Reviews (page 8 of 15)
Some good songs, some snoozers.
I already know I love this album.
Perfect.
Fake Plastic Trees is one of my favorite songs, and I can’t believe it took me this long to listen to the entire album.
4,4999 périodique; c'est un 5, mais il faut parfois se garder du jeu pour d'autres albums meilleurs. Ce qui me fascine, dans cet album, c'est qu'une grande partie des tricks qui font OK Computer sont déjà présents sur The Bends. L'unité en tant qu'album ou la cohérence de l'enchaînement des pièces ne sont pas autant réussies sur The Bends, mais les pièces demeurent puissantes. Je le dis publiquement: Fake Plastic Trees, c'est très bon, Phil! Je l'ai confirmé avec une écoute après avoir lu ton commentaire incendiaire. ;)
Un album que je n'écoute vraiment plus souvent, j'ai trouvé Planet Telex meilleure que jamais. Les guitares sont excellentes, saturations savoureuses. Le son du drum est la seule faiblesse de la prod pour moi; manque un peu de chaleur. 4.49 étoiles.
I think I’m starting to get Radiohead now? Maybe I’m just a fan of This style of Radiohead, more of the mid 90s britpop leanings. It feels like the right blend of melody, dynamics, acoustics and heavy distortion, I was enjoying the vast majority of songs as they appeared. I’m excited to give it more listens, I think it’ll move up to five stars soon.
Gran disco
Knew the two huge ones, and of course loved em, the rest of the album felt rather blase, until street spirit which I had never heard, absolutely loved it, best song on the album for me. So a few absolute loves, and mostly indifference from me, but a solid album.
Their second best album, but still a 5
So many good tracks on this album.
An album I fell in love with in the late 2000's when I bought a pack of 5 cd's of Radiohead's albums for like $30 from JB Hi-Fi. The highlights for me (outside the hits!) are Bones and Blackstar, Bones is slept on, almost the least listened to song on the album according to Spotify. Anyway, great to listen through again after a few years.
solid as concrete
a step forward in the sonic evolution of Radiohead, and a preview of the brilliance yet to come.
I guess I don’t hate Radiohead anymore. Thank you Generator.
Such a bangin’ album, damn near perfect. This is the album that got me into Radiohead back in high school, so it’s a special one for me.
This is the 6th Radiohead album I have received on this, and I thought 5 seems incredibly excessive. This is the only Radiohead album I ever got in to and ever listened to with any regularity, and on top of it, it's been a really long time since I listened to this. It hit the nostalgia dopamine reservoirs pretty hard in a good way. Listened to this a few times today and loved it. Don't really care for this band much, but I will give this album props.
I enjoy 'Just', but then the rest of the album I sleep on.
JFC! Another Radiohead album? Give me a break! I wish their music actually did something for me, but I cannot pretend. I like 1 album and 3 of their songs. Unfortunately none of those are on this album. This band feels way, way overrated.
Nice, slow and calming music, although that can be said for all their music. Generally don't listen to them that much as most of my music listening is going to work and I need something more upbeat. Still solid though
They have a nice sound but get a bit repetitive and every song feels like it's on the verge of getting going, but it never does
My radiohead cherry has finally been popped! Amazing album, cadence stayed fresh and very unique sounds, I particularly enjoyed "high and dry" and "just"
Not as good as I thought it'd be
Not even top 5 radiohead, massively overrated
i like it
Ah, Radiohead. I have listened to a few of their tracks before, of course, but not really their whole albums. First couple songs are good, but not really earth shattering or anything. For a band that's supposed to be experimental, I find Radiohead to be very consistent, polished. High and Dry is a great tune, and again, polished. But it's not really breaking new ground, either.
All albums after this one 5stars.
Of all the Radiohead albums we have encountered on this journey, I would call this one the most accessible. I mean, I honestly like their other albums, but they do tend to feel a little self-consciously “artsy.“. I don’t feel as pretentious saying I like this one.
