Reviews (page 12 of 14)
Has my favourite Radiohead song on it. I can’t tell if I’ve heard more songs from this one than I thought or they’re kind of just the same 2 different vibes (lyrical melody composition(?), song/verse structure) over and over. But that’s just having an intentional musical style I guess? Either way there are only 2 of 11 songs I’m not really into - My Iron Lung and Just. Great album.
I must not be a big fan of Radiohead's style of music because this album didn't speak to me as I expected. It did do a fantastic job establishing their sound for an early alt rock band.
these guys are yearners
Ok
A little quirky but ok
Not really my jam but not bad, gave wavy vibes
sometimes messy, sometimes glitchy, an album of a band exploring and wondering and trying things on for size. some of it works well, some doesn't, but an interesting listen nonetheless
On the higher end for Radiohead, but still think they're pretty average.
It's undeniable that in this album—which I'm discovering for the first time now—I feel a particular ambiance, an atmosphere emanating from a mix of emotions made of melancholy, rage, sadness, hope, and sometimes even a touch of happiness, but this album is never boring! It's a bit too rock-oriented for me to fully appreciate the melody and the poetry. To my great surprise, there isn't a single track I recognize, and I don't know if I'll listen to this album again, which is why I'll stick to 3 stars.
I've never listened to this album, but I knew one or two songs (7). It's basic Radiohead, so a bit whiny and bland.
3.5
Not my fav radiohead and tbh I like the more britpoppy stuff compared to the sorta prog/art rock stuff, low 3 for me Fav song: Bones
Not really the biggest fan of Radiohead, don’t quite get the hype to be honest. Some songs are okay but all a bit bland imo
I unexpectedly knew a lot of the words. So did Olive.
Best Song: Fake Plastic Trees. I would have loved a whole album of just this understated melancholy. Worst Song: My Iron Lung. This felt like U2 trying to play Nirvana. Overall: Obviously this is an album with a lot of history, and maybe it is under the weight of those expectations that it fell a bit flat for me. It's not bad, it's quite nice to listen to, but it also has for me a sort of ordinariness that I hoped it wouldn't have, knowing its importance.
This was a lot more tolerable than I expected and actually interesting at some moments, though my expectations were low at this point. It might indeed be their best album.
In 2017 I first became aware of Radiohead. Similar to others (and seemingly much to the dismay of the band) my favorite song was Creep. I never really progressed much further into the band, beyond a cursory listen or two of OK Computer. 8 years later, my first album on my 1001 is The Bends. I overall enjoyed my listen of The Bends, and see myself returning to it. Planet Telex, Fake Plastic Trees and Black Star are the songs that stuck out to me the most on this listen. 3/5
Unterhaltungsmusik
Don't know what to expect here. Planet Telex - 6/10. Interesting. Good singing, mix is a little instrumental heavy. The Bends - 6/10. Similar to the first track. Solid. High and Dry - 6/10. Solid. Fake Plastic Trees - 6/10. It's OK. Bones - 7/10. This is a different sound from anything before it on the album. (Nice Dream) - 6/10. Repetitive, but that was the style of mid-90's navel-gazing pop. Just - 6/10. This was one of the tracks on the album. My Iron Lung - 4/10. Jarring transitions between sections. Not a fan. Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Was - 6/10. Back to the mid-90's navel-gazing sound. I'm not a huge fan of it, but Radiohead does it well. Black Star - 7/10. Decent song. Sulk - 6/10. Decent. Street Spirit (Fade Out) - 7/10. Decent to good. Overall Rating - 3.04/5 (6.08/10). A lot of that 90's, navel-gazing sound.
I didn't know I like this album. Probably an unpopular take, but it's kinda like British REM.
Meh. It was rather melancholy and not really matching my mood. I can see a time and a place for this, but I have other music I jam when I am depressed.
I feel like your could copy my Sigur Ros review here, and it lines up exactly. I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would, but still, meh. Radiohead just isnt my thing. They annoy me, but, I can still recognize that this album is good.
Really good album, starts strong with a solid 4 tracks, thins out, then ends on like a 4 tracks flourish. I love the languishing guitars and the drawn out vocals, funny that they became the band oasis was supposed to be
.
Listened in the truck on the way to the field. While I can understand the significance of this album, and its grandiosity and polish give it an otherworldliness lacking in similar rock albums of the time, the lack of bite is too palpable and makes the high points feel more like foothills than peaks. It feels like it’s trying to match grunge aesthetics but instead comes off melodramatic and out of touch. 2/5
This is Radiohead's 3rd or 4th best album - don't know why it's on the list. Why do we need so many albums by one artist? Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #276 (2023) Best Songs High and Dry Fake Plastic Trees Black Star Street Spirit (Fade Out)
Best Radiohead by a mile out of the 3 (so far?) that have been on this list. I'm being petty and docking a star because they simply do not need to have three albums listed. Very few bands are *that good!*
Scott Tenorman would be proud. Album seemed reminiscent of psychedelic rock, some spacey sound scapes mixed with hard rock guitar solos. It didn’t take off for me until about halfway through. I’m assuming Tenacious D’s “Wonderboy” took heavy inspiration from “My Iron Lung”
I try very, very hard to respect Radiohead; I'll never like them. I just cannot understand what all the fuss is about. They were a mid indie-rock band that went full prog-rock, pompous pouters. I'm probably more upset at what this album did as vanguard of the late 90's Brit pop shitstorm than anything else. But end of day, this has all the Radiohead hits that I don't immediately switch off, is the seminal representative of the aforementioned shitstorm, and there should be a Radiohead album on the list even if they're just the seccond-most pretentious charactitures of Brit-pop (***literally everyone side-eyes Oasis***). Influence 4. Quality 3. Hits 3. Seriously, if they weren't billed as the seccond coming I would be able to relax and actually enjoy it 2.
Not my thing
Enjoyable. 3.5/5
Some of this is really good, and some sounds like "90s alt rock" to me.
Again, there were good songs. There weren't many, but there were a few good ones. Most of the album was boring. I almost fell asleep driving home from work listening to it.
Solid rock album. Sure.
High and Dry is a beautiful song. The arrangement. Yorke's voice. Beautiful. The album, for me, has touches of Smashing Pumpkins and feels like it could have inspired Muse in parts. That said, not my favourite listen.
I don’t consider myself a Radiohead fan. But I’m Gen X so they were a part of my formative years. And of all of their albums this one is my favorite. That said, other than “The Bends”, “High & Dry” and “Fake Plastic Trees” the albums is just blah.
