The Bends

Probably the Radiohead album I listen to the most.

Pretty good

dobarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Great band, like them!

not more Radiohead.. this is just one dull indie tune after another, although the shitty whine vocals suit these better perhaps e.g. Bones than their try-hard wanna be avant garde later crap

Already in my rotation lately. Fake Plastic Trees has risen in my estimation over the years.

Underrated against, and overshadowed by what came after. It doesn’t miss. Exceptional intelligent 90s indie rock.

Radiohead so easily could have been a forgettable grunge band forever consigned to the early 90s. However, on their second album, they infused their music with a more consistent theme of alienation, a good amount of jazz, and a huge dose of arena rock. The result is Radiohead's first great leap forward, The Bends. This was the first Radiohead album to resonate with me. From the frenetic back and forth of 'Just' to the beautiful and haunting 'Fake Plastic Trees' to the driving closer 'Fade Out (Street Spirit),' this album virtually rewrote what rock music could be. This album would be the apex of most band's careers, but for Radiohead, it is only the first stepping stone to something greater.

PREFS : Planet Telex, The Bends, High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, (Nice Dream), Just, My Iron Lung, Sulk, Street Spirit (Fade Out) MOINS PREF : Bulletproof... I Wish I Was

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.

Classic

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

radiohead é estranho. muita gente põem eles como os melhores artistas de todos os tempos, ok computer, kid a e rainbows tão sempre nas listas de melhores albums. eu não vejo o motivo. enquanto eu aprecio algumas coisas de ok computer e desse album mesmo, high and dry, não acho que eles são nada de mais. dizem que eles pegaram o que pink floyd e bowie criaram e elevaram a outro nivel, mas eu acho que eles exageraram tornando muito eletronico e sem forma, deixando, impossivel pra alguem seguir com esse legado sem que seja uma merda ou no maximo considerado um copia deles. é tudo muito grunge e viajado, são caracteristicas que eu ate entendo porque alguem curtiria, mas eu não. high and dry, como eu ja comentei antes, é a unica musica deles que eu gosto, ela é simples melodicamente, com uma distorçãozinha de fundo e depois no solo. a letra tambem é interessante. eu podia atribuir minha nota pra esse album inteiro baseado nessa musica, eu realmente gosto dela. sobre essa capa agora. iconica eu sei, tu ve e ja sabe o que, ate porque ta escrito. mas porra que negocio estranho, parece um boneco sentindo prazer por ta sendo eletrocutado.

A rock masterpiece.

One of the best albums of all time

I do not understand all the love for Radiohead. It was a boring album. It was only about 50 minutes long and it could have benefited from ending earlier. The album remained consistent in that none of the songs were really that good. There wasn't a song that made me want to listen to it again. It was better than Kid A, but only marginally so.

Yup, still really great.

Näitä on hankala verrata keskenään YHTÄKÖ BÄNDIÄ OLEN NYT LAITTANA SINNE SUMMARY OSIOON NÄYTILLE.. albumeja piti löytää.. Noh Amnesiac underrated.. kuin pf Animals konsanaan.. Tämäkään ei ole kyllä mitenkään overhyped ja 1994 ollu jo tämmönen soundi pelissä..HUHHUHHEIJAA https://twitter.com/StokesNeuro/status/1604207608902074370?t=zqjma_S9x_X6lhos54huqg&s=19 Aluksi perinteisempää kitaran römpötystä. Huomattavasti rennompaa kuin atmosfäärisessä Amnesiacissa... Sitä on tultu ku aurinkolomalle ku tätä kuuntelee...

I thought I'd already had this, but I think I've actually just comfort listened to it a fair bit in the last year or so. A perfect pop rock album. Probably responsible for a lot of bad stuff (Keane, Coldplay, all other gentle pop rock bands) all of which miss the sneer, beauty, and sheer musicianship of the original. Best track - everything but Black Star.

Jour 1 - Je connais plutôt bien cet album, il est trop bien, mon préféré de Radiohead. Mes tracks préférées : toutes, mais surtout Just, Street Spirit, The bends, Fake Plastic trees.

Second album in and Radiohead proved they could write perfect songs at this point. It allowed them to experiment significantly afterward. My personal Radiohead chronology mashes together. I know that when Kid A came out I was totally ready for it and it blew my mind. The Bends and OK Computer were 5 and 3 years old by then, I knew them both well, but I don’t recall exactly when I absorbed them. All that is to say my first impression of The Bends didn’t knock my sock off. It grew on me gradually, but I love these songs today. Radiohead made albums that hung together so well at this time. The Bends is the first example of this, in my opinion. I can listen to this anytime, any day, any mood. Easily a 5 for me.

A classic! Cried in the shower listening to fake plastic trees 😂 Sulk and Bones still two of my stand out tracks. Listen more than once today 👍🏼

Easy listening, timeless lyrics

Rock alternativo. Ni fu ni fa.

