Reviews (page 11 of 15)
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.
It certainly doesn't grab me as much as some of their other stuff but still a good album that probably deserves a few more spins. Certainly Street Spirit (Fade Out) is the stand out for me
Such a change after Pablo Honey, this is where they started being awesome
Yeah I mean it’s a p nice listen but I almost gave it a three cuz it’s my 4th fav radio head album
I think my rating for this is more like 4 and half stars. Soaring, moody, better than I remembered. I think this album suffers in comparison only to OK Computer, the later being a perfectly prescient concept record. The Bends feels more like a series of perfectly sad and compassionate singles from a band who's guitars screamed while Thom Yorke lullaby'd.
Not in my top 3 Radiohead albums but still fantastic. With relatively simple instrumentation compared to later works, Thom steals the show.
Baita som
oof really love fake plastic trees and high and dry.
Let's face it RH went weird after OK-C and a lot of people didn't like it. Me included. I've grown up now and know the new stuff is better. In Rainbows is at least a 4.5. It's hard to go back. Here goes. Listens. Do I prefer the newer stuff? Yes. Is this a great album?. Hell yes. Also isn't Bullet Proof brilliant. I appreciate the ones that were more fillers. Street Spirit however is godlike.4.5
Siempre le pasé de costado a Radiohead. Me gustó mucho escuchar por primera vez The Bends a esta edad, entendiendo más de qué se trata.
Rock
The album that made Radiohead what we came to know as critic darlings Radiohead. I am not supposed to like this one, and still I find it enjoyable. I am fearing OK Computer though.
I'm not much of a Radiohead fan (at least I don't think so- I haven't listened to much) but I really like this album pretty well, specifically the first four songs.
This was a great album. I liked it a lot more than the previous Radiohead we listened to.
I think I just became a Radiohead fan? This album is full of musical highs and lows and is super comprehensive in the early 90s grunge alternative sound. Really great listen.
This was really good. I've always wanted to like radiohead, but some of their other songs have "noise" that overtakes the value of the song. That didn't really happen here and I was happy to listen to all of it. I'll return to this album.
So sad, but beautiful
Landfill indie is a pejorative term used by music critics to describe the glut of rocking indie tracks that bloated the UK in the latter years of the noughties. Now, UK indie has always had a much greater supply than demand since the early 80s, and a deep old dive into the more obscure of UK indie from any period in the last 40 years will turn up the odd pearl, along with the occasional used syringe. But the late noughties seemed especially plagued with middle-class quartets sporting shaggy hair and warm cans of lager, delivering moshable riffs that were constrained so as not to be too insensitive. Think "music leading to the ad break of The Inbetweeners" and you're exactly where landfill indie attained its cultural apex. My contention is that the foundation stone of this particular style of landfill indie is Radiohead's The Bends. Yes, you can point to the guitar-centric arrogance of The Stone Roses and Oasis, or the off-kilter kitchen-sink observations of The Smiths and Blur, or the wasted refinement of Suede and Pulp, and they are all key building blocks. But the sonic template for what became noughties mainstream indie originated in The Bends. Consider these facts. The first riff every landfill indie band learnt was Street Spirit (God, I grew sick of hearing that dribble continuously for hours in mates' bedrooms). If you plonked Just in the 2008 charts, you'd think it was just (hah!) a standard, slightly harsh, slightly cynical bit of landfill indie that landfill indie bands would release just to dodge the monotony of songs about their desire to explore a trustafarian's internal plumbing. Radiohead had become the most critically feted rock band by the year 2000, thus becoming the icon for your ambitious indie bands; Oasis had blown it, Coldplay were too liked-by-your-parents, Damon Albarn decided to be much more interesting with Gorillaz, and much other indie of the time was, well, heading for the landfill. Almost by default, Radiohead were the indie band to emulate. However, Radiohead didn't want to be the most heralded indie band; they were pursuing their own experiments, occasionally to great results. So, the landfill indie of the noughties touched on Radiohead's most accessible album as inspiration: The Bends. So is The Bends diminished by lesser bands seizing its aesthetic? Well, is Nevermind diminished by Puddle of Mudd? Personally, I recognise Radiohead has done great stuff, but not as much as is claimed, and in any case I just (did it again!) don't love Radiohead. Too much intellectualisation, too much calculation. Not that the intellect is something to snub, and this is a fine 4-starrer, but it's just (thank you and goodnight!) a smidge hard to detect the heart beating underneath the cleverness. I'll leave you with a game. Listen to the opening guitars on any song, and imagine it's by the Stereophonics. It fits perfectly, n'est-ce pas?