5.5/10
Day 60 Not my favourite Radiohead album but still some classics on here 7/10 Highlights Planet Telex Just Street Spirit
Well this just might be my favorite radiohead record so far. Its still not amazing as much as the internet tells me it is. At least its not buried in production like alot of the others ive heard, that being kid a and in rainbows. Kid a might not be my favorite but at least its forward thinking. In rainbows can suck a fart. That one is the most average thing ive ever heard. But back to this one. Its less robotic and just some instruments going at it and i appreciate that. And ive never liked the vocal styles but black star for some reason it works fully. High and dry is pretty good. Its the big song I guess. Fake plastic trees for some reason is worth it. And then everything else is fine. Maybe after this site makes me listen to every single record they ever put out ill get it but even if this is my favorite i still dont get it. Its fine and that's kinda it
L’ho ascolto ma mi sono dimenticato di dare il voto Lo do ora ma non ho voglia di riascoltarlo, quindi non era troppo iconico Tiè in 3 politico
Listenable.
Schönes Album eigentlich, Radiohead halt.
I feel like I pray to not get more Radiohead and I keep getting them. Any previous statement I’ve made about Thom Yorke’s annoying voice, the boring music, etc is still true. But this is easily the best album of theirs I’ve gotten so far. It’s decent I really like “Bones”, and especially “High And Dry” and other songs like the title track “(Nice Dream)” and “Fake Plastic Trees” are decent I hate the song Creep (which isn’t on this record) but this album sounds like it’s what Creep was supposed to be, like the same style but not awful
easy listen.
Love the hit "High and Dry", but other songs are in comparison just meh.
Bien mais sans plus, un peu toujours pareil. J'ai bien aimé "(Nice Dream)" qui ressortait un peu du lot, et l'instru guitare de "Just" que j'ai trouvé sympa.
Again, Radiohead was better than I expected. Vocals are a bit tiresome after a while but musicianship is great.
Not my favorite Radiohead era but so many classics tracks on this one. They really hit their stride from OK Computer through Hail to the Thief imo
It's good but spotty at times
I like the singles, except Just..I dunno the rest is ok. It's a 3 record.
I really have to be in the right mood for Radiohead.
Stark trea, mysig rock liksom
On my second playthrough of this album I started to enjoy it. I was a bit surprised. I don't have much to say except this could enter my regular rotation with some more time with it.
Good album but nothing gave me chills.
OK
I grooved with 1-2, the rest hit me like other Radiohead songs do...eh.
This is the only Radiohead album that I have in my collection. Not a huge fan, but like this album
Better than I expected a high 3, I still can’t see me wanting to listen to Radiohead through choice.
Sad. Super 90s pop. Not my favorite. Done of the production was cool and there were catchy songs (that were really sad)
*1995. 2nd studio album. *Big hits: Fake Plastic Trees + High and Dry. *This was my first time really listening to Radiohead. *I think of Radiohead as whiny and slow - there was a fair bit of that (literally a song called "Sulk"), but also some slightly more uptempo songs that I enjoyed more. RATING - 6.5/10
OK
Ahhhh Radiohead. Innovative soundscapers or moody middle-class music makers? The answer of course is somewhere in between. Which is where I found myself listening to this. There are many high points: Just is an all-time classic, hits the spot every time, Street Spirit has more atmosphere than Venus (look it up), My Iron Lung and Black Star are excellent. The rest just didn't grab me. Never mind, those ones are good to be getting on with on their own. Eh it is what it is...
I get the feeling that my review will not be in the majority but there was nothing on the album that grabbed me and made a connection. I'll give it the benefit of doubt by throwing it into the forgettable middle of the ratings curve
hello
Kunne godt lide, men få sange der virkelig stak ud som jeg likede. Men kan godt lide stemningen af albummet.
This album has some really good songs but it’s not my favorite
Fake Plastic Watering Can & High and Dry are still the standout tracks. Not a fan of the more prog rock moments, but a good album.
Some good tracks. I prefer Ok Computer, In Rainbows, and Kid A
Lite tråkigt ngn hände inte så mycket
Not bad. I already had this album. It is decent the whole way through, no real big good songs but a good listen.
I’ve come to dread the Radiohead albums on this list, but this was a pleasant surprise. These guys aren’t half bad when they make actual music.
Decent, but I am not the biggest Radiohead fan.
Really cool album. The Radiohead hype is starting to make sense. 7.7/10
some okay rockin and classic slow tracks but radiohead never blows my head off 3.65
Alt-rock. Best album for college-days-reminiscing while slowly smoking a cig, looking far away into the void.
Some good songs, but overall just a glimpse into what this band was really capable of.
Some tracks I really love on this album, but on the whole, it’s not something I come back to that much.
Solid album
This is very good with loads of huge tunes but it's only getting a 3 because I'm not listening to it again, I have better things to do than get really into Radiohead
Decent, enjoyed it more than I expected. I just don't think I'll listen to it again.
A typical Brit rock with a touch of experimentalism. A good album. It was maturing the sound of what would become OK Computer.
My thoughts are about the same as the first time I listened to this. The hits hit but I like their post-rock/more experimental stuff rather than their more straight forward rock
Sounded fine. Not sure if I’m just never in the right mood, but I just still have never understood why Radiohead is such a big deal. I liked this more than I remember liking kid A or ok computer, but I’m not really confident in that assessment
I almost never find myself wanting to listen to Radiohead, but they are a great band. I enjoyed this one more than Hail to the Thief. He sounds like Billy Corgan on the first track.
Considering how bloodless and bleepy-bloopy Radiohead's music has become, it's interesting to step back in time to when they were still a rock band. The seeds of OK Computer are here, but it's weird to hear them play straightforward rock music (relatively speaking) considering where they went after this.
I can hear how this was the inspiration for much of the 00s British rock. But this is definitely a case where the derivatives are better than the original. It's a listenable album, but doesn't have anything I want to listen to again. That makes it a 3.
I don't get the hype (recurring theme for this list) Alternates between boring kind of "just there" atmospheric rock, pre-Coldplay influence, and noise. I like the ending song.
This is fine. "My Iron Lung" is a good song, and I like this better than some Radiohead albums, so there's that. However, I am of the very, VERY strong belief that we did not need 6 Radiohead albums on this list. Music is subjective, and lots of people really like Radiohead...but fucking hell this is a terrible job of curation when the entire history of music is available. 3.0
This goes harder than I expected.
pretty good
Still don’t get them. Musically they are fine but I can’t buy into the hype. Not to beat a dead horse but it sounds like the lead singer is whining a lot.
