Reviews (page 7 of 15)
Hypnotic - Background flow
MY BABYS GOT THE BENDSSSSS i fucking love this album SO much oh my god perfect for studying crying happy etc!!! this is so perf i’ve been on such a radiohead kick recently
I really have to be in the right mood for Radiohead.
Fucking bangs all songs 10/10
Stark trea, mysig rock liksom
not my favorite Radiohead album but if anyone wants to claim it is their best I will not argue with them.
I love Radiohead. This is an absolutely fantastic album.
Gillar skivan, bra ballader särskilt High and Dry.
For me iconic 90’s era music for the alternative scene. Great album front to back. I re-learned this band, again… Didn’t listen to much of there other albums besides this one.
This was a great album and the first album of theirs I've listened to. I hope there is more on the list
On my second playthrough of this album I started to enjoy it. I was a bit surprised. I don't have much to say except this could enter my regular rotation with some more time with it.
As a self proclaimed Radiohead fan, I'm ashamed to say I've never listened to this album in full before. I glad I did today because this was a great entry to their solid gold discography. More mainstream appealing than almost all of their later works, this one holds up really well. Many great hits on this. I definitely will listen again.
Good album but nothing gave me chills.
amazing album
Better than in rainbows
Schon guter emo stuff
OK
Esordio notevole, forse il loro più bello.
Their first great album. Many many more great albums followed. High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees and the title track are all some of the best RH songs of all time. Flies under the radar a bit but I love it. Free Palestine.
A very beautiful experience to listen to this. I gotta admit that I only know Radiohead from 'Creep' but this was quite the delight as my first real exploration of their work.
Always thought radiohead was not for me. But turns out I had heard the hits too many times, the hereto unknown songs were surprisingly good with a mellow grungy sound. And I guess those hits are not bad either. I stand corrected.
The best
solid album. i particularly liked the track, 'just.' radiohead tends to not really be my bag and this album didn't totally bowl me over but it was still an overall enjoyable album.
Decent album here. Definitely enjoyable, and I know most of the tracks. I don't think I'd give it more than 3 stars if I heard it first today, but it gets 4 because of the impact it had when I first heard it.
Was excited to get this album- I really like fake plastic trees but had never really listened to the rest of the album. Was generally pleased with the album. Nice balance of guitar and extremely depressing singing 8.58/10
remove bones from the tracklist and it's 10/10.
I grooved with 1-2, the rest hit me like other Radiohead songs do...eh.
This is the only Radiohead album that I have in my collection. Not a huge fan, but like this album
Better than I expected a high 3, I still can’t see me wanting to listen to Radiohead through choice.
Interesting, would listen again
depressing but good
Sad. Super 90s pop. Not my favorite. Done of the production was cool and there were catchy songs (that were really sad)
Love the vocals, very somber tone to the songs, made me want to throw my arms up with my face towards the gray clouds above.
General thoughts: I have a kind of stigma against radiohead, haven't really heard anything outside of creep. It wasn't as bad as I expected, I thought they were more vanilla. I liked the strident tone. The band work is solid, specially the guitar. There were a couple of moments in which I think the arrangements could have been improved a lot. Lyrics are tedious though, Thom Yorke has such a punchable face and his songwriting screams "Depressed loser" lol "The Bends" is something I would listen to as individuals songs, not as a whole. Liked it. Outstanding song(s): Black Star Weakest song(s): Bullet Proof... I wish I was Cover: Awful. Real rating: 4.04
La portada de este disco me hace mucha gracia. Ya había escuchado el álbum pero no me acordaba bien de él, así que ha sido guay volver a escucharlo. Me gusta este tipo de rock alternativo un poco más grunge y crudo, aunque también tiene baladas rock. Canciones favs: planet telex, high and dry, bones, just, my iron lung
*1995. 2nd studio album. *Big hits: Fake Plastic Trees + High and Dry. *This was my first time really listening to Radiohead. *I think of Radiohead as whiny and slow - there was a fair bit of that (literally a song called "Sulk"), but also some slightly more uptempo songs that I enjoyed more. RATING - 6.5/10
OK
Great Album and one I've come back to and listened to over and over. 4/5.
I don’t know that I am a Radiohead fan, but I liked this album. The choices in the singing, the sound of the guitar, the overall composition, it worked for me. I would consider giving this one another listen. The influence on future alternative music is really present in this and I want to give it the respect I think that deserves.
Ahhhh Radiohead. Innovative soundscapers or moody middle-class music makers? The answer of course is somewhere in between. Which is where I found myself listening to this. There are many high points: Just is an all-time classic, hits the spot every time, Street Spirit has more atmosphere than Venus (look it up), My Iron Lung and Black Star are excellent. The rest just didn't grab me. Never mind, those ones are good to be getting on with on their own. Eh it is what it is...
I like every song on this album. I think this album is where this band really started soaring creatively.
Amazing
I get the feeling that my review will not be in the majority but there was nothing on the album that grabbed me and made a connection. I'll give it the benefit of doubt by throwing it into the forgettable middle of the ratings curve
hello
Didn’t listen.
I know this isn't objectively Radiohead's most monumental album, but it's my favourite. It's just really very good moderately experimental rock. I don't love the ballads as much as the heavier songs, but this whole album is still rock solid. I understand why they did the electronic stuff, and why it's good for MusicTM that they did, but I personally regret that they didn't stick with this sound for longer.
An amazing album that made you think Radiohead was the next U2 or a way Better Blur or Oasis … when, in fact, they were headed for a major sonic leap that no one saw coming. There is not a bad cut on this album.
Superb. Already one of my favourite albums so I am pretty biased ! Every track is brilliant. Fake plastic trees topping the lot. Great videos as well.
7/10
Not even their best album, but it just goes to show how consistent Radiohead's discography is
Loved this one from start to finish!
This is a top 5 album of all time for me. So many memories, good times, bad times - and I will never, ever tire of listening to this. In fact, I've probably listened to this 1001 times. High and Dry in particular never fails to illicit a big ol' lump in my throat.