This is still my favourite album by the band. Killer anthems, with a hint of their progressive leanings. There are other albums of theirs that I enjoy, but this is always most likely to get another listen.

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.

Прослушано! Неплохой альбом, но не более. Вау эффект отсутствует.

4.25

One of the cornerstones of 90s alt rock. Simply fantastic

Fanbases ruin music

daha iyi albumleri var

This was much more melodic than I had expected.

Much more innocent sound that much of discography. Very acoustic with matching Yorke vocals that are weirdly intelligible and soothing.

Never been a big Radiohead listener but i'm gonna listen to this album again!

Radiohead mag ich eigentlich, aber beim auf und ab das The Bends für mich ist, überwiegt das ab doch ein bisschen zu sehr.

a masterpiece - they were so terrified by what they achieved they’ve spent the rest of their careers running away from it

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

первый раз нормально присела за радиохед, надо слушать ещё

3.5

Glad we got to listen to this. I had written it off previously, thinking Fake Plastic Trees was the only song worth listening to on the album. This is tremendous. One can hear Radiohead moving toward what they would become on later works.

Never forget when Tay told a waiter that people who said Kid A is their favorite Radiohead album were trying too hard to be cool

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

God Damn Boring

Almost faultless, love it.

Better every listen! STILL!

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

Really love Fake Plastic Trees

Great album RIP Tom York

I get why people like Radiohead

Sometime around Kid A, Radiohead and I ‘went on a break’. I was an early devotee, buying Pablo Honey when most people were just deciphering Creep. But I loved them from the start. This being their second album, I was still enamoured. These are great songs, beautifully written and crafted. And if you revisit the videos, they were so clever. Like an old friend who was challenging but had a good heart, it’s nice to bump into them every now and then but still slightly draining.

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

Kokonaisuutena hyvä. Tasapaksua mutta tasalaatuista. Nuoruuden into kuuluu, ei liian siloteltua tai leffamusiikkia (vrt. Thom Yorken soolot). Ei herätä intohimoja, toimii aamumusiikkina.

Parempi pitää kuuntelijat uneliaina - muuten he saattaisivat kysyä liikaa kysymyksiä.

banger

A masterpiece

Their best work in my opinion.

Radiohead är jävligt bra, inte deras bästa dock.

I had this one on a few weeks ago and completely forgot Street Spirit was the cap to the record. I get people like OK Computer, but how do they not rank this just as high? This is likely my favourite Radiohead album. Definitely my most played. I think about this album cover image all the time.

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.

Enjoyed

I’ve listened to this album so many times but am still excited to listen to it. Still not my favorite Radiohead album but top 3. 4.5/5

decent decent, least favorite radiohead

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

Loved it when it came out!!

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

A classic. Listened too many times to objectively describe.

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.

So many strong songs how how Radiohead was the best rock band before coming the best band, period. Three classics  – "High and Dry," "Fake Plastic Trees" and "Black Star" – plus several other plus-plus tunes. There's a case to be made that this is their best album, but the case is obviously complicated by how many other great ones there are. Only legit beef is that first side is better than last.

Listens: 1 Enjoyed: No I try to give each album at least two listens but this type of sad goth rock just isn't for me

4.7 + Another album I grew up on that I can sing the whole way through. So many dizzying highs - the final chorus and comedown on "Planet Telex", the dramatic build on "Fake Plastic Trees", the jagged bridge on "(Nice Dream)", the haunting vocal harmonies on "Street Spirit (Fade Out)." Johnny Greenwood is the real MVP on here with some stratospheric guitar work, particularly during the solo on "Just." This album was a true clapback to the naysayers who wrote off Radiohead as a one-hit-wonder (myself included).

A hidden broadsheet of songs that are a must

I love 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.

Radiohead - the act of giving a blowjob while humming a song as illustrated by a recipient of "radiohead" on the cover. Radiohead - a band which makes dreary music for millions of pretentious, humorless college kids, who think discovering this band somehow elevates their music tastes above the rest. The latter are unlikely to experience the former. Jokes aside, My Iron Lung was a good song. The rest? The way the singer moans he might as well have a dick in his mouth.

I'd heard of Radiohead, i had never heard Radiohead. Because I'd heard of Radiohead, I assumed Radiohead was good, great, awesome even. Radiohead - Bends isnt any of those, to me. It tried to captivate me with good intruments and mix but as soon as the vocals hit, no, abhor, I strongly disliked the monotony, singing like an edgar alan poe poem without the drugs to make it clear. It's a 2.5 for me. (Marking as 2 as I would navigate lower than higher on the scale)

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

Bomb

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!