Tracks 2/3/4 are all time powerful; the rest of the album is solid but a bit whiney 3/5
So this album is probably Radiohead’s most popular, which in itself is sort of a hard thing to determine. You could make that argument for several of their albums, but at the very least this is probably their most recognizable album cover and it is super iconic and probably one of the most memorable album covers in all of rock. Sadly, however, I don’t think this is their strongest album. What I do appreciate is that this album is very clearly trying very very hard to distance itself from Pablo honey. In fact I’d say this is the moment they became the Radiohead that we all know today. Like the massive immediate success of Creep created this extreme desire to be something different than what they thought they were being seen as. But for better or worse I think that desire resulted in most of their most impressive and creative projects. I just think this album is a step in the right direction but not far enough. I think this album doesn’t age quite as well as their other albums. That being said there are positives. The instrumentation is excellent and the production is like clean cold water smooth. It’s so easy on the ears and relaxing. But that being said I only saved “Just”, “street spirit”, and “the bends”.
Missed this first time round. It a good album but I feel like it would need to be on heavy rotation to embed it in my world.
The first album that I’ve listened to previously. I like the singles off of this album but not much else. Street Spirit is 😘👌
A bit too depressing but is a widely well regarded album and a pioneer in the indie rock space, 6/10
3.5
Not their best but not bad
I guess I'm listening to something else. This just feels lacking substance. It did seem to be a sign of where alternative music was headed though
Sad to say… kind of boring.
What strikes me about this album is how much of it sounds so little like Radiohead as we know them today. Case in point: the guitar riff that opens the title track, which transports me back to the mid-90s and sounds like any number of guitar-driven alt-rock bands from the era. “Black Star” is an excellent song that foreshadows what they would do next on the vastly superior OK Computer, but to me this is not among Radiohead’s best albums and doesn’t need to be on this list.
I think I’ve finally worked out why I didn’t get on with Radiohead back in the day. It goes back to their first album and the ubiquitous hit single Creep, which came across as an attempt by some lamestain cob nobblers from Oxfordshire to sound like a Seattle grunge band, and was enough to put me off. This album marks the start of their transition into a more experimental and interesting style, with Thom Yorke’s distinctive vocals (probably an acquired taste), obtuse lyrics and interesting guitar noodling. It’s not quite as compelling as the later albums, but worth a listen though.
It was alright
Some good songs, some snoozers.
Knew the two huge ones, and of course loved em, the rest of the album felt rather blase, until street spirit which I had never heard, absolutely loved it, best song on the album for me. So a few absolute loves, and mostly indifference from me, but a solid album.
An album I fell in love with in the late 2000's when I bought a pack of 5 cd's of Radiohead's albums for like $30 from JB Hi-Fi. The highlights for me (outside the hits!) are Bones and Blackstar, Bones is slept on, almost the least listened to song on the album according to Spotify. Anyway, great to listen through again after a few years.
I enjoy 'Just', but then the rest of the album I sleep on.
Nice, slow and calming music, although that can be said for all their music. Generally don't listen to them that much as most of my music listening is going to work and I need something more upbeat. Still solid though
They have a nice sound but get a bit repetitive and every song feels like it's on the verge of getting going, but it never does
Not as good as I thought it'd be
Not even top 5 radiohead, massively overrated
Ah, Radiohead. I have listened to a few of their tracks before, of course, but not really their whole albums. First couple songs are good, but not really earth shattering or anything. For a band that's supposed to be experimental, I find Radiohead to be very consistent, polished. High and Dry is a great tune, and again, polished. But it's not really breaking new ground, either.
Like this one better than 'Kid A'. 3/5
High and Dry = Good Song I like Radiohead. All the other songs sound similar, but not bad to listen to.
Meh
Early Album. Very good for Running by doing Chores.
I'm not generally a Radiohead fan but this has more of the bits that I do like and only a little of the miserable whiny bits that I don't
It's one that I really have to be in the mood for. The first half of the album is great, the second half gets far too whiney. Street Spirit does pick it up at the end, making me forget about the more boring tracks.
Ok album
OK, not great but easy to listen to
While I like the first album better this change of style sounds really good as well. The kind of rock that I listened to in my younger days and still speaks to me from time to time.
Bendy, solid but not my fav from Radiohead
Cool album, lots of good songs. Not as genre-bending as OK Computer but there were hints that they were destined for more than your average indie band
Not my favorite Radiohead. It feels uneven to me, but it has it’s high points.
I know I’m supposed to like Radiohead, and tbh nothing that I heard on this album was bad or objectionable or in any way outside of my taste, but I just feel like I didn’t discover Radiohead at the right time to be able to love their music.
Put it there. Mellow, angsty, 90’s all over. I can dig it.
'You can walk it home straight from school / You can kiss it, you can break all the rules.' Radiohead becomes Radiohead, which means Thom Yorke is waxing incoherent while the music is expressive thru experiment. But it's also not quite there yet, so Yorke can be a straightforward moaner and the songs are forthright pop and indie. When a balance is struck, as it now and then is, particularly on tracks like 'High and Dry,' 'Fake Plastic Trees,' '(Nice Dream),' and 'Bullet Proof...I Wish I Was,' it's a prolific cohesion. Often, however, there's a rawness that suggests an indecisiveness and a want of identity, e.g., 'My Iron Lung' is a feeble take on Seattle grunge. I often go for raw origins, but here 'finding their voice' leaves me w/o a strong one.
Emotion-driven album with enough variety to keep it fresh although a bit mopey at times. Holds up really well. High and Dry and My Iron Lung highlights for different reasons!
Pretty average album IMO. But I’ve also never been a big Thom Yorke fan
Amazing album, just not something I listen to much
i love shit made for sad people. love feeling something
After spending years of slagging off Radiohead, I'm ashamed to say, I actually didn't mind this album. Some pretty samey songs, but definitely some standouts.
