an adult and I find their music to be experimental and cerebral -- not just grunge. Thom Yorke is one of my favorite artists and Radiohead is staple for 90s rock. You can hear influences from Pink Floyd and as well as other bands from the grunge movement, like Nirvana.

Cat: great sounds, great rock/pop songs, great lyrics. The Bends might be one of the greatest rock songs ever. High and Dry is iconic. Fake Plastic Trees is so raw and real. I remember listening to it with you and breaking down. Just is awesome. Black Star is an anthem. But generally this album is all over the place stylistically in the best way. Something for everyone. And Thom Yorke’s voice is unreal. AJ: seeing The Bends (song) at Bonnaroo 06 with Train is a moment I’ll never forget. The Bends and Pablo Honey will always be my two favorite albums by Radiohead. Still a rock band on those two albums. I like some of their newer stuff, but these two albums are the only two that I love every track on. Minus one or two if I’m being honest. I’ll never forget our first Fake Plastic Trees. Finally singing the last last line with someone I wanted to be all they wanted all the time. The first four songs are perfect. My goodness. I wish I wish wish…

I've always put off listening to Radiohead, I've always been told ots depressing etc. However this album is a work of art I will be listening to more Radiohead

Heard it before?: Yes Enjoy it?: Yeah, it’s an incredibly easy listen but so mesmerising and easy with pace, a thing of beauty! Favourite song: Track 10 - Black Star

Their second album was when Radiohead really started to rise above the crowd. While it's still not their best, you can definitely hear the beginnings of what will go to be some of their distinctive trademarks. High and Dry and Fake Plastic Trees are still both in my top favourite Radiohead songs, so they were definitely doing something right here. Fav Tracks: High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, My Iron Lung

I know, I'm shocked too.

great peek into peak 90s rock

"The Bends" by Radiohead is a solid album that showcases the band's incredible musicianship and knack for writing powerful, emotionally resonant songs. While it's not perfect, I would give it a 4 out of 5 rating. The album opens with the explosive "Planet Telex," which sets the tone for what's to come - a collection of songs that are both introspective and explosive. "Fake Plastic Trees" and "High and Dry" are both beautiful ballads that highlight Thom Yorke's unique vocal style and the band's ability to create lush, atmospheric arrangements. But it's the more upbeat tracks that really shine on "The Bends." "Just" is a frenetic rocker with a catchy chorus that will have you singing along, while "My Iron Lung" is a moody anthem that showcases the band's gift for building tension and releasing it in explosive bursts. The production on the album is top-notch, with Nigel Godrich's clean, crisp sound helping to bring out the best in the band's performances. The only drawback is that some of the songs can start to sound a bit samey after a while - there's a certain sameness to the guitar-heavy arrangements that can make the album feel a bit repetitive. Overall, "The Bends" is a great album that showcases Radiohead's strengths as a band. While it may not be as groundbreaking or experimental as some of their later work, it's a testament to the power of solid songwriting and tight musicianship. If you're a fan of alternative rock or just appreciate great songcraft, then "The Bends" is definitely worth a listen.

4.5/5

This one doesn't hit quite as hard as some other Radiohead albums IMHO, but it's still really good. A very solid 4.

This was a great listen. This is the 3rd Radiohead album I've listened to on this list and my feelings are still mixed. My only assumption to go on is that they collectively agreed to make every album a bit shitter than the last until it's eventually an unlistenable drone of experimental crap

Transitional album. Radiohead was still in their alt-rock sound but moving more towards art-rock and experimental styles. Fun listen.

Solid. Always down to listen to some Radiohead

The beautiful jumble of awkward, emotional noise that can only be described as Radiohead. A little less diverse in soundscape than OK Computer or Kid A, but still a fantastic release.

