The Bends

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.

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