I really liked this.
Moody and ambient, like every other Radiohead album. I respect their consistency even though it does make their songs blend together for me. Overall a beautiful album though. Favorites: The Bends, High and Dry, My Iron Lung, Street Spirit
i hate radiohead
So many great lyrics, and riffs, and bass lines, and beats, and songs! I love this album so much. If OK Computer is Radiohead’s Sgt Pepper, The Bends is their Revolver. Before they get really weird but after they’re done with being creeps. A masterpiece. Five stars for “Black Star” alone. Anyways. Immerse yourself in love. FIVE STARS
🗯 Not a Britpop album — but somehow still the best Britpop album. This was the Radiohead record I picked for my own record club, and it still feels like a leap from “that Creep band” into something with depth, ambition, and bruised beauty. It also, unfortunately, created Coldplay and Muse — proof that even brilliant things can leave messy legacies. But while their imitators turned into stadium schmaltz and prog cosplay, The Bends itself remains a wonder. The singles are bulletproof: High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Just, Street Spirit (Fade Out). Those songs alone could’ve carried most bands for a career. Instead, this record caught Radiohead on the up and out of the Britpop lane even as they accidentally perfected it. It’s the record where Nigel Godrich enters the story, the record that changed Thom Yorke’s vocal after seeing Jeff Buckley and finishing Fake Plastic Trees, Jonny Greenwood flexed and owned, and a generation of soft lads took notes and reinterpreted it badly. Verdict: Essential (it spawned Coldplay and Muse, but somehow stayed amazing while they didn’t) For fans of: Jeff Buckley, Britpop kids with bigger dreams, Coldplay before they discovered confetti cannons
Kunne godt lide, men få sange der virkelig stak ud som jeg likede. Men kan godt lide stemningen af albummet.
Me recuerda a cuando descubrí Radiohead hace 7 u 8 años y me trae buenos recuerdos. Qué bueno.
This one is kinda weird to me because I only really liked about two or so songs, but it's pretty solid altogether. I could see me growing fonder of other songs in the future too.
This one is weird for me because I'm aware this is some of Radiohead's arguably weaker stuff (compared to OK Computer and In Rainbows, which usually have more acclaim) but at the same time it's got so many impeccable memorable phenomenal tracks. I'm almost hesitant to rate this a 5. But it's truly wonderful.
Only one of the greatest 90s alternative albums ever. Unlike Radiohead's later fare, this one isn't especially experimental or eclectic - it's just really, really solidly written and played the whole way through.
I have been putting off listening to Radiohead for way too long. This was awesome from back to front. Literally every song was really good, no skips. GREAT guitar throughout, especially on Just. Fake Plastic Trees is incredible. I could go on and on but you get it. By far one of the best albums on here.
The cover art had me fooled for the longest time -- this is super accessible for a Radiohead project! Everything is pretty good, with some tracks I'd even consider spectacular, but overall it doesn't quite feel like a 5. I might have to let it simmer a bit for that. Into the rotation it goes! Standouts: High and Dry • (Nice Dream) • Just • Street Spirit (Fade Out)
This is an amazing album, but one of my favorite things about it is listening and realizing how many great albums we wouldnt have without it. There would be no Showbiz (and by extension, no Muse), no Rush of Blood to the Head etc. I don't think it is quite a 5, but it's enjoyable as hell to listen to and keeps me entertained. EDIT: After considering how much I've enjoyed this over the past few weeks, it's a 5.
This album has some really good songs but it’s not my favorite
I wish all their albums were like this
Fake Plastic Watering Can & High and Dry are still the standout tracks. Not a fan of the more prog rock moments, but a good album.
Some good tracks. I prefer Ok Computer, In Rainbows, and Kid A
Lite tråkigt ngn hände inte så mycket
So good. Loved fake plastic trees.
Love love love.
I’ve never been a big Radiohead guy so this is the first full album I’ve ever listened to by them. I’m sure three or four of their other albums will be on here so I’ll reserve judgment on them as a whole until then. But this album was just ok, nothing really special about it to me.
Sin lugar a dudas el disco que más me ha sorprendido hasta el momento. Me daba mucha pereza escucharlo porque había escuchado el OK computer ( que a la gente le encanta) y no me gustó nada. En cambio este me ha encantado.
Controversial… I love a few songs and I think it’s a good album, but overall I feel eh
Great record.
Sometimes my favourite Radiohead. What a rock band.
no bad songs, all good songs, radiohead rock 👍 4.9/5 FTW It'll have to be a quick review today due to gig obligations, incredibly consistent album with not a bad track on there, definitely a once a week listen. 4/5 MTW It’s good and I’ve always liked the guy having a gasm on the front I think that’s art. 3.8/5 JF
Best Song: High and Dry I seem to see two camps when it comes to Radiohead, those that love them and those that think they are pretentious. I fall in the former camp. I am not sure if this is their best album when Ok Computer and In Rainbows are on the board, but it is definitely fantastic. 5/5.
Pretty dang good
You know a band is great when they can release such a quality album and still have it only be - at most - their 4th best album. They really nailed the 90s alt-rock sound, and while I'm glad they moved in different directions in the future, I'm also glad they gave us this. One of the best to do it.
Not bad. I already had this album. It is decent the whole way through, no real big good songs but a good listen.
Not a fan of Radiohead. This album was slightly better than the previous ones. At least, Thom Yorke had a little more power in his voice. The album still sucks though.
220/1089 - I enjoyed it when I first listened to it, and my enjoyment has grown on every re-listen. Definitely one of my favorite albums. Very interesting song structures and counterpoint, the latter of which seems rare in guitar-based music.
I think this album was definitely a cut above the other two Radiohead albums I have listened to on this generator thus far. Vocals were strong, and the guitar was awesome. This was solid, and now I definitely understand why Radiohead has such a fanbase. This is great alternative rock music. I would gladly give it another listen.