Liked it

Not up there with OK Computer and Kid A but great

SEXOOOOO 8.5/10

I like to talk shit about Radiohead, but this is actually a great album. It seems less "out there" than some of their other records, which makes it a little more in my wheelhouse. The arrangements, melodies, and tones are unique and interesting. Nothing bad to say about them this time. :)

Great album, it's crazy that to me that the bends is the 3rd best Radio head album behind OK Computer and Kid A. Bloody great 2nd album

Fav song: high and dry, Just

Absolutely fantastic record. I thought I preferred their later albums, when they’d gone all electronic, but this guitar album is a banger.

This is the first time listening to Radiohead outside of "Creep" and I wasn't expecting Thom Yorke's voice to be as good as it was. It was just the right amount of rock - not too sad Brit, not too whiny. I don't know if other Radiohead is like this album or if it's more like "My Iron Lung" (less up my alley), but if it's like this I would listen to other albums of theirs

My babys got the bends oh no, the bends é a evolução perfeita que o radiohead precisava, depois de um debut conturbado e fraco e sem originalidade, o radiohead começou a ser o radiohead aqui, The bends fez os caras ver que a musica tinha muitos limites para serem passados, e não ser pra sempre uma banda que se baseia em artistas do alt rock americano, o lance agora era o Britpop, eu sinceramente não considero o álbum como um álbum do gênero ou movimento Britpop, mas é nítida a inspiração, com musicas mais acústicas como, High And Dry ou Fake Plastic Trees, o álbum fez o radiohead ter uma identidade e não apenas a banda britânica que tenta ser grunge falando como se sente sendo uma aberração, agora o radiohead se demostra mais confiante em fazer novas coisas ir pra novos lados, a lirica foi uma grande melhora, continuando com o toque de letras mais pessoais que foi assim a carreira inteira da banda, enfim um álbum importantíssimo pro radiohead, pro rock alternativo e pra música no geral, nota final 4,0/5

I found my copy of this CD only about a week before it popped up on this list. Even though it's not my favorite Radiohead album, it's still so, so good. It's got elements of the more experimental things they leaned into harder on OK Computer and Kid A, but still has quite a few more "straight forward" rock songs, which are still brilliant.

Weird to hear the pop version of Radiohead after listening to OK Computer and after so much. Still, not bad and some highlights. 3.5/5

I am not a Radiohead guy by any stretch, but this has to be their best album. For one thing, it captures the band at a peak position, post-“Creep”, where they’re trying to prove that there’s more to them, but pre-OK Computer’s dull pretentions or their lame electronic phase. This has a lot of their best ideas and the band has never sounded better in synch. That, and “My Iron Lung” is an all-timer. Some of it still isn’t my thing, but this would be my pick for them. B-

Interesting to think that the sounds of this album would be right at home 10 years later. Enough crunchy guitar to satisfy the 90’s grunge fan and the a vocal style that would become ubiquitous with 2000’s Indie music. A couple of tracks I enjoyed,”High and Dry” and “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”

Great album from the 90s. Radiohead are so good, so different, so unique. Almost amazing they became radio stars.

Me gusta mucho, pero prefiero el OK Computer

i'm in a glass case of emotion

Highlights: High and Dry, My Iron Lung

Recognizable value and enjoyable

Quite interesting

U top 5 Radiohead albuma, i to na mjestu broj 5.

Top tracks: 'High And Dry', 'Street Spirit (Fade Out)'. 4/5

a classic. slay

I’ve been looking forward to getting a Radiohead album since album 1 and of course the first of the (I think) 4 albums I get is my least favorite of the bunch. That’s not to say it’s bad—just, fake plastic trees, and high and dry are really good—but it doesn’t hold a candle to in rainbows or ok computer or kid a. Just is an especially good song and partially introduced me to Radiohead.

