Reviews (page 7 of 15)
Very unique... beautiful vocals and amazing lyrics
Damn this was good.
Mind-bending. I could spend some time writing more about this album, but I rather listen to it again instead. It's R.E.M., I mean, what else can I say?
Great album that isn't fronted by big hits but rather convinces with a high quality throughout the whole album. Loved the sound
This stayed on all day.
19th January 2022 Listened throughout the day on my phone, went in to Brixton and got an iPhone. Terrified that I was going to lose all this data but managed to find out how to keep it! Such a good album, it's searing and tearing whilst being tender.
It's a great album. We all know what came next, and I'm not going to judge this on that. So it gets 5 from me on it's own merit.
Absolute classic. Grabbed this recently on vinyl. May be still my favorite Radiohead album.
All tracks great. All tracks have inspired at least one inventive and interesting cover--that I know of. Shows that this all-time band was making excellent music even before they started going really weird. Now they’re making excellent music AND it’s really weird.
Perfect
Best songs: The bends High and dry Just (Black Star)
It's my favorite Radiohead album and probably the only one I'd still put on.
I already love Radiohead, so I knew I'd give it a 5, but it really is well deserved. This was the beginning of their metamorphosis into what they are today. (Pablo Honey is ass xD)
I’m not sure I like Radiohead but I love The Bends. Their next best songs (Creep, No Surprises) just sounds like tracks that could be off this album. Everything else I find boring or stressful. But this album really his the mark for me, perfect mix of grunge/BritPop/electro.
Hef ekki hlustað á þessa lengi, en hún er flottur fulltrúi þess tíunda. Nostalgísk en líka afar góð.
Hits from start to finish
Everything is… broken
Lol sure
I had mostly avoided Radiohead for a decent portion of my serious music-listening life, partially by accident, so I think this was only their second or third album I've listened all the way through. Was pretty blown away on first listen and returning to this some months later felt the same. Guitar playing is infectious, grandiose and over-the-top at times in the right way. A 5! Already Saved: High and Dry; Fake Plastic Trees; (Nice Dream); Bullet Proof… I Wish I Was; Black Star; Street Spirit (Fade Out) Saved After Listening: Planet Telex, Just, My Iron Lung*, Sulk
Saved Prior: High and Dry Not Saved: 12. Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Was 11. My Iron Lung Cutting Edge: 10. Bones 9. Fake Plastic Trees 8. Sulk Off Rip: 7. Just 6. The Bends 5. Black Star 4. Street Spirit (Fade Out) 3. (Nice Dream) 2. High and Dry 1. Planet Telex Overall Notes: I hate to give this album a 5 considering how pretentious the Radiohead fandom is, but I really liked this album. Plugs the gap between alt-grunge and art-rock, guitar licks and quaint little melodies abound. A low five, but I take solace in knowing that most Radiohead fans consider this one of their lesser albums. Hope I don't look back on this review as a Radiohead stan and rue its writing.
F’n A. Yup. So happy to see and hear this on here.
Showing it’s age but it has a naïve quality that will never be captured again
Hard to believe this is 25 years old. It still sounds as fresh as it did back in 1995. It's something I've listened to regularly over that time.
Sequencia intensa.
Street Spirit one love
Already know and love this album better good to hear it again
What an album perhaps Radiohead's best collection of songs. Absolutely no filler. The 123 punch of The Bends, High and Dry and Fake Plastic Trees is nonpareil. Maybe it lacks the experimentalism of OK Computer and Kid A, but the songs are so strong that I can forgive the fact that it fits neatly into into the alt-rock formula. Besides you can see the seeds of OK Cokmputer in the closing track. I LOVE THIS ALBUM! 5 🌟
Наверно, единственный альбом Радиобашки, где меня не задолбал ужасный вокал Йорка и где нет конченого IDM.
Some outstanding music. Haunting and solemn, but melodic all at once.
I've been friends with lots of people with lazy eyes in my life. For example Steph and I spent a whole summer together being Floyds and watching MTV. The summer of '95 was right before I moved to LA. The 'Just' music video played at least twice every hour, but it seemed like more. That was a clever video, it was great. Fake Plastic Trees, notsomuch. In the FPT video, Thom (pronounced 'Tom') turns the drama up to 11 while imitating a baby in a shopping cart. It was disastrous and didn't do the band any favors. Anyone that watched that immediately hated them, him, Thom (Tom). The album Pablo Honey, was good and an easy listen. The Bends, followed PH and was a logical extension of the first with more angsty, artsy-fartsy undertones thrown in. I liked it. Revisiting this album, it's not groundbreaking, but it's held up okay. This is more like a warm wool sweater that smells like home and you put it on when the leaves turn brown at the end of summer. The Bends is one of the quintessential albums of the 90's, and by those terms it's relatively traditional. There's heavy guitar reverb, song builds, and self-consumed lyrics with a tinge of despair. It is also the last album before the band becomes Radiohead. Before Ok Computer. Perhaps all of that self-introspection is authentic, Thom (Tom) isn't as insufferable as we thought. Maybe he was somehow able to see a future with machine learning, crappy politics, overconsumption, etc. and identify change is coming. Ok Computer, the album after The Bends was truly groundbreaking and set the band off in a new direction with intricate arrangements, new instruments, computers, electronica, etc. It's incredible that this is the same band. All good things come to an end. This album The Bends, marks the closing of an era, the end of summer, the end of Floyd and for me at least, the end of the 90's. It is the closing door that goes unnoticed and time moves on. REFERENCES Floyds = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIA-5l4tRyY Just = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIFLtNYI3Ls Fake Plastic Trees = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5h0qHwNrHk
5! Great album
Perfection
A perfect straight ahead rock album for me. 3 guitars going at it for most of the songs
Una obra de arte. De los mejores discos que he escuchado en mi vida. Lo tengo en mi colección desde hace más de 15 años y estoy totalmente de acuerdo que deba estar en este listado. La mezcla de potencia y melancolía y los cambios en los arreglos son sorprendentes. Definitivamente este disco fue crucial en la historia de la música.
