The Bends

Brilliant record from a band about to go on a generational run.

Hit me harder than usual this time. Made me realize that this album has always subtly grown on me with each listen. Several of their best songs are on here, imo!

I mean come on.... One of the most influential Alt Rock records if you ask me. Listening to it again, there really seems to be so much ingenuity here and elements that you see ALL THE TIME today in our rock resurgence. Outstanding record just not a SINGLE skip

I like Radiohead but this album is not my favorite. It’s good don’t get me wrong, but I prefer OK Computer.

Two things can be true at once. 1. This album is as good as I remember. A fantastic prelude to OK Computer, no skips gem. 2. Israel is an ethnosettler state committing genocide in Palestine. At least 2 members of this band are publicly on board with this.

Really great album. Probably the third best Radiohead album. I knew a lot of these songs already this listen, but hadn't listened to the full thing. There are so many extra great ones. Readiohead likes to be 'thematic' with their albums; the songs in them sound like they belong together. Not sure if it's on purpose, it's likely just their style evolving. But they always do a great of exploring that theme/style, keeping the track list fresh. I think that's because the quality is just so high, the melodies are catchy and interesting, and the guitar, man, like it's so good. I would prefer a little bit more variety... Anyway, I'll certainly be listening again, for sure!

Pros: - songs like “High And Dry” are a reminder of the decade and dated sounds in which this album came from and ultimately surpassed - this album is good context for how big of a leap their next album Ok Computer really was - nothing on here is bad (some might even call it tasteful) - elite album cover Cons: - the discourse and dialogue hyping up radiohead makes it hard to match such a heightened level of enthusiasm for a record thats so downtrodden and grey in nature - this music does not at all line up with the way I process sad or negative emotions 3/5 I’m more of an in rainbows guy myself

Quite low ranked on a list of my favourite Radiohead albums, but still glorious. Half the of the tunes are classics, Fake Plastics Trees is one of the best songs of all time and all the others are all bloody good.

Yey 90s Radiohead my favourite Radiohead Bends, High and Dry and Fake Plastic Trees in a row 💥 It's got a great feeling to this brilliant his vocals are brilliant I can't fault it Greenwood guitar just marrys up to Yorkes harrowing vocals

good album, its Radiohead, not the kind of music I listen to regularly, but the band is incredible, the guitar, bass, drums, and the singer has a unique way of singing and it fits the songs perfectly in my opinion. favorite songs: the bends, nice dream, and the closing track God that closing track is good!!!

Has a much more prog rock feel than the Hail to the Thief album that appeared on my list only yesterday! 4

Lovely little classic

I started this with a resigned sense of not having liked any other Radiohead album. First song i felt set a different, less whiney tone than other albums so it bode well. There is a bit of a harder grungy edge to this. Dont mind it. Less coldplay more swervedriver (nirvana?) make Radiohead bearble band.

Stark 4 på den här, blev så glad när det stod att jag skulle lyssna på denna! Mina favoriter är Fake Plastic Trees och Black Star.

A solid album but nothing that blew me away.

6/10

I'm a bigger fan of Radiohead when you get into the Kid A era and beyond, but this is just as good as Radiohead can be. I guess I'm not that much of a super fan of them.

The Bends is unique among Radiohead albums in that the reason it succeeds is that it's a great pop album. The band would push themselves into weirder and sometimes better things, but none of their albums is as easy and pleasing of a listen as this one. "High and Dry" is the best example, with its light emotional verses and big choruses, not to mention the guitar solo during the bridge. "Fake Plastic Trees" boasts some of Thom Yorke's best vocals and another great climax. The title track and many of the other songs are pretty straightforward alt rock, but the band achieves a mix of accessibility and sharp guitar tones that few others have. Some of the tracks near the end are a bit less interesting, but none of them are bad. And it ends on a song that foreshadows the darkness of their albums to come. Not the band's best album, but their most immediately enjoyable.

Not the strongest Radiohead but some all timers

joa, ok

Man, the older I get, the more I love Radiohead. High and Dry is just an all-timer; and I think I’ve said this in a previous review but I just love the contrast between York’s voice and the sonic quality of the songs. It creates this inbetween that really brings the lyrical content to life and feels like a sucker punch to the heart.

Loved this! If not my favourite Radiohead album then definitely my favourite of the ones we've had on the list so far (as an aside, anyone else surprised they can do 6 shows at Afterpay Arena next year?? I know they're very successful but that's a lot). I guess this is one of the more straight-forward and conventional Radiohead albums, at least before all of their more experimental stuff in the late 90s and early 2000s, and I can see how this could be lumped in with some of the Britpop stuff of the time, in a way that I haven't really thought of Radiohead being at all similar before. The Bends (the song) could have passed for Oasis at times, and I loved that falsetto plus rockiness of Bones. Also my equal favourite Radiohead song (alongside Idioteque) is High and Dry, and it sounds incredible as a centrepiece of this album. It has a great build (okay as I write this I can also see how Yellow-esque Coldplay could also be very inspired by that song). Anyway great album

Might be the best album on here. Absolute masterpiece and sounds as good now as it did 30 years ago, possibly better.

Already knew a number of the hits but really appreciate this album front to back

Like many others, my Radiohead story began with The Bends. An album that shines with excitement, freshness and creativity to this day. With the semi electronic Planet Telex, that kinda predicts the band's future sound. The huge, cool, almost funky rock n roll of the bends. A top Radiohead song. The ballads here, while having kind of a "normal" sound are also beautiful. Very beautiful. High and Dry and Fake plastic Trees one after the other are a sign of a band that can write some badass songs, and often. The album continues and moves between the banging bones sulk and just, the moving nice dream and bullet proof. Reaching it's peak on the closer, street spirit. A signature Radiohead song for me. Almost Beatlesy, but totally 90's and unique. What and incredible album. Beginning a historic run for this one of a kind band. Love. Must be a 5

Superb, the first Radiohead album where they discovered their sound.

This album and ‘Ok Computer’ are why I love Radiohead.

5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background

A fine album. A lot of the hits hold up and plenty of the songs are great they just don't comp to the rest of their career. I will say it is very bold for them to name the album not just after the worst track on the record but one of the worst songs I've ever heard

You can really hear the evolution from Pablo Honey to this one

Another incredible album from one of my all time favourite bands. Black Star and My Iron Lung headlined many of my high school playlists and absolutely still slap.

Bangerhead

all this radio but no head

2 AM - while doing usage pattern consolidation, couldn't have done it without this - there are some really good slow ones buried in this album

Now, Radiohead is a top 10 band for me, maybe even top 5 tbh. And their sophomore album has some gems that will forever be cemented in my mind & heart (“Fake Plastic Trees”, “High and Dry”). Plus, this is the first time I’ve heard the eponymous song. I understand why it lent its name to the album—it’s really good, different from what I expect from them. However, I’m not going to let my love for them sway my opinion of the album. I’m judging fairly! 4 songs in and I genuinely like the diversity. It seems Radiohead was really playing with their sound here. I like that the past 4 songs have all had different vibes; it’s refreshing to hear diversity throughout an album that still somehow feels cohesive. I also didn’t know that High and Dry is followed immediately by FPT. It feels like you’re pleading for a lover to stay and then cut to you reminiscing years down the line and comparing what you once had… what you could have had still. Oooooh then the 5th song (“Bones”) has a nice strong baseline and a deeper, more contained sound. Oh wow then 6th “(Nice Dream)” is that bouncy, airy, feeling that I recognise from radiohead. But then it also has peaks and valleys and transforms and mutates throughout. That screeching guitar in the middle was cool. 8 (“My Iron Lung”) in and this one has a section of screaming from Tom Yorke that I did not expect but thoroughly enjoyed. Okay, and we slow it down for 9 (“Bulletproof… I Wish I Was”). This one feels like I’m floating on waves slowly hitting the shore and then retreating. There is a long note that Tom does here that I really, really enjoy. He teeters the line between full control and fully surrendering to the music. It’s really fascinating. I also feel like this song could easily be covered in a different style, like the chorus has the foundation for a banging pop song, if sped up a little. I replayed it three times, and I could listen to this on repeat for the rest of the day. Also these lyrics are really melancholic and deeply moving. This song has replaced High & Dry as my second most favourite song from this album. Really moving. Oooooooh “Black Star” is also v cool. I like how the two songs fade into each other but are still so different. OMG I’m really on a journey rn. “Sulk” is also really really good. WOW the last song (“Street Spirit (Fade Out)”) is like nothing on this album. Phenomenal. Guitar is F.I.R.E. This was a 5/5 album for me. They really popped off with this one. It took me on a journey. I love when music makes you really feel, and boy did I feel. I fully understand why it’s been included on numerous lists as one of the best albums of all time.

meh

I’m having a hard time rating this one. Maybe a 3.5 would be appropriate? I like the themes and the lyrics. I like Just and My Iron Lung. I just was kind of bored the whole time, even though I felt like I should’ve been more into it. Idk, can’t explain it. I like the sounds and the ideas but combined in practice they didn’t do it for me.