Much better than I was anticipating. This is not the sleepy rock they explore in future albums. The creativity and strong vocals are here.
Maybe it's because part of me wants to like Radiohead, but this album seems better and less mumbley than prior ones I've listened to on this project. I could see myself listening to it again. In the case of other RH albums, there's typically a few standout songs that I enjoy, but a lot of others that irritate me, mostly because of Thom's mumble-singing. 3.5* rounded up.
Ten/ten
Although I prefer the later era of Radio Head I still liked it. It was a journey.
i had this cd as a child
Every song gets better& better until it ends with Street Spirit (Fade Out). Great album, but not my fav from them.
Like this one better than 'Kid A'. 3/5
High and Dry = Good Song I like Radiohead. All the other songs sound similar, but not bad to listen to.
One of the best albums of the 90’s
Amazing. One of my favorites by Radiohead
to be honest I love when Thom Yorke songs get a little misogynist
Maybe when Thome York stopped being a zionist.
I put this album in a very small set of albums that may have absolutely no skippable songs on them. This album is iconic - a bridge between where rock was in 1995 and where it would go. "Fake Plastic Trees" is a perfect song. Honestly, this album and the two that follow are all unassailable.
Meh
Early Album. Very good for Running by doing Chores.
It's a solid indie art rock album at the more dreamy (and mopey) end of the spectrum. There are flashes of brilliance but, as with most music by this band, it is difficult to judge how sincere the melancholy is. Are they just knowingly pulling on the heart strings? But the talent is undeniable.
This is the album where they almost lost it. Bit dull meandering , fake plastic trees and street spirit in my opinion were always massively overated. It was only 'Just' as a song that kept it interesting. Tbh was about to write the band off at the time but what came next was well.
I'm not generally a Radiohead fan but this has more of the bits that I do like and only a little of the miserable whiny bits that I don't
What a fantastic album!
It's one that I really have to be in the mood for. The first half of the album is great, the second half gets far too whiney. Street Spirit does pick it up at the end, making me forget about the more boring tracks.
Love it
Bliss
Another masterpiece
This was one of my favourite albums as a teenager and it's still as good as the first time I heard it. I've always liked Radiohead, but I'm not as big a fan as a lot of people. In my opinion, this is the best Radiohead album. Truly excellent from start to finish.
maybe 3 good songs, the rest were complete snoozers
Not their most innovative, but their most raw. Plus an incredible collection of rock songs. Their best album.
The Bends is just a really really good album. Most, if not all of the songs on the album are amazing. I haven’t listened to Pablo Honey, but it’s amazing that Radiohead was able to put out such a banger, and then beat it with their subsequent album. To conclude, I really like this album. The Bends, Just, High and Dry; all of these songs stand out, and are near perfect. I really really like this album, and I honestly believe that it belongs on this list of 1001 albums you should hear before you die. The Brits have another W I guess
Ok album
This was my first Radiohead album and the one that got me into them back in the day so there's a real nostalgia factor here. I love this album. So many good songs. Everything comes together on this album and sounds really good. I think this is one of Radiohead's less "weird," more approachable albums. Thom's voice is great, the instruments are tight, the lyrics are interesting. Can't ask for much more. I'll go there and say I think this is Radiohead's best album. It's tight, right there with OK Computer, but I think The Bends edges it out in my book. Standouts: "Planet Telex," "The Bends," "Fake Plastic Trees," and "Sulk." This is one of those cases where most songs are standouts, with a couple being ok-ish but still really good. Another absolute banger and another 5 star album.
Great to listen through this album again--imho, the one that first revealed Radiohead's greatness.
Classic. Love the slow songs
Det fungerede godt for mig idag. Måske med mere tid ville det være en 5er. Jeg vender tilbage.