The opening measures of "Planet Telex,", with the bass drum keeping time with the guitar (keys?) delay is super cool. It's been a while since I've listened to this — easy to get caught up in the bounty of material that came after that somehow seems more "important" because it's so innovative and strange, but god damn, the first three songs are so great, and then comes "Fake Plastic Trees" which is immensely beautiful and depressing and dystopian — you feel pain for for the poor girl he's singing about and then about the dude singing. It's a haunting masterpiece of a song. And the performance, especially the vocal performance, is so moving. The melody and delivery give the lyrics a whole other level of weight and meaning. It's really really good. Up to song #8, "My Iron Lung," and there hasn't been a sour note on the album. Yorke and company manage to create an eerie sonic landscape that is at once totally cohesive and unmistakably them, but the album never gets repetitive — the songwriting is just excellent. It's something of a marvel. And this, their second album ... wow. (And not to dis Weezer, but as I was listening to this for the third time on Spotify, a Weezer track came on after, "I'm Tired of Sex," and it was like... "what form of art is this?" It didn't even sound like the same medium.) I'm way less familiar with Pablo Honey, but I can confidently say this is a quantum leap forward in terms of using the tools at hand to create music. At the risk of undervaluing the "5-star" rating — I feel like I've been throwing them out (I would like to revise my "Truth" rating to a 4, please) — this is as close to a flawless album as it gets.

My 3-star review has nothing to do with the quality of the music. It's all great, well-crafted and -performed. I'm just not into it anymore. Twenty years ago, this was a 5-star album for me. These days, not so much. I think Thom's voice just wears me down. But they'll be OK without my support.

Can anyone listen to High and Dry and not start singing? I didn't cop on to this album in 1995 but once I did, I just couldn't get enough. I still can't. Please come back to us, boys! This is a 10.

Phenomenal album that still has a fairly straightforward rock sound, but provides glimpses of the band that Radiohead would become. Street Spirit (Fade Out) is an all-time great album closer. 5/5

This one did a decent job at painting a picture of where the band was at when recording; Lost, listless, anxious and angsty. It does this by taking the common vibes of their genre peers and stretching the sound out, adding odd spacey distortion and a haunted, wailing affect. I'm hearing Nirvana in this, Smashing Pumpkins, even a little Alice in Chains- but tweaked enough to be unique. That is to say, it finds an unused sound amongst a well-read genre. If only I liked it. That unused sound they found is basically what happens when you take their influences, mix them all up, and turn the dials way down. I found myself saying "Oh this sounds like a toothless [X]," or the "budget [Y]". I even caught myself thinking that future acts like Muse came around, took this very sound, and made it so much more complete than what's on offer here. Bit of a shame. In the shadows of all of its contemporaries, and given the band's desire to portray their own internal homelessness at the time, I can't help but call this a pyrrhic victory. It sounds like it belongs within a familiar neighborhood, but fails to establish a distinct home for itself. Highlights: Just, My Iron Lung, Street Spirit Lowlights: Fake Plastic Tree, High and Dry, Nice Dream.

My iron lung was the highlight, otherwise very good.

Radiohead yes

good rock music, but kind of boring for a Radiohead album.

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

I mean it's ok, Radiohead are the equivalent of Matt Le Tisser. Highlights are incredible and will be all time classics played for years. While the majority is beyond mediocre. This album is mostly mediocre.

Idk man I’m really liking Radiohead

absolutely amazing. alternative rock at its best, incredible album 10/10

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.

Really one of the best albums and probably Radiohead’s most accessible album. I feel like after this they were like “we’ve made the perfect rock record so what now? Let’s get weird and innovative and reinvent ourselves with every album.” Every guitar solo is really distinct and is really special. I’ve listened to this album a bunch and each time I appreciate more each little nuance in all of Thom Yorke’s vocals. Every part is great, the songs are amazing, and this album has a lot of my favorite Radiohead melodies too.

Wow, what a great album. Probably my fav radiohead album. Feels a little more like rock n roll than their other stuff, but still uses dynamics well. So many cool details and nuances in all these songs, down to every little guitar effect and layer By far my fav album on this list so far

Oh hell yeah. This is my favorite Radiohead album. I also think it would be one of the 5 albums I bring with me on a desert island. Thom Yorke's singing has always reminded me of a shy, broken man singing. It sounds like an introvert was singing. His lyrics are so simple and I always think there is so much power in that. Because single lines can resonate with anyone. The songs are about nothing and everything all at once. The band uses space and dynamics in a way that I believe can't be compared to another band. I also think it's one of the best-mixed albums I've ever heard. Top 3 favorite songs: There isn't one bad song on this so here are my three favorites. Fake Plastic Trees- the verse lyrics don't even make total sense to me but the chorus is so beautiful. THEN when the band comes in hard after the second chorus...the build-up...makes the song so heartbreaking. Just- The lyrics in this song are SO GREAT. I never know if he's talking about himself or someone else...and I love that. I have to write a song like that. The different guitar noises are so cool. Bullet Proof...I Wish I Was- This hurts my heart every time I listen to it. Maybe one of the best break-up songs ever written. Favorite Lyrics: "You broke another mirror. You're turning into something you are not." - High and Dry “She says she’d love to come help but the sea would electrocute us all.”- (Nice Dream) “Can’t get the stink off. He’s been hanging ‘round for days” - Just “You are so pretty when you’re on your knees. Disinfected and eager to please” - Sulk Honorable Mentions: - The guitar at the end of The Bends - The change of feel in My Iron Lung

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.