I am a fan. First Radiohead I've listened to and liked. It makes me want to listen to their other stuff again. Maybe Kid A and OK Computer are actually good. Can't wait to check them out again. Great songs on this album start to finish.
great!!!
Great album
Great album. Songs such as "High and Dry" and "Bones" remain personal favorites.
5 Stars
this is the second to worst radiohead album but I still love it
Finally something I know and that I was looking forward to listen to. Though I only listened to selected songs of this album before. I have a difficult past with Radiohead. I tried getting into them about 7 years ago. While some songs were great they just didn't become favourites. There is beauty to be found in Thom Yorke's voice many songs just didn't resonate with me at the time. Now, listening to "The Bends" as a full album I have to say I quite like it. It got high highs and many of them, though there are some lows for me as well. However, the highs outshine the lows in my opinion. I'm pretty sure that this album gets better the more you listen to it. Also, it's got that 90's - putting on your cheap headphones and listen to that album on repeat on your walkman - vibe to it. Favourite songs: Planet Telex, High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Street Spirit
one of my favorite albums of all time. although maybe not as influential as OK Computer or Kid A, the songwriting and melodies on this project are immaculate. fantastic project that i’ll continue to rotate until the day i die
and thats why it really hurts
solid.
Great album, nice vibes throughout - so many classic noticeable tunes and also several unheard new favourites.
Don't really have anything to say. 5/5
Love Radiohead! Very good album start to finish, one of my favourites. Barely any downsides
pretty good innit
I think I like this more than any other Radiohead album. This is actually really good.
insert joke about benders here.
Heard it before, and loved every second of it.
Al lang 1 van mijn favoriete albums! Logisch dat deze 5* krijgt
One of my favorite albums from this band and from the 90s. Great melodies and beautiful arrangement and production.
Love it. The album where Radiohead showed truly how great they are. BT: The Bends, Just, Street Spirit.
Thom Yorke's weird little talented face. Not as up its own ass as OK Computer and not as revered...but it's better, isn't it? Tweek my nipples.
Briljante plaat! Klinkt ook nog steeds niet gedateerd...
All time favorite. Niets meer, niets minder
Appeltje-eitje: fantastisch album!
Van dit album kan ik huilen, zo mooi vind ik het.
Bueno... Un dels àlbums de la meva vida. Quantes vegades l'hauré escoltat? Des que un company de classe me'l va deixar un dia (crec que va ser Francesc Roca, a 2n de BUP), em va enamorar. Els Radiohead venien amb la càrrega de l'èxit del tema "Creep", i amb aquest segon disc demostraven que no eren flor d'un sol dia, i que tenien molt a dir. L'àlbum comença amb la potent Planet Telex i ja no et solta fins la darrera nota de Street Spirit. Té singles inoblidables com Fake Plastic Trees, The bends o Just, i temes que posen la pell de gallina, com Bullet proof o High and dry. No sobra ni una sola cançó, i encara van deixar temes brutals per a les cares b, com The trickster o Permanent daylight. Aquest disc també representa l'inici de les crucials col·laboracions amb el seu productor Nigel Godrich, i l'artista Stanley Donwood. D'alguna manera, aquí és quan realment Radiohead s'acaba de formar, i ja no pararan d'evolucionar plegats i publicar sense pietat àlbums i més àlbums arriscats i d'enorme qualitat. El so de les guitarres en tot aquest disc és brutal, el punt just de potència i distorsió, i de delicadesa quan es necessita. La producció realment és exquisita, cada cançó té la seva pròpia personalitat i alhora totes juntes formen un tot indisoluble. El seu primer àlbum per a la història, i els que en vindran...
Vvvery good
One of the best ever!
one of the great records of the 90's. excellent
C'mon! is friking Radiohead, what's not to like?
Classic 90s, all the feels
So many greats
One of my favs
Still amazing. Even with the filler
Immerse your soul in love
Great listen!
Uma beleza, carrega comigo muito saudosismo. Baladas marcantes. produção impecável, como em todos discos deles.
Espetacular. Stellar. Radiohead como deveria ser até o fim.