Ollaan rehellisiä, odotin enemmän. Tällä levyllä Radiohead oli vielä suoraviivaisempaa rokkia. Ei tää huonoa oo, tää on vaan aika perus. Toki vois mielipide muuttua useammalla kuuntelulla. Mutta odotusten takia 3 tähteä. Parhaat: High and Dry, (Nice Dream), Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Were, Street Spirit (Fade Out)
In the end, this album just doesn't do it for me. Where Purple Rain got the 'novelty' aspect, this sound is just too much like all the other rock bands, and I don't love it. Obviously Radiohead's later albums are all better as they get away from this sound and the 'cliches' of it. While the best parts of the album are easily 5-stars, none of the songs are 5-stars from start to finish. Ultimately, that and the 'cliche' sound are enough to make it 3-stars for me. - A couple of 'noise' moments, but generally a pleasant album. A bit too much 'rock band' for my liking, but the highs are high. The okay songs here are really just okay though. - Intro is fantastic, though the rest of the first song is only okay. - A lot of songs with great moments, but that turn into something not as enjoyable later on in the song
Very good for an alt rock album, but it pales in comparison to what Radiohead would do. Still, some of my favorite Radiohead songs are on here including My Iron Lung, Fake Plastic Trees, and High and Dry.
Nice to listen but not much more. Quite générique sounds.
The dreamy songs like (nice dream) make this a great record.
Solid but have never been fully on the RH bandwagon
Like I said before when I reviewed Amnesiac, I used to like Radiohead a lot, but I wasn't ever so in love with The Bends as an album album so I don't think I listened to it in full beyond one time. I did listen to some of the songs a lot, mainly the singles but not to the level of their other albums, so it was interesting to check this one in full with basically fresh ears and.... well yeah it's pretty good, I think partly because I have a bias towards this era of 90s British rock but it's also this weird crossroad with Radiohead's sound before they did their thing on OK Computer but after being basically another scrappy alt rock band that couldn't decide if they were grunge or britpop. This album is both doing some fun distorted riffs or other effects that are very 90s and then onto the more slow stuff they would get known for, hell the fact that the two most remembered songs from this are Fake Plastic Tree (meh), High and Dry (Good) and Street Spirit (Great), so it's obvious which ones stood the test of time, but despite that the other songs here are pretty good albeit nothing I haven't heard from other bands of the era, which is another sort of issue I had, the feeling that despite the songs being mostly neat I couldn't shake off that having all 12 of them felt like too much, it could have been shaved down to 10 or 8 and you would have had a stronger tracklist than songs that feel like they iterate on typical rock of the era (specially with songs like Just or Black Star, they are cool but nothing too stand out). So, is The Bends good? Well yeah, and I enjoy it more because it's the kinda rock I enjoy already, to turn my nose at it cuz its Radiohead can be too much for an album that at least brings good tunes.
I feel like most people who love Radiohead like their earlier stuff the most. I think their earlier stuff was not very good but they started at a 2 and grew to a 10. This album is for sure a 2.
Less “experimental” and more mainstream than most other Radiohead albums. Some of this even sounds a lot like U2.
The music was fine. I just don't think it's for me
2.5 stars really, but it’s cool to think that this is what they’re sound was at the very beginning
Un álbum excelente y que ha sido de enorme influencia en el rock de los 2000. El primer álbum que suena a Radiohead por excelencia y el que los catapultó a grupo de culto. No me voy a poner a criticar aquí uno de los álbumes fetiche de los millenials mayores, y de los mejor valorados en esta web. Merece una muy buena nota. Pero, a pesar de haberme gustado mucho, me quedo con la etapa más experimental de Radiohead que vendría más adelante, ya que este álbum ha sido tan imitado que, a día de hoy, no es capaz de atraparme. Vamos a dejarlo en 3.5.
****High & Dry, Bulletproof I guess this is forcing me to confront that I'm kind of a Radiohead hater in my old age despite having passing fondness for OK Computer as a teenager. I think I resent their modern canon status especially since it seems like this sound / scene didn't amount to much + I like scrappy/punk/indie rather than mewling artsy indie. THat being said, giving this a fresh chance with fresh ears! Like this better in a lot of ways than OK Computer and onward -- slightly rockier and some interesting arrangements. Never heard most of the songs (maybe some from the ASOB Radiohead show lol). I think the stretch of The Bends -> High & Dry -> Fake Plastic Trees is kind of undeniable and pretty interesting. Some of the melodies too do work on me -- Radiohead do this melody turn that reminds me of 'Stay Faraway So Close' or whatever by U2 which is significant for obvious reasons.... IDK though, think it's pretty solid but just not really my thing these days.. too like grunge-y or something. Plus I've always found Thom Yorke singing kind of boring. But glad to fill this gap a little bit and understand what this sounds like.
Really mellow and relaxing Radiohead. This album feels more traditional in singing-songwriting compared with their others that feel a bit more experimental and ultimately make Radiohead Radiohead. This album is still very representative of the band, but it feels a bit more structured. Great record.
Had some nice soft elements in there but didn’t blow me away
It’s happening. This is not a drill. I am emerging from a voyage deep into the musical trash heap. I have endured mightily and have been stricken with the bends. At least that’s what I think this is. I’ll have to google the symptoms. Hold on. Oh uhh yeah, that bone and joint pain do be excruciating. Will Radiohead be as painful? I’ve been waiting for the critical darlings of musically inclined virgins worldwide and I await my entrance to paradise. Take my ticket, hyperbaric crash test dummy. We’re going back down. Whoa. They’re rockin’. This has to really piss off the guys who cry and scream and puke trying to say Pablo honey isn’t representative of Radiohead’s quiet genius or whatever. I gotta say, this uh ain’t good. Now we’ve got the bends. I can’t believe how normal this is. It’s just like meat and potatoes rock? It’s ahead of its time in many respects and would pave the way for worse songs deep into the 2000s. Not hating this song though. Has a life to it. Yo I’m big radio head and I’m here to say, I’m the funkiest band (not) in the USA. That was my cool Thom Yorke freestyle. SHES SO HIGHHHHHH. That is one of the meaner things I’ve compared a song to, BUT while the similarities are there, this song came first, and for that, it should be ashamed. I would sue Tal Bachman, but I feel as though the justice system known as “life” has beaten them to the proverbial punch. Apologies if the guy is really dead. I just wanted to rip on a one hit wonder. This song is fairly cool. Nice to have the gentle moment. Bones? Bones Schmones. I’m still reeling over how rocky this whole thing is. Not necessarily bad, but based on the genre of rock. We’ve all heard of that one, right? This song is really bad until the sort of metallic interlude near the end. That quickly fades out. Not loving this. Is this Weezer? Rivers Cuomo better sing on this. Oh no, it’s still the primordial Coldplay man. Oh I shouldn’t say that. This is way better than Coldplay. Decent rock song. Elements that make it more interesting as well. Apart from the horrible guitar solo, this track has a cool sound. Nobody talks about iron lungs anymore. Just the massive apparatus they kept sick people in for the rest of their lives. Like a prison that you must remain in to stay alive. Truly one of the most horrific concepts ever concocted by the human race. Listen to me criticizing incredible medical advancements. Really on my soapbox here. The song is pretty decent. Loving the loud parts. I wish I was bulletproof too. Would certainly make me less terrified of an impending union with the United States. Still terrifying. Anyway. This song was very repetitive and overly simple. Nothing here for me. There is a whiff of a nice melody here, but not enough to make me like this. This thing is running its course. More boredom. Moredom, if you will. You know what? I won’t. I won’t accept that I wrote that. These reviews get worse by the day. What was supposed to be a writing “exercise” has just injured whatever belief I had in my potential writing ability. A lesson to any prospective artists. Never try. That applies to this song. Rancid. Ooh a Halloween song. This album had a way of going nowhere. I think the band’s reputation had me believing this would be a stretched out atmospheric opus, so hearing traditional rock song structures shocked me. Some of the songs were exciting and had a different take on generic rock, but some of the others were meandering and not all that unique to my 2025 ear. I could hear that a lot of bands went on to ape this style which is admirable in a sense, but it feels like the well has been poisoned by the bands that went on to do this same thing, except worse. If I try to transport myself to 1995, I think this album was decent. That’s pretty much it. And I think that hurts more than my joints. Put me back in the hyperbaric chamber. I need some more detox time. 2.5-3 HIGHLIGHTS: Fake Plastic Trees, Just, My Iron Lung, Street Spirit (Fade Out)
Good, not best one.