Perfekt blanding af guitar-riffs og følsom vokal. Fyldt med episke bangers
• 5/5 • brilliant album - the launching point of the Radiohead sound and a bridge from grunge to the indie rock of the new century • a few outstanding singles (High and Dry, Just, Fake Plastic Trees), and no wasted tracks
OK, not great but easy to listen to
While I like the first album better this change of style sounds really good as well. The kind of rock that I listened to in my younger days and still speaks to me from time to time.
Geht hinter den späteren Großtaten etwas unter, mag ich aber immer noch sehr. Viele der rockigen Songs haben wunderbare Krach Ausbrüche.
I forgot how full of interesting sounds and songs this record is.
I tend to forget about this Radiohead album because of how much I enjoy the following 4 albums but it's fantastic from start to finish. Not a bad song on it
Love this album. Listened to this non stop in my early 20’s when I was devouring anything and everything by Radiohead.
A very great record overall. It doesn’t have anything extraordinary about it, I just really enjoyed the vibe, very moody and sad record. I would definitely listen to this again. Loved Yorke’s emotional vocals and the guitars in this one. First full Radiohead album I listened to, so not sure if this would be my favorite or not.
Only album fron radiohead that I‘ll admit to loving
4.5 stars rounded up for sentimental reasons Full disclosure: this is my favourite band. I wasn’t a cool elementary school kid who was listening to this in 1995. I didn’t become a fan until university, between Hail to the Thief and In Rainbows. I was a student figuring out who I was and my take on the world after my varsity hockey career ended. My laptop was full of Radiohead songs that I had grabbed from my brother’s computer. I threw them on shuffle on Windows Media Player with all my other music. Every time I’d hear an amazing song and had to check what it was - it was Radiohead. It happened so many times that I decided to properly dive in and never looked back. So my initial experience with The Bends was in a world where OK Computer and Kid A had already been established as classics. There was a big portion of the fanbase (ateaseweb, anyone?) that looked down on The Bends as an inferior precursor to those 2 masterpieces. Ultimately I think that’s snobbery. The Bends may not be as complex or conceptually unified as Kid A/OKC, but it’s an incredibly listenable record. I still listen to it all the time! It’s so difficult to talk about Radiohead albums without the context of what came before and after. As a follow-up to Pablo Honey, The Bends is a big leap forward. PH is ok, it has some overlooked good songs and a bunch of so-so stuff that sounds like second-rate versions of other popular rock bands. On The Bends they sound more confident, and Thom’s persona is more fully developed. Still, I don’t think anything on this album really predicts the even bigger leap they took after this with OK Computer. My main quibbles with The Bends are: Thom’s angsty lyrics didn’t age as well as I would’ve wanted. On some songs he comes across trite, a 90s Gen X cliche. And the gripes that resonated with me when I was in my early 20s don’t hit as hard anymore. But really, he was just capturing a zeitgeist and his own internal turmoil at the time. With Thom I’ve always felt it was more about the expressiveness of his voice than the literal words he sings anyway. My other critique is the reason I’d technically take a half star off: sequencing. They have two pairs of songs back-to-back that sound really similar: High and Dry + Fake Plastic Trees and Just + My Iron Lung. It doesn’t bother me as much for the first pair but the second two have a dated post-grunge sound so it’s more noticeable. I’m splitting hairs because I like all those songs but I guess I grade on a curve when it comes to this band. Planet Telex - Starting out very strong with one of my favourite tracks on the album. Thankfully, we have long since left behind its association with Jian Ghomeshi’s Q (yes, I was a regular listener before the shit came to light). When I saw them play this live I was ecstatic! The Bends - The Bends is ostensibly about the alienation Thom felt after rocketing to fame with the success of Creep. He starts off singing about finding his real friends, asking “where are you now when I need you?” By the third verse he’s making fun of himself - “they brought in the CIA / the tanks and the whole marines to blow me away” - until it all explodes into one of Jonny’s most satisfying solos. Thom belts out a final desperate cry for connection, “I wanna be part of the human race!” before deflating back down to ask again, “where are you now when I need you?” We don’t know who he’s searching for - his real friends, his girlfriend, any authentic human connection at all, all of the above? I don’t know if Thom ever really adjusted to being a star, but this is one of his only songs that seems to directly reference fame. It’s a total banger and I love it. They performed this on Jools Holland at the time and I’m probably personally responsible for 90% of the that video’s views on YouTube. Thom never sings this “straight” anymore. On the occasion they do play it, he sneers and mumbles his way through it as if he’s mocking his younger self. It’s too bad. High and Dry - I feel like there are 2 types of people: those who love this song, and those who spent too much time wanking on Radiohead message boards. This is clearly a great song and people should get over themselves. (I’m excusing the band themselves because I do sympathize with getting sick of your own songs) A lot of Radiohead songs are cited for “inventing Coldplay” and this is a prime suspect. Coldplay and their ilk took High and Dry’s acoustic guitar + falsetto formula, dialled up the romantic longing and turned down the bitterness to ride a wave of cash money. It’s fine - I like Coldplay’s first two albums! I actually came to Radiohead via Coldplay. The best part about the Radiohead clone army is that it pissed off Thom enough that he eventually blew up Radiohead’s sound and did something completely different. That intense commitment to innovation is what makes Radiohead great. Anyway I like this song and it’s too bad the band seems to hate it. Fake Plastic Trees - Even though I think this song influenced Chris Martin just as much as High and Dry, luckily the band have not disowned this one. The lyrics are pretty on the nose, but it’s Thom’s emotional delivery that gets me every time. Anyone who’s mystified that girlies are in love with Thom needs to watch videos of him singing this live in the 90s. I cried when I finally heard them play this live! Bones - One of the few songs where you can hear Thom’s English accent! (On “I used to fly like Peter Pan”) (Nice Dream) - An overlooked song that I absolutely love. Thom’s vocals sound angelic. There’s a video of him performing a solo acoustic version at Much Music that I’ve watched approx 100000x. Just - Thom and Jonny really went off on this one. The vague sinister tone, the sneering vocals, the screeching guitar, and that blistering outro solo. It’s so good! Iconic video. My Iron Lung - Despite my complaints about the sequencing, this song absolutely rips. I love that it’s a formulaic grunge song that mocks grunge (including their own song Creep). The “if you’re frightened” bridge and subsequent solo make the song for me. Bullet Proof - Not a song I put on outside the context of this album but I’m fine with it as an interlude. Black Star - I love the fade-in intro. This could have been a hit single! They had no business burying such a good song so low in the tracklist. This is where everyone puts their filler. Instead they pull out this melancholy gem that projects a failing relationship to celestial proportions. The juxtaposition of the mundane drudgery of daily life with interstellar imagery is so Thom. He does this on OK Computer with Subterranean Homesick Alien and on A Moon Spaced Pool with the devastating, perfect Decks Dark (2 of my favourite Radiohead songs!). Sulk - Thom never really sang like this after this album. I get that he changed his songwriting style but it’s kind of a shame. I guess he couldn’t have belted like this forever anyway. Street Spirit - I think this song/video helped earn them their enduring reputation of a depressing, self-serious band. It does kind of sound like a Metallica ballad. It’s a little heavy-handed but this is still a beautiful, impactful album closer. I’ll never love a band as much as I loved Radiohead in my early 20s. But that’s ok! Every time I listen to them I can get that feeling again.