1995: Planet Telex, High And Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, My Iron Lung, Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Was
emily b very nice name now get back to work buddy
fatasss album dm me @pizzaupmynose on ig
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
8/10 Finally a Radiohead album that I can straight up say slapped
inanilmaz bir gitar kullanimi rifflermukemmel thebends just favoriparcalarim huzun ve gurultunun bu kadar guzel tinlamasi
This is a Radiohead 3 and a ‘1001 Albums’ 4. They showed some hints of greatness here but hadn’t yet ascended the mountain.
With high and dry, and fake plastic trees. This album is already soliddd!
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.
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
Geniuses as always but not my favorite release by them. I still prefer in rainbows, but some undeniable hits on here.
You can really hear who they are about to become in this album. Good stuff.
It was quite good, if mildly generic?
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)
classic - replay, but still a top-tier front to back listen.
Holy shit a Radiohead album I actually liked. Wow. When Radiohead is good, it's pretty dang good.
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
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.
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.
I don't want to be classified as a Radiohead fan but yeah... this was pretty good..
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.
4.5
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
голова дай денег
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.
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.
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
amazing album
Music like this makes me consider the reality that perhaps men can feel the full spectrum of human emotion. 4.5
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
Favourite Radiohead album FOR A GOOD REASON.
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
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.
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.
This is honestly one of the best albums Radiohead has released, definitely my second favorite
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.
when she give u that radiohead. most original joke award goes to me thanks
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
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)
5* if u include killer cars and maquiladora
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
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.
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.
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
Unfortunately I wasnt able to give my full attention to this album but i liked a lot of the songs
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
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
Très belle découverte, les riffs sont tous géniaux, ça démarre très bien !
Listened to this in the library during my free period 23/06/26 One of my fav Radiohead Albums. All Bangers. Have listened to it a lot previously.
Today I think "High and Dry" is my favorite Radiohead song, although I know that's subject to change. Hard to believe this has been out for more than 30 years; it doesn't seem dated to me like some music from that same period — maybe because it's "music of Radiohead" rather than "music of the 1990s."
Depressive af
Notable Textzeile: I get on the train and I just stand about Now that I don't think of you I keep falling over, I keep passing out When I see a face like you Ist ja wirklich selten hier, das ich denke ein Album hätte länger sein können. Hier ist es der Fall. Daher direkt ein zweites Mal gehört und da hat mich dann einiges genervt. Aber ist ja eine gute Erkenntnis über mich selbst. Ab und zu mit Abstand Radiohead - The Bends super. Zu eng aneinander doof. Ich rate jetzt mal für super.
Das Album vergesse ich immer, was ein Zeichen für meine Vergesslichkeit und für die Qualität der folgenden Radiohead Alben ist. Starker, atmosphärischer Rock mit Hits und coolen Deep Cuts... Gleichzeitig auch irgendwie eine Band die nicht so richtig zu wissen scheint was sie sein will.
good
8/10
Fake Plastic Trees is such a great song. The album just works.
Good listen, but mainly for the "Hits" like Just, Planet Telex, High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, My Iron Lung etc. Deeper cuts like the title track, which reminds me of Paradise City by GNR of all songs, are decidedly less memorable. That said, its much better than Amnesiac and Hail to the Thief that I've listened to previously on this journey. We don't really need to have every Radiohead-album on here, and if we just stuck to the holy trinity of OK Computer, Kid A and In Rainbows we'd have a lot more room for something else. The Bends can have a space in here, I guess, but there's a fair amount of Radiohead-burnout here when we could make room for something different.
Vh1 used to have an alt-rock side that made an impression on me in the 2000s, I was unaware how much of that aesthetic is a reference to this album. It's not the Radiohead I've grown to love, it's the Radiohead before that, I wasn't aware High and Dry was theirs, a lot of these songs felt like the DNA of an era. Points for that. It's a little more commercial than I'd appreciate, a bit on the soft rock side too, but then the actual composition of everything is pretty exquisite. I'd buy this record so I could spin it at reunions, it's a safe bet for most ears. 4.1/5
Love this album and knew so many of the songs but there were a couple I had never heard. Radiohead is the greatest.
This is Radiohead's second album, a departure from the pure rock first album, and more towards the real sound of the band. It's ethereal, introspective and easier to listen to. An essential amongst the plethora of Radiohead's albums, and a great one.
One of my all time faves. Hits a certain nostalgia button, but is also just a great example of 90s alt rock. So many timeless classics.
This is like the Yellow-crowned Night Heron I saw last night. It appears to be a bit fragile with a long neck and a delicate plume of feathers tilted back off its head. Long legs hold a unique, eggplant-shaped body. It catches me off guard because it doesn't quite fit into the local bird genre. Sometimes forgotten until it pops up and reminds me of how fascinating it is.
Not since the Beatles has a popular band made such great strides from album to album. This is the second step of 4. A quantum leap from the first outing. OKCpu and Kid A get more attention for their sonic leaps but I would argue this is where the band really reaches and find their voice. Excellent top to bottom.
It was way different than from what I had expected it to be. I liked it tho.