Ok
I enjoyed this more than I expected to. I only knew Creep til now, which does nothing for me, but i might actually listen again to some of these tracks, especially Street Spirit. 3
really good but i think u just have to be in the right mood to listen to some of the songs. this album is best played when moody or sad so it was kind off-putting but it was still really good. my 3 all time favorites were “the bends”, “high and dry”, and “street spirit (fade out)” :) 💕
Maybe if i was more sad i’d enjoy this album, still a handful of good tunes
Dunno, but this album feels like a transition between old alt-rock Radiohead and experimental Radiohead, and it isn't working for me. The lighter, airy-er tracks work (High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees), but the more alt rock songs just sound dated. Also don't know if it's just me but I'm noticing a slight alt-country tinge to a lot of the music, and I'm not a huge fan of that either. Overall though, decent.
Never listened to a Radiohead album because I knew it wasn’t for me. I was surprised I didn’t hate this. It was kinda what I expected though. My opinion on Radiohead has gone from ignorantly neutral to a more informed neutrality.
most tolerable album i have heard from these guys which i generally cannot listen to
I'm not a Radiohead fan, but this album was quite good. It was well produced, with good writing, and some complex music that made it fun to listen to.
Loved a few tracks but not a listen through album for me. Pivotal alt rock sound though and does feel like an essential experience for that scene.
Another one from Radiohead, I really have to set aside time and deep dive into this band. This is the second album and the last one before they hit insane levels of popularity with some of their next releases. This fits more into the mold of UK pop-rock bands of that time and for me personally it's a bit more engaging than the other releases, where they moved to a more abstract sound and feel. Arguably though, this album doesn't transport you to a different world like the later ones do, it just doesn't have that emotion and style. From this album it's definitely evident that they began to develop their sound, which is half way between UK pop-rock and "classic" Radiohead. There are some signs of their future work on here, but they are also mostly using the usual song structures and big choruses. Sonically it's pretty straightforward most of the time, with guitars and the rhythm section. I liked the guitar work on 3-4 songs, where they played some nice, complicated, riffs. Lyrically it's also in line with Radioheads usual sad, depressing and slow style. All in all a solid album from my perspective.
another album with tom york singing i like this one a bit less than the kid but it's still pretty good black star iron lung the bsides are good too
I love Radiohead completely. But this is not my fav set of music.
raptures of the creep
I get how people love Radiohead, I just can’t stand Thom Yorke’s singing. This one is better since it’s a full band and not mostly electronic bits and bobs with Thom. Great musical compositions with interesting guitar parts and effects.
I'm familiar with this one, the kids had it back in the day and I dropped the cd into my car for a few days to check it out. When anybody mentions Radiohead to me this is the album that comes to mind. Familiarity breeds acceptance. :)
Not bad, but kinda just bounced off me
1/2
Not as bad as I feared -- there were actually a few songs that weren't walls of noise. But Thom Yorke's voice is still excruciating. (Tim's review: "That was a long 48 minutes.")
Maybe it would have been more impressive in the '90's, but as it stands in the present, it's four chord alt-rock played by art students -- neither innovative nor particularly groundbreaking, but just self-involved enough to believe it's both. High and Dry stinks of manufactured shit like Three Doors Down and James Blunt. Grossly reminiscent of a montage in a spring break movie department-store-core. I've heard better from Radiohead. Do better.
This might seem like blasphemy, but I'm not a huge fan of Radiohead. I don't really understand the universal praise they get and have always found their music a little... unsatisfying? I can't explain what exactly I don't like about their music. Not that it's bad, I just think that it could've been better. It's one step from great, it's a little unresolving, if that makes sense, and The Bends is no exception. I feels like it's 50% great, but the other 50% are just fine. Yeah, I don't know, just think some parts here a little boring. I might come around to enjoying Radiohead eventually, but the time is not now, it seems. 7/10
This is ok. I can see why Radiohead are a great band but geez they bore me. One thing that was interesting was how much The Drones and TFS were influenced by this album
Great album art. Okay album.
Well-crafted unexciting alt-rock. No really memorable tracks even though it’s all fairly good.
I enjoyed my time with this album. This is a very tame version (on a scale of “weirdness”) of Radiohead which I enjoyed.
My favorite album of Radiohead, probably because its an older album.