For years and years, I tried to get into Radiohead and failed. I remember hearing OK Computer at a young age and hating it. I mocked my little brother for wasting his money on that CD (that didn't age well). I remember a high school teacher of mine showing me Kid A and it not click for me at all. I remember buying In Rainbows, listening to it once and then forgetting about it. I knew all about the big songs and the legacy and the hype. And that made me really want to get into this band... but I kept failing. That is until I bought The Bends. I had heard High and Dry on the soundtrack for the JGL movie 50/50 and fell in love with the song all over again... so I bought the album. And that's when Radiohead finally clicked in my brain. And now i'm a huge fan and I love all the records... except King of Limbs and Pablo Honey (does anyone actually like those ones outside of the people fully in the band's cult?)... and I really regret not seeing them live the last time they were in Toronto (fingers crossed for this year) etc etc. And it's all thanks to The Bends. Even though it's not my favourite Radiohead album, it still holds a special place in my heart. Side note: I think my favourite is In Rainbow... not that that really matters. Anyways... onto the album: 1. It's catchy as hell. So many hooks. It's fully of poppy, grungy alternative rock classics with choruses that constantly had me singing along. 2. The singles are still incredible and deserve their place in the alternative rock radio cannon. High and Dry and Fake Plastic Trees are beautiful. Just just fuckin' rocks. Street Spirit (Fade Out) reminds me of a later Radiohead track, maybe something off In Rainbows... either way it's a haunting way to end the album. (Just googled it and i had no idea My Iron lung, Planet Telex and The Bends were all also singles. Radio has forgotten them I suppose.) 3. I really love the stretch from High and Dry to Just. Incredible. But really there isn't a bad song on the record. I will admit i'm not the biggest fan of Planet Telex and The Bends... which makes the start of the album a low point for me... but it only gets better from there. 4. Favourite deep cuts: Black Star (love that chorus), Bones (what an underrated poppy track) and (Nice Dream) (this track snuck up on me... i didn't remember it from back in the day, but i really enjoyed it.. the subtle chorus, the guitar at the end). Ultimately, I think I enjoyed it even more now than when I bought it. At the time it felt like a stepping stone and I quickly jumped to the bigger albums... so i'm glad I got to revisit this. What a great record.
Bendy, solid but not my fav from Radiohead
Cool album, lots of good songs. Not as genre-bending as OK Computer but there were hints that they were destined for more than your average indie band
Really, really good. I had forgotten how much I liked this album.
I know why I stayed clear of Radiohead for almost 30 years.
Radiohead are a great band sometimes. Thom Yorke is an unbearably whiny singer who can’t carry a tune. Gets worse after this. Basically unlistenable.
Coming off the success of Creep and being a potential one-hit wonder, this album reinvented Radiohead (for the first time) and launched them into the stratosphere as legitimate stars! There is a reason why I’ve listened to this album so many times and it is still in my rotation to this day. It never gets old. Timeless alternative rock at its finest. So many great tracks, and not just the ones with radio time. It is so deep and powerful, but not over pretentious. A true 5 star album!
Love Radiohead! Fake plastic trees, and street spirit were probably my two favorites.
On first listen, I really liked the first 4 songs or so and then the rest all blended together. I gave it one more chance and its grown on me — and I would probably like it more if I was in an angstier mood.
I love this album. It's been a while since I've listened to it in full but it just feels raw and emotional and interesting. Really enjoyed it all the way through.
Amazing album with unique sound. Immediately went to replay after finishing!
Great album
Easy 5.
Not as high tier as OK Comp, Kid A, or In Rainbows but the album you can kind of see where they were moving to. I have always liked Radiohead so I'm pretty biased and enjoyed this album.
5 stars Amazing sophomore album that set them on their way to become legendary. Some of their best songs and not a bad track.
Beautiful opening song but the Bends is the weakest song I feel. Just alright. High and Dry is a 10/10 and the rest of its stayed very strong. Had to have another listen. Very strong 9/10 but I may skip 1 or 2 songs in the future.