This album is always on my harddrive, but I just never got the time to listen to it until last night. I was immediately amazed by this album, mainly because of its ballads. Radiohead also shifted their lyrics into a more cryptic one compared to their first album. I will definitely listen to this album again.

kinda hard to put a number to this one high and dry is the famous song from this

I've listened to their first album Pablo Honey and the albums OK Computer and Kid A so many times but for some reason this one never stuck. It's a huge gap in my Radiohead listening and the style is definitely different from their other works. It's more in the britpop style of Oasis but still its own thing. As usual with Radiohead it's a pleasant listening experience with great production and well-written songs. However I think that compared to OK Computer this lacks a certain something. OK Computer feels more unique and is overall more memorable. It really sticks with you but The Bends never peaks to that level.

LP

I didn't think this would be for me but it's a classic for a reason

Alright. Good singles but some weird stuff that doesn’t make me love it.

Still a fan of this one. I can understand why it doesn’t float everyone’s boat, but it hit for me at the time in my life when I was hungry for sad music. “Just,” “Nice Dream,” “Fake Plastic Trees” and “Street Spirit” are all songs I haven’t tired of and the ones around them don’t make me mad either.

Det här är kanon. Borde man ha på vinyl

Couple of great songs a few good songs and some meh.. songs. overall allright.

Probably the Radiohead album I listen to the most.

dobarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Great band, like them!

fine jesus i was wrong about radiohead yorke is pretentious but an elite vocalist and songwriter, his voice and the album’s instrumentation is just dripping with emotion i can see why people like this band. this is great great alternative rock

A solid 4/5

I still love the album but for every single banger (and there is a lot of them) there is a song I’m not fond of.

Excellent Britpop record. Up there with the very best that The Bluetones and Kula Shaker had to offer.

Easy listening, timeless lyrics

My second favourite, first being OK Computer. I know...fucking tourist. I like being a tourist, so screw you. 3.5 stars. High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees being obvious standouts but don't think I have listened to the full of this album since the 90s.

4.25

daha iyi albumleri var

This was much more melodic than I had expected.

Agréablement surpris, je commence de plus en plus à apprécier le style de Radiohead

первый раз нормально присела за радиохед, надо слушать ещё

I know it’s a Radiohead album, but I was just waiting for it to get going/kick off, the slow stuff is very good but needs at least a couple of more up tempo songs to break it up for the extra star

Really solid effort. Street Spirit may be one of the greatest recordings of all time.

Great album RIP Tom York

I get why people like Radiohead

Great album the whole way through

Pre listening reaction - "oh no I detest this lot nearly as much as Coldplay", but I'll give it a try. The problem appears to be Thom Yorke's voice. The music is fine, covering a wide range of styles with a tendency towards rock, but then the vocals enter and the whine ruins everything. Get a vocalist! To sing rock you need to have power in your voice - it has to be chest voice most of the time, (Think Dio, Dickerson, Osbourne etc.) but Thom uses his head voice which is thin and reedy - it just doesn't work for rock. Tracks like 'Just' would be excellent rock if it were not for the vocals. Overall it was better than expected - just this one big failing

banger

Radiohead är jävligt bra, inte deras bästa dock.

Third time listening to radiohead. Turns out they're way better when they're not doing pretentious psuedo-experimental stuff.

Bullet Proof... I Wish I Was Black Star Sluk I actually wasn't expecting to like this album. Although I had a Radiohead album only a few days ago (And having obviously listened to a few of their songs many times before, Fake Plastic Trees, Creep) I had never come to a definitive decision on how I feel about them. I didn't know if I just thought they were good because they are always referenced when discussing some of the best albums of all time or if i genuinely liked them. Even with my first listen to this album i wasn't properly listening and brushed passed it but listening again I actually really liked it. Catchy tunes with a range of emotion throughout the album. I really liked it.

Listened Before: Y You can hear the shift toward the more "OK Computer" style here. There are some real gems on this album. Good stuff. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, My Iron Lung

I'm shocked but I actually really liked this start to finish. I never thought radiohead was for me. But I think before there big turn in kid a I might enjoy it more. Haven't listened to ok computer but I'm sure it's in this list.