I hope this album got love for its guitar sound. Couple of tracks are dull. But otherwise, wow.
Probably my favourite Radiohead album. I always found it hard to buy into band's vision back in the day. The music papers tried to pigeon hole them in with Britpop. This clearly didn't fit, and so I didn't really understand what they were trying to achieve. I did buy The Bends, and played it constantly for a couple of months. It still stacks up - possibly more so now once the Britpop prism has long since been removed. The production on the drums sounds fantastic. Plenty of beef to compensate for the more bed wetter moments. I've given this 4. It could be a 5 tbh.
While it doesn't reach the heights of OK Computer, it's still a great indie rock record, and a clear sign of more greatness to come.
One of the few Radiohead albums that I don't have in my collection. No particular reason, just never ran across this one at the stores. It's a solid 90's alt-rock album. Some great songs, some not so great songs. Probably the most accessible Radiohead album. Solid 4 for me!
Mixed. 3.5.
It’s crazy to listen to this knowing what’s about to come
Planet telex, the bends, high and dry, fake plastic trees, just, my iron lung and street spirit all quality tunes, the rest better than mere filler. I only knew high and dry, my iron lung and street spirit before hand and I'm more into this than I expected to be for someone who more enjoys a few radiohead tunes rather than being a big fan of them.
Really good album, some classics of course. Couple of tracks I didn't like as much. Hard to decide between a 4 and a 5, but want to reserve a 5 for albums I like (nearly) all songs.
Radiohead is, in my case, the kind of band that needs to be tamed with time. I don't think The Bends is their masterpiece, but I had a good Time listening to it.
It's physcally impossible for me to put a 5 stars for this genre, but itt's a really really good indie album.
A band that gets better as they age. This is a classic
Good listen
Not bad but sad for me
Realy nice, a mood
Much more listenable than I remember, though Thom still had some shaky moments on the vocals. At some point, he has to stop getting away with hitting a note too low and then bending his voice. It's okay to do another take. Best track: Fake Plastic Trees
Yeah real nice.
I knew the songs, but I had never listened to the album. Really Good.
Second time listening to the album. It's slow and bittersweet at some parts. I absolutely love the last few tracks, especially "My Iron Lung".
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. Therefore 5s are going to be relatively sparse, and The Bends can make do with a comfortable 4
Multiple songs saved but needed that one song to make it a near 5/5. Gonna say 4.4/5
lovely vibe some nice songs
It's not "Kid A", but I love a lot of tracks on here, especially the title track. And Radiohead always knows how to make a great closer!
Great
Radiohead are an overrated band. Not a bad band, those don't mean the same thing, but an overrated band. Their morose forays into depression and alienation lacked the passion to give punch to their themes. Much like Sonic Youth's bored rich kid noodling, it largely makes me ask, if you're not excited about the music you're making, why should I be? The Bends is a good album. It's one of their albums that suffers from this problem the least. There is a greater sense of urgency than on OK Computer or Kid A, which are the only other two albums that I would consider worth any amount of attention. Outside of that, too much of Radiohead is mumbling over skittering electronic beats.
I never cared for radiohead, but I have a much better appreciation now. The music really holds up. I listened to more Radiohead and Thom gets a little whiney.
I really enjoyed this album. I've never gotten too deep into Radiohead beyond the hit songs, but I probably should spend some more time with their catalog. Sublime. 4 stars.