Very nice
Great album, not my fav radiohead
I’m surprised by how much I enjoyed this because I’ve not really been a fan of any Radiohead song I’ve ever heard.
Not a huge radiohead fan, but this is truly seminal.
This is a really good album
베스트: High and Dry
Not favourite Radiohead. Like later albums better.
Excellent album. Four stars Thom York: distinctive voice Stripped down style Excellent songs: Planet Telex, High and Dry.
Not my favourite of their but still epic
4th best Radiohead album Standouts: High and Dry, Just, Fake Plastic Trees, My Iron Lung
Classic but my least favorite Radiohead album
Nadine’s album that I actually like for the most part. Will wonders never cease.
Le meilleur album de Radiohead à date, même avec la voix pénible de Yorke.
I wish I could dislike Radiohead from having a ex that was a mega fan and slightly pretentious about music, but I simply can’t. The Bends isn’t even my favourite album and yet they still manage to knock it out of the park, getting you in your feelings and each song has something to say. An artist is truly special when they manage to capture your attention with their music yet in an unpretentious way, discretely framing your life through their soundtrack. I can’t pick out a song, perhaps I’d say Iron Lung and the Street Spirit Fade Out are the weaker tracks as the others are brilliant.
First ever radiohead experience - it's great and I can see why the band has the hype it has.
Had to give it a second listen and liked it much more the second time around.
No skips. I don't care for the critics that glaze the group but I personally enjoy listening to Radiohead. Will revisit 4 sure.
Full of bangers
Radiohead's third best album. the only reason its not a 5 is because it sort of drones on in the middle...but there are a lot of bangers on this album.
Much better than Girls Against Boys album of the same time period and somewhat similar style that I received the day before. And generally a good work, although I'm not a fan.
7.5/10 - I would have sworn “Creep” was on this album.
One of my favorite 90's rock albums. Nearly every song on here is amazing. 9/10
230525 12:55 4
My favorite of the Radiohead albums we've had to date.
My personal choice for favorite Radiohead album
I feel like putting something less than a four is crime (?) just for the influence and popularity of the band, but its like OK computer, some good songs, the others didnt do it for me, just not my style.
First front to back Radiohead experience - This was a surprising project; I've never been keen on radiohead as it feels a lot like an acquired taste (no passing judgement of course) The quality of the composition and mixing of what feels like a million elements going on at once compliments the stage of life that listeners may have heard this album in that being young-late adolescence, where your entire existence is composed of the unknown and the fear that lingers as you make your way through it all Best song - Just
An album I listened to a lot when younger, but one I hadven't listened to in a while. Radiohead kept releaseing better albums (untilt the last 2). Still it is a great album, every song has something interesting about it. Just lacks the depth of the albums that follw! 4.5 rounded down Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes. 75/297 (25%) Will I get: Already have
It’s a great 90s Brit rock album but I prefer what Radiohead turned in to
meio repetitivo 8/10
Soooo many amazing songs, had a few that were just “great/good” to me hence the four stars (at least on the first listen). My fav was “The Bends”!!!
4.4/5
Me gustó mucho mas de lo que pensé que me iba a gustar. High and Dry es un temazo. A nivel sonoro la experiencia es buena, y las letras tienen sentido.
Love this album. Solid almost all way through, and I like that you can hear them transitioning into the sounds of OK Computer.
Ok
So close to a 5, but I think it’s a 4.5…. Beautiful though
Good vibes, good guitar
Radio craniums
Great songs and a cohesive album but ultimately it’s Radiohead before Radiohead’s Radiohead so a shade too vanilla
This was a great Radiohead album as well. Liked it a lot. Some songs rocked some were super mellow. Maybe I’m starting to get Radiohead? Not sure there were a couple I listened to that just stunk, but this is the second one I liked.
I still really don’t get the love for Radiohead, but there’s no denying this is a pretty well conceived of and executed album
this album is when radiohead first starts to find their artistic footing and it shows. the songwriting is beautiful on songs like street spirit and fake plastic trees yet it’s so simple. i wouldn’t say this album does much to push boundaries like their later albums did but this is a lovely track list of songs. i loveee those strings on nice dream
This one's quite nice, more energy / less depressing than later radiohead albums IMO
If this had been Radiohead's first, with Creep snuck in, you could make an argument it'd be their best. Instead, it's their first great album. I don't love the post Britpop tinge - there are moments that Muse would ape, but that's thankfully fleeting
Me gustó, pero a medida que va avanzando, las ultimas las siento q están de relleno
90s Radiohead is probably my favourite Radiohead. I love all the avant-art-electroncia stuff too but that rarely makes good playlist music. The 90s alt-rock stuff is very accessible and singable and fun to hear pop up on a playlist. So The Bends is maybe not the best Radiohead record but it does have the best collection of songs that I'm excited to hear elsewhere.
I never really gave this album a chance, for no particular reason. But it’s worth the price of admission. Absolutely in the canon of 90s rock. It gets deep and heady and angsty, everything great about 90s rock is in this album. Glad to have given it a deeper look.