3,7/5
I really liked a lot of the sounds and the sound. I see where Muse might have gotten some of their inspo on singing style, like in "Black Star." (Nice Dream) was unexpected, but I liked it.
transcendant. running to this at prospect park cured my funk. perfect mix of rock and experimental alt. albums like this are why i love music.
I just realized I don’t like this album. Radiohead are among my favorite artists but here their sound oscillates between a self-loathing Nirvana clone and 90s balladry interspersed with post-rock elements. I forgot that I only liked Radiohead after they found their unique sound with Kid A
Favorite
I think this is my favorite of the Radiohead albums we've had so far on this list.
One of is my least listened to Radiohead albums. I really like it though, High and Dry is my favorite track.
Favorites: Street Spirit, Bulletproof, Black Star Least Favorites: Sulk, Just Radiohead at their best.
On its own terms a pretty flawless album, and such a giant leap forwards from the grunge-homage Pablo Honey. If only we could mark out of ten, it could be a 9 to leave room for OK Computer and In Rainbows.
Radiohead all in all is really hit or miss in terms of my Musictaste. 2 Songs were pretty good tho
I’ve listened to this a million times, but still listened again. It’s still incredible
Fucking fantastic
My first time hearing this, and it already sounds like a "soundtrack of my life" type album.
I swear, every single modern sad white boi act, whether it be solo or a group, must take at the very least some inspiration from this album. It's a terrific album, but it's not the genre I'm in love with.
I’ve come to dread the Radiohead albums on this list, but this was a pleasant surprise. These guys aren’t half bad when they make actual music.
Decent, but I am not the biggest Radiohead fan.
A stunningly good pop album that showed they could write hits as well as anyone. There is a hint of the weirdness that will lead to them becoming the adventurous oddballs who recorded Kid A, but this shows they could do straightforward rock better than most
Really cool album. The Radiohead hype is starting to make sense. 7.7/10
some okay rockin and classic slow tracks but radiohead never blows my head off 3.65
this is already one of my favorite radio head albums so it was very nice to listen to it again. Phenomenal album one of my favorites love the 90s grunge radio head but also the dip into the weirder and moodier side of radio head. highlights all of them i have a couple least favorites like bones and bulletproof but there still good songs. the whole album is fire
Not for me…depressing.
Not my thing
I’m loving a lot of tracks on this. Lots of variety in every song, and “Fake Plastic Trees” is probably my favorite. “(Nice Dream)” and “Sulk” are other standout tracks. There’s elements in “(Nice Dream)” that sound like a preview of some later Kid A stuff, and everything here is exemplary of the kind of structure a Radiohead song has.
Incredible album
Perfecto
Alt-rock. Best album for college-days-reminiscing while slowly smoking a cig, looking far away into the void.
Some good songs, but overall just a glimpse into what this band was really capable of.
Some tracks I really love on this album, but on the whole, it’s not something I come back to that much.
Muy buenas canciones, quizá le faltó un poco más de variedad o dinamismo
Solid album
I’m a Radiohead lover and this one is a lot different to the other 4 I’ve listened too. It’s more focused on rock other than electronic/alt rock genres. Very solid album it wasn’t as mind blowing and “experimental” as a Kid A or Ok Computer but I did enjoy it a lot. Also I feel as if Yorke wasn’t singing as he normally does making him sound less annoying than he normally does. This may have removed some character out of the project as-well though. My favourite songs were Black Star and Fake Plastic Trees. Overall I’m giving this album an 8/10 4/5
Great album. I was less familiar with the b sides on this album than any of their other albums after this, so it was a good opportunity to dive in. This feels kind of like the first “real” Radiohead album. Planet Telex, The Bends, High And Dry, and Fake Plastic Trees start the album off with a bang. Other notables have include Just, My Iron Lung, Black Star and Street Spirit(Fade Out). Every song is good and the album is a great straight through listen.
biased as it's radiohead, but man what a record
This is very good with loads of huge tunes but it's only getting a 3 because I'm not listening to it again, I have better things to do than get really into Radiohead
Decent, enjoyed it more than I expected. I just don't think I'll listen to it again.
Their best album
High high 4, you can hear a lot of influences that came out of this
4.9 The album cover is what you’ll look like when you hear this album
V good :-)
Great album
great
Classic album, with many good hits. A little emo.
No skips, all bangers
Does every Radiohead album need to be on here? I mean, I’m fine with this one being on here, because it’s my favorite, but seriously - every single one? Is it a hot take that this is the best Radiohead album? I think it might be. I know it’s less experimental, less electronic, but what it IS is pure 90s alt rock quality. Every song here is so good, so catchy. The sequence of “The Bends” - “High and Dry” - “Fake Plastic Trees” is one of the best three song sequences in ANY album encountered so far.
A typical Brit rock with a touch of experimentalism. A good album. It was maturing the sound of what would become OK Computer.
more a fan of their later stuff. ts is still solid really like black star and nice dream and a bunch of them
A classic radiohead album. Bangers all around.
My thoughts are about the same as the first time I listened to this. The hits hit but I like their post-rock/more experimental stuff rather than their more straight forward rock
Countless listens prior No-skip album 3rd best in Radiohead's discography 5/5 stars
My second favorite Radiohead album after Kid A. While it may be less groundbreaking than a couple of their albums, it has some of their best songwriting in my eyes.