I've listened to this album many times before and it is still my favourite Radiohead album. Not as alienating as some of their later stuff, but still sounds unique enough stand out from the other alt rock of its time
i like some songs on here
I see this as the gateway album into Radiohead. Their most accessible album and a great album on its own merit, but just doesn’t quiet match up to the genius of OK Computer and Kid A.
very good
Nice
Flew by on my first listen many months ago but now it's one of my top albums of '95. It's a massive improvement over their grunge-heavy debut Pablo Honey. In a lot of ways, this album reminds me of the Smiths, between the jangly guitar and mentally unstable, often haunting, lyrics that match the whiny baroque vocals. You can hear a lot of their ideas that'll come to greater fruition by OK Computer. Those first few songs really set the atmosphere, great songs back to back. I know the fanbase doesn't really like "High and Dry" but honestly I find it to be a perfect introduction to Radiohead, it was the first Radiohead song (besides "Creep" obviously) I could sing along to, before I actually became a fan. Two masterpieces, "Fake Plastic Trees" and "Street Spirit" represent exactly why the band is genius, even at this early stage, with other tracks close to that title. This is their most consistent effort, but it also comes with a weakness. The 2nd side is full of weaker tracks, with most of the positives to just be replicated from the better tracks. It doesn't mean they suck, but I don't like them for what they are, just what they're trying to be.
90s era rock. I never got into Radiohead like all of my college friends did. An album that's easy to listen to with no real weaknesses ... unless you don't like grunge era guitar.
Loved the entire sound of this album! I've only heard few of their songs, but listening to the entire album went by so quick, I enjoyed it!
Actually way better than I expected! Really good 90s rock album
Took me a long time to really get into radiohead, but now i find myself enjoying pretty much all of their stuff
Ich höre dieses Album Heute zum ersten mal, während ich im Homeoffice Papierkram mache. Für mich eine gute Background music 👍🏻😀
Oh I like High and Dry!! The second new song collected from this project so far (18 albums in) after The Boxer.
Svo gooooott! <3
Really solid sound throughout, radio head is definitely a solid band
4.0
Did not remember it was this depressing.
This is a nice palate cleanser after The Avalanches. God I hate that record. I've got too many memories connected to this album to be truly objective, but it's a great 90s rock record. I will always love Just, but some of the maudlin numbers aren't all that great - high and dry / fake plastic trees.
More like a 4.5
Q: What's better, The Bends or OK Computer? A: Kid A Which isn't entirely fair...on OK Computer. But that's by the point What one often forgets is that Radiohead are a *brave* outfit. They're restless, adventurous, and have never been afraid to explore new territory. Which is saying something for a band of five guys who've been making music for 30 years. This is their last *explicitly* commercial album. Not in the sense that they aren't in the business of scoring and retaining a hold on a distinct fanbase (I think every musician wants this – its always a matter of scale, rather than intentions), but rather that they've worked from instinct rather critique ever since. I always think that the transition occurs somewhere between High and Dry and Street Spirit (Fade Out). The former is serviceable, but it's music making by supervision – where are the hit singles, etc. The latter isn't very far away from it, but it's much looser, less constrained, more ... real? It hasn't always been a smooth upwards trajectory ever since (Hail to the Thief and King of Limbs both have notable bad patches). But its been their own journey ever since The Bends
More like 3.7 because they haven't mastered the art of ethereal cryptic lyrics yet :p
Added!
Second Listen. Really loving this album. I want to give it a 5/5 but I'll stick with 4/5 for now.
On par mit den besten Britpop-Zeitgenossen. Bei mir damals trotzdem nur am Rand der Wahrnehmung weil ich weiß auch nicht. Thom Yorkes Monstranz aus Artyfartyness wo ich doch nur dröhnen wollte? Egal, jetzt das, was sie dafür locker verdienen: 3,8.
Good track from Some Rap Songs
I've never understood all the fuss over Radiohead, but I'd also never heard this album through. Great stuff.
this was fun. i've never really been into them, but not for any particular reason. i first heard high and dry as a cover by jamie cullum (which is amazing, btw), so it was cool to hear the original in context. also, hearing my iron lung made me desperately wish that they'd cover the killing moon by echo & the bunnymen. the intro is sooo similar, and it just screams to me that their cover would be incredible.
Yeah, this is a really good album. With the exception of My Iron Lung and Bones, I liked pretty much every thing else on it. I'll listen to this again, and again.
Great album. I wish I had been paying attention when it came out. Stellar band.