First Radiohead album I bought. I guess I already knew "creep" but this disc was a revelation. Great video for High and Dry too.
siento q son lentas para mmi gusto, pero aun asi las disfrute, algunas menos que otras pero la mayoria me gusto. So, album guardado.
I can listen to this all day, all month long. Sometimes I have. 4.5/5
It was a great album. Loved it.
Significant improvement over the Hail to Thief choice from earlier in the list. This is more the true Radiohead. Excellent work.
When to listen: Laying on the floor. I'd heard "High and Dry" and "My Iron Lung" before but really liked new-to-me songs "Fake Plastic Trees" and "Just"
Just and Street Spirit are 100% perfect. Everything else is meh
Great emotion and musicality. The whole album blends well together. Enjoyed thoroughly.
It's really impressive that an album as strong as this one is barely in their top 5. Granted, my top 5 is a little weird but I still think it's extraordinarily impressive that this album is as good as it is. These guys had only made one album before this, and the only way you'd hear their inexperience is in the youth in Thom Yorke's voice. They really figured out the formula for a good rock album here, it's just really impressive. Favorites: Planet Telex, High and Dry, Just
The early days of Radiohead are markedly different than their later stuff, but equally as good. Here they have a much more alternative rock sound, with distorted guitars, more radio friendly song structures and vocals, etc… but you can still hear the foreshadowing of what was to come. It’s there, just subtle and buried a bit. I like both ends of the Radiohead spectrum, and this is a great album.
No soy muy fan de radiohead pero me gusto el album la verdad, mi canción favorita es Planet Telex.
Bendy
It's hard to find any flaws in this. Just not something I would throw on very often.
I like their more experimental stuff but still good.
this album is fucking hard
I didn’t write too much about this album while I was listening to it considering a lot of my friends have been highly anticipating me actually listening to Radiohead stuff, so I took a very silent, attentive listen than what otherwise be a fun writing experience. “(Nice Dream)” was really good though. Liked this a lot! Can’t wait for the other albums.
My favorite Radiohead record. A few misses but mostly great tunes!
cool! not my favorite I guess, but it was interesting to listen to: I would love to bike to this music
Gostei
Best Songs: High and Dry Fake Plastic Trees
Great
2 for 2 on Radiohead
На этом альбоме пришло осознание,что альбомы нельзя слушать фоном. На первом прослушивании пропустил Nice Dream. Сколько таких бриллиантов я не собрал?
This album was seen as a huge creative leap for Radiohead on its release. Given what the band would do be doing just 2 years later on OK Computer or 6 years later on Kid A, The Bends now sounds downright conventional. But this is where Radiohead began to mature as a band and develop a sound distinctly their own. "Fake Plastic Trees" and "High and Dry" are probably responsible for people assuming they just make boring sad songs, but there are also some genuine rockers on "The Bends" and the incredible "Just." Radiohead's defiance of easy categorization and tendency to push themselves into new territory start in earnest here
A guitar driven exploration of sound. Some songs are better than others. A weird homage to classic rock.
Only good album they have done
This is a very good album. It just goes by so fast one song after another well played produced and sung.
Vind radiohead vaak echt kut maar deze is wel de beste
4.6 on this if we were allowed the decimal. Incredible album filled with great songs. All time favourite album ending track in Street Spirit, just utter misery in one song.
Banger
8/10 Highlight: Street Spirit Lowlight: Sulk
Le classique qu’il pense être mais est terrible à écouter quand on essaie d’aller bien mdr.
Very good
Favorite Track: Fake Plastic Trees Least Favorite Track: My Iron Lung
There are some absolute all time classics on this album, however for me there are some misses too. I never really want to listen to the full thing, but when it's good it's genre defining.
Góð lög. Góð heild.
Representa a la perfeccion el dolor interno por el que atraviesa el artista, genera emociones fuertes, pero despues de escucharlo tenes que ponerte a ver Family Guy para seguir en este plano y no pegartelo.
Not they're best album, but still decent and Street Spirit is one of my fav songs of theirs. I feel some of these songs are a bit basic compared to their other stuff. Still, you can't go wrong with a bit o Radiohead!
There’s a few good songs on here so it just about gets a 4, but there’s quite a few I’d skip
Ça fait plaisir de le retrouver. C’est pour ce genre d’album qu’on fait le défi. Un ou deux morceaux que je trouve un peu boring mais le reste est au top.
Radiohead is really creative. Each album has s different sound. I mostly like the sound here and want to listen again. A low 4, high 3. I’ll go with 4.