The only song that really jumped out at me was the last track, Street Spirit (fade out), thought it was a decent album overall. Probably a solid 6/10.

This album and OK Computer would be on my best list

Radiohead at their bandiest, the harder rock less noticeable. This is either generous or less than charitable.

3/5

Amazing, loved it.

too sad

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

Was already familiar with this album but hadn't listened to it for years (decades) muscular guitars, fantastic lyrics and some huge hits.

Peak crunchy guitar Radiohead

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

Radiohead start to shake off the 90s grunge/alternative with this one. It's not bad, has a few duds, but for some bands, this might be a peak. For Radiohead, this is only the beginning. Favorite tracks: "High and Dry", "Fake Plastic Trees", "Just"

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.

Very 90's. Some good vocals and guitar work

Fantastic album.

Not my favorite Radiohead album

I haven’t this album enough attention in my life!

Probably makes my top 3 or 4 for Radiohead albums

Great spunds all around

Herregud så bra album. Allerede etter 4 låter har det utvist en vanvittig variasjon, et tidstypisk lydbilde og vakre melodier. Tekstene tilhører unge, våkne, voksne i en tyngende verden.

shattering

Este disco es un viaje de emociones, lo era en los 90's y lo sigue siendo.

Just radiohead

doet me denken aan hoe ik dacht dat stubru in de jaren negentig was. Het is niet mijn ding.

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

trop bon RadioHead, je n'avais jamais osé aller dans les autres album que OK computer et Kid A. Ahhh comme j'avais tort. Tellement malade cet album 5

This album is probably the best from Radiohead. I didn't have it when it came out.. they overplayed "high and dry" on the radio so I'm not fond of that one. I picked this up around the time OK Computer came out, which is another great album. Some of my favorite tracks are Fake Plastic Trees, Nice Dream, Bulletproof I wish I was, and Street Sprirt ( Fade Out).

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.

melodico demais

Never quite sure about these. Depends on my mood.

Easy 5. The least popular song on the album (according to Spotify play counts) is Bones, which I still love. Every song on this album is familiar and fun to listen to, for me. Highlights from this listen through: High and Dry, Black Star, Planet Telex

Not a single filler song. "The Bends" and "Fake Plastic Trees" give chills.

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.

Not bad, interesting mix; could be good background music

5/10 wouldn’t listen to again

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.

Awesome!

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

Just about as perfect as it gets.

listened to again it's just so good and still before their biggest albums

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: High and dry, Fake plastic trees, My iron lung, Bulletproof…wish I was, Black star

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.

Radiohead be like sad album

It's Radiohead, of course its amazing

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.

One of the reviewers said that the song, "High & Dry" was the basis for the Coldplay sound. Regretfully, once I read that I could hear Coldplay in that song as well as the other mega-played song, Plastic Trees. As for the rest of the album I like the guitars and the heavy/soft back-and-forth, which works well with Thom Yorke's voice (like in Just). Fade Out is a strong closing tune. Between 3 and 4 for me. My second favorite Radiohead album so far.

Fake Plastic Trees and High and Dry are excellent and the other songs rock out pretty good. However I prefer later Radiohead which is more experimental but this, their second album is still a strong effort that hints of greater things to come.

One of my all time favorites, still great almost 30 years later.

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.

This is pure nostalgia for me. First year of uni, plenty of time to listen to music. As much as I love Pablo Honey, this album just lifted their music to another level. So many good songs on here and mountains of atmosphere. Highlights: Just, Street Spirit, High and Dry.

Banger

Good album but OK Computer and Kid A. are so brilliant that for Radiohead standard a 3

OK, OK, OK, look: some of their stuff is really great, some of it is unlistenable. This is a good mix of those two extremes.

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.

Me recuerda a Pico y la casa de los Richies, para oír en las bose, te amo Pris

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 feel like the music is building a shell around me to protect me from a fake, broken world and all its fake, broken people. Except that I’m inside the shell, and I am also of the world, crippled and searching in vain for Neverland.

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

You could tell this was the start of their transition. There were some good songs and some ok songs.

same old soup

It was good but still not a big fan.

Fantastic Album. Still guitar-driven, has some elements of Brit Pop, but definitely dipping their toes into more experimental stuff that lead to "Ok Computer" – specifically "My Iron Lung". Favorite tracks – "Planet Telex", "The Bends", "Just".