Good album. Maybe great? Not sure. I'd have to listen many more times before making that distinction. I think it would really grow on me though. Would tots listen again.
i really loved this album i thought it was so fun and just a good album to listen to
Categorizing this as "alternative" is a bit puzzling - this is a straight-up fantastic rock album that felt very fresh for the mid-90s. Incorporating modern elements/sounds into a layered guitar approach it was a great step above their meh debut album, and would only be a temporary stepping stone to their next string of albums which went off in then-unpredictable and amazing directions. I'm not entirely sure it's as revolutionary or amazing or alt-rock as was (is?) made out to be and if there's any negativity from me it's that at some point the songs do tend to blend in with one another somehow, despite the decent variety. Seems weird to say it but even though I like every song on this album, as a whole it bores me and I don't know if I have ever been able to sit through it at once. If you've heard and disliked later-period Radiohead give this a try as it is a far more traditional rock format in terms of the instrumentation and song structure. Highlights are "The Bends" "Fake Plastic Trees" and "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" 7/10 4 stars
The real Radiohead definitely starting to show up here though I think better is yet to come.
The Bends goza de estar entre el odiado Pablo Honey y el glorioso OK Computer, siendo un álbum de transición que si bien no es ni la mitad de importante que su sucesor aun así logra brillar con luz propio. Más de la mitad del álbum está compuesto por absolutos clásicos del canon de la banda donde abandonarían poco a poco las influencias britpop de su debut para cementar el germen sonoro de lo que vendría a ser un futuro brillante. No creo que sea la obra maestra que muchos opinan, pero ciertamente es un trabajo destacable y más que relevante dentro de la discografía de la banda. Para mí un sólido 8/10
There do be some bops on this
Good to listen to when you want to punch someone in the throat 9/10.
Great mid 90s melancholy alt rock!
Have listened to Radiohead before and do like them, just don't listen to them or think they are gods like some do. Highlighted songs: High and Dry, Nice Dream
The Bends is an album I have heard of but never had the chance to listen to. After "Creep" it catapulted them into the stratosphere. Their sound has influenced so many Brit Pop/Rock bands that have come after them, and in listening to this it becomes evident where the influences are. Best: The Bends; High and Dry Worst: Bullet Proof... I wish I was
really crazy trip down memory lane, honestly very much overlooked and underestimated this one
Great stuff
Absolute CLASSIC. Not a bad song on this album! Usual highlights but Fake Plastic Trees and Street Spirit are two of the greatest songs ever written! Absolutely love this album! ON THE VINYL LIST!!!!
I have this one, but haven’t played it in a long time. Did not have time to listen yesterday, but will revisit today.
6th best radiohead album is still an 8/10 lmao
Oh no. I can't bare Radiohead! Was what I first thought when I saw this was the album of the day. Where I can't deny, there are some really beautiful songs on this album - High and Dry an example. I just can't help wishing that someone else was singing them. It all stems from seeing them on TOTP, years ago and Thom Yorke just spitting everywhere whilst he sang. I just can't bare him! 😫
I've never been a radiohead fan, I feel they are pretty overrated. That said, this was ok.
Radiohead, nuff said
More accessible and perhaps conventionally rock than OK Computer.
If Pablo Honey was the band warming up, The Bends is where they truly start to find their signature sound. Simple and straightforward alt. rock songwriting is at the forefront here, and there are some really effecting tracks here. Street Spirits is a new favourite, and leaves me with a pit in my stomach. The tracklisting is almost perfect for this genre, and Radiohead is very close to perfecting this genre for the 90s, which isn't surprising that they jumped into more experimental waters after it's release. Onto bigger and better things. Fav tracks: Street Spirits (Fade Out), High and Dry, Bullet Proof...I Wish I Was and Fake Plastic Trees
The Bends is a transitional record for Radiohead, still operating in the alt-rock mode of Pablo Honey but suggesting the more experimental work to follow with Ok Computer. It's quite a trajectory and while perhaps the Bends doesn't reach the heights of Ok Computer, I'm enjoying it's more straightforward arrangements and pop songwriting quite a bit. Maybe that's an unfair comparison. "High and Dry" and "Fake Plastic Trees" are obvious highlights but the title track and "Street Spirit" are also really moving. Favourite tracks: The Bends, High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Street Spirit
Buen disco, aunque sigo prefiriendo el OK Computer
Wat een leuke bende !
Very relaxing music. Had several fav’s : Fake Plastic 🌴and High & Dry, My Iron Lung are great stand outs, Good lyrics, good music. The album cover is very creepy.