What an amazing album. Radiohead is pure genius. I already listened to the album on my own before but was totally worth the listen again.

Phenomenal all through out. Favourite Track(s): (Nice Dreams) Least Favourite Track(s): Bullet Proof... I Wish I Was

Full disclosure: I do not like Radiohead! I have always found them pretentious, and Thom Yorke particularly so. There were so many other bands in the wider alternative scene that I preferred "back in the day". However, I decided to use this opportunity to try again with an open mind. I listened to the full album start to finish. By the end, my opinion was unchanged 🤷. I know they are an iconic band, and have influenced many artists that followed, but I still can't get behind the seemingly put on alt rock / grunge vibe. They still just sound forced and pretentious to me, just like they did over 30 years ago. Yeah...

Not an OK Computer or In Rainbows which are my top Radiohead albums, but lots of jams on this one and still really easy to listen through. Fav three are high and dry, Just, and my iron lung.

I loved this when it came out, and still do now, not as self indulgent as later albums, but excellent arrangements and a nice mix of emotions that blend each track into the next. A solid 4

A classic. Fake Plastic Trees isn't the only great song here, the album is good from beginning to end.

I was dreading when this moment came, and was surprised, it's nothing, absolutely boring, nothing memorable.

Easy 5 stars - any album with Fake Plastic Trees would be, but every other song on here is near perfect.

Jamais écouté avant. Top : My Iron Lung Flop : Bulletproof... I Wish I Was

cool

Tense, melancholic and ploddy Indie Rock feeling like walking down a long, grey road where every step takes more effort than it should. The guitars have weight but rarely feel like they are really carrying me forward; instead, they drag along with a slow, plodding momentum. Thom Yorke’s voice adds to that feeling, sounding distant and strained rather than energetic. I keep moving with the album, but it often feels more like trudging than being taken somewhere.

HOLY FLIPPING PEAK. definitely in my top 10

To me it's just another Radiohead album. Yes, it's good, of course it's very good, but this particular one does not move me that much compared to, say, Hell to the Thief - beyond the songs I have loved since my school years - Fake Plastic Trees and Just. Those two are truly amazing - to me.

The first great Radiohead album, but certainly not the last. Favorite track: Fake Plastic Trees

An album where even the weaker tracks don’t feel weak although everybody knows they are. It’s just the good tracks are sooo good. Yes there’s some whiny vocals, yes there’s some wailing. But it’s an absolutely solid alternative indie record. The guitar sounds great and the lyrics are superb. And listening today it could have been released this week and it would still feel fresh and relevant. Best track- my personal favourite is ‘fake plastic trees’ although it’s a tough one to pick as so many could have been picked. Worst track- for me ‘bones’ is one I would have lost if I had to. 9.5/10 .5 lost for the whining, apart from that perfect!

Radiohead - The Bends Weird. Starts with such a double whammy of generic whiny guitarboy meh. First two tracks such a week start to an album. But then we start to get glimpses of the direction they'd head off into next. High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, and Just all demonstrate a need to break away from the norm. But there is more big-standard filler packed in around it all. Before we get to the highlight of the album, which stands head and shoulders above e everything before it. The closer Street Spirit (Fade Out). Truly beautiful vocal from Thom, a tale of a man stretched gossamer thin, sick and tired of the machinations of a capitalist existence. We all feel that. Well those of us who go to work, strive endlessly, do. Fucking hell this song gets to me. Really hard to score cos two thirds of this album is totally forgettable. But then there's the rest.... 8/10

Guitar Radiohead is the best Radiohead Somehow this sounds both of its time and also timeless

High and Dry is a perfect song

Je crois que celui-ci je l’aimais un peu moins. Peut-être le premier Radiohead sur coté de la liste ?? Les 2 premières sont incroyables comme à l’accoutumée, et tout le reste aussi, c’est ébahissant. Très fort et très doux, assez sobre aussi ce qui peut expliquer que j’ai pas adoré à l’époque sans doute Et une magnifique chanson de fin 8,5/10

I really enjoyed this. Fake Plastic Trees is just so good man.

Gubberock på sitt aller beste!

Pretty good. Will listen again.

No habia escuchado con atención este cd. de Radiohead. Es mucho más guitarrero que los posteriores que me gustan más. Merece la pena.

I'd forgotten how many bangers are actually on this. Radiohead's taking their corner and making a great case for it. Favorite Track: Fake Plastic Trees Surprise: My Iron Lung Most likely to end up on a mix tape: Bullet Proof

I got into this after I heard OK Computer, so naturally it suffers in comparison... but it's definitely better than I remembered. It's kinda like if Radiohead were a rock band

Honestly don't think I like this album any more. It's too soppy, too cringe and is basically the reason that Coldplay exist. Planet Telex, the Bends, High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, nah, nah, nah, nah. Just and Street Spirit are all time classics though. I remember borrowing this album off Thomas and how it led me to go and buy OK Computer in Kingston HMV (all by myself aged about 11 big moment). But that was all twenty years ago. Haven't we all grown up a bit since then? I know Radiohead have.

mid 5 the only bad song on this album is "the bends". its terrible, it feels like an impression of a song. the talky bit and build up after feel very amateur. for some reason they kept playing this live into later eras. "high and dry" feels very pointless next to "fake plastic trees". and its a bit generic of course. i often forget it exists. but then if another 90s band released it id probs like it a lot its a good song. rest of the album is all 10s. so many great moments. "just" into "my iron lung" is unreal. two all timers right there. i like on bones when he says "i used to fly like peter paaaaaaan". "nice dream" and "bulletproof..." are both stunning. the verse melody of "black star" is a personal fav. thom is such a good singer ie his singing on "sulk"s chorus. then there "street spirit" to close, a hint of whats to come. i got into this album very late into my radiohead fanship and im so glad i did its amazing. crazy that 2 albums later they released kid a. youve got to love variety. ive never heard a simply 90s rock album better then this. you could say "ok computer" of course but its not a simply 90s rock album is it. and its the first iconic album cover of many. radioheads album cover game is simply on another level good work stanley. ps music critic robbie cottom is probs going to give this album a 2 for god unknown reasons when we all know if a band other then radiohead had released it hed talk about how fun it is and give it at least a 4. its not their fault they later made kid a.

It was fine.

++*: Planet Telex ++: High and Dry, Bones, (Nice Dream), Just, My Iron Lung, Bullet Proof... I Wish I Was +: Fake Plastic Trees, Sulk, Street Spirit (Fade Out) +-: The Bends -: Black Star 8,5/10

Die is die album wat my into radiohead gekry het so ek kan niks sleg sê nie. Hulle meer eksperimentale stuff is fine maar hulle alt rock stuff het my hart

Tenho uma queda especial por esse aqui.

farklarını anlamakta zorlandım şarkılsrın bazen. bazı albümleri dinleyip idrak edemiyorum

Alternative Rock/Post-Britpop Favorite Songs: Planet Telex, High and Dry, Just, Street Spirit (Fade Out) Least Favorite Songs: Bullet Proof … I Wish I Was Radiohead brings a new dynamic after their first album was not only meet with mixed to slight positive reception from both fans and critics alike, so they ended up having to change their dynamics with this album instead. (Also, I heard Thom didn’t like playing Creep). And…it’s great, but I wouldn’t say it’s my all time favorite albums. There’s some songs on here that are outstanding, and the rest ranges from good to great, with my least favorite just being okay. It’s going into my personal music library, but there will be some songs that I’ll have more enjoyment for. 8/10

radiohead!

I never think of myself as a Radiohead fan but they are worthy of the acclaim they get I feel, and this is definitely a must listen. A rare no skips record, I think.