Radiohead doing what Radiohead does. This is a great album that is a good introduction piece for any new listener. The instrumental along with Thom Yorke’s singing brings out the emotions I want to feel on my commute to and from work. There’s not a single bad song on this album (nice dreams being the weakest but still holding up.) My Iron Lung has my favorite instrumental, with the guitar in the song giving the song such an edge. My favorite song vocally is Fake Plastic Trees. The lyrics discuss how both parties in a relationship want to be more than who they are, leaving each other discontent with themself. Song hits the feels and that beautiful singing voice feels soothing yet remorseful. Street Spirit is such a great way to end the album off, being an emotional masterpiece that makes feel like I’m floating away. I could give a reason why I like every song on this album but I want to go to bed. 100/10 And ok computer and In Rainbows are also fantastic. They need no comparison as they’re all great.
So much tension and emotion on this album like most Radiohead albums. The sound stays incredible varied The Bends is some of the best work from one of the best bands to ever do it
Clearly deserving of this list. An album that really has no equal and, despite some very 90s calling cards (the guitar tones on “Black Star”) I’m still enthused at the opportunity to play this album now, 30 years later.
Still holds up. Not a lot of the same sound of later Radiohead but the foundations are there and it’s just as good in its own way.
I hadn’t heard this album until after college when I picked up the CD at a used store. I had always liked Creep, but never explored much further. If I had would have my musical trajectory changed? Radiohead can easily defined as two bands (maybe even three): the Bends and before; the OK Computer and after; and maybe A Moon Shaped Pool forward. But his album was the height of the era and easily one of the best albums of the post-Grunge Alt movement. There are so many great songs in here: Planet Latex; The Bends; Fake Plastic Trees; Street Spirit; etc.The entire album is so cohesive. Listening in retrospect, there is an obvious movement into Radiohead 2.0, which makes me think it was either more planned or inevitable than previously known. This is definitely on my list of Must Listens.
Random thoughts: - this is definitely the 2nd best Radiohead album after Kid A. - this whole album has great tracks. Fake Plastic Trees is just ok in my opinion, still a good track, and that might be one of the weaker tracks on this album. That’s how loaded this album is - did anyone ever parody “the bends”? Would be perfect for “my baby ‘s got Depends”. Dad joke. :) - High and Dry and Just are my favorite cuts here - Radiohead is not happy and “fun” music. It’s kinda downer/anxiety music. But still somehow so good.
Another 90’s nostalgia piece, I knew every song, excellent if you actually enjoy the mood Radiohead were in.
5/5 nothing else to be said
I always had this idea I wasn't crazy about "earlier" Radiohead but this was very solid and I listened to it twice. You can definitely hear OK Computer coming down the pipe.
So good. Not my favourite by them. But still they are one of my favorite bands.
Not my favorite Radiohead. It feels uneven to me, but it has it’s high points.
One of the most well sequenced albums in my opinion, weirdly structured, it always goes singly track, slightly weirder track, slower track. My favourite track is my iron lung, street spirit is an undeniable classic too. And I’ve always had a soft spot for blackstar. 5/5
I know this isn’t one of the most celebrated albums, but I always like this album. I think it was a little more accessible than some of their later ones.
bof pas mon style
Emily's Choice
classic
Radiohead is love. One of my favourite albums. Best songs: Bones, Just
Amazing album 10/10
Very good album, I think this might be my favourite piece of Radiohead
The only track that loses me a bit is Bulletproof…I Wish I Was. An absolute monument to the existential dread lurking within all the progress and convenience of modern society. It’s an album to feel absolutely awful to.
This album was an escape for me.
I enjoy early Radiohead very much and this album is one of my favorites from them. There is melody with some of the atonal aspects they did more of later.
I know I’m supposed to like Radiohead, and tbh nothing that I heard on this album was bad or objectionable or in any way outside of my taste, but I just feel like I didn’t discover Radiohead at the right time to be able to love their music.
One of my top ten albums of this entire list.
For me, Radiohead blurs the line between elevator music and radio hits. I made the mistake of listening to this while getting some work done and it was too easy for it to slip into the background. Don't get me wrong, there are some Radiohead songs I truly love, but none of them live on this album.