Pedazo de disco. Nostálgico, reflexivo, romántico. Te pone en sintonía desde el tema 1. Es crudo, un desgarro al pecho directamente. Pero lindisimo. Bien británico. Y la banda tiene un sonido muy marcado. Himno de disco: High and Dry
The band is now at its apex in terms of songwriting, but they aren’t quite there yet in terms of studio arrangement, their true métier (that would come with their next two records). A few of these tracks (“Bones,” “Sulk,” the title track, “Black Star”) have the problem of being excellently written yet not very distinguishable from other, similar Britpop material of the era. A near classic. Best track: “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”
good, but a little bit boring. loved "planet telex"
I loved this entire album. Intense at times for sure, I think this is my favorite Radiohead album
rating: **** top 3: fake plastic trees high and dry bulletproof … i wish i was
planet tex is really just the intro the bends is more lyrical and with more action high and dry is more calm with the message being that quote on quote he killed himself for recognition i listened to the rest like only with half an ear but just is my favorite just from the vibe black star also sounds really cool i cant describe it i felt very sad throughout especially with the last song its as if i dont want to listen but i cant stop myself
8.5 / 10
I had Kid A earlier in the project and thought it was great. This is an earlier album, and it's very different. It has a more guitar-based sound reminiscent of the grunge movement and even some classic rock. However, there are definitely traces of the band that Radiohead eventually became in the lyrics and song structures. Many of the songs are more traditional rock songs, but some have more distinct structures. Lyrics are of varying quality, either being profound or nonsensical. At this point, they were still developing their trademark sound; I don't think this album is all that important to listen to except for fans of the band, as it's simply a turning point for Radiohead. It's still a good album, just not one I would call essential listening for everyone (for Radiohead fans, it's a must-listen).
I listened while painting. I hear the influence on later music with it's shoe gazing sound. I wouldn't mind revisiting it when I need something in the background. But nothing directly captured my attention but it set a good mood and headspace.
It was relax to be honest I think that i like it
buen álbum, me gusta escucharlo en días nublados
ultimate yearning experience
There's an interesting question here about how many absolutely classic songs are required in order for an album to be considered five-star. Two (Fake Plastic and High and Dry) is not quite enough. Street Spirit and Nice Dream push it even closer, but alas: 4 Stars. It hurts. I may change my mind.
I swear to god radioheads complete discography must be in this list. However, this album did actually slap, I will give them that. I would relisten. I don't think I actually saved that many songs mainly cause I was just vibing with the whole thing. Still, I can only hope I've seen my last radiohead album, it pisses me off every time i see i have one
Really good album. Waffling between 4 and 5 for me, but there were plenty of enjoyable tracks. I think I'll need to return to this one a few times, which might affect the rating in the future.
I am quite familiar with Radiohead, but I don't know this album as well, aside from High And Dry. It's a very good album, though I would say it is not anywhere near as groundbreaking as OK Computer. It still sounds very much like a rock album. I may not rate this album as highly as OK Computer, but I certainly would listen again.
8/10 It’s hard to assess this album knowing what would come after it, especially as it’s very much a transitional album between the Radiohead of Pablo Honey - talented Brit rockers, but very much one of the pack - and the art rock innovators they would become with OK Computer. There are hints that they were starting to pick at the seams of their songwriting and production efforts here, and there are some really standout moments; High and Dry into Fake Plastic Trees and, not long after that, Just, all of which showcase the burgeoning songwriting talents of the band. From the shifting guitar work of Ed O’Brien and Jonny Greenwood, who also started to push into his work with synths on this record, to the sparse but beautiful vocal melodies from Thom Yorke, the ingredients are starting to come together over the ever dependable rhythm section. But the real defining moment of this record comes with its final gasp. Street Spirit (Fade Out) is the perfect lead-in to Radiohead’s next chapter, with its slow build, restrained but effective production, impeccable performances and beautiful melodies. So how does one assess this album in 2026? It’s very good, but it also doesn’t always sound special in the way that Radiohead would in later albums, and there are a reasonable number of tracks that feel like they could have come out of the sessions from one of the other decent British rock bands that were around at the time (Yorke’s distinctive voice aside). But that might be a bit of a harsh judgement of a record that was part of quite an immense and significant journey in popular music. The band are great, they are starting to find their own unique voice and there are some killer moments. The production is also starting to lean towards the development of that Radiohead sound, so this does feel important, even if it’s not the most consistent or groundbreaking album in its entirety. But roll straight out of this into OK Computer and boy, it’s one hell of a journey. Planet Telex - This is a decent opener with a really good chorus. It’s a little lacking in dynamic range and nuance compared to their later work, but it starts to show some of the more experimental and production focus that they would develop across this and subsequent albums, particularly the use of effects chains to build musical soundscapes within which their songs can exist. It’s just a tiny bit of a one trick pony for me, even if it’s a pretty good trick. The Bends - A great riff to open us up here and there’s a lot more dynamic and tonal range across this track compared to the opener. That being said, this is a far more straightforward rock song and feels like the kind of thing a lot of other bands at the time could have put