4.5
Sounded fine. Not sure if I’m just never in the right mood, but I just still have never understood why Radiohead is such a big deal. I liked this more than I remember liking kid A or ok computer, but I’m not really confident in that assessment
This was the album where Radiohead truly found its footing, creating a powerful and emotionally resonant statement that laid the groundwork for the masterpiece that would follow. It is a stunning collection of songs that captures a band on the cusp of true greatness. I am guilty of letting Radiohead be one of the few glaring holes in my 90s alternative rock listening history. OK Computer caught my attention, but otherwise, I mostly ignored Radiohead. This album reminded me of how they fit in the story of the 90s. It just sounds like the time - in the same way Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins do - the latter especially. I hear Corgan in Yorke's vocals on this album. I'm told both were relatively uninterested in each other, but I'd be interested to hear them together. That comparison is apt. There's a raw, anthemic quality here that feels perfectly at home in the mid-90s landscape. The triple-guitar attack is muscular and intricate, from the iconic, jarring riff of "Just" to the soaring leads on "My Iron Lung." Yet, beneath the wall of sound, the seeds of their future are sprouting. The acoustic despair of "Fake Plastic Trees" is a masterclass in dynamics, building from a fragile whisper to a cathartic roar. "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" is utterly haunting, a dark, arpeggiated ballad that hints at the more experimental and atmospheric textures the band would soon explore. So why not a perfect five stars? While brilliant, The Bends is ultimately an album of transition. It is arguably the peak of a certain kind of alt-rock, but it's still operating within that framework. It's the sound of a band perfecting a style just before they shatter it completely with OK Computer. For that reason, it feels slightly overshadowed by what came next. Still, this is a minor critique of an otherwise essential album.
I almost never find myself wanting to listen to Radiohead, but they are a great band. I enjoyed this one more than Hail to the Thief. He sounds like Billy Corgan on the first track.
Considering how bloodless and bleepy-bloopy Radiohead's music has become, it's interesting to step back in time to when they were still a rock band. The seeds of OK Computer are here, but it's weird to hear them play straightforward rock music (relatively speaking) considering where they went after this.
I can hear how this was the inspiration for much of the 00s British rock. But this is definitely a case where the derivatives are better than the original. It's a listenable album, but doesn't have anything I want to listen to again. That makes it a 3.
Never listened to this one fully through before, as I usually gravitate towards Radiohead's later works, but it's still a clear winner. It was compelling to hear them at their most stripped down. Layered guitars, steady drums in the back, small inclusions of strings or other instruments here and there. Gives an ethereal sound. Almost like the alternative rock version of Dark Side of the Moon.
I don't get the hype (recurring theme for this list) Alternates between boring kind of "just there" atmospheric rock, pre-Coldplay influence, and noise. I like the ending song.
Great project. There were a few points where some of the sounds were questionable, but these moments were easily forgivable after the fact.
I never spent a lot of time with this full album and wow. Another epic production. This could be my favorite Radiohead album.
Idk, man, Radiohead are just so boring to me.
Best Radiohead album by miles.
miserable just like me
And still only the second greatest Radiohead album.
This is fine. "My Iron Lung" is a good song, and I like this better than some Radiohead albums, so there's that. However, I am of the very, VERY strong belief that we did not need 6 Radiohead albums on this list. Music is subjective, and lots of people really like Radiohead...but fucking hell this is a terrible job of curation when the entire history of music is available. 3.0
For me, this album doesn't really begin until High and Dry. The mood is set by that song, and it makes the rest of the album better. It leads in well to Fake Plastic Trees and I feel its similarity in (Nice Dream). Although, I don't love this album as much as the other two that I've had so far, it was still very solid.
1001 albums that are mediocre listens before you die.
As soon as I saw Radiohead I knew this will be good. It reminds me of when I was younger. For some reason it encapsulates that 90s feeling in it.I’m enjoying this one a lot. This album is amazing. It really is.I might even get it on Vinyl. 8.5/10
My favorite radiohead album. Classic 90s
The Bends marked a pivotal moment in Radiohead's evolution from alt-rock newcomers to one of the most influential bands of their generation. The album blends introspective lyrics with soaring guitar work and haunting melodies, showcasing Thom Yorke's emotive vocals and the band's growing sonic ambition. Standout tracks like "Fake Plastic Trees", "High and Dry", and "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" highlight the band's ability to balance vulnerability with grandeur. The production is crisp, the songwriting is mature, and the emotional depth is undeniable. A five-star classic, The Bends remains a cornerstone of 90s rock and a precursor to the experimental brilliance that would define Radiohead's later work.
Of all the Radioheads this is the best Radiohead 👍
Pretentious, drab and pseudo-intellectual, its pretty bland. Thom Yorke sounds like a nasally dying cat mumbling through songs and everything is produced to sound to be played at a funeral. It sounds like a bunch of college students trying so hard to be relevant, and they just aren't. The songs present themselves as sentimental & moving but there's no matching emotion behind it. Happy people love this, but I'm sitting there asking... why?
Great one
I fucking HATE Creep and thought I hated Radiohead. I was expecting lots of angst on top of a droning background. What a pleasant surprise! A lot of these songs are really well structured with some beautiful melodies. Didn’t love when things got distorted but otherwise this is a huge success.
Perhaps there's hope for me liking 90s music yet. This is the right amount of noisy guitars and moodiness. Really appreciated the quieter songs like High and Dry and Bullet Proof.
This goes harder than I expected.
Amazing album. I could listen to this (and OK Computer) on repeat forever. I enjoy 90s Radiohead so much more than their later work.
Faaaaaaaaade ouuuuuuuuuuuut agaaaaaaaain
An exquisite accomplishment. This album somehow manages to feel both frail and soaring, vulnerable and powerful. While I do think there are too many Radiohead albums on this list, Bends most definitely deserves to be on here.
I just listened to this album like 2 weeks ago, but to keep it fair, I played it a whole time again. So now my opinion should be more certain, right? No. Radiohead music as a whole is a great thing to listen to when you have depression, but it definitely isn't a good cure for depression. The album starts kind of innocent, with drunken Planet Telex, bangerous The Bends and masterpieces of a song High and Dry & Fake Plastic Trees. But after that, the sound of the whole album starts to slowly change and by the and of it - lets say I'm glad it is the end. Every song on this album is great, but it just seems to me that the whole album is so well put togther, that it has a real strange effect on me. In the end, I think this is one of the best works from Radiohead discography. I wont be listening to The Bends as a whole thing for some time now, but only because I love it. Favourite songs - Fake Plastic Trees, Black Star, (Nice Dream), The Bends
Sexo
El álbum me da una extraña sensación con algunas letras. El sonido no es tan novedoso siento yo pero se acoplan muy bien ambos
Easily one of the best albums of all time.