Easily my favorite new (to me) album from this project so far

Not bad

i enjoyed several songs off this album, gave coffee shop vibes

Pretty neat early Radiohead record that certainly feels like it's ushering in the new era of alternative rock. I guess the incorporation of more dense electronics and ethereal and reverb-filled guitar effects in '90s alt-rock was cool to hear, especially on the explosive opener "Planet Telex. And it's a pretty moody and grand-sounding record all things considered, really marking that shift I mentioned earlier. But I still just cannot get behind Thom Yorke's vocals here, and while it is a significant improvement on "Pablo Honey', it's not like this album is entirely devoid of '90s alt rock cliches, including some of that angst that was carried over from then, especially on 'Just' and the title track, an otherwise pretty great track. 'Fake Plastic Trees' was maybe my favourite song here, just such a gorgeous and gradual growth to this song, and a very spacey feel to it overall, and it showcases Yorke's first real knack for the writing that would dub him sad white boy of the decade. Also, I'm not sure if it's just the version I listened to, but the mix on this record was super thin and trebly; I feel like the grander moments from this would've sounded much better if the full sonic range was more present - the heavier non-acoustic moments didn't sound as great as a result, especially on "My Iron Lung'• Maybe the most predictive song here was 'High and Dry', Coldplay would practically build their entire career around this one single song. Either way, while this isn't as enjoyable as their landmark records later down the line, it was solid-enough alternative rock that I don't have many complaints on my end.

Wall to wall bangers. Monstrous guitars and class vocal performance. Get off the high house about KID A and Okay Computer aand contract the bends

Expect the expected

nonie dureglost, aber erste song verspricht viel. seeehr radiohead chords am aafang und d soundeffekt und alles sehr sehr radiohead. i like. es tönt gad alles chli ähnlich ruhig akustisch und de thom singt weich. sehr schön aber. bones isch recht geil goht chli los. black star au seeehr schöni melodie und harmonies eimol, buebe chönd songs schriibe. fade out kenni mega? vo wo? aha afoch de grösst hit vom album. seeeehr sehr geile song. ich find mer gseht wie guet radiohead sind uf dem album und wie fest sie scho wie sie töned. sehr geil. aber s hottet nöd so fest wie ok computer oder kid A glaub. ich gib es vieri, au wenns nöd fair isch zum sie afoch mit sich selber vergliiche. aber das isch halt leider de einzig verglich woni bi radiohead cha zie wells halt nöd würkli bands git wo ähnlichs gmacht hend und das macht sie so speziell.

Grest

It was a three, but yesterday I listened to it again and I realised that it's better than I thought. I see a lot of people giving it a one star and talking about how much they don't like radiohead, even if that was the case, how can songs like fake plastic trees, black star, nice dream go unnoticed and unappreciated, if you cannot hate a whole thing, there are tracks which are very good even for people who don't like radiohead

I've been looking forward to getting this album. Previously I received "Insomniac", and while I enjoyed that one, I like this one a lot more. It's at different times grunge-y, dark, brooding, and contemplative. You can feel the emotions through the music here, which makes me feel more connected to it. "Just", a song I was already familiar with, is of course a banger. "High and Dry" is also one of my favorites because of its heartbreaking beauty. The later half of the album has more of those tunes that are more emotionally charged, but the whole thing is no skips for me. It's 90s Radiohead at one of their high points, and it was right up my alley.

Toen dit album uitkwam vond ik Radiohead een band voor meisjes. Toch verdiende dit album meer respect van PuberGreg... Sorry Radiohead. Om het goed te maken 4 sterren.

This second Radiohead album gets a 5. And the later albums are just up from here. I truly am an unapologetic fan. I could go on and on, but today I am simply giving the 5. 5 Boolean: True

I had an issue with Thom Yorke after believe him to be a zionist after a response to a heckler at a live show. He has since gone on to apologise, which has allowed me to listen to their music again (silly values based rules I make up in my own mind). Anyhow - I definitely rate this album.

Loved it before, love it now. Listened just the other day.

hasta el momento lo que más me gustó de radiohead

8/10 Finally a Radiohead album that I can straight up say slapped

4.5 — Real shame that Radiohead tragically and mysteriously died

It's a great album. It's an amazing album. However considering the school year is starting and autumn is coming, and it's gonna get darker and I'm gonna be more and more tired with matura exam coming up, I can't let myself be depressed ON TOP of all of this. So no thanks, even though the music is fucking incredible.

Listening session: august 23rd, while running errands Listened to before: listened to most songs before Thoughts: oof it’s so difficult to choose my favourite tracks because there’s not one bad song on this album. I love Radiohead and especially their earlier stuff Favourite tracks: (Nice Dream), My Iron Lung & Street Spirit (Fade Out)

The 4th Radiohead album on the list and there's still another two after this. I'm tired.

with the second radiohead album, any prejudices i had against this band are gone. highlights: planet telex the bends fake plastic trees bones (nice dream) just my iron lung sulk black star street spirit (fade out)

How the hell does this album go so freaking hard! I can't imagine working with the band that made Pablo Honey/Creep and then they just turn around and put out this. One of the biggest glow ups in Rock history... Also I never realized until literally right now that "The Bends" is a reference to their rise to fame being too fast/meteoric from the success of Creep and that "My Iron Lung" is about the song Creep the thing that the band now hated but was keeping them alive 🤯🤯🤯

no bad tracks, literally a perfect album

Great album by Radiohead, as my journey of their albums ends on this list with this debut. I will reiterate from previous thoughts, I’m glad I was able to give Radiohead a 2nd chance as an adult. While I didn’t really feel 2 of the albums, I enjoyed the 4 others, and this is definitely my favorite of the 6.

inanilmaz bir gitar kullanimi rifflermukemmel thebends just favoriparcalarim huzun ve gurultunun bu kadar guzel tinlamasi

la verdad esperaba mas, nose. por ahi tengo que escucharla con auris

This is a Radiohead 3 and a ‘1001 Albums’ 4. They showed some hints of greatness here but hadn’t yet ascended the mountain.

5/5 One of my favorite albums!

With high and dry, and fake plastic trees. This album is already soliddd!

This will always be Radiohead for me.

I'm a huge Radiohead fan (post-Bends), but I just don't think this album aged all that well. There are far better alt-rock albums from the early 90s, and there's quite a few boring and forgettable tracks on here IMO. Compared to OK Computer this is just such a lackluster album.

It wears me out And if I could be who you wanted If I could be who you wanted All the time

I understand the impact of Radiohead's music but they hold no place in my nostalgia! So I listen to them in the context of Thom York being evil... There's other depressing music I prefer essentially but I know this is also good

this is the same face I made when the music finally stopped.

no notes

Imagine producing one of the greatest albums but your egos got so inflated that you have now disowned it in favour of tuneless plinky plonky nonsense.

All I'm realising is that I don't think Radiohead is for me. High and Dry was good though.

Oh 'The Bends', how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Firstly its just a top tier album. It was when Thom announced himself as an incredible vocalist, his falsetto could do it all, with heat stopping emotion on fake plastic trees and rock power on just. The guitars are incredible throughout with some incredibly simple melodies played like so purely like high and dry and some crunchy guitar shredding sprinkled throughout. On top of this the songwriting is just unstoppable, this album hinted at the breadth and depth of their collective skill. The slow songs are works of art and street spirit/fake plastic trees/ high and dry/ bulletproof still make the hair stand up and the heart soar 30 years later. They can also shift gears and put some anger and energy down on record in a way few can match. Secondly, i can put this in the context of the band. Pablo Honey and Creep set them out as a mid level indie band with a high ceiling due to their hit song. To follow it up with this, IMO the best album of the era showed they were the match or superior of their more zeitgeisty peers like Oasis or Blur. But what marks the band out as my generations version of the Beatles is that this was only second gear for them. Following this up with OK Computer which is regarded as one of the best ever and then lighting the way forward for the rest of the musical world and breaking barriers with Kid Amnesiac and showed what genius they had. The fact that I havent even got to In Rainbows and the King of Limbs which was their mature phase and probably their best/my favourite albums revelas the bands capacity for greatness. Finally, I love this album for where it sits in my personal history. I remember getting some birthday money around my 14th birthday and having to decide between buying this on CD or Mellon Collie. I chose this (very quickly to buy Mellon Collie as well) and played it until it was woven into my DNA. My old CD had a slight skip on Planet Telex and to this day i still get suprised when it doesnt occur on more recent listening formats. It was the soundtrack to my teenage angst and the gateway to a life long love of music. 'The Bends' may not be the best album of all time, but it may be my favourite of all time. I had a beautiful day playing it loud and feeling in technicolour like my teenage self, which is increasing rare for this 44 year old.

keep trying, keep not liking anything they do.

🐐

Did not enjoy this- too heavy for my liking

their best one!!!

I enjoyed that. Friends always said I should listen to Radiohead as I'd like it and that was a catalyst for me to not actively listen. Thirty years later... I like Rsdiohead.

Шедевр

I liked this. Quite refreshing. Famous enough of course in their era but I didn't pay them any attention then. Solid 3.

Better than other Radioheads albums. I don’t care for their sound but The Bends is decent.

I wish this was the Radiohead album I had started with for my listening journey. There’s more structure and coherency in this record than their future projects. Really enjoy the grungy-rock influences and experimental detours.