I mean I hate Radiohead as much as the next man. But this was done well before they disappeared up their own arses and its a class apart isn't it? The first five songs alone are one of the best run of 5 songs back to back on any album I can think of. (Nice Dream) is a bit of a nothing track which is a shame. Just is one of the best Radiohead songs. So is My iron Lung. Both stone cold classics. The rest of the album is flawless and Street Spirit is a wonderful closer. Fuck. I wanted to hate this! Do I forgive it one forgettable track and give it a 5 or is it a 4? Its a 4 isn't it.
I'm not a fan of more recent Radiohead works, but this album has some type of rawness that really touches me. A great piece of art.
Cool, what can I say? I really want to love Radiohead but I'm incapable of listening more than 6 sons in a row :/
I like it a lot. First half is a bit of a snooze fest even though I like the songs (don't leave me hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh). Once it gets to Just and the following higher-energy stuff, the album really picks up steam. This'll probably make it into my winter rotation of albums but isn't quite a 5 imo.
Good.
One of the greatest albums ever produced. Definitely in my top 5 by Radiohead.
It's tempting to give all Radiohead albums a 5, but this one has to get a 4 since my connection to it isn't as strong as some others. But overall they make genius music.
Sooo good!
I prefer their later, weirder albums, but re-listening to The Bends and it's really solidly well done - lots of great tunes. Fave track - "Street Spirit (Fade Out)", although "Fake Plastic Trees" is a close second...
Really good.
Amazing album. Top 3-4? Radiohead album. 9/10 1. Just 2. High and Dry 3. Planet Telex
loved this album, unfortunately i had already heard this but still real good 4/5
Love it but I liked OK Computer more.
Mid tier radiohead
really solid
never listened to this one before but radiohead is my usual style so ill probably like it plantet telex bouncy but vocals eh bends solo neat noizy high and dry mood 👌 fake plastic trees is that moment in the film when things went to shit and they're all sad also GHOST KEYBOARD bones beginning ✨✨✨✨ nice dream is nice, yorks voice sounds gr8 here and the noisy solo just is fun my iron lung yes whiny vocalss refrão yesss bullet proof great, hearted black star roadtrip song sulk that 4 motif is cool Street spirit I love when it gets whiny and its obviously an End overall I liked it, its cool 4.5
Very good casual rock high and dry
Good songs
Enjoyed it very much. It's just a great melodic Brit rock album. Highlights: High And Dry and Just.
yes
Surprised that I enjoyed this. A couple songs were pretty meaningless tho
all the songs sound the same but that's their vibe so /shrug
Enjoyed this early Radiohead album, but I like later albums more.
Classic. Lots of nostalgia on this one.
Gr8
Not bad! Good, classic alternative.
Big surprise having never really listened to Radiohead before. Much catchier melodies than anticipated, as well as some songs that I already knew that I didn’t know were by them
Great album mostly hits. Some unremarkable tracks
Радиоголова на четверку точно тянет!
I have known, owned and loved this album since its release. I haven't listened to it in ages, it's still lovely, before Radiohead went past my threshold. It almost deserves the 5 rating for Street Spirit alone, what a tune that is.
Not my favorite Radiohead album but a great one
Yeah, it's Radiohead. I was 20 when this came out and it takes me back.
Slow rock. I like it. Will come back to listen again
Not my favourite Radiohead album, but still an excellent album
3.5 a lot better when i was 15
Storslået, eksperimenterende, heftigt, melodiøst
Another reminder to listen to more Radiohead
la verdad esperaba mas, nose. por ahi tengo que escucharla con auris
I liked this. Quite refreshing. Famous enough of course in their era but I didn't pay them any attention then. Solid 3.
ok so i did listen and not listen at the same time, i have some confusions about this album, probably an prejudice... maybe for another time.
Pretty good. The slow power chords are such a staple for these guys and they do it well. Of course High and Dry is great, but I really liked the heavier Just the most.
me sorprendió gratamente. es cierto que hay canciones que son muy simples y fáciles de olvidar, no obstante las otras me ha parecido que compensan el álbum entero. sí que he de decir que no es el tipo de música que yo me pondría a escuchar un día cualquiera, sin embargo entiendo que se pueda apreciar. le daría un 3,5, pero creo que no se puede, así que me toca darle 4 estrellas.