An all time great album. I’m not the biggest fan of Radiohead but man, is this good. Equal parts interesting, engaging, and devastating.
A Beautiful Mellow album
Legendary!!! One of the absolute best!!
Yay, a music for sad white guys
One of the bands greatest albums. It's iconic, its solid, its not overly ambitious like much of Radiohead's later work. I really enjoy listening.
quite chill
Meh, fine. Radiohead just isn't my jam
Even when Radiohead is not at their best, they're still enjoyably transcending.
Oh hell yeah!
Their best for sure. Absolute banging classic, so many top tunes. 6/5... no? fine, 5 then.
It's a five
As a rocker at heart, this is my favourite Radiohead album. I understand that the band would have largely been irrelevant by now if they just kept making records like this, but this is nonetheless the sweet spot. Maybe it sticks out precisely because it’s their only proper rock album.
Why is this so dreary?
First real quality Radiohead album, the bends a standout track.
The biggest thing going against The Bends is that it's not Radiohead's other albums (aside from Pablo Honey). But when evaluated independently of their other work, and in comparison with the other albums on this list, you realize even if it isn't OK Computer, it's still an absolute banger of an album.
Great album. Love their unique sound
I love this album
pretty good
Still don’t get them. Musically they are fine but I can’t buy into the hype. Not to beat a dead horse but it sounds like the lead singer is whining a lot.
Really enjoyed this project - not my favorite in Radiohead's discog, but a goodie. Faves for me were "Street Spirit (Fade Out)," probably my favorite Radiohead song of all-time, and "Fake Plastic Trees" and "High and Dry."
Makes me wish I was 18 back at uni listening to this and all other music for the first time again. Top, maybe 20, album for me I think. Nostalgic yet still fresh.
Never listened to Radiohead before or heard of this album (even I know OK Computer is famous) Loved it, added to my favourites
La dosis sad que necesitaba
I've already listened to this album like 5 times before it came up on the list. My favorite Radiohead album by far. I've always loved really mellow, relaxing alt-rock albums and this one is top tier in that regard. Nothing but beautifully written songs with a great atmosphere, perfect for an evening listen like when I usually do these albums.
Solid album but just can’t love Radiohead overall.
Søtt og rolig
Sad rock:( is not the vibe
Perfect
I really liked every song this is somehow the first time I’ve listened to radiohead in my own time. I love 90s indie rock, I’m a british man band hater tho so only 4.7 stars
Tracks 2/3/4 are all time powerful; the rest of the album is solid but a bit whiney 3/5
Loved it!
I like radiohead. Sometimes I’m not in the mood for them. The Bends is an album of theirs I like most of the time and enjoy.
Alright album. Not as influential as their later stuff but it has some great tracks. My personal favourite but by no means their best and my opinions definitely may change in the future
Surprisingly good all the way through
The goats. Sometimes think this could be their best.
Fine Wine
The guitar on this album is great. Compared to in rainbows, I enjoyed this slightly less. Could maybe be 4.5 potential but I rounded down in this case. Would be happy to listen to this again.
So this album is probably Radiohead’s most popular, which in itself is sort of a hard thing to determine. You could make that argument for several of their albums, but at the very least this is probably their most recognizable album cover and it is super iconic and probably one of the most memorable album covers in all of rock. Sadly, however, I don’t think this is their strongest album. What I do appreciate is that this album is very clearly trying very very hard to distance itself from Pablo honey. In fact I’d say this is the moment they became the Radiohead that we all know today. Like the massive immediate success of Creep created this extreme desire to be something different than what they thought they were being seen as. But for better or worse I think that desire resulted in most of their most impressive and creative projects. I just think this album is a step in the right direction but not far enough. I think this album doesn’t age quite as well as their other albums. That being said there are positives. The instrumentation is excellent and the production is like clean cold water smooth. It’s so easy on the ears and relaxing. But that being said I only saved “Just”, “street spirit”, and “the bends”.
Radiohead
Best album ever. Bar none Magical
thom yorke! one of those albums that isn't fully fleshed out but you know is a sign of great things to come. As a Radiohead fan, this isn't one I come back to often, but every time I do I remember that right after this release comes OK computer and oh my days am I happy that The Bends was made
Album art: 5
I miss this Radiohead.
Such a great album such a great band. I could listen to this on repeat.
Gross
Great radio head. early stuff is fun
Really good album, but a little bit of a slog to get through in the middle in there. It will probably improve for me on a second listen. Added 7 of 12 songs to my brit rock playlist.
5/5
PERFECT 6/5 album, no skip, all bangers, most underrated radiohead album
Missed this first time round. It a good album but I feel like it would need to be on heavy rotation to embed it in my world.
Planet Telex - Solid opener, drums are good. The Bends - Band switches vibes so much it works out nice. High and Dry - Shows off the vocals well, every instrument fits the song perfectly. Fake Plastic Trees - Calming song, great volume changes. Bones - Cool bass riff, I don't really like his voice cracks. (Nice Dream) - Wasn't the biggest fan, too high pitched for me. Just - My favourite on the album, great lyrics, nice backing vocals. My Iron Lung - The guitar kind of annoyed me, the bass carried this one. Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Was - Emotional song, no over playing is good. Black Star - Strong and emotional lyrics, love the ride cymbal. Sulk - Vocals are great, love the guitar part too. Street Spirit (Fade Out) - Weirded me out honestly.