Currently i probably like it better than “in rainbows”. Fav tracks are at least half the album so no point in listing them.

There is a version of Radiohead history which goes roughly: decent guitar band, The Bends, masterpiece in OK Computer, then they suddenly went completely fucking strange with Kid A. I don’t think that works. If anything, The Bends is fascinating because this is the point where Radiohead become one of the best alternative-rock bands in the world, then almost immediately decide that being one of the best alternative-rock bands in the world isn’t a particularly interesting thing to remain. It may also be their last album as an MTV band. Not the last Radiohead album with important videos — God, no — but the last where the basic machinery still makes sense. Here are five blokes with guitars. Here is Thom Yorke. Here are singles. Here is “Just” with its wonderfully irritating pavement mystery. Compare the way The Bends opens with some of its contemporaries. Parklife starts with “Girls & Boys”, bouncing straight into its Euro-disco social world. Definitely Maybe starts with the sonic assault of “Rock ’n’ Roll Star”. Different Class raises the curtain with “Mis-Shapes”, almost a warped musical-theatre overture for nerd outsiders. Radiohead could easily have opened with “The Bends”. It’s huge. It arrives making precisely the sort of statement an ambitious guitar band ought to make. Instead, “Planet Telex” seems to hove into view. It feels as if the band started without us and we’ve had to walk towards them. Then the song eventually disappears into drowned modem noise. The transmission fails. And there’s the album. Everything is broken. “The Bends” gives us the alienated wannabe rock star who has apparently arrived where he wanted to be and discovered that success feels horrible. “High and Dry” takes recognition and turns it back onto the self: pursue it hard enough and you risk becoming whatever version of yourself everybody else has recognised. That became an important idea for me while listening. Public identity is necessarily partial. Somebody sees one refraction of a person and starts treating it as the whole person. Worse, visibility gets confused with resilience. If you’re capable of doing something publicly, people assume you’re also equipped to absorb everything that comes with being seen. You aren’t. Nobody is bulletproof. Then “Fake Plastic Trees” arrives, and I think this is the first proper glimpse of future Radiohead. They cease simply to be a guitar band talking about rock-star alienation. Suddenly the whole environment is sick. Fake plants, fake earth, cosmetic reconstruction, people trying desperately to hold decay at bay. Even decoration gathers dust. That’s a magnificent little image. Plastic doesn’t wilt, but it still acquires time. The surgeon can correct and tighten and fight gravity, but gravity keeps coming back. Everything designed to conceal entropy eventually becomes evidence of entropy itself. And crucially, the song doesn’t sneer at anybody for trying. It sounds exhausted on their behalf. That happened repeatedly during this listen. The Bends kept making me kinder. Vanity, ambition, dependency, weakness, the desire to be recognised: all extremely easy things to mock until you ask what fear or need might be underneath them. “Bones” kicks the guitars back in and reminds you that this band could absolutely still provide MTV with a walloping rock song. Except now the unreliable system is the body itself. “(Nice Dream)” then opens one of those grand Radiohead vistas of pretty emptiness. People care. Friends exist. The good angel would like to help. Everybody is somewhere else. That’s more painful than simple abandonment. Nobody has to be cruel. People can love one another enormously and still exist in separate universes which never intersect at the point where contact is needed. Then “Just”, where the reproach is so intense that I’m not sure whether the narrator is berating another person or himself. Perhaps that’s why it works. And then “My Iron Lung”, which is where Radiohead become meta. The thing which saved you has become the thing keeping you trapped. Here is our new song, just like the old one. The successful formula is available. Everybody would quite like you to use it again. You hate it, but you also know it works. An iron lung is the perfect metaphor because you can’t simply tear yourself away from life support because you resent needing it. Success becomes dependence. Dependence becomes confinement. From here Radiohead’s career becomes increasingly recursive. Every new version of Radiohead has to deal with the previous version of Radiohead. Eventually even refusing to sound like Radiohead becomes one of the things Radiohead are expected to do. They’re almost the first band to be Bob Dylan. Forever changing, forever Radiohead. There’s something of The Fall in that too. The Fall could change personnel, production, decade, virtually everything, and remain unmistakably The Fall. Radiohead can transform their vocabulary completely and still remain recognisably themselves because the continuity isn’t stylistic. It’s a way of thinking. Unease. Systems under strain. Beauty with something wrong inside it. Hard ’n Phirm accidentally demonstrated this brilliantly with “Rodeohead”, their bluegrass medley which folds a ridiculous number of Radiohead songs into one another. It should be a novelty record and nothing more. Instead it’s a tiny masterpiece. Everything is put into the right keys. Songs are modulated so they actually join. “Paranoid Android” becomes duelling banjos. Bits of songs from different periods suddenly reveal how strangely compatible their underlying melodic and harmonic language is. Strip away the production, the Greenwood noises and the Yorke atmosphere, and Radiohead are still weird. Appropriately, the whole thing begins with “Planet Telex”. “Bullet Proof..I Wish I Was” makes the album’s vulnerability explicit. Doing something publicly does not magically provide the protective layer required to survive everything attached to doing it publicly. Then “Black Star” turns the same expectation therapy onto love and care. What happens when someone you love is breaking apart and you begin breaking under the strain of trying to hold them together? We have an extraordinarily nasty cultural assumption that love and compassion provide infinite reserves. Partners are supposed to remain patient enough, strong enough, loving enough, endlessly. People aren’t infinite. Someone can desperately need care while the person providing that care is being destroyed by the effort. Neither person’s suffering invalidates the other’s. And if love ultimately fails beneath that weight, it doesn’t mean the love was fraudulent. Sometimes things break because their load exceeds their capacity. That may be the central therapeutic action of The Bends. It keeps taking expectations and discovering they were badly designed. Success will make you secure. No. Recognition will tell you who you are. No. Love will always reach the other person. No. Care will make you inexhaustible. No. Your body will cooperate. No. If you’re visible, you must be strong enough to withstand visibility. No. The game is rigged. “Sulk” gives us another huge guitar track with absolutely no corresponding sense of triumph, which gets to something I’ve realised about Radiohead: they may be the least comforting enormous mainstream band I can think of. Oasis give you communion. U2 can give you transcendence. Pulp can turn alienation into collective theatre. Radiohead just give you alienation. They rarely tell you we’re all in this together. They make the space between us enormous and beautiful. They don’t tell you the void isn’t there. They make the void magnificent. And finally “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”. God knows what original thing you’re meant to say about “Street Spirit” after thirty years. But heard at the end of this album, one line suddenly seemed to complete the circuit: the machine cannot communicate the thoughts or the strain. We began with “Planet Telex”, with a broken transmission disappearing into electronic murk. Now the failure of communication has become completely personal. You can speak. You can sing. People can hear you. They can see you, recognise you, perhaps even love you. None of that means they can know what it feels like to be inside you. Then, at the end of an album which has systematically dismantled almost every possible reassurance, comes that strange final incantation, printed as though even typography itself has malfunctioned: “.iMMerse your soUL in LOVE” That absolutely did me in. Because it doesn’t say love will fix everything. This album has spent forty-odd minutes explaining why it won’t. It says choose love anyway. Everything is broken. Be kind. That’s why it’s five stars. Not because every second is perfect, or because Radiohead have already become the band that will make OK Computer and Kid A. Quite the opposite. The Bends deserves five stars because it is a fully realised achievement by a band which has just become magnificent at being this particular thing. And then refuses to stay there. The album almost deserves a Bond-film caption after “Street Spirit” fades away: RADIOHEAD WILL RETURN. Next time, “Airbag” will begin with cello and guitar moving together and an entire audience will wonder what the hell that sound is. They had no idea what would follow.