I don’t mind the album, and like a few songs, but the singer’s voice kind of drones for me.
it had a few good songs, might not revisit
My younger self really enjoyed this release and now years later I still enjoy it, perhaps mostly for nostalgia. Maybe I overplayed it in my youth and the songs lost their lustre, maybe I just realize they’re capable of more interesting music. It’s good and I still appreciate it, I don’t know. 3 stars
i really dont want to, but its really hard for me not to think of The Bends as a stepping stone, instead of an achievement in and of itself. Because, part of the undeniable merit of this album is the fact that it functions, at least from my perspective, as a sort of proof that RADIOHEAD are something different, if not here then in OK Computer. the audience doesnt really need to hear this; we'll either accept the band as they are or move on. i think its radiohead themselves who needed to give themselves a bit of credit, and really try to make something special in a world where their role was cut out for them after the commercial supernova that Creep was. after all, they really are more than a bunch of loud, self-pitying british rockers. they are a singular entity. and i think said entity would not start to take form until the recording of Fake Plastic Trees, one of the standout cuts on The Bends. i always see people throwing around quotes about how thom Yorke was inspired by seeing jeff Buckley live to overcome a hurdle he faced with this song, which is a bit funny to me cause i dont think thom had ever sounded this liberated as a vocalist. he glides and cries as gravity slowly crushes his bones, if not overcome by the possibility his dreams of love may turn to a plastic reality. but "you can force but it will not come", The Bends is still a period of growth and its accompanied by many painful advancements. Bones sucks ass, high and dry is the kind of plasticky nightmare that thom has in Fake Plastic Trees (and an actual self-pitying song), Sulk is subpar specially compared to Black Star and (Nice Dream), which blow it out of the water. some of their worst moments, honestly, but seeing them helped me realise how much the band improved at quality control. i mean, Maquiladora is better than like half the album and they didnt include it, and Talk Show Host is up there as well. they really would come to know their strengths, both as songwriters and as artists who really know how to sequence an album. but also, i talk a lot of shit about The Bends but damn, some stuff here really blows me away. Fake Plastic Trees, Street Spirit, Planet Telex, Just, they really pushed this more commercial 90s rock sound to the limit and did the best they could. as a complete album experience though? eh. i dont like it that much. and i fucking love radiohead, so that says something
ну радиохед уже не больше 3
I actually listened to this through twice as I must be one of the few that never really took to Radiohead. I found I didn't dislike this recording and feel it is, for the most part, pretty solid, I did not feel it was great. Still, I listened and rate it a 3...
There aren't half a lot of Radiohead albums on this list, and I've not really been a fan of any of them. This is slightly better than the average - Just and Street Spirit (Fade Out) are pretty good, and the rest are fine?
First listen. It was ok. Bigger fan of “In Rainbows”and “Kid A”.
Nice album. Enjoyable listen. Don't think it will be very memorable for me
i hate radiohead
I had a friend who was huge on Radiohead and I've heard "The Bends" 10+ times. To be true to myself, the album is honestly quite unremarkable except for the last song, which is hauntingly beautiful.
more than 3 but less than 4. cant give .5s so 3 it is
The first time I heard "Fake Plastic Trees" was in the movie Clueless. "Yuck! The maudlin music of the university station. What is it about college and cry baby music?" This song made 10 year old me feel emo before I even knew what emo was. When I later heard Radiohead's more electronic music I was shocked, because this acoustic Thom Yorke is what I knew. That soundtrack is still my all time favorite, too. That being said, this was a really great listen. I think it's definitely overlooked when selecting a Radiohead album. I've overlooked it, and it might be one of their best. Thom's voice really hits me in these songs. I feel them deeply...or maybe that's just the 10 year old emo in me. Other favorites: "(Nice Dream)" "High And Dry"
3/5
why are there so many god damn radiohead albums on this list please fucking stop. this one is better then some of the others and is less boring but this one made me realize i just don't like dudes voice that much
Some songs I was familiar with but didn’t realize were Radiohead. I haven’t liked other Radiohead albums as much as this one.
Never could understand what all the fuss was about Radiohead. Still don't, really.
I get it but it's not for me. I prefer the watered down version (Coldplay).
Felt like I was living in an episode of smallville
I can see why people like it but at the end of the day Radiohead just isn’t for me
This is another 3.5 to me. Glad I re-listened, some great songs on here!
Pretty much what I expect when I hear Radiohead
3.5
This is probably worth another listen
I've really been trying to get into Radiohead, but I guess I just don't "get it." Maybe the cultural impact and the album rollouts add to the listening experience. I'll revisit it soon.
eerlijk, ik vond het echt mid. Er zat geen variatie in, elk lied leek op elkaar en, ja.
bruh this was SOOOOOO boring stfu
Not a fan of radiohead but I feel like I have to at least admit that this is their best work and certainly deserving of a positive review.
holy shit back to back Radiohead, it like you don't like me. Ok a few of these songs are what I remember Radiohead to be. But man what a difference this band is from one album to another
first time listening to Radiohead and this is not what i expected them to sound like
Não sou muito fã do Radiohead, além do O.K. Computer, mas esse álbum até que surpreendeu. Algumas músicas bem interessantes: High and Dry, Bones, (Nice Dream) e My Iron Lung. Acho que é um álbum sólido.
I don't really like Radiohead. I just don't like the singer and some of the songs on this album made me feel almost a bit tense. No songs saved to listen to later.
I know that I'm supposed to like stuff, but I'm just not depressed enough to really get into it. Not saying that musicianship isn't top rate, because it is. It's just not my cup of tea.
Classic Radiohead. I still like OK Computer and Kid A better, but this is also good.
Didn't know much of the album. Nothing surprising though. It's fine. 6/10
3-4
Enjoyable
It's a alternative rock album, has some good tunes but that's all. Street Spirits is maybe most interesting one, highly recommended on this.
My second listen to a Radiohead album ever and I still am failing to understand why these guys are so universally acclaimed. The bloke can't fucking sing, and they need to chill with the delay pedals on the guitars. What is the appeal of this band? I did enjoy the rock elements of Bones, that was a pretty neat song. Just was also a good tune. The guitarwork on it was really good. Two good songs in a row; and then they immediately ruin it with My Iron Lung, a shitty garage rock imitation song that sounds like a Year 7 school band practice session. Overall, I didn't hate this album, but I also didn't 'enjoy' it that much. It's a bit of a plain jane album, with not much to offer outside of some nice guitar solos on a select few songs. I couldn't stand the parts of the album where it slowed down to acoustics and I had to listen to that dreary cunt Thom Yorke sing about how sad he was over some shit. This is unquestionably better than Kid A, though.
Reminded me of Jack White. Rock bass and not a lot of vocal.
Been a huge Radiohead fan for decades but have not returned to this album in just as long. Sure hope there are other Radiohead albums on this list.. But will take this opportunity to revisit. It's just so 90s lol. Bones sounds like an REM song. And it all kinda sounds the same. I'm sure this was a banger when it came out, but I was 10 years late to the party. Street Spirit is still good, everything is listenable, but no reason for me to return to this one. 2.6/5
I know so many people who love it but not really for me.
Enjoyable listen with Fake Plastic Trees, High and Dry & Street Spirit stand outs. Their best album alongside OK Computer.