Listened to many times already but yeah
The first album that I’ve listened to previously. I like the singles off of this album but not much else. Street Spirit is 😘👌
I had no idea that this is what Dan Le Sac sampled for Letter From God To Man. What a great song that is. Started this album so strong and I was finally giving Radiohead a chance. And then the rest of the album played. The day that I found out that the worst song by my favourite band was a Radiohead cover I pissed myself laughing because suddenly Street Spirit (Fade Out) being so much worse than anything else they put out finally made sense.
Okay, I think I get this one.
Glorious. Sounds just as good as it did when I was 17 and it was one of the five CDs I got from Britannia Music Club and listened to it to death. Love it as much as OK Computer
A bit too depressing but is a widely well regarded album and a pioneer in the indie rock space, 6/10
I prefer the later albums where they get double weird, but there's no denying this album slaps. There'd be no Rob Thomas without this album. Thats not like a huge thing, but it's interesting at least
I’ve only listened to Amnesiac and Kid A prior to this one. And those are cool and experimental and vibes, and I think I even gave them both 5 stars. But this is just so much better than those
Banger
9'5/10
I never really got into Radiohead that much, but this is probably my favorite of theirs. Lots of good songs on here.
3.5
Easy to see how this is such a highly rated album, multiple 5 star tracks 4.2 stars
One of those few bands that everyone is solid, no weak link. the bends was a great into to this group and great to see them grow (e.g. OK Computer). Their Basement show was great and a real highlight is Thom's Reckoner singing while playing guitar.
Better than I thought it would be. Probably won't listen to it loads but good.
Incredible album start to finish, crunchy guitars, thom yorkes haunting vocals. Honestly such a highlight of the bands discography but overshadowed by OK Computer. Theres a lot of songs I come back to frequently. A lot stand up on their own and still feel fresh despite being 30 years old. Favourite Tracks: Bullet Proof ... I Wish I was, My Iron Lung, Just, Fake Plastic Trees, High and Dry, Black Star, (Nice Dream), The Bends Least Favourite: Bones, Sweet Spirit (Fade Out)
Just another one that’s not for me. I find this stuff so boring. Nothing catches my ear. I’m sure the problem but it’s just so bland to me.
This is an album I've heard before, maybe not every single song to be honest. Lots of great tunes on here though. Track 1 is one I've only heard a few times. Thom's distinct voice immediately sets the tone for the album. Lots of cool atmospheric sounds in the periphery. Track 2 is very familiar. (It just gave me Brand New vibes from TDAGARIM. Never made that connection before. Not surprising that Jesse would draw from Thom for inspiration). This is a fairly straight forward rocker, elevated by Thom's vocals. Track 3 is a Radiohead song that I don't think gets enough respect in retrospect. Classic 90's vibe, perfect, soaring vocals. Track 4 is probably the most famous song from the album, for good reason. Hauntingly beautiful. I prefer the version from the Clueless soundtrack but this song is perfection nonetheless. The capper of a really, really strong 3-song run that really could be put up against most other 90's acts. I don't like the effect on Thom's voice at the beginning of Track 5. It gets better as it gets going. But its generally a forgettable song after the heavyweights that preceded it. Track 6 gets back to highlighting Thom's voice. I like this song and l like the manic bridge (or solo) of squealing guitars. Lots of good in this one. Track 7 is the first Radiohead song I ever heard, as it was featured on Much Music's Big Shiny Tunes Volume 1. I will always love this song. Classic Radiohead for me. Track 8 is just okay. This time the manic guitars in the middle didn't do it for me. The verses are pretty good though. Track 9 was a slow burn, haunting little number. A decent song at the end of the album. Track 10 is a mid-tempo song that works for me. It touches on some themes that will be very prevalent in future Radiohead works. I was more aware of the bass guitar in this song more than any other so far. Track 11 is the least played track from the album on Spotify. Must just be because it's near the end because it is far from the worst track on the album. Loud guitars and again Thom's soaring vocals are in full effect on this one. I liked it. Track 12 is the closer. Pretty guitar at the beginning. A slow burn as it ramps up. Makes you want more from this band. And we all know they more than deliver. 4.3/5
Not their best but not bad
My favorite Radiohead record. And possibly one of my favorite records period. A no-skip for me. I enjoy every single song on this album. Yorke's vocals are beautiful and the power of the instrumentation makes it a masterpiece, in my eyes. 10/10 ! fav songs (hard to limit myself to just 2) : Just & My Iron Lung.
I forgot how much I like this album. It's sort of been hidden behind OK Computer, but there's some bits in here that are just incredible.
I love this album and unlike a lot of others in this list where it's better to listen to a few songs at a time, this one is best from beginning to end. "Immerse your soul in love"
Stay up all night, slam 4 beers, then as you're falling asleep, slur the random thoughts in your head while harmonizing with a yowling cat. I know... but I just can't get into RH.
My favorite Radiohead album and one of my favorite albums ever. Love the change of pace and mood from song to song, and Fake Plastic Trees is truly a work of art.
I guess I'm listening to something else. This just feels lacking substance. It did seem to be a sign of where alternative music was headed though
5/5
Sad to say… kind of boring.
honestly just not for me in the slightest bleh songs all round
Radiohead - *The Bends* however I did like pretty well. I may or may not have an affinity to their more traditional 90's alt sound than most Radiohead fans, but I can tell this the the transitional album to the next few. I liked this slightly better than *Kid A*, but definitely not as much as *In Rainbows* 8.75 ★★★★
My second favourite Radiohead album. 5 stars
4.5/5
Great album. I always say this is like my fifth favorite Radiohead album, but that's more a testament to how strong their discography is and not necessarily a knock on this. I think "Planet Telex", "Fake Plastic Trees", "Just", and "Street Spirit" are really great and are harbingers of things to come. A few of the songs kind of feel like they're holding on to their Pablo Honey sound a bit -- I don't really like the title track at all -- but it's a great leap in quality from their debut. 4.5 stars.