Yet another 5-star album in the Radiohead catalogue. Jack Black said it best. "If you want concept, you go OK Computer. But if you wanna rock – if you want straight-up fuckin' songs – you go The Bends." Yeah. The compositions on The Bends are mind-blowingly strong, and performed pretty damn well on top of that. Thom Yorke still has that youthful quality to his voice, and the lyrics still reflect the band's focus on relationships and young love... or do they? Maybe at first glance. But with subject matters ranging from self-harm to despair about artificialisation, to contemplation of death, to whatever the heck Planet Telex is about? I'm not even much of a lyrical listener and I can acknowledge the huge step up in literacy from their debut record, Pablo Honey. And musically, even though Radiohead sticks to their alt-rock guns, they do plenty of experimentation to keep the nerds sated. Planet Telex with its heavily vibrated keyboard line and fascinating chord changes, the title track with nods to extended classic rock riffs plus several mood changes in quick succession, High and Dry with an infectious chorus melody and a uniquely airy rhythm section (and gorgeous acoustic guitar playing to top it off). Fake Plastic Trees is the song on The Bends generally regarded as Radiohead's early-career masterpiece. With simple, hard-hitting chords, an organ, slow builds and quick drop-offs, you really can't go wrong. In terms of song chronology, it contains some of their best lyrics to date: "She looks like the real thing / She tastes like the real thing / My fake plastic love / But I can't help the feeling / I could blow through the ceiling / If I just turn and run / And it wears me out, it wears me out" Bones greets us with a much more straightforward and less heavy-hitting sound+lyric. But Radiohead ain't out of steam just yet. (Nice Dream), by using parentheses, demonstrates Yorke's supreme edginess, and maybe foreshadows the wacky guitar solo or something. I'm definitely reading too much into it. The song Just is very close to perfection in my book. It also might be their most head-bashingly catchy song. A smattering of chords that will dizzy even the most seasoned harmony veterans, including use of a whole-half diminished (octatonic) scale during the main riff. The instrumental sections are incredibly strong. And it's nice to have something lighthearted amidst a slew of songs that take themselves very seriously indeed. My Iron Lung is one such song, complaining through its lyrics about how fans latched onto their song Creep (from Pablo Honey) and threatened to turn them into a one-hit wonder. Now don't get me wrong – Creep is good – but most of the songs on The Bends, including My Iron Lung itself, are a noticeable improvement. The riff here is rock-solid, as is Yorke's delicate vocal delivery and the group's completely off-the-cuff switcheroo into heavy grunge. On several occasions. What the heck, my guys? Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Was. A gorgeous acoustic guitar ballad, maybe the best one they ever released. When Thom switches to falsetto and we hear those gorgeous, soft guitar lines... man. Much Longer ... I Wish This Song Was. Black Star – the album version – is actually taken from a live performance. It's performed so flawlessly here that you would never be able to tell. Great catchy verses and chorus, great lyrics, just great. As we approach the end of the record, Sulk flaunts Yorke's vocal range, and uses a 6/8 time signature for the second time (the first being (Nice Dream)). Street Spirit (Fade Out) anticipates the more dizzying, rhythmically and texturally complex sound that would define Radiohead's next record, OK Computer. Which makes it, in my eyes, all the more impressive. Great build-up, too, making use of a swift minor-key guitar riff that you'll struggle to get out of your head. And man, those lyrics... "Cracked eggs, dead birds / Scream as they fight for life / I can feel death, can see its beady eyes / All these things into position / All these things we'll one day swallow whole / And fade out again / Immerse your soul in love" 5/5 Key tracks: Planet Telex, The Bends, High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Just, My Iron Lung, Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Was, Street Spirit (Fade Out)

One of their best!

Planet Telex: shimmering keys layers over melodic guitars The Bends: heavy guitars, crying vocals....shimmering feeling stays High and Dry: nice guitar arrangement with excellent vocals Fake Plastic Trees: fantastic growing melodic track with great vocals, very melancholy Bones: a little bit annoying refrain (Nice Dream): nice little melodic lullaby Just: grungy nirvanish track My Iron Lung: great track with sitar effects with a nirvana sequence Bullet Proof....slow acoustic ballad Black Star: great guitars and big vocals Sulk: heavy guitars, great vocals again Street Spirit: great shining acoustic guitars.....athmospheric, great vocals

Perfected this sound and then on they went elsewhere…

The only thing I don't like about this album is how it set up the expectation that every album I randomly discovered as a teenager in the 90s had a chance of being this good.

This is the type of Radiohead that I can't get enough of. For me, The Bends is full of songs to be pleasantly surprised by on shuffle after not hearing them for a while. Not as full and conceptual as what was still to come, but fantastic all the same.

I forgot how great of a straightforward rock band Radiohead could be. These guys could’ve been smarter Oasis if they wanted to be the biggest rock band in the world. I bet there are a lot of guys who don’t like Radiohead think this is their best album. 4.4

ok so i did listen and not listen at the same time, i have some confusions about this album, probably an prejudice... maybe for another time.

# Album Name: The Bends # Artist: Radiohead # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: Great album. One of their best. Can easily listen to this album all the way. # Top Tunes: Whole album # Would I listen to it again? Yes

Pretty good. The slow power chords are such a staple for these guys and they do it well. Of course High and Dry is great, but I really liked the heavier Just the most.

me sorprendió gratamente. es cierto que hay canciones que son muy simples y fáciles de olvidar, no obstante las otras me ha parecido que compensan el álbum entero. sí que he de decir que no es el tipo de música que yo me pondría a escuchar un día cualquiera, sin embargo entiendo que se pueda apreciar. le daría un 3,5, pero creo que no se puede, así que me toca darle 4 estrellas.

Great album, but reminds me too much of my ex

An improvement over the debut album, but even so this isn't a particularly exciting effort. For one thing, a major problem is that I don't really like Thom Yorke's whiny vocal style. Secondly, with a few exceptions, the songs are a bit samey and unengaging. The first few tracks and the album closer "Street Spirit" are pretty good, though. I wouldn't say the listening experience was unpleasant, but I wouldn't go out of my way to play this album very often.

Geniuses as always but not my favorite release by them. I still prefer in rainbows, but some undeniable hits on here.

Favourite song: Just Least favourite song: Most of them Perhaps it’s my inability to fully seperate the art from the artist(s), but I can just never get behind Radiohead. They’re like if the word “centrism” was a band. Fake deep. I found most of the album boring. Was it a groundbreaking genre transition at the time or something ? Is this why people like it?

Good music but no standouts

awesome.

fun fact! radiohead were terrible until OK Computer

You can really hear who they are about to become in this album. Good stuff.

This was dull. But palatable, and I’m sure there’ll be a significant proportion of these that I can’t say that for. Reading some reviews, I gather many people quite like Thom Yorke’s indecipherable vocals - as a certified lyrics girlie, this was not for me. I had every intention to sit and listen and actually found myself being lulled into quite a warm and dreamy nap. In my notes, I wrote: probably a good album to have on while working or doing something like wood carving. I’ve never done wood carving which probably says it all - but I imagine it’d be nice background noise to do something repetitive to. Not quite a cleaning album as it makes me want to sit too much. When I actually gave the lyrics a read, I thought they were good: Fake Plastic Trees’ verse about the plastic surgeon is witty, and I liked the few lyrics of My Iron Lung I heard properly (“Suck, suck your teenage thumb / Toilet trained and dumb”). But the production choices just meant I couldn't get into them and that's a shame for me personally. 3/5 - I see the vision, I see what they're doing - but it's just background noise to me.

I've never been a fan of radiohead and low and behold the first album is radiohead. I really tried to like this album or any of the songs, the band just isn't for me.

It was quite good, if mildly generic?

Never been into Radiohead, didn't hate it, just fine

I'm one of those Radiohead fans that thinks the Radiohead fans that revere The Bends as their masterpiece are weird and wrong (or, perhaps, unweird and dull and wrong). To me, this is the album before Radiohead got interesting and became Radiohead. This is the album where Radiohead was still a post-Britpop guitarpop band leading the way for the likes of Muse, Coldplay, and Travis. All that may be true, and maybe I just don't like the style as much as I like later Radiohead, but I can't not give this album its due. Even when a track starts off average, like "Bones" or "My Iron Lung," it will veer into a surprising place. They're all great tracks. Even though the production and instrumentation feel like basic mid-90s alt-rock, they're impeccable songs, filled with great melodies and exciting dynamics. I came in thinking "not as good as OKC, Kid A, Amnesiac, or In Rainbows, so probably a 4" but after listening again, I have to admit, though it's not as good as OKC, Kid A, Amnesiac, or In Rainbows, but it's still a 5 and deserves to be on this list.

Still not sure why people like these guys so much.

3 stars

Good but like most of Radioheads discography absurdly overrated

Transition point from grungy songs to more acoustic, introspective ones. Thom almost sounds like his OK Computer-self here, like he's trying out Jeff Buckley's style. I was pretty harsh when I listened to this for the first time a few years ago. Didn't have the musical experience to appreciate the alt-rock sounds here. Now I do and it pays dividends to enjoy things I once didn't enjoy (also probably cause I was on the bus listening to this, again). (3.5-4)

I forgot it was playing halfway through.

classic - replay, but still a top-tier front to back listen.

A casual fan of Radiohead. Kind of heavy at times with its mix of melodic songs. The 90's sounds sort of escaped me. Generaly a good album. Good production.

Enjoyed this one, knew a few tracks.

Have never listened to this album in full; however, some of my fav radiohead songs are on this album: High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Just, My Iron Lung. Some new songs I didnt know that I added to my playlist; - Black Star - Bullet Proof.... I wish I was - (Nice Dream) This would be a 5-star album; however, there are some songs I would skip, and I would consider a 5-star album to be a non-skip, perfect album. Rating: 4.5/5

Great album. My favorite band. This album sets the the stage for what is to come next with OK Computer.