It was okay!
Favorite Track: Street Spirit
Some good individual songs but not nearly as complete and timeless as In Rainbows or Kid A
3.5, good but not my thing
"Wot if me mate was a computer" - Thom Yorke
The 4'est 3 I've heard. I really like a couple of songs on this record but Radiohead has better full-album concepts than this that land in the 4 category better.
3.5 ish. I liked it the more I listened.
Their best album. Less poppy than their first.
Letter from God to Man: Radiohead is overrated. The album is typical 1990s alternative English Rock, and while enjoyable, doesn't deserve all the praise it gets. Favorite Song: "Planet Telex"
nitrogen in my bones
A half decent background noise album
surprisingly good
This is OK, but it's not great... The opening track gave a feeling of so much hope that unexpected raw pure creativity would unfold, but it ends up being mediocre and boring.. 3 stars because of potential
I like the songs that were fast-paced and rock-ish. Not a fan of the slower stuff, too much angst for me.
Great album, not my style though
Radiohead is great. Definitely droney and somewhat melodramatic, but a lot of the songs feel very personal for me.
makes me sad
Not the worse Radiohead album I've listened to, which was nice.
Rock alternativo. Ni fu ni fa.
A solid album
Not my cup of tea and mostly sounds like agony.
Good listen
I was more familiar with this album than I realized, just not a huge Radiohead fan. Added 4 songs to the 1001 Experience Playlist
There's some really amazing moments on this album, but I have the same problem here as with any other Radiohead album, I hate his voice, and can not stand the weird mix of sad and noisy. Possibly my favorite Radiohead album, but that's a very, very low bar.
Always found this one a little on the sappier side, especially compared to their later output which is infinitely more interesting from a musical, lyrical and vocal standpoint. This still contains several good song though and Street Spirit (Fade Out) remains an S-tier Radiohead song.
Ich kann leider insgesamt mit Radiohead nicht so viel anfangen. Es gibt durchaus brilliante Songs von ihnen. Aber mir ist das insgesamt zu schleppend, auch wenn die Gitarren durchaus etwas sehr individuelles in sich tragen. Ich komme sehr unterschiedlich damit klar. Vielleicht stimmt mit mir und meinen Gefühlen nichts. Irgendwie schade, aber was soll's. Heute nur drei Sterne.
I enjoyed this album. I really like listening to it. However, I can’t understand what the hell Thom Yorke is saying half the time. This album sits at a 3 for me, though I do feel bad giving it that ranking.
I like radioheads vibe for the most part. Unapologetic soft rock through and through. I liked every song in isolation, but nothing stuck out as either great or terrible to me. I did like the frequent use of falsetto and large jumps in pitch in an instant. But there wasn’t enough variety for me to give it above a 3.
Really wanted to like this more than I did. Maybe I only like creep? Hopefully will get another of theirs to see again
Was thinking it may be a 4 star in the first half, but the second half kinda dragged for me. I really do like Radiohead I think now though. I remember listening to them a little probably like 15 years ago and I could never get into them. Really hope to get some more Radiohead on this list!
Favorite: My Iron Lung
I was disappointed by this. I've always liked High and Dry and really the like the three albums that followed this. This one however felt more boring and less innovative.
There was a bit of nostalgia here for that early 2000s tv sound track. But it was overall just okay.
An album I can passively listen to. The instrumentals are wicked :) Overall, it's a good album.
Mid-Nineties light grunge fodder. Recognized one song, threw it on my 1001 Discoveries playlist. Not inherently bad, it is more of a vibe than anything for me. Would definitely put this album on quietly to set a tone for a backyard bocce tournament. 3?
Not bad
High and Dry and Just are great song. The rest are ok 3/5
I don't get the appeal of Radiohead. This is the third album of theirs I've gotten, I probably like this the best of them, but this also feels like more generic grunge than anything that special.
It had it's moments, but overall it was something I dont think I'd come back to for a relisten. 3/5
3.5
3.86 rym non il migliore dei radiohead ma ci sta comunque
Rock, 1995 -> 3
Not bad, solid, good listening.
Great album , plenty of interesting and crunchy songs . Doesn’t quite hit all the way through as i remembered it though. 3.5
Great album that I remember from high school or early college days. I really enjoy it, there are some great hits as well as other songs that missed the radio back in the day. I'm sure that I will listen to this again although it isn't my favorite of their albums.
2.5
It was ok. Good music, well known, but was never my cup of tea really.
I did sigh at the thought of listening to a Radiohead album, but it wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. Some classic, recognisable tunes that I rather enjoyed. Others that I didn’t. I think I probably dislike Radiohead fans more than I dislike Radiohead music. I do see the band as the Coldplay of the 90s.
I didn’t think I’d like it but I really enjoyed it over all. 3.5
Radio friendly Radiohead
This is not their strongest album by any means. It's good but I don't think it belongs on the list (especially compared to their other albums). It's a little too alt-rock for me, generally pretty ho-hum with a few good tracks. There's good sound layering and their signature atmospheric tone, but then a heavy out-of-place guitar riff has me thinking "this is classic rock" and I am not liking this look for them at all.
I'm a little surprised to see this one make the list with all the other incredible albums by this group. This is not my fave and I don't think it stands out. I dont agree with the wiki. I don't think this album moves too far away from their style...like Pablo Honey (deserves list), they have softer acoutic tracks and It is not until OKC that they start experiment more with electronics and establish themselves as a unique band. High and Dry is top track on Bends by far plus (surprised Yorke hates it) a few other good ones. Still a good one from the band...2.8.
I wanted to like this more than I did. I'm an up-and-comer in terms of a Radiohead fan. The more I am exposed to them the more I am liking them but for some reason The Bends does little for me. There's a couple good songs but overall it's got less of the creativity that I associate with Radiohead. Not sure if I'm missing something but it was a relatively mediocre album (by Radiohead standards). Still a good album but not something that stands out from the rest of their catalog so far. 3.01 stars
This was a little better than Kid A
Glad to listen to it from start to finish. A bit too alt-rock but Street Song is very good. 2.5
A great 90's album. They were honing it in on this one, but not quite there. Although, this was their best straight rock album. They continue to get better on subsequent albums. Just is a favorite, as is My Iron Lung. I take that back, Street Spirit is the one.