4.5
As classic and awesome as a Radiohead album can be. The Bends, High And Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Just, My Iron Lung and Street Spirit are six of the very greatest songs of the 90s and they’re all on here. It rawks hard, sears beautifully with its ballads and is refreshingly normal on the verge of Oasis and Cast-friendly Britpop with none of the later Radiohead glitch n bleep bloop. Bones boasts my favourite bassline on the album and is an epic lesser cut and even the weakest tracks like Black Star still chime along and hold up incredibly well. No bending it about, this is a stiff, iron clad 5.
Pretentious songs presenting pretend problems; a guaranteed way to make a bad day worse. (I apologise for previous Radiohead reviews where I claimed they had one good song - upon hearing it within its intended context I can only conclude that ‘Just’ is not their only good song, as they have none.)
Aw, sweet young pre-electronic, terrible graphics Radiohead. The preferred Radiohead album of the all rig, no gig, pedalboard-obsessed guitarist. This is a good record, but just nowhere the Titanic-sinker that OK Computer is. "High and Dry" is such a beauty. It could've been "Creep"-level ubiquitous were we a more sensitive species. "Fake Plastic Trees" is a epic heartbreaker. The rest is a little like a U2 without the unifying ego or a Stone Roses who doesn't dance.
What strikes me about this album is how much of it sounds so little like Radiohead as we know them today. Case in point: the guitar riff that opens the title track, which transports me back to the mid-90s and sounds like any number of guitar-driven alt-rock bands from the era. “Black Star” is an excellent song that foreshadows what they would do next on the vastly superior OK Computer, but to me this is not among Radiohead’s best albums and doesn’t need to be on this list.
There are 4 radiohead albums on the list and 2 that were but have been removed. This one and ok computer are probably the only ones you actually need to hear. Fake plastic trees still holds up.
I've grown to appreciate Thom Yorke and Radiohead in my later years. Not that I didn't dislike them prior...I just never really paid them much attention. But yea, it's great stuff. And only Thom Yorke has somehow made art out of a whiny voice.
Pretty good
I bet you think that's pretty clever Don't you boy?
An all-time classic.
radiohead so sloppy i almost crashed the Whippopotamus
4.5 The last great 90s Alt.Rock guitar album. Side one may be the best single side of Radiohead in the catalog. The final three on side two gracefully bow out one by one until "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" leaves you not wanting it to end.
Fire. I’ve heard a bunch of these songs before, but listening to the whole thing start to finish is such a treat. I usually listen to this kind of music and Radiohead in general, but this album still feels like something I re-discover each time. There are so many standouts it’s hard to choose. “High & Dry,” “Fake Plastic Trees,” and “(Nice Dream)”—that distorted guitar in the middle and then it softens at the end... just ufff. “Just” is funny, almost mocking at first, then it gets angry in the chorus. The vocals build, the guitars explode, it’s just vibessssss. “My Iron Lung” is full of rage in the chorus and it sounds amazing. “Bullet Proof... I Wish I Was” starts off kind of boring but the chorus feels angelic, like you’re being lifted. The guitar progression is beautiful. In “Black Star,” Thom’s falsetto shines, and again the guitars are on point. Even songs I don’t love like “Sulk” still have a vibe and work in the background. And then “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”—so moody and atmospheric, like a movie soundtrack. The guitars are haunting and Thom’s voice fading in and out just hits. It ends with a more hopeful lyric but it still leaves you in a deep place. The lyrics are cool, melancholic, self-loathing, angry, introspective, always digging into the fakeness of everything. There’s nothing I didn’t like honestly. It’s not a happy-go-lucky album, it’s a whole mood. One of my favorites albums of all time.
Still holds up
Bored. Even the familiarity of some songs doesn't help. All just too serious
Ugh. I hope this is the last Radiohead album on this list. I don't mind a sad song or even a sad album (shout out to Jason Isbell's Southeastern). But Radiohead always come across as whiny to me. And the albums are so relentlessly, self-indulgently long for how repetitive they are
I think I’ve finally worked out why I didn’t get on with Radiohead back in the day. It goes back to their first album and the ubiquitous hit single Creep, which came across as an attempt by some lamestain cob nobblers from Oxfordshire to sound like a Seattle grunge band, and was enough to put me off. This album marks the start of their transition into a more experimental and interesting style, with Thom Yorke’s distinctive vocals (probably an acquired taste), obtuse lyrics and interesting guitar noodling. It’s not quite as compelling as the later albums, but worth a listen though.
Funny how things goes. When I was young(er), I prefered the early Radiohead, more accessible, good ol' rock with its mandatory share of saturation, and not too much experimentation. Growing old(er), I started to love the experimental Radiohead, this band taking risks, trying things unapologetically, and never releasing twice the same record. And so, even though this is a really good album, I prefer the "other" Radiohead, fully embrassing its weirdness.
This album resonated deeply with me; the emotion genuinely comes through in the music. Tracks like "High and Dry," "Fake Plastic Trees," and "(Nice Dream)" capture pure melancholy, while others such as "Just" deliver energetic, powerful rock. Truly incredible.
Thought it was great, only giving it a 4 because it feels wrong to start off with a 5 when I've only listened to one album.
It was alright
Thom Yorke is a bit pretentious in most interviews I've seen, and I feel their later music is controversially overrated. However, this album is an iconic highlight of mid 90s light indie rock.
This record is in my personal top three Radiohead records, I think. It is hard to rank their work because I’m such a huge fan. However, The Bends shows such a fun period in the band’s development, from the grunge/alt sounds of Pablo Honey to the more electronic, elaborate, and thematic work that was to come on OK Computer and their subsequent work. The Bends is accessible AND ambitious, with tighter instrumentation overall and the trademark lyrics that somehow are deeply emotional while also being kind of cryptic and sci-fi (Fake Plastic Trees is a prime example of this). This album is just full of essential songs: High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, JUST!!!!, STREEET SPIRITTTT… Essential listening for any fan of indie rock
Love it
★★★★⅔
This is the first Radiohead record I ever bought, from Southwest Sound in Durango, Colorado during my Sophomore year of high school. It was just weeks before I would see the Paranoid Android music video on MTV Europe for the first time. An auspicious prophecy. I spent a lot of time with this record, in fact I still have the cd. It's not as trailblazing as OK Computer, but you can hear the band moving in that direction.