Holy shit a Radiohead album I actually liked. Wow. When Radiohead is good, it's pretty dang good.

Since I wasn’t a fan of their song “Creep,” I wasn’t looking forward to this, but I was pleasantly surprised.

High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, My Iron Lung. Maybe not Radiohead’s “best” album, but these are some of the most beautiful songs ever recorded. Listened twice today and it was better the second time.

A classic for a reason. Slightly lost focus on it throughout so I feel like another full listen outside of the office could be well worth it. Favourite Tracks: - High and Dry - Fake Plastic Trees - Just - Planet Telex

I rather liked this. I've heard some Radiohead on the radio, but never really got into them. Listening to this album has made me want to explore their music a bit more.

Can’t rationalize anything below a five. The bridge between radio Radiohead and artsy Radiohead. These tracks all feel like they could have been hits, but also all have hints at the experimental work they’re about to transition to. Oh yeah, it has “Fake Plastic Trees” on it which is as good as it gets.

There are gonna be a whole lot of Radiohead albums on this list, huh? I really like this one. My teenage self would give it a five, but I can't quite go that high. Curious to see how I'm gonna feel giving O.K. Computer a spin at some point.

Don't care whether people think this album is too normie; I absolutely love angsty guitar rock music from Radiohead. This has some of the best melodies and most memorable riffs, with shoegaze tones on the opener, Britpop sensibilities on High and Dry and Fake Plastic Trees, to a dark and foreboding closer with Street Spirit. A lot of the album is fake angst, with Radiohead being a polite middle-class band with no troubled histories; 'The Bends' is about struggling with fame after just *one* hit, but it honestly doesn't take anything away from the album for me.

Heard before. Definitely one of the better Radiohead records, a ton of bangers like Black Star, Telex, Just, My Iron Lung, with just a couple duds.

Gave me a chance to listen to this front to back for the first time. Thoroughly enjoyed and helped me realize how much I like some of the songs I didn't think much of before. Faves: The Bends, High & Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Bones, (Nice Dream), My Iron Lung, Black Star, Sulk Rating: 9.4/10

there are definitely some bangers, but also some meh.

still my most listened album of all time apparently

Still a banger

Leur meilleur album, le plus expérimental à mes yeux et celui avec le plus de sons qui me font bouger.

Way more accessible than I expected it to be, but I’m not sure I have the angst needed to really appreciate Radiohead’s more mournful sounds.

We’re back on track. A band that’s not for everyone, but this album (on a par with, yet often overlooked next to OK Computer) is awesome.

Straight up great album, no notes.

I don't want to be classified as a Radiohead fan but yeah... this was pretty good..

Yeah, its a classic, sounds a lot like Stereophonics at times...

Cover is me when “Street Spirit” comes on.

Mumble rock

One of my all time favorite bands, but not my personal favorite....it has enough cool guitar moments, but some of Thom Yorke's grunge yell-singing sounds really dated and try-hard-y compared to the continuous innovation and brilliance they'd forge starting with their next album. I like it for sentimental reasons, but for whatever reason, this time around some moments felt cringe and a little long. Great opener/closer combo and some cool moments throughout, so I'll round from a 3 to a 4 because i am a Radiohead guy.

Hell fucking yeah

Before they transcended alternative rock and then went in to transform popular music altogether, Radiohead made one of the best damn records of the alt rock era and this is it! I recently learned they saw Jeff Buckley play live and ran to the studio immediately afterwards to write “Fake Plastic Trees”. Makes lots of sense. Seeing the “Just” and “Street Spirit” music videos had a huge impact on me, setting the stage for when OK Computer came along and forever defined my taste in music.

Oh, Radiohead. You've never failed to impress me with your albums. Then again, I still haven't heard Pablo Honey or The King of Limbs, so maybe Radiohead fans are right in calling those ones kinda weak, but I wouldn't know. All I know is that I've loved all 6 of the Radiohead albums that I've done for the 1001 Albums project. The Bends is the last of the bunch for me to get from the generator, which is funny since this is the earliest of the 6 to be released. Funny how that works, huh? The Bends is often cited as Radiohead's first great album, and I can see why. This album's great! The Bends is probably the closest that Radiohead came to a more traditional rock sound other than their debut. Speaking of the debut, The Bends plays a very important part in the band's history. After "Creep" became a huge hit, Radiohead really wanted to distance themselves from that song's overwhelming success. So, they made The Bends, an album that's 10x more mature than Pablo Honey ever was. You know, the band wanted to avoid the massive success of "Creep," but I think making an album like The Bends actually might've led to Radiohead having a more successful career in general. Maybe if they had tried to chase that one song's success, they actually would've been one-hit-wonders. But there's a reason why The Bends allowed Radiohead to actually succeed, and it's all in the quality of the album itself. The Bends is really freakin' good. Despite the more rock-focused sound being rather different from what I've come to expect from albums like Kid A and In Rainbows, the core of what makes Radiohead such a great band is still here in full force. Thom Yorke's voice is as lovely as ever and the songwriting has some of the deepest writing of the band's whole career. You listen to a song like "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" and tell me that you feel nothing, I dare you. And of course, the rest of the band plays very well. It also helps that this album was the was the beginning of the Radiohead's relationship with their long-time producer, Nigel Godrich, so the production feels familiar to me as a fan of their later albums. But none of that means anything if the songs on here suck. Fortunately, The Bends is full of great songs. "Planet Telex" is an epic opener. "High and Dry" is really nice. "Fake Plastic Trees" is just so beautiful. "Just" is a great time. It's probably the best showcase of the grunge influence behind early Radiohead working well. "My Iron Lung" is all about the band's feelings after "Creep" and it's super interesting. And as mentioned earlier, I have to give props to the closer, "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" for being one of the most emotional songs in the band's discography. Amazing stuff there. So, yeah. There's The Bends. The fact that this is probably only my fourth-favorite Radiohead album that I've heard despite being this great really says a lot about the sheer quality of Radiohead's discography. I have no problems calling Radiohead one of the greatest bands of all time, and The Bends was the first album to show that that was even a possibility. While I do feel that later albums like OK Computer, Kid A, and In Rainbows surpassed it in quality, there's still something about The Bends that I can't help but appreciate greatly. It really is just that good. 5/5.

Everyone I know is a massive Radiohead fan. I don't know why. They're fine. Every song on this album is fine. None are excellent.

Hyvää rokkia.

This is Radiohead at their most unadulterated and their straight-up rockin’ best. Other albums might be conceptually better or a more ‘interesting’ album, but you’d be hard pressed to find one with a better crop of straight tunage.

4.5

What an album! I can't believe I hadn't listened to this before. I listened to it twice in a row!

A great album, puts you in a variety of states. Quite a timid start but it gets speeds up with each track Fav songs - High and Dry, Bones, Street Spirit 4/5

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This was really really good. I can imagine listening to this at the time and being absolutely gobsmacked by it. His voice get absolutely angelic at parts and the way the guitar goes from psychedelic to punk-esque to rock and back is really interesting and unique.

Just exceptional

Ah. There you are. It’s a 5. They’re all 5s. I know Radiohead is divisive. But the more I listen to them, the more I love them. Yeah I know every song. Bones, Black Star, Just, along with the more obvious singles - major sing alongs for me. Shower, cooking, rolling down the road with the windows down I sing alto/mezzo to Thom’s high tenor, appreciating that back in the day he actually annunciated. I sing full karaoke voice and don’t care if I seem a fool. ‘Cause you got to feel it in your bones! 5 Boolean:True

Nice Instrumentals, vocals are good just not the biggest fan. Overall pretty good, just not for me. 3.5/5

Toen ik nog een klein Ceesje was vond ik radiohead niet fantastisch totdat Teun het mij eens liet horen met een goede koptelefoon. Sindsdien ben ik apparatuur altijd belangrijk gaan vinden voor mijn koptelefoon, anders kan je niet alles horen. Ik vond dit album in eerste instantie een beetje een tegenvaller van radiohead. Een beetje te veel rock voor mij. Ze zijn wel goed in staat je brein te kietelen met mooie geluidjes effectjes en akkoorden. Ze weten heel goed goede muziek te maken. Ik vind het ook leuk dat radiohead een band is die je extra kan waarderen met goede apparatuur voor geluidskwaliteit. De nummers opzichzelf vind ik niet leuk genoeg. De kwaliteit is wel goed.