'post-britpop' lookin ass

Might even be in top 5 Radiohead albums

Already listened to it. Very good alt. rock grunge stuff, very good lyricism too

Wish I could do a 3.5 but ah well, rounding up in honour of my teen self.

Better than I remembered. Radiohead at the point when they wanted to be the next Pink Floyd, before they realized they could be the first Radiohead.

Finally a really good album after a flood of average ones! I have first heard of Radiohead long time ago (and since then I believe that Creep, together with Oasis' Wonderwall is the most overplayed song in history), but it took me quite a long time to finally appreciate them. I think their album are really hit or miss - for example I'm a big fan of OK Computer, but couldn't listen to In Rainbows. And this is my first approach to The Bends - I knew only the song "Just", which is one of my favourites by Radiohead. The result of this encounter is mixed, but with much more positives. The album is much more rock orientated than their next releases - you can hear it straight away on the very wild opening track - Planet Telex. The main riff is very "Radioheady", very specific and hard to categorise, together with Yorke's vocal it creates an ultimate mix, which pans over most of their career. The album then sort of oscillates between slower and more alternative ballads, and more energetic rock pieces. While I didn't really feel as inspired by the calmer parts, it did repay solidly during the atmospheric small breakdowns at the peak of anticipation. Good example of the whole album is condensed nicely isn aforementioned song "Just". Slow verses and a soft build-up, sharply cut just before culmination. Really rewarding type of music to listen to (in my opinion, of course). Still, I'm a little hesitant in giving this album five stars - few songs and couple more moments, however good, shouldn't be enough to award it the best score.

Really liked this. I’d only heard a couple of Radiohead songs before, and seen plenty of memes.

1. I like it. A little sonic, still melodic. 2. I really like this one. 3. This one I have always liked. I think of myself as someone who doesn’t like Radiohead but the first three songs have proven me wrong. Let’s see what comes next. 4. Oh damn, I may be a Radiohead fan. I do love the Fake Plastic Trees. 5. Maybe it’s the Kid A-OK Computer Radiohead I don’t like because this has been a delightful experience so far. 6. A bit repetitive but still good. A bit of the experimental feedback-y stuff near the end that I associate with them (rightly or wrongly, who knows because I am certainly not a reliable narrator!). 7. And the rest… This is a great album. I need to go back in time to see them at someplace like the North Star and enjoy them while they were good!

My iron lung was the highlight, otherwise very good.

Finally, an album by Radiohead that lives up to the hype

Not to say this is a bad album, but I remember liking this album more a few years ago. I guess my taste has changed. Definitely not their best (or my favorite) album by them, but a solid album in their discography.

Way more straightforward and poppy than other Radiohead stuff I've heard. It's funny that there are several Radiohead albums that are definitely better than this one, but this album still does 90s pop alt rock way better than all their contemporaries anyway. Oasis WISH they could've made a record half as good as this one

part of me wishes they still rawk'd *this* hard.

Oh shit. In case you couldn't tell by my other album reviews, I fucking love Radiohead. That said, I haven't ever really given The Bends a solid try so this is kind of exciting. UPDATE: The raw Radiohead ingredients are here, just not polished or assembled in the experimental ways I'm used to. It's interesting to hear so much more guitar presence. I think this is a great album. It sounds almost uncomfortable and restless like the band was ready to evolve past where they were at but just hadn't figured out how.

enjoyed listening to this album. Will add to my collection.

Magnificent album, though not as consistent as some other Radiohead albums

album que demuestra gran mejoria desde el debut de radiohead, pero a la misma vez no demuestra ni un apice del monstruo musical en el que se convertiria 2 años despues. fav songs: planet telex high and dry★ fake plastic trees ★ just bullet proof.. i wish i was ★ black star ★ street spirit (fade out) 4.0

Very very good. Must listen again

Love the album, reminds me of high school art class with Mr Shang. I thought I wouldn’t like it as much as I did. I remember it being more out there but it was super relatable.