out, rather than having that unique Radiohead sound. It’s another good song though, and I’m already feeling like this album is more of a transition between being just “Radiohead, that 90s rock band” and “Art Rock pioneers, Radiohead”. High And Dry - There’s a good bit of nuance and subtlety to this as well as great vocal melodies from Thom Yorke. Again, it’s a really good song that is just a tiny bit ordinary from a production and development point of view when compared to their later work. I feel a bit harsh, because it’s another really good song, but I can’t help but hear it through the lens of what came next and while it’s enjoyable, it’s just a tiny bit safe. Fake Plastic Trees - This builds beautifully. The strings are so nicely arranged and sit far enough back, augmented by some really delicate synth work, to emphasise and add depth without overpowering. You can hear a touch of that experimentation coming in here with some really subtle pieces of instrumentation that add power but are only just audible, giving the main vocal and acoustic guitar the space and power they need. Great stuff. Bones - It’s a nice change of pace from the previous track into this. It’s got a nice bit of pace and punch to it and the descending line that they use as a lead-in to the chorus is delicious. There’s a decent groove to this one, and they don’t just hit on the obvious beats with a lot of the instruments, so it has a less rigid structural feel to it too. (Nice Dream) - This is a bit more pedestrian from a compositional point of view. It’s very nice, there are some good melodies and string arrangements, but it’s all a little bit too safe again and feels like the kind of thing that many bands of the time could have produced. There are moments here of there that prompt us towards something more, particularly the bridge, but it’s another enjoyable if unspectacular track. Just - The groove here is lush, there’s good weight to the riffs and it feels like they are pulling at the threads of their compositional chops here and there to pull it out of more traditional shape towards something more uniquely them, while still having a foot in the more standard rock music camp. Some of the production here is super lush and the bridge has some incredibly gorgeous guitar work in it. There are moments of pushing against the boundaries from both the performance and production sides in this, and it’s got a really compelling rhythm to it, particularly towards the end. My Iron Lung - There’s a nice blend of overdriven and clean sounds on this one and some interesting transitions between legato and staccato in the rhythm of the instrumentation. It’s got good vibe and the breakdown sections add some welcome range to proceedings. They don’t manage to conjure up any of their more infectious melodic moments in this one though and by the end it does sort of become a more run of the mill rock song. Bullet Proof..I Wish I Was - The reverb-soaked vocal and some of the soundscape creation on this one shows some more hints towards what was to come and this is a reasonable pleasant track that doesn’t really up its level or produce anything particularly standout. It feels a tiny bit muddled in their attempts to bring in that edge of production depth and it’s ultimately a little bland. Black Star - A great intro here with the 3 bar chord sequence. There’s a nice balance between the guitar and bass on this one, each arpeggiating nicely and pulling the feel of the track. There are some solid vocal melodies in there too. The groove is solid and they do quite a lot of work playing with the instrumental density to create an evolving push and pull to the track. Sulk - Back to something a little more on the safe side. It’s got a solid, toe tapping beat to it and the band are on great form. But as with much of the album, there are little hints at leaning into more experimental, arty territory, but it feels a little like they’re holding back, resulting in something that’s a little too routinely 90s British rock for my tastes. Again, good and hints of that next step, but it’s not quite there yet. Street Spirit (Fade Out) - Ah, what a way to end an album. It’s so well produced, sparse in the beginning and building in tension and intensity as it goes. They deal with this in such a restrained way and it’s beautiful because of it. The vocal melody is gorgeous and the guitar parts dance around each other expertly. It’s an incredibly evocative song, capturing the melancholy of a life passing by, with that persistent ticking of the rhythm driving relentlessly forward. Gorgeous.
J'aime bien quand ça chouine et que ça donne de la voix, j'aime moins quand ça dissone
⭐⭐⭐⭐Estaba acostumbrada a escuchar canciones virales de artista reconocidos, solo vivo en un mundo en el que las personas tratan de imitar lo de los demás, mis géneros siempre han sido el reguetón o canciones suaves. Pero para ser la primera vez que escucho algo completamente diferente a "mis gustos" no están mal, cada letra de cada canción tiene una historia diferente de contar.
🙃
Just beautiful. All the songs fit perfectly together and listening to them one by one is an experience of its own.
I listened to OK Computer a long time ago, but I never heard this one. This guy's vocals take some getting used to, so I see why people say he sounds like a whiney college kid. On the other hand, my ears loved the guitar tones and overall instrumentation on most of these songs. I agree with the hivemind that this is a solid 4/5.
already listened to this
El paso serio de la banda Melancolía, tensión emocional Identidad clara
Really good. High and Dry and (Nice Dream) are the standouts after a day of listening to this little number.
It's a vibe, me imagino que en vivo debe ser una experiencia increíble. Muchos instrumentos en distintas capas, pimpumpam, guitarra a lo loco y todo una locura bárbara. Difícil superar "High and dry" o "Fake Plastic Trees" quizás por una familiaridad y una predisposición a la escucha distinta a escuchar otras cosas por primera vez, pero "(Nice Dream)" y "Bullet Proof... I wish I was" me gustó mucho también. Creo que disfruto de sus canciones más tranquis que las más cargadas a nivel intensidad sonora, quizás por la forma de escucha, no sé. A veces no les entiendo qué dicen cuando cantan, no sé si soy yo o qué, pero por ahí siento esa desconexión con lo que quieren decir, igual gana por el lado de la sonoridad y ambiencia.