Radiohead is een beetje lastig te raten. Als je Messi een 7 geeft voor een wedstrijd, is dat voor een normale voetballer een 9. Zo voelt dit album ook een beetje. Het is dus niet de beste Radiohead, het wordt nog beter. Soms wat te sentimenteel en glad, ook een tikje te Britrock.

Volgens mij een album uit de begintijd van Radiohead, voor mijn gevoel is het een beetje te gitaar georiënteerd waardoor het meer een rockband vibe krijgt dan dat ze natuurlijk zijn. (Ze haten het om rockband genoemd te worden.) Desondanks is de muziek erg goed en je voelt de potentie van de band, al is dit zeker niet mijn meest favoriete album van hun. Ook hier staan hits op, maar ook niet mijn favoriete hits. Fake Plastic Trees blijf ik wel een erg bijzonder mooi nummer vinden. Al met al: super band in ontwikkeling en dus 4 sterren.

Hell yeah

372/1089 yet another radiohead album i now like. The moody vibes and this kind of male vocal appeal to me i guess. i think i’d put it behind OK Computer and Kid A but above Hail to the Thief faves: (nice dream), sulk, black star, street spirit (fade out) 76/100

10/5. One of my absolute favourites. So much of my adolescence is here.

It's better than I remember! Flipped a coin between a 4 and a 5.

OMG. Radiohead AGAIN on this list. I am not a fan. BUT this is the least objectionable of the three RH albums I have so far been served. I’ll therefore be very generous with a 3 star rating. One can hope this is the last.

One of my top Radiohead albums. Always liked it.

amazing album

(Nice Dream)

As a long-time professional hater of Radiohead, I was fully prepared to be writing a review full of negativity. Boy, was I wrong. The Bends is an absolutely gorgeous album from start to finish. Out of the 12 songs there's probably only 1, maybe 2 that didn't really stand out or stick with me after multiple listens. A mixture of gorgeous vocals, brilliantly produced songs and fantastic guitar work throughout makes this a pleasure to listen to. My favourite songs on the album are The Bends, High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Just, My Iron Lung and Black Star. I've gone from a Radiohead hater to a Radiohead acknowledger. Overall not a fan of them as a band but I've not listened to their older albums so I'm looking forward to hearing OK Computer and Pablo Honey. An extremely surprising 5/5.

Ei tämäkään ratiopäälevy saa minua tarttumaan. Ehkä kuitenkin parempi mitä edellinen.

Ei ollu ihan niin kiinnostava Radioheadin lätty, mutta löyty kivoja juttuja sieltäki. Aika paljon oli hidasta rokki/poppiballadia mitkä ei pidemmän päälle jaksanu kiinnostaa. Middling.

Music like this makes me consider the reality that perhaps men can feel the full spectrum of human emotion. 4.5

Such an overrated band. The album is their best so far, getting 3 stars....

This was saved in my comments from yesterday’s album. Weird to have Radiohead 2 days in a row. I did prefer yesterday's album to this one though. I’m not a big Radiohead guy, but this album was enjoyable.

Not bad but not something I would listen again. But it was great experience.

Pretty good! I liked a couple of the songs and they hit me at a good time while I was thinking about my life and so maybe that magnified my enjoyment. Or maybe they made me think about my life. Either way, not too bad

some of my fav songs are in this

usually skip this album when doing my radiohead listening but llike the earlier grungier sound. 3.5 but rounding up for discography bonus points

This was fine, but became a bit samey

Favourite Radiohead album FOR A GOOD REASON.

This is a strange one for me -- it feels weird that this is one of the 1001 (or 1089) best albums of all time when it's arguably not even their best album of this decade, let alone their entire career. Still, I think Radiohead's 90s output is my favorite era of them. However...I feel like it's a strangely sequenced album, as (for me) "High and Dry" and "Fake Plastic Trees" bring the energy the opening two tracks have to a screeching halt. The middle is mostly average, and the last three tracks do end things decently. Track by track (out of five stars) Planet Telex: 5/5 The Bends: 5/5 High and Dry: 2/5 Fake Plastic Trees: 1/5 Bones: 3/5 (Nice Dream): 3/5 Just: 4/5 My Iron Lung: 3/5 Bullet Proof...I Wish I Was: 2/5 Black Star: 4/5 Sulk: 4/5 Street Spirit (Fade Out): 5/5

Hadn't heard this one and expected it to be more experimental, partly going off of Kid A and OK Computer, it does have a few different modes and shifts in tone but it's more straightforward. I quite like it, Radiohead have always been a bit that should probably be right up my alley but I could never really get into them. Maybe that'll change now Highlights: My Iron Lung, Planet Telex, High and Dry, The Bends

It's RadioHead. Better than Ok Computer. I can see what people like about it but I still think it sounds like the Singer is in a different band than the rest of them.

If I didn’t know what was in the band’s future, I might rate this lower. But I can hear the origins of Kid A and Amnesiac in between all of typical British boy grunge on this album, so it gets a 4.

Only Radiohead album I’ve really got

A great album, i knew a few of the songs and really liked them, but at the same time, on the first listen of the album as a whole, some songs felt a bit bland

Kind of emotionless

4.2. Great album. Still have kid a and ok computer as my go tos.

No, I'm not going to listen to all the radiohead albums again.

This is honestly one of the best albums Radiohead has released, definitely my second favorite

Maximum ennui

The contrarian's pick for best Radiohead album, but it falls far short of the heights they would reach on OK Computer and beyond. They are in anthemic singer/songwriter mode here, having yet to begin exploring the deconstruction that would make them generational artists. Johnny Greenwood is the only member contributing truly unique and interesting arrangement ideas and his guitar is the star of almost every track. Yorke's songwriting only rarely reaches beyond navel-gazing alienation, though it is definitely a notch above most alt rock of the day in terms of overall quality, not to mention the brand of Brit Pop it would inspire. As a showcase for a rock band, The Bends is excellent. It's just that this band would become so much more than that in due time.

Superb

Oh god. Not more Radiohead.

the bends is gas ily radiohead

disco para pretenciosos muy malo

Really a great sound. Not much stood out as head and shoulders above hit. But I can’t remember anything awful either. A great sound but only good album.

I don't usually like radiohead, it just doesn't gel with me, but this is more of guitar driven alt-rock than their more experimental stuff.

Great album.

Never really connected with this album. Like their debut, I’m just not into their earlier albums. It’s good though. I fare a lot better from OK Computer onwards, but even then I struggle - mainly due to “experts” on the band, who’d benefit more from listening King Crimson or electric Miles.

when she give u that radiohead. most original joke award goes to me thanks

Can they please stop sending me Radiohead albums

Fantastic. Know 2 songs very well but the rest was new. Lived up to the hype.

While it didn’t hit me as good as some of the others I could feel more heart in this one

1. Trochę dziwne dźwięki, powolna, ciekawe ze pewnie chodzi o dziewczyna a mówi it, everything is broken pewnie między nimi, klasyczne outro 7/10 2. Tytułowa nuta, świetne intro, świetny tekst wokal muzyka, wow… tekst jest personalny (3 zwrotka)i to outro 9/10 3. Ok fajny wstep hmm taki lullaby voice, kinda freaky, rozumiem czm male manipulator, o tym jak ona w sumie powinna żałować ze się rozstali tak to rozumiem 7/10 4. Uuu ok o tym jak wszystko jest plastikowe metafora sztuczne, męczy to ją, oj super tekst polystyrene man sztuczny gość, rodzaj plastiku a i na okładce jest facet z plastiku ma to sens damn jak się go spali (burn)to się topi ten plastik i można go połamać (crumble), o tym jak robił zabiegi plastyczne xd, o i teraz follow up do piosenki pierwszej real thing taste like real thing, fake plastikowa miłość, o tym że nie może być dla niej tym kim ona chce, ładne outro i wysoki głos i na koniec bridge, muzyka tekst głos top 9,5/10 5. Mmm dobry wstęp, drumsy, fajna gra słów, oj prawdziwy rock, dużo nie wywnioskowałem o starzeniu się ale ze muzykę musisz poczuć w kościach ale podoba mi się, za muzykę 8/10 6. Znowu lullaby voice, och szkoda nice dream to tylko sen, znowu trochę rel ten tekst aż za dużo nie można powiedzieć, o przyjaciółce… za tekst 8/10 7. Fajna background guitar, znowu rel tekst troche prawda you do it it to yourself and that’s why really hurts Uu I to outro nice 8/10 8. Hmm ciekawie jak komar to brzmi tekst nie do zrozumienia a do czucia fall asleep pewnie jako śmierć ok zmiana beatu i wokalu w połowie i powrót, head shrinkers połączenie kurczenie i psychiatra they want everything informację co masz w sobie i że głowa się kurczy to co pewnie słyszysz od psychiatrów “it’s okay” nie jestem przekonany co do muzy 7/10 9. Normalny wstęp oj no pisanie tych wszystkich metafor to za dużo piękne poezja za sam tekst 11/10 10. Mmm ok rozkręca się intro, fajne o tym jak wraca do domu i niby wszystko jest ok ale coś zadręcza jego żonę, obydwoje blamują to na dziwne rzeczy, próbuje ją zrozumieć, zna przyczynę, wow świetne 10/10 11. Sulk-fochy ok dziwne trochę ten tekst, ok laska bi polar tak jak jej ojciec, wokal ok, muza spoko, tekst trochę pojebany ale przez to dobry 8/10 12. Oj fajne intro sama gitarka, taki nastrój trochę mroczny, piękna muza, i to ah na na damn wokal też mocny “all day swallow whole” trochę jak ze za to zapłacimy mm i ten koniec niby nic nie ma znaczenia a tutaj ze mamy pochłonąć siebie w miłość na sam koniec albumu nice 9/10 Album 8,46/10