Was ok. Just was not feeling it today for this album

Never liked them, and I still don't now.

If I could be who you wanted...all the time...

La primera obra mestra de la banda. 'Ok Computer', el que va suposar i el que va venir després, han posat ombra sobre els dos discos anteriors de Radiohead. 'Pablo Honey' era el treball d'una banda trobant el seu so i massa esclava encara de les seves influències. Però 'The Beds' és extraordinari. Un disc essencial del rock alternatiu dels '90, més accessible que l'obra posterior, però a la mateixa alçada artística

Vous vous rappelez sûrement très bien que mon camarade d'écoute et odieux personnage eltrapeze s'était attaqué à moi directement lors de sa critique de l'album The Bends. Je vais profiter de cet espace pour exercer mon droit de réponse. Contrairement à ce que cet ignoble singe a laissé entendre, je n'ai pas fait d'études littéraires. À bon entendeur.

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.

Over the years I have become increasingly absorbed by Radiohead's later, more experimental works. It has been a few years since I sat down and listened to this album. The Bends overflows stadium-level grandeur infused with deep melancholy. Powerful guitars charge into deeply intimate moments. This is an incredible album. Today this is my favorite Radiohead album. Whatever song is playing is my favorite Radiohead song. Planet Telex's power guitars... Fake Plastic Trees' desperation... Bullet Proof... I Wish I Was' gentle despondence... High and Dry's plea to a friend... (Nice Dream)'s rolling rhythms... Black Star's relationship struggle... Sulk's gorgeous, swinging guitars... and Street Spirit (Fade Out)'s glorious closing, "iMMerse your soUL in LOVE." I could go on and on. Instead I'll go for another listen.

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.

A classic. Radiohead have traded off the goodwill of The Bends and OK Computer ever since releasing album after album that got progressively weirder and less listenable.....but their live shows would still sell out because when they stick to the basics, no one else can do it like they can.

As luck would have it, I've just listened to 4 hours of the 'What is Music...' podcast about The Bends. This has provided an interesting and amusing track-by-track review from three different musical perspectives and a deep dive into the themes and context of the album. That podcast scored The Bends as 27/30, making it their highest ranked record so far. Despite therefore being familiar with the album's acclaim and the reasons it is regarded by many as a masterpiece, it still leaves me cold. Whilst I can appreciate this as a technically excellent collection of very good songs, I just can't get into it or make it resonate with me at all. I guess I'm just not predisposed to feel like Thom York felt in 1994. That's probably a good thing. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Street Spirit (Fade Out) Date listened: 16/06/22

"Creep" saved Radiohead. This single came from a half-baked album, *Pablo Honey*, clumsily mixing britpop with some more "American" influences. But "Creep" was a hit and showed Radiohead they had it in them to make a record for the ages. And since the Oxford quintet was not afraid to take a long, hard look at what they had just done with their first LP (a mindset they would mostly keep for their whole career, up until today), they knew what needed to be done. A perfect balance between self-confidence and self-criticism was the key. And it opened a door that led to one of the most brilliant discographies ever put to tape. In the course of this discography, *The Bends* is therefore Radiohead's first masterpiece (there's been five of them by my count, but first times always have their peculiar charm, don't they?). To say it shortly, this first masterpiece was mostly remarkable in the manner it aptly mixed twisted rockers and heartwrenching ballads. Everything is stellar in it--the songwriting, the lyrics, the vocal performances, the intricate bass-and-guitar arrangements, John Leckie's clean yet no-nonsense production. Tracks segue into one another in a totally dynamic way. The dystopian atmosphere that will further be explored in *OK Computer* and *Kid A* can already be felt (but this time through generally more streamlined compositions than what would come next). And the songs, the songs... Between the intense title-track, the melancholic "High And Dry", the devastatingly beautiful "Fake Plastic Trees", the tight and angular "Just", the sinister guitar hook of the messy and sardonic "My Iron Lung", not to mention the epic and poignant closer "Fade Out", with its elegiac arpeggio and truly *haunted* chorus, there's a little bit for everyone. And yet this record still sounds cohesive and ambitious, as adventurous as it is--every britpop or US alt-rock influence being properly digested to mingle into a wide-sounding sonic landscape, every vocal intention and guitar lick serving a discourse that transcends style or genres. This here is one of those very rare albums where there's absolutely no fillers (just like *OK Computer*, actually)--each track has something unique going on for it, even the ones I didn't mention up there. I can't but envy the people who are discovering it today, 25 years or so later. And given what most reviewers are saying in this group, they are certainly not disappointed... But this is no surprise (and no alarm, to quote a later song). Just as opener "Planet Telex" states it, Radiohead are never sounding better than when they lament that "everything is broken", only to pick up those disparate pieces and shape them into a single body of work that's unique, moving and relevant. They're THE postmodernist rock band of the late nineties / early aughts. And as such, they deserve to have their seats at the table of the greatest acts ever... Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 886 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 60 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 29 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 26

Perhaps I've been too hard on Radiohead in the past. This was pretty solid, if a little too slow for me overall. Solid 3.5

I'm incapable of separating this from my nostalgia, so...I won't try. 5/5

Instant 5/5 for me. This album is so good! Brings back great memories and the songs are mostly all absolute bangers.