Ha! I was just singing "Planet Telex" to myself two days ago, wondering if they ever still play it. So this was one of those 'break my own rules" purchases. Having been burned too many times buying a crappy album on the strength of one hit single, I resolved myself to require hearing two songs that I really liked before picking up an album. At the time "Creep", was laughed at in my peer group; the falsetto wasn't your manly Eddie Vedder or Scott Weiland sound, but I still liked it though not enough to buy the album yet. When I first heard "Fake Plastic Trees" I knew I needed the album and broke that rule (same story with "No Rain" and then Blind Melon's masterpiece Soup, and "She Don't Use Jelly" and The Flaming Lips' masterpiece "The Soft Bulletin"). That said, I have to admit I wasn't blown away by the album as a whole, so much so that when OK Computer came out, I balked at buying it at first and even passed on a friend who asked me if I wanted to get concert tickets to see them on that tour. Camping in the woods with mind altered and watching an insane amount of shooting stars and the literal International Space Station going by many times an hour to the tune of OK Computer made me realize the genius of that album and band. This is Radiohead in their skinny black tie infancy, showing a strong ability to write catchy songs aimed square at the FM radio, still playing the sycophantic fame game and trying to make an impression at the MTV Beachhouse. It's not until they stopped caring so much about what others thought and turned their affections elsewhere that the world got a little lonely and started drunk-texting them in the middle of the night asking for another chance. By that point, Radiohead moved on with OK Computer while the rest of the world fawned over them for the next decade. In hindsight, this album is good, but it most assuredly gets a post-market boost by what they did afterwards. Here, they are peers with the likes of Spacehog and Sponge who sat in middle of the boat but did not do much to stear it in any meaningful direction. Quality hits with quality playing but nothing that elevated the genre to the next stratosphere yet. The appreciation here for me is more as a soundtrack to my own nostalgia and journey and has less to do with the album breaking any barriers. Happy to have heard "Fake Plastic Trees," "My Iron Lung," and "Just" live. Finally seeing them on the Hail To The Theif tour was a major propellant in the need to see them again at their next US show, which was seven months away and in the middle of a polo field in the desert of Indio, California in 2004. Aside from the aforementioned songs, "[Nice Dream]," "Bullet Proof . . . I Wish I Was," and "Sulk" are standout tracks. This is the walk before the run.
This one takes me back to being a 14 year old foreign kid in highschool that just didn't quite fit into anywhere or with any particular group. For awhile I listened to this album in the mornings every morning while getting ready for school. Somehow it seemed like a very fitting soundtrack to being a bit of an oddball in school. This album to me is a combination of the more grundgy sounding first album and the more electronic sounding Radiohead that was on the horizon. I think this is one of their more straight forward albums before things really started getting a lot more abstract and honestly a little less cohesive to me. The standouts to me are 'Fake Plastic Trees', 'High and Dry', 'Just', and 'Nice Dream'.
It was alright.
Not really a fan, but didn't hate this.
This is fine. Radiohead is overrated.
This is not my go to Radiohead album but I enjoyed it. I think it’s the ballads that throw me off on this one.
Interesting but vocals a little whiny at times.
Not the best Radiohead album I'd say.
Glimmers of what Radiohead would become are evident, but a lot of these songs fall flat for me. Bones sounds like it could be U2, which I dislike. Obviously, high and dry and fake plastic trees are classics.
another fine album. begins with great energy, but kind of fades.
I've never gotten into Radiohead, and the only song I knew by them was Creep. I did however recognize this cover instantly which tells me how much it must be around despite me not being into the band. I'm not sure this is really a love for me, on first listen anyway. The only song that outright grabbed me was Just, but wow did I REALLY like that one. Overall the album has kind of a melancholy vibe that just manages to keep from being too depressing/whiny to me. Some great guitar work for sure. I saw another review comment that maybe listening to it in the middle of the day isn't the right time for it. I do wonder if I am having a similar issue. I could see me going for this more late night in my room or on a night drive and being a lot more into it potentially. Whenever I do my relisten I'll see if I can manage that.
I dunno I mean it’s okay. They sound good but honestly I prefer the sound and feel of “Creep”. I get it the band didn’t want to be pigeonholed but this album really didn’t do it for me. It sounded okay but just okay. I really don’t have any sort of real critiques of it it’s more like the songs just didn’t do it for me, there was no connection, nothing resonated with me. Also his voice starts to sound kinda whiny after a while so that didn’t help either. Don’t really get all the hype around Radiohead tbh.
A good album, but I still don’t really like it.
Hey! This Radiohead album is all music and real songs! Wow
Just ok. Some nice melodies and musical bits.
Classic Radiohead
Given my general dislike of the often frenetic, whiney Radiohead sound and particularly the vocalist, this doesn't all suck. I "liked" one track, and gave all of it a chance.
droning guitar, whiny voice and hard to understand the words. same 'tic tic tok' hi hat pattern in like every song. ive skipped into 5 of the songs and they all sound like they could be the same song. classic rock in general but especially sad (emotion/energy) classic rock is not my vibe
det var okay nok, 3/5 eller 4/5
such an overrated band the bends black star street spirit (fade out)
The Bends is a decent Britpop album – a valid one to highlight, even, if you’re into the scene, though certainly not a subgenre masterpiece – but nothing more than that. It’s never bad, but it does feel distinctly derivative compared to its contemporaries, and I don’t really get how this kept Radiohead afloat long enough to get to their experimental phase, or even sow any seeds of good will. Most of this is very low-energy, and even if it’s not as sparse as the later releases I loathe, it really wears thin quick, especially after an otherwise strong start. And there’s brief moments of more grungy, loud energy that I like and I think they’re very good at creating as a band, but too much of this is just fine and coasting. But again, I don’t hate it. It definitely sits on the cusp of the Radiohead I traditionally hate, but it never crosses the line. I don’t know if I’d call it particularly essential, especially in a book filled to the brim with Britpop albums, but I’ll accept it as a Radiohead I can tolerate.
Good album, brought back memories
Never was a big Radiohead guy growing up for whatever reason. Always kind of felt like the schtick was more of less "what if my emotions were a computer," like Kraftwerk kind of but somehow less endearingly goofy about the whole thing. Anyways, this is a very different Radiohead and I think one I enjoy more. Some parts of it I don't like sound like Coldplay. Some parts I do like sound like the Pixies. Giving it 3* for now, will revisit at some point, might be closer to a 4* album on the whole.
good vibes but not anything special, at least at the first listen
3.
it was fine; none of Radiohead so far has ever gotten my attention. I didn't like the way they recorded it (or maybe it's my headphones?)--sounded deliberately hissy and fuzzy to me.
As with most Radiohead, some of this is really good and some of this is mind numbingly boring.