Great album

I'm not sure why I haven't listened to Radiohead all that much. I've only heard good things about them and the few songs I have listened to I enjoyed. This album is my first actual foray into their work, and every single song had me hooked and wanting more. Favorite Tracks: Planet Telex ✔ The Bends ✔ High and Dry ✔ Fake Plastic Trees ✔ Bones ✔ (Nice Dream) ✔ Just ✔ My Iron Lung ✔ Bullet Proof..I Wish I Was ✔ Black Star ✔ Sulk ✔ Street Spirit (Fade Out) ✔

Started off as a pleasant surprise; I liked tracks 2 and 3. Then it turned into the Radiohead sound I don’t care for.

Probably the ‘worst’ Radiohead project that will be on this list but that says a lot about Radiohead… some classics on here. I love this record and I love this band!

Mi disco favorito De Radiohead

Yeah, sure.

Never been my favorite of theirs but undeniably great and its funny that this is Coldplay's guiding star while Thom Yorke talks about how they just shit this out for the label (i dont think he believes that, he's just being annoying)

A bit too soft and moody for my tastes. I liked "Planet Telex" and "Just" though.

Bangers 10 min long jam

How can you not like Radiohead? The Bends is one of my least favorite Radiohead albums, and I'm still giving it a 5. I'll never stop glazing them, sorry. Favorite track(s) Fake Plastic Trees Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Was Black Star Street Spirit (Fade Out)

5* if u include killer cars and maquiladora

This is just a perfect album.

Absolute joy to listen to. Radiohead is always good!

Bem massa Melhor música do álbum é (nice dream). Mudei de ideia, é 'Just'. Agora eu acho que é 'My Iron Lung'. 'Sulk' é bom demaaais. Street Spirit é fiiiiire. álbum épico, não sei por que adiei tanto pra ouvir, mas agora que ouvi, amei.

Listened to this one last year, and I prefer Ok Computer. Although The Bends does have Just on it which is my favourite radiohead album. Aside from that though it's not an album I intend to come back to any time soon.

The bends is the most underrated record in Radiohead's discography. It is rarely discussed as being in the same tier as albums like Kid A and Ok Computer. However, while I admit it isn't quite as innovative as those offerings, in terms of sheer quality and listenability it is absolutely on that level.

A little better than Kid A in my opinion.

Easy five stars. And I probably wouldn't even count The Bends among my favourite Radiohead albums.

I used to hate Radiohead but dang this album has some bangers

It's pretty good, but you can tell this is early work of a band still figuring it out - personally I feel the tracks could use a little better cohesion

Boring and dreary. Another group moaning about life and trying to change the world. One or two interesting elements scattered about.

Lots of music critics like to refer to the sophomore slump, but just as often an artist will only find their sound after their debut. The Bends is an astronomical improvement on Pablo Honey, blending elements of Britpop, grunge (check out Thom basically doing a Billy Corgan impression on “Planet Telex”), and ‘80s alternative rock with weird, progressive chord changes that would come to define their writing. It’s those chord changes that give The Bends (and Radiohead by extension) such massive crossover appeal - they’re moody enough for the emo kids and technically interesting enough for the progheads, and everyone in between seems to love ‘em too. The Bends is not the sound of Radiohead at their peak, but it is the sound of Radiohead coming into their own. Most people will point to singles “High and Dry” or “Fake Plastic Trees” as highlights, but I’d rather direct your attention to the stunning closer “Street Spirit (Fade Out)” which foreshadows the rest of their catalogue more than anything else here with its softly crooned vocals, twinkly guitars, and understated drum groove. Coldplay probably owe their entire career to this record. It’s a good one, but the best is yet to come.

An improvement on Pablo Honey but not nearly as good as the next few albums. I liked a few tracks but not the album as a whole. But you could see what was about to happen.

Radiohead were still finding their sound here. Much better than Pablo Honey, but still has a lot of straightforward, simple pop/rock like Fake Plastic Trees, High and Dry, and Bullet Proof alongside some more interesting and creative songs like Street Spirit, Planet Telex, and My Iron Lung. I think this is much better than a lot of the alternative rock of the 90s, but still nowhere near as good as OK Computer and their other later albums.

Despite being quite into radiohead as a teen I never quite enjoyed the bends. And even now 15 years later it just doesn't grip me. though it does feel like their most energetic and conventional album in a sense, it ends up being a little bit boring and somewhat bland

I know this album well. A great example of artistic growth and gambling done well.

i don’t know what there is to say about radiohead that hasn’t been said. thom yorke is an ass. music is emo. it’s fine if that’s your bag.

A real edge here. I understand why Radiohead wouldn’t want to live here forever, but this is great.

The Bends/ OK Computer is my sweet spot of Radiohead. They'll never be my favorite, but I liked this more than I remembered. Just is my favorite, but that may be because of the video? And maybe I like Radiohead videos more than their albums? 3.5⭐️

One of my favorites. Fell in love with Radiohead from this album.

I’m tempted to dock this a star for all the Muse-hating Radiohead fans and say it’s just a rip off of REM or U2 or whatever but I’m not that lame. It’s a great album.

I thought I'd be ok with this, but midway I started wishing for it to end sooner.

Good, but I'm not British so it's not the best thing I've ever heard.

4.25. I need to listen to Radiohead more often.

No one is more surprised than me how much I enjoyed this. Of everything I’ve heard from Radiohead this is the best.

3.75 - Another Radiohead album that I like now that I'm older. What's happening to me?

Fabulous album

Personally no skips loved every song

Unfortunately I wasnt able to give my full attention to this album but i liked a lot of the songs

Was actually surprised I enjoyed this! Had a lot more sonf with an alt rock than I'm used to for Radiohead. And only occasionally drifted into avant garde territory. Overall- good album. 3.5/5

- (Nice Dream) is the only one memorable to me so far - I know some of the songs. But I don't think I really like any song in particular.

5/5

One of the best albums of the 1990s that brings is an amazing combination of the dynamics and dissonance and melodicism of radio alt rock with indie/shoegaze texture and density, and the arena rock bombast of U2. Because it's 'just' guitar rock it doesn't get held up in the same way their more boundary pushing next few albums do, but these are some of the best songs they ever wrote - they perfected the style before outgrowing it.

***An ok album, fairly easy listening

The start of a perfect 6 album run. Loved this in high school, still love it now. Just a huge step up from their debut. Perfect blend of alt rock and art rock.

Call me an oldhead, but this is teenager music. That is not something bad though, while not being “Creep”, this is still a fantastic álbum which was just shadowed by it’s giant predecessor. Very consistent, with my personal favorite being Black Star and Nice Dream

Adore this

absolute banger

I like (nice dream). heard some songs already. peak 2000s indie emo rock vibes.

not my cup of tea

Como radiohater me toca decir que este disco si es bueno la verdad, exceso de hits que dan fiaca escuchar pero eso no es culpa de los muchachos

9/10 cuz I can't find gf who listens to radiohead

For me it’s not something that works. It always sounds like the soundtrack to a movie I don’t want to watch, kind of low budget John carpenter reinterprets Woody Allen without any jokes. I know many people love this but I find it entirely too satisfied with itself.

Full disclosure, I love old Radiohead. This is a brilliant album, but it did make me go and listen to Pablo Honey, which in my opinion is better.

Fantastic.

Not top 3 Radiohead, and that's more of a compliment to the band than a critique of the album.

This album is incredible!

In my opinion, it’s Radiohead’s best album.

Not a huge Radiohead fan but it was okay

not the best radiohead album but still a radiohead album so 5. foreshadows some of their future work. Street Spirit (fade out)

Très belle découverte, les riffs sont tous géniaux, ça démarre très bien !