Great album, but reminds me too much of my ex
An improvement over the debut album, but even so this isn't a particularly exciting effort. For one thing, a major problem is that I don't really like Thom Yorke's whiny vocal style. Secondly, with a few exceptions, the songs are a bit samey and unengaging. The first few tracks and the album closer "Street Spirit" are pretty good, though. I wouldn't say the listening experience was unpleasant, but I wouldn't go out of my way to play this album very often.
Good music but no standouts
This was dull. But palatable, and I’m sure there’ll be a significant proportion of these that I can’t say that for. Reading some reviews, I gather many people quite like Thom Yorke’s indecipherable vocals - as a certified lyrics girlie, this was not for me. I had every intention to sit and listen and actually found myself being lulled into quite a warm and dreamy nap. In my notes, I wrote: probably a good album to have on while working or doing something like wood carving. I’ve never done wood carving which probably says it all - but I imagine it’d be nice background noise to do something repetitive to. Not quite a cleaning album as it makes me want to sit too much. When I actually gave the lyrics a read, I thought they were good: Fake Plastic Trees’ verse about the plastic surgeon is witty, and I liked the few lyrics of My Iron Lung I heard properly (“Suck, suck your teenage thumb / Toilet trained and dumb”). But the production choices just meant I couldn't get into them and that's a shame for me personally. 3/5 - I see the vision, I see what they're doing - but it's just background noise to me.
Never been into Radiohead, didn't hate it, just fine
A casual fan of Radiohead. Kind of heavy at times with its mix of melodic songs. The 90's sounds sort of escaped me. Generaly a good album. Good production.
Enjoyed this one, knew a few tracks.
Since I wasn’t a fan of their song “Creep,” I wasn’t looking forward to this, but I was pleasantly surprised.
I rather liked this. I've heard some Radiohead on the radio, but never really got into them. Listening to this album has made me want to explore their music a bit more.
there are definitely some bangers, but also some meh.
Way more accessible than I expected it to be, but I’m not sure I have the angst needed to really appreciate Radiohead’s more mournful sounds.
Everyone I know is a massive Radiohead fan. I don't know why. They're fine. Every song on this album is fine. None are excellent.
Hyvää rokkia.
Nice Instrumentals, vocals are good just not the biggest fan. Overall pretty good, just not for me. 3.5/5
Toen ik nog een klein Ceesje was vond ik radiohead niet fantastisch totdat Teun het mij eens liet horen met een goede koptelefoon. Sindsdien ben ik apparatuur altijd belangrijk gaan vinden voor mijn koptelefoon, anders kan je niet alles horen. Ik vond dit album in eerste instantie een beetje een tegenvaller van radiohead. Een beetje te veel rock voor mij. Ze zijn wel goed in staat je brein te kietelen met mooie geluidjes effectjes en akkoorden. Ze weten heel goed goede muziek te maken. Ik vind het ook leuk dat radiohead een band is die je extra kan waarderen met goede apparatuur voor geluidskwaliteit. De nummers opzichzelf vind ik niet leuk genoeg. De kwaliteit is wel goed.
OMG. Radiohead AGAIN on this list. I am not a fan. BUT this is the least objectionable of the three RH albums I have so far been served. I’ll therefore be very generous with a 3 star rating. One can hope this is the last.
(Nice Dream)
Ei ollu ihan niin kiinnostava Radioheadin lätty, mutta löyty kivoja juttuja sieltäki. Aika paljon oli hidasta rokki/poppiballadia mitkä ei pidemmän päälle jaksanu kiinnostaa. Middling.
Such an overrated band. The album is their best so far, getting 3 stars....
This was saved in my comments from yesterday’s album. Weird to have Radiohead 2 days in a row. I did prefer yesterday's album to this one though. I’m not a big Radiohead guy, but this album was enjoyable.
Not bad but not something I would listen again. But it was great experience.