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.

Dang, I forgot how good this album is. Haven't listened to it in years and just played it on repeat for a while. Great stuff.

Sounds fine but a bit directionless.

I really do enjoy their first two albums, it really goes to show that even just starting out, they were really damn good but of course their best material is literally everything after from No Surprises and Exit Music for a Film, to the flawless perfection that is the whole Kid A album, to the rest of their neat electronic albums I don’t think they ever had a low point in their career despite being diverse as fuck, it’s all consistently enjoyable I think that’s why I like Swans, King Crimson, etc. Radiohead is right there with them as one of my favorite bands 10/10

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.

3/3.5

I think this is absolutely stunning. It's laden with beauty and emotion and meaning. It's even so melodic in certain parts and extremely catchy. A dreamscape kaleidoscope of sounds. However, I wouldn't be able to listen to this full album on a hangover or a sad day because that would be a bit much and I would be spiralling down v quickly. Not exactly cheery is it now.

Oh I don't know whether to give this a 3 or a 4. Its a solid 3.5 but there are too many on this that sound like U2 for me to give it a solid 4. I reckon a few years ago I would have rated higher but alas my tastes have changed. It is a bit depressing isn't it... but obviously some amazing songwriting in there.

Not much to say except it's a banger, one of Radiohead's best which some tuuuuunes on it

Their most accessible album and the gateway drug to the rest of their music, an excellent precursor to OK Computer. You can tell they wrote some of these songs with headline slots at festivals in mind, they're just great loud bangers.

Undisputed classic. The start of the journey to greatness!

Classic radio head

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've never listened to much Radiohead, so I was very interested going into this. I was not disappointed! This album felt incredibly well crafted, from the production to the music to the lyrics. The album had an overall "sound" to it, but each song stood on its own and was interesting and unique. Thom Yorke's vocals on this album are nothing short of ethereal. His lyrics are not always understandable, but I didn't care; his stylings really lend something extra to the songs, and he knows just what style(s) and vocalizations to use in a given musical scenario to take the track to the next level. I found myself waiting to hear what he was going to do from track to track. Based on what I know about 90s music, I could quickly tell upon hearing this that there was not anyone else quite like Radiohead at the time. Though I was not really aware of who Radiohead had influenced in the music world, it is incredibly obvious upon hearing this album that it was setting standards for where alt rock would go for years to come following the grunge era. Bands like Muse, The Killers, and Coldplay were clearly influenced by this album in their own works, 10+ years after this album came out. This album was a definite win for me!

Groundbreaking. Good sound

BAD

Erstes Radiohead Album, das ich bewusst angehört habe, und ehrlich gesagt, ich verstehe es einfach nicht. Das ist vielleicht »besser« als Coldplay, aber ich kann mich zwei bis drei Tage später an keinen Track erinnern, obwohl ich das Album drei mal angehört habe.

De va helt aight!

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

Inte så bra som ja minns och väldigt få låtar som faktiskt e intressanta, gilla fake plastic trees, the bends och sista sången o resten va ganska tråkigt.

I had no idea what I was getting into, as I've not really listened to much Radiohead before, but I was pleasantly surprised with this album! Planet Telex's atmosphere was an interesting introduction to this album. I don't have much to say besides that, and that it had a really fun atmosphere - loved the keyboard parts. The Bends is ok. Not a favorite track, just sort of there, reminding me of a lot of other classic rock tracks. High and Dry is another song that reminds me of stuff I'd listen to on the radio as a kid driving through Saskatchewan with my uncle. It's a nice chill song, but I don't see myself revisiting it too much after this. I love the vocals on Fake Plastic Trees. It's got some really interesting stuff happening underneath the vocals too at some points! Bones is a lot more in line with the music I find myself gravitating towards, and as such it's been my favorite so far. I'm a big fan of (Nice Dream), it's really nice and chill with good atmosphere. Which all sound like buzzwords now, but oh well. I'm pretty tired and all I know is that this song is fun and I like the guitar on it. It sounds like a dream, which I assume is the point. Just is fun, but sort of blends into the rest of the album for me? Not sure why. It might be because I'm a tad tired writing this! The funky little guitar bit around 2 minutes in is wonderful. My Iron Lung bangs harder than it has any right to and I have no idea why. It's just fantastic. Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Was has some really cool vocal moments, I love Thom Yorke's voice. Black Star is something I could see myself appreciating more at like 3AM. It's a good song, but I'm just not in love at this moment in time. I feel the same about Sulk. Maybe listening to this album in the middle of the day isn't the right time for it! Love the guitar so much on Street Spirit (Fade Out). This song is such a good closer to the album. I really love it. This and My Iron Lung are the highlights of the album for me by far.