Great spunds all around

i love this album, takes a bit more than 1 listen to get into it though

Besides the popular ones, I really liked Planet Telex 🪐, Just and My Iron Lung 🫁. First time sitting down and listening to Radiohead 🤘

I was a 9th grade bluegrass girl when this album was released and it completely blew my musical tastes open. The album evokes a lot of emotion for me.

Slow, layered, grungy alt-rock. Well executed. Sneery vocals and a bring-you-down vibe.

(68 years old, trained as a classical songer) I had heard Radiohead was special. After listening to this, I realize it’s true. The creativity is astounding, harmonic and rhythmic energy and surprises abound. The lyrics are brief, but oh so expressive. The musicianship is remarkable. I’ll have to listen to this a few more times to really get my head around it. Thanks for the chance of discovering such great music makers.

I honestly dismissed this album too quickly when it's actually really solid with some of their best tunes like High and Dry and Just. The album gives off real frustrated teenager energy which sounds like it could be a bad thing but it balances it perfectly with the more introspective moments of the records. It really feels like an album of maturing in multiple ways. Of course radiohead would go on to change up their sound again multiple times after this and pushing the boundaries of music but this is the album where radiohead nailed the alternative rock sound of the time and it's definitely a great listen.

Nice album, would listen to again. But nothing really popped out to me.

Radiohead is a band I definitely want to learn more about and listen to more of their music, so I'm glad this came up in the rotation. This is a very solid album. Many of the tracks have interesting melodic and harmonic ideas, and, wow, they perform so well. Some incredible vocal work at times; almost operatic but doesn't veer into schmaltz or over-singing. Really skilled musicians and songwriters.

Great album! I’ve never gotten into Radiohead but I appreciate the music and range now. Very talented!

i enjoyed it more than i should have highlights: (nice dream) just my iron lung street spirit

Pretty good overall. It does have its moments that drag.

Excellent 90's alt-rock britpop-esque shit; this is everything Coldplay wanted to be. It was so very close to a 5, but just not quite for me... shame, as this would have been my first 5 album 5 star streak. Oh well. If only I got OK Computer today instead lol.

There is a little bit of stale 80s funk on this one, but it isnt too detracting. I think this is a little bit before the era in which I truly enjoy Radiohead, still a little steeped too heavily in Britpop for my tastes.

I like the album but . . . I like the album, but don't like the big hit which is a step down from the first two songs, isn't it?. I like the album, but don't like the genre. They stay just far enough away from the dreadful Brit Pop style. I like the album, but don't like the bands that were influenced by it - such as Coldplay. I like the album cover, but - no buts - I really like the album cover. +1 for the cover; -1 for making Coldplay such a bad band.

An excellent album, not giving it the full 5 as a rarely stick this one on so I guess it doesn't draw me back in regularly the way any album I'm going to rate 5 starts should.

What is it with college and crybaby music?

Lekkerder als verwacht, heb zelfs een nummer opgeslagen

Alternative rock, 1995. This album probably lacks of a bit of maturity but on the other hand, it contains impressive songs like "High And Dry" and "Fake Plastic Trees" which defined Radiohead's sound. In the discography of the band this record is in my personal top three right behind "OK Computer" and "Kid A", so I found it really tasteful and quite brilliant.

Ah, Radiohead is a great "feel your feelings" band, and this is probably one of the all-time greatest sad albums. The Bends is especially perfect for those times when you're feeling down, but can't quite figure out why, other than general ennui. I have to give the fave track award to "Fake Plastic Trees," which is everything Coldplay's "Fix You" is trying to be: this perfect blend of sad and uplifting, and a very depressing, haunting song set in a major key. This whole album is great. There aren't any skips for me, but I can't say I'd revisit every track so this is a very strong 4 stars.