Not a Radiohead fan!
Haven't listened to this one in a long time. It's a little bit dated because man, Radiohead really did grow out of this, and like its successor, it's got a bit of seinfeld effect going on given that it's been bitten so much. But in addition to just being a good, it's also a neat transitional point for the band (Thom gets warblier, the fuzz starts to transform, new sounds come in) and a cohesive album. Not as fully realized as OK Computer, but c'mon, look at that bar. It was nice to revisit it. I'm not the teenage thoughtful sad boy anymore, so Radiohead's appeal has diminished outside of the loud-soft stuff I still love, but ya can't fault the classics anyway.
A- Planet Telex 5 The Bends 4 High And Dry 3 Fake Plastic Trees 4 Bones 3 (Nice Dream) 5 Just 3 My Iron Lung 5 Bullet Proof..I Wish I Was 5 Black Star 4 Sulk 4 Street Spirit (Fade Out) 5 It used to be my favorite Radiohead album, but it's a bit too raw for me now. Still great. I just think you can hear their skills grow in their later albums.
Pretty good.
Love: Fake Plastic Trees, Just, Street Spirit, The Bends, High and Dry, Black Star
Standout Songs: The Bends High and Dry Fake Plastic Trees Bullet Proof… I Wish I Was Black Star Street Spirit (Fade Out) One of the few good Radiohead albums in my opinion, way better than their more experimental stuff
Great album, home to my fav Radiohead song (just) hadn't listened to it yet and it was great
‘The Bends’ is a straightforward rocker compared to the existential dread of ‘OK Computer’ and the glitchy paranoia and digital despair of ‘Kid A’ and ‘Amnesiac’. There are hints of what was to come, but ‘The Bends’ is packed with guitars, raw emotion, and stadium-sized bangers. Melodically and thematically, it sounds like nothing else coming out of the mid-90s — rooted in classic rock but wrestling with themes of alienation, insecurity, and the search for meaning in a confusing world. It’s the perfect gateway for Radiohead newbies: familiar enough to hook you, but with the depth that points toward the band’s evolving sound.
Planet Telex: Slow, rough, atmospheric. As a singular song, I'd say it's not their best. But it works great as an album opener. The Bends: A lot of things happening in this one. Really interesting structure, clearly the most ambitious song of the album. Really nice build-up and release of tension, more relief in this one song than there is in many other albums. High And Dry: Very 1990s. Not the most complex composition, but perhaps the most catchy. Fake Plastic Trees: Good song, great lyrics. Melodically a slight bit too uneventful for my taste. Bones: Decent song, but pales a bit compared to other songs on the album. (Nice Dream): Very strong, standout song for me. The contrast between the acoustic and the grungier parts effectively underlines lyrics' meaning. Just: Of these twelve songs, probably the one with the most mainstream appeal. And also a really good, meaningful song. My Iron Lung: A rather hypnotic piece. Immersive, powerful. Immersively claustrophobic. Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Was: Not my favourite, but a grower. A bit slow, but surprisingly refreshing in the chorus. Black Star: Strong, very authentic and straightforward. Sulk: Despite the guitar solo, the drums/percussion feel like the star of this track. Decent song overall. Street Spirit: The last song of the album noticeably breaks the flow of the other songs. A lighter, brighter melody. And lyrics that pick up on the themes so far, but ultimately offer a more peaceful and accepting perspective on them. All of the songs are introspective and share themes of a lament of personal stagnation, isolation and the felt futility of action. Compositionally, they flow into one another nicely, making for a very rewarding holistic listening experience. Each song proves perfectly enjoyable on its own (though some more than others), yet this album as a whole is certainly more than just the sum of its parts.
Not a big fan of this band but it was an OK album
Excellent! Great to listen to.
Muzak
Elite 4 song run to start
Back when Radiohead cared about melody. I miss those days. There are some beautiful moments. Fake Plastic Trees is a highlight for me. Toward the end is a song, Sulk, which gives a preview into the direction they are heading. This song loses this album a star.
Better than Coldplay
This was an enjoyable album. I thought I wasn’t keen of Radio head but they won me over with this one. Just good music to sing along to and make you feel something.
No skips. This album is beautiful.
This album is definitely one of Radiohead’s best. Their penultimate album before Ok Computer and before their style switch to a more electronic sound, this album has so much to offer for people who like the band’s rock material. Songs such the title track and Black Star are standout heavy rockers on the album. The album almost has more soft, reflective moments on it, such as High and Dry, (Nice Dream), Bullet Proof… I Wish I Was, and Street Spirit(Fade Out). Jonny Greenwood’s guitar playing in this album is superb as always, with his echoey guitar riffs filling songs such as Planet Telex. Thom Yorke’s lyrics and vocals are also great, with the lyrics, in typical Radiohead fashion, being cryptic as always. His voice can carry from the heavier sections of the album to the lighter sections, feeling at home in all of the songs. Ed O’Brien backs up his brother on guitar, adding his own riffs throughout the album, and Colin Grrenwood and Phillip Selway complete the band, creating rhythms that hold up the rest of the band. Overall, this album is a standout of 90s Alt. Rock, and one of Radiohead’s best albums.
Wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did, but I added nearly every song to my library. Excellent musicianship, emotional vocals, without any one song trying to be a pretentious, radio hit.
4.5 stars. Phenomenal album, impressive arrangements. Yorke's falsetto and dreary lyrics can be draining at times. "High and Dry" harbinger for 2000's mainstream alt rock. Heavier tracks like "My Iron Lung" are more hard rock. Favorite is "Just".
The first album I ever purchased on vinyl
Godt album! Litt mer Brit-popete enn jeg trodde
The most “rock” radiohead album