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.

Ce n'est pas l'album de Radiohead que j'ai le plus écouté et je crois que d'avoir d'abord écouté OK Computer fait en sorte de diminuer mon engouement et mon intérêt pour cet album. C'est un album de rock alternatif où on sent bien les influences de U2 et peut-être un peu des Pixies aussi pour la combinaison guitare acoustique et guitare électrique. Un peu comme U2, Thom Yorke a une personnalité très forte, donc je peux comprendre qu'on aime ou qu'on n'aime pas. Je trouve l'album inégal. Plusieurs pièces sont un rock générique pas si intéressant. En fait la comparaison entre Muse et Radiohead vient probablement en partie du fait que les débuts de Muse ressemblaient beaucoup à cet album, sans compter que Matt Bellamy a un peu le même registre et le même style que Thom Yorke. Les pièces plus intéressantes pour moi sont Just, My Iron Lung et Street Spirit (Fade Out). À écouter, mais je ne suis pas sûr que s'il y avait eu l'évolution que le groupe a pris avec OK Computer et les albums suivants, nous parlerions encore de cet album.

Brilliant

amazing album. the one that got me first into radiohead. 5/5

masterpiece - as good or better than OK Computer. No misses on this album.

Do you have to British and of a certain age for this to really make sense? It's full of angst and relevance. Come on now kids of the 90's..."don't leave me high"

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

05/09/2022 It's nice, but I've never understood the hype and raves.

One of my most-listened-to albums of all times. Classic.

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

Best songs: High and Dry and The Bends in that order I try not to let my bias cloud my view of Radiohead, but I can't help but feel like there is a lame trying too hard dude vibe that hangs over everything Radiohead creates, and I don't think it is their fault as much as their fan base (but a little their fault). When I'm able to get past the feeling that a man who talks about coffee beans is showing me this album, I love Thom Yorke's voice and the first note in The Bends is my favorite way a song can start so 3/5

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.

90/100 the bends is a killer song that inital chord sequence in high and dry is so wet n sticky, kinda ironic actually. (nice dream) is such a good name for a song just- you do it to yourselfffff i love this song cus i do do it to myself. my iron lung-were losing it, cant u tell? what a nice melodyyyy. This is a great album I love the rock chords it does this very well. 90s rock done perfectly,. But its also interesting how this is before you can hear that very specific radiohead style, but still a great album. Its catchy and moody and melodic and cohesive. just very pretty emo shit. I see myself listening to this while walking through a city by myself. I really do enjoy!

Not in my top 3 Radiohead albums but still fantastic. With relatively simple instrumentation compared to later works, Thom steals the show.

An immense, powerful classic!

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.

Dreary, meat and potatoes rock music. Liked it but didn't love it as a 16/17 year old but as a man turning 30 in 6 weeks, I wanted to skip most songs. Dated britpop guitar tones, awful whiney vocals ripped off by the likes of Muse, Travis and Coldplay. Gets a 2/5 for not being terrible but I never want to listen to this again. Best songs: Street Spirit... The rest is pretty forgettable.

One of the first alt-rock albums in a long time I’ve listened top to bottom. It’s great if you’re feeling a bit under the weather.

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. 

Kinda boring, nice chord progressions, good singing.

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.

Great, never listened to them, can see why they are popular.

About as straightforward as Radiohead ever got and it’s very good indeed- the boys sure can play and make excellent rock tracks. The production is extraordinarily good; the blend is great- the guitars sound almost like a Co vocalist alongside Yorker’s impulsive yelps and screams. There are hints throughout of the experimentation that was to follow. Here the building blocks.

While it doesn't fall within my personal taste for music consumption, it was still a good listen and you can hear and appreciate the influence that Radiohead had over 90s and 2000s music. I especially enjoyed High and Dry, but the rest kind of blends together as too "mopey" for me but good music regardless

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?

A nearly perfect album. One great song after another. The guitar playing throughout is amazing and that includes some of the best accoustic guitar strumming anywhere. This was my introduction to Radiohead and it remains my favorite. OK Computer and Kid A are more ambitious and perhaps greater accomplishments, but for me this is where Radiohead hit their sweet spot 5 🌟

I hope this album got love for its guitar sound. Couple of tracks are dull. But otherwise, wow.

Absolute classic - with an arc in the middle that is simply peerless

Radiohead escaped me at the time - there's some nice tunes on this though!