I liked it! A lot!

Heard before: yes, lots I used to listen to this album a lot during my teens, which my Radiohead-nerd friends sneered at because they preferred the later, more experimental stuff (which is also great). There's a lot of really great songs on here - it's not their best album, but it's a solid album. There's a fine line between a song being beautiful (Street Spirit) and droning on a little too much (Bullet Proof)... 'Just' is a stone cold slammer though. Favourite songs: Just, High And Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Street Spirit Least Favourite songs: Bullet Proof, (Nice Dream), Sulk

Alors oui Radiohead est un groupe pétri de talent, leur musique est de grande qualité gnagnagna. Mais on ne m'enlévera pas de l'idée que Radiohead est un groupe pour étudiant littéraires hipsters, tels mon camarade d'écoute robterrière.

This is the third Radiohead album so far in this project, coming after the two that were released subsequent to this one. I can understand that if you really liked this album, you'd have been somewhat dismayed by the follow-ups. This was the most accessible and musical of the albums I've listened to, and I actually found most of it quite lovely.

I enjoyed this album today. I found most of the tracks interesting to listen to and nothing at all difficult. I am not in love and don’t feel like this is something that I can singalong with, but not too bad at all.

These are songs with big emotional hooks. Planet Telex in particular met me right where I was today. I really love that one. The rest never quite got me in the same way but I enjoyed the album overall.

It's hard to find a weak song on this album, this iteration of Radiohead is where they start to break from the early 90s grunge darlings that brought them success with Creep and you hear an improvement in the lyric writing and composition. 4/5.

And to think they'd go on to make even better albums than this.

I never really was much of a Radiohead fan, though I've heard some of their music, I hadn't sat down and listened to a whole album. The Bends definitely has some great songs on it and overall it's a solid record. I think they do live up to the hype and I'll see who this album holds up to their more recent releases.

I hadn’t listened to this album all the way through since high school and I’m glad I had a reason to listen to it again.

You know…it was totally okay. People love Radiohead. I’ve always been very meh on them. I found this moved the needle for me positively. It ain’t the greatest thing ever.

A sophomore album that crushes their debut. This is a great guitar album with several enduring songs.

Dope punky Radiohead

Another classic, not my favorite Radiohead album, but still great

i felt my feelings with this album! the lyrics paired well with the instrumentation and tone. it was a good, even listen; the album was whole. lots of standouts here, but i definitely think my favorites weren't even the singles. can't wait to listen to it more and more.

I probably like this album more than most but it didn’t need to be on here. There’s enough Radiohead already

This may well be Radiohead's best /rock/ album – There are only hints of the experimental band that would emerge with OK Computer a few years later, meaning Yorke and Co. were still in their nascent grungy days preceding the tentative debut of Pablo Honey. This LP certainly dips into grunge for a good chunk of its sound, but manages to escape feeling dated with an iron core of catchy melodies and restrained but beautiful instrumentation. Not every track is a winner ("High and Dry" has always bugged me for how much of a whiny, repetitive Oasis-like ballad it is), but from the spacey "Planet Telex" to the chilling "Street Spirit," Radiohead were at their prime here when it came to primarily guitar-driven tracks. "The Bends," "Just," and "My Iron Lung" are still some of my all-time favs to play on guitar – the progressions here aren't revolutionary, but they're distinctly unique enough and just plain fun, catchy, and evocative of a harder Radiohead sound I do tend to miss on the newer albums.

C’est assez ambrionaire comme Radiohead. Avec le recul, c’est très bien, mais pas aussi intéressant que Ok Computer qui suit et qui est encore un peu dans le même genre. Avec Kid A, on change complètement, alors il y a de la place pour 2 albums de ce band dans cette liste. Ce qui est l’fun avec cet album-ci, c’est le contraste entre ce que les gens attendent et les directions prises dans les chansons. My Iron lung est le parfait exemple de ça. J’aime ça.