Pretty good! I liked a couple of the songs and they hit me at a good time while I was thinking about my life and so maybe that magnified my enjoyment. Or maybe they made me think about my life. Either way, not too bad
This was fine, but became a bit samey
This is a strange one for me -- it feels weird that this is one of the 1001 (or 1089) best albums of all time when it's arguably not even their best album of this decade, let alone their entire career. Still, I think Radiohead's 90s output is my favorite era of them. However...I feel like it's a strangely sequenced album, as (for me) "High and Dry" and "Fake Plastic Trees" bring the energy the opening two tracks have to a screeching halt. The middle is mostly average, and the last three tracks do end things decently. Track by track (out of five stars) Planet Telex: 5/5 The Bends: 5/5 High and Dry: 2/5 Fake Plastic Trees: 1/5 Bones: 3/5 (Nice Dream): 3/5 Just: 4/5 My Iron Lung: 3/5 Bullet Proof...I Wish I Was: 2/5 Black Star: 4/5 Sulk: 4/5 Street Spirit (Fade Out): 5/5
It's RadioHead. Better than Ok Computer. I can see what people like about it but I still think it sounds like the Singer is in a different band than the rest of them.
The contrarian's pick for best Radiohead album, but it falls far short of the heights they would reach on OK Computer and beyond. They are in anthemic singer/songwriter mode here, having yet to begin exploring the deconstruction that would make them generational artists. Johnny Greenwood is the only member contributing truly unique and interesting arrangement ideas and his guitar is the star of almost every track. Yorke's songwriting only rarely reaches beyond navel-gazing alienation, though it is definitely a notch above most alt rock of the day in terms of overall quality, not to mention the brand of Brit Pop it would inspire. As a showcase for a rock band, The Bends is excellent. It's just that this band would become so much more than that in due time.
Really a great sound. Not much stood out as head and shoulders above hit. But I can’t remember anything awful either. A great sound but only good album.
Never really connected with this album. Like their debut, I’m just not into their earlier albums. It’s good though. I fare a lot better from OK Computer onwards, but even then I struggle - mainly due to “experts” on the band, who’d benefit more from listening King Crimson or electric Miles.
While it didn’t hit me as good as some of the others I could feel more heart in this one
A bit too soft and moody for my tastes. I liked "Planet Telex" and "Just" though.
Bangers 10 min long jam
A little better than Kid A in my opinion.
Despite being quite into radiohead as a teen I never quite enjoyed the bends. And even now 15 years later it just doesn't grip me. though it does feel like their most energetic and conventional album in a sense, it ends up being a little bit boring and somewhat bland
i don’t know what there is to say about radiohead that hasn’t been said. thom yorke is an ass. music is emo. it’s fine if that’s your bag.
The Bends/ OK Computer is my sweet spot of Radiohead. They'll never be my favorite, but I liked this more than I remembered. Just is my favorite, but that may be because of the video? And maybe I like Radiohead videos more than their albums? 3.5⭐️
Good, but I'm not British so it's not the best thing I've ever heard.
Was actually surprised I enjoyed this! Had a lot more sonf with an alt rock than I'm used to for Radiohead. And only occasionally drifted into avant garde territory. Overall- good album. 3.5/5
- (Nice Dream) is the only one memorable to me so far - I know some of the songs. But I don't think I really like any song in particular.
***An ok album, fairly easy listening
I like (nice dream). heard some songs already. peak 2000s indie emo rock vibes.
not my cup of tea
Not a huge Radiohead fan but it was okay
really good songs but after listening to so much radiohead im starting to see how it sounds like a lot of the same
Alright but I wouldn't relisten
It is a dynamic album with some depth, the guitar sounds great and the songwriting is decent. Yorke can be a bit whiny sounding but I am okay with that. This album was a huge influence on the Brit-pop sound. It is a decent album has some really good songs and a few meh tunes.
An acceptable rock album. Nothing spectacular here. The only song on this one that grabbed me was "Street Spirit (Fade Out)", which I had never knowingly heard before. Hopefully I'm done listening to Radiohead. My Rating: 3/5
okay at first all the songs kinda sounded the same but when i tell you i loved sulk it when into like 3 of my playlists which is an achievement believe me another one i really liked was just it when straight into emo goth from the 90s playlist all of them were similar but special in their own way i know a few raidohead songs but let me say i only know the popular ones yes i am a larper ngl but i am glad i got to hear more of their songs would i listen to the whole album again no but did i really like it and will def be listing to the ones in my playlist yess to happy i got recommend this website day 1 !