Thom sounds very sad here that Nirvana are no more. I didn’t realise at the time just how influenced early Radiohead were by the US Grunge wave. A style that passed me by at the time, and still leaves me cold now. I am not a fan of Thom’s whiny voice, and the heavy rock feel of a lot of this doesn’t do it for me. A couple of okay tunes, but they could have used a bit more subtlety in their execution.

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.

This is maybe the 4th or 5th best Radiohead album and it’s still perfect. That’s how great they are.

I had never heard the whole album- I see why so many of my friends had it

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!

Are Radiohead and overrated band? Absolutely. Is the Bends still a decent album? Definitely. I never got that into Radiohead in any large way. I have always found too aloof, too pretentious to form any real connection to the band. That said there are some fantastic songs on here, especially Just and Fake Plastic Trees. There are a few clunkers where the band just want to showcase whatever it is they try to showcase.

Mixed. 3.5.

best radiohead album

It’s crazy to listen to this knowing what’s about to come

Thom Yorke might talk a load of bollocks these days but this album is absolutely fucking fire. So many good tracks. Amazing. Enjoyed this one.

Очень люблю радиохед, рада переслушать этот альбом. 10/10

Absolute classic!

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.

I love a good excuse to listen to this album. A respite from the mediocre crap that plagues the rest of this list. Favourites: Planet Telex, High and Dry, Just, My Iron Lung, and, of course, Street Spirit.

Let' get this out of the way: I am an unabashed Radiohead fanboy. So it might not come as a surprise that I'm giving their first classic album a perfect score. But the truth is, how was I supposed to give it a lower score with songs like Fake Plastic Trees and Street Spirit?

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.

Alternative rock at its best. Strong and catchy songwriting. I love Radiohead. Bye.

Very unique... beautiful vocals and amazing lyrics

One of the best alternative albums of all time.

Non male, ritrovo molti dei suoni tipici degli anni '90. Ah certo 'High & Dry', famosissima. Non avendoli mai ascoltati, mi aspettavo un sound più rock e sicuramente più grunge. Anche 'Just' molto interessante, in generale un ascolto piacevole.

The Bends is the second album from the rock band Radiohead. The band tried to capitalize on the success of their first album - which included the hit single "Creep" - by moving away from grunge and towards Britpop. This change allowed Radiohead to elevate to one of the most recognized British bands, instead of only being a one-hit-wonder. As a result, this album has been certified platinum in the US and UK, and is regarded as one of the biggest influencers for post-Britpop bands. However, Radiohead members recall a crazy amount of pressure put on them by fans and producers to deliver something even better than "Creep" and their first album. The reception of this album was mixed at first, especially in the US, but over time it has become clear that Radiohead found their footing with this album and established themselves as a premier British rock band. The move from heavier, rocking, grunge music to more spacey and odd sounding ballads - with the same level of guitar playing - was what made this album and the band so successful. As said before, this album inspired many rock bands of the current century. For this reason, this album deserves a spot on this list.

Radiohead - The Bends (1995) Just Put a little pressure on a string down or up in a way to make that note go higher, that's a bend. Welcome to another place where you are the instrument and all of the notes will sound like bends across your whole body, each feeling better than the previous one highly and softly, when even the pain you can control by the gain you receive. But the release is the way back home, they just don't want you to know that so soon in your journey when we all know that the path is greater than the arrival at the finish line or the next station. Hitch the gear up, let the pedal loose and grip the gas out of your tank, racing with your fears, tearing up your ears, as in a radio station your head is way too much tall than you can hardly believe in your own eyes. A

A band that gets better as they age. This is a classic

My first introduction to Radiohead, and I have to say, it sadly didn't leave a lasting impression. Solid rock music, but nothing stand-out for me.

Damn this was good.

Well, that's ... that's something. Definitely not as good as their later work. This one feels like a band still trying to figure out who the heck they are and what they should sound like. The result is an album that comes across rough and unfinished while still, somehow, being just SO pretentious.

Good listen

Mind-bending. I could spend some time writing more about this album, but I rather listen to it again instead. It's R.E.M., I mean, what else can I say?

Not bad but sad for me

-"Bones" gets into a nice jam -"My Iron Lung" has some cool distortion -"Black Star" and "The Bends" got decently heavy -I know this album is mega popular but I just didn't really see it. Bits and pieces were cool, but in-between was just not crazy interesting. I liked the album more than "Kid A" by them, but this really didn't blow me away

Realy nice, a mood

Great production and mixing, I enjoy the guitar work a lot. But I can’t get into any of the songs as they feel too similar and slow. The album does not provide me a reason to see how they are so successful and inspiring.

Great album that isn't fronted by big hits but rather convinces with a high quality throughout the whole album. Loved the sound

3.5

Only okay. Good background music and enjoyed the instrumental parts quite a lot.

Slower than I expected, no song really stood out. Still a pretty easy listen 3/5

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