1/1001 (And what a start it is) The Bends - Radiohead (1995) The start of a sound that Radiohead would slowly transform and perfect over the next several albums. Despite being an early and less than fully-formed iteration of their sound, this album is still phenomenal, with absolutely no skips. Its coherence is a strength, but also in some ways a weakness, as it doesn't have the same experimental highs as Kid A or big dramatic moments of OK Computer. ★★★★½
I'd probably rank The Bends fourth out of Radiohead's big four but The Bends to High and Dry to Fake Plastic Trees is an unmatched song run
Awesome
a very good album all the way through. a exploration of the different sounds they want to portray.
Bueno , pero sirve para el salto posterior
MY FAKE PLASTIC LOVEEEEEEEEEEE
Loved it. So many good songs, and such a fun thing to return to as an older, wiser person:) I appreciated this album much more than I did when I originally encountered it.
one of the best/most impactful indie and rock albums of the 90s, probably in my top 25 albums oat. particular highlights: - the bends - black star - planet telex - my iron lung
This is not my favorite Radiohead album. I prefer what the band did after The Bends. But this is dang solid.
Love the voice and the music. Could do with some cheerier lyrics every once in awhile however. I added “High and Dry” to my Generator playlist.
Альбом как будто открыл дверь ,в которую потом многие вошли.
Something that I probably wouldn't listen to regularly, but I feel the music's emotions very heavily. I like it when things can invoke that kind of feeling in me. Good album.
High and dry is peak winnie the pooh's soul leaving his body. First track kind of lacks depth/dimension but overall quite good.
Pretty good but not my favorite Radiohead album
AGAIN one i know its also lovely plastic trees is beautiful “just” is weirdly cunty? its a very solid alt rock album but radiohead still isnt fuckin Radiohead at this point. love it tho
I don't listen to Radiohead as often as I should. I need to fix that.
I actually feally like this radiohead album. I didnt really like amnesiac or kid a. But this album definitely us missing that orchestral experumental edge of their later work. Song for song though they basically bat 1000
Solid 90’s melancholic gold right here. Love High And Dry & Fake Plastic Trees. 4.5⭐️ for 📻🗿
It doesn't have 'Creep' but it DOES have 'High and Dry', 'Fake Plastic Trees', and 'Just'
Probably my favorite Radiohead album. 4/5
A true classic!
scho sehr experimentell und paar lieder chli too much aber Radiohead-love bliebt Radiohead love und das laht mich ned under 4 UKW-Abschaltige gah.
Хороший рокерский альбом, мне зашел вайб и атмосфера!
Radiohead wants to get out of the shadow of Creep and creates the road map for future UK rock bands to follow in the next decade.
This sounds like 1994. The album cover is frightening & hilarious at the same time. Some jokes on said cover: Howdy Dowdy sure liked his happy endings. Sex dolls have come a long way.
Some incredibly beautiful songs but for whatever reason it didn’t 100% stick. Definitely on the revisit list because I can only see it growing in my estimation. RYM: Y (#134) Saved a song: Y
I love Radiohead, and think that almost every song they make falls on a spectrum of whiney to psychadelic and they usually find a beautiful sweet spot between the two, but this album leans more "whiney" than psychedelic. It's still really good, but probably not the Radiohead album I'll reach for when opuses like "In Rainbows" "KidA" and even "A Moon Shaped Pool" exist (I haven't head the other Radiohead albums yet so no thoughts on those).
One of my favorite Radiohead albums after first being exposed to them by their mainstream hit Creep. Three of my favorites...High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees and Black Star.
Its a good listen for studying but nothing that really moved me.
Nowhere near Radiohead’s best but… it’s still Radiohead. Shortly before their prime for my tastes but you can still see how the foundations they laid here will grow and develop into records like OK Computer, Kid A and In Rainbows.
Good, but over-rated. 3.5 stars.
Excellent album. Mélancolique, dépressif, nostalgique d'une certaine génération ce qui cristallise complètement l'œuvre dans cette période où l'espoir était encore permis. Même si ce n'est pas du tout le parti pris de l'album. Un poil trop répétitif pour moi. Musique à écouter absolument : Fake Plastic Trees
Iconic work from an iconic band. Music is simultaneously haunting AND catchy. And to think it’s not even their best album
Good
The thing with these albums is sometimes there's backstory that makes the album listen better in context. Outside of that context, this is maybe a 3 for me. I like this album enough, but it's not as powerful as In Rainbows or OK Computer. Now here's some context: this grunge band had just released the song Creep a few years before in the early 90s. And if you comparatively listen to that to the Fade Out song at this album, their sound went from one hit wonder grunge band to... some entire other evolution. Radiohead started pushing introspection. Soft. Melancholy. Less raw. Now this wasn't THE album that revolutionized the grunge movement, but it had influenced it. But mostly, anyone who goes from the fairly basic sound of Creep to this album? Deserves an extra star.
Far better than I remember it. Never going to be my favourite band as I struggle with the vocals but this is far more than just that.
Stellar spacy 90s vibes
This one is pretty great. It's dark and moody, but isn't bogged down by that. I wasn't a fan of every track, but I would 100% listen again or put this album on my shelf. Favorite track(s): "Fake Plastic Trees," "Bullet Proof"
Radiohead em 2026??? Thom yorke tá sendo tão tonho, mas fake plastic trees...