My favorite Radiohead album of them all. After their first album with the wonderful Creep + lots of fillers and before they went crazily electronic this album had not a dud song on it. Brilliant videos and amazing lyrics and tunes. Great album
Undeniably great album. At times it's too emotional for me—especially High and Dry and Fake Plastic Trees. At that same time, that emotionalism is sometimes exactly what I need. But the whole album is great and fairly diverse. The best Radiohead is still In Rainbows, but The Bends is considered great for a reason.
First listen
Maybe my favourite Radiohead record? Certainly hits the sweet spot between artistic merit and actual tunes.
Masterpiece of alt rock. Not even the best Radiohead album and it’s damn near perfect. Songs like Fake Plastic Trees are timelessly beautiful.
Certainly an album made of decent songs
Radiokopf👍
Es unhörbar zu nennen wäre unfair. Es ist schon atmosphärisch und es sind schöne Momente auf dem Album.
What sophomore slump?
Really enjoyed this one as someone who’s not listened to any of there music before I’m excited to see more from them
good but was not in the radiohead at 7 am
I adore this album. It's part of my personal (and probably a lot of other people's) Radiohead holy trinity, though I think it often gets overlooked in favour of Kid A and OK Computer. I love Fake Plastic Trees as much as the next person, I think it's one of the most beautiful songs ever written. I also love High and Dry. The only reason this album is not five stars for me is because I do prefer the lyricism on some of their other albums, but I do still very much like the arrangements on this one.
This is where Radiohead get out from under the long shadow of Creep and prove they’re than a grunge/shoegaze crossover band. They get their escape and more. It’s not that they’ve abandoned guitar focused rock entirely, just that they do so much more than that. Thom Yorker’s lyrics are truly inventive, by turns vulnerable and cynical. From now on this band is impossible to dismiss but a true force to be reckoned with.
Great
Maybe the least worst of radiohead
Obsessed
yes
Banger
S ganze Albom esch rächt guet und tönt extrem noch Radiohead, för 5 Stärne aber e chli sad. High and Dry fühli bsonders.
The Best!
Put it there. Mellow, angsty, 90’s all over. I can dig it.
Very good and yet it's still far from their best. 8.5/10
'You can walk it home straight from school / You can kiss it, you can break all the rules.' Radiohead becomes Radiohead, which means Thom Yorke is waxing incoherent while the music is expressive thru experiment. But it's also not quite there yet, so Yorke can be a straightforward moaner and the songs are forthright pop and indie. When a balance is struck, as it now and then is, particularly on tracks like 'High and Dry,' 'Fake Plastic Trees,' '(Nice Dream),' and 'Bullet Proof...I Wish I Was,' it's a prolific cohesion. Often, however, there's a rawness that suggests an indecisiveness and a want of identity, e.g., 'My Iron Lung' is a feeble take on Seattle grunge. I often go for raw origins, but here 'finding their voice' leaves me w/o a strong one.
Thirty years old and could easily pass for a new release (in a good way) – the (to me) strongly Bowie influenced and (imho) best Radiohead album. Definitely the one with my all time favourite Radiohead track (Black Star). All killer, no filler. Listening brings back a weirdly specific memory of driving to work as a Shropshire Star reporter, along the Bridgnorth to Telford road, with this album on heavy repeat on my car cassette player. Four (black) stars!
A comparatively middle of the Road Radiohead album, but still great.
Emotion-driven album with enough variety to keep it fresh although a bit mopey at times. Holds up really well. High and Dry and My Iron Lung highlights for different reasons!
Depressing, melodic, memorable, simple and accessible yet with flashes of complexity that will shape their later work, this is a brilliant album that never gets boring. It’s five stars all the way for the memories it evokes, for the statement of intent it sounded, and it’s a memory untainted by what happened afterwards - no sell out, integrity intact, musical virtuosity and potential evident here was fulfilled. Excellent.
My favourite album from the band
One of their best
Pretty average album IMO. But I’ve also never been a big Thom Yorke fan
Amazing album, just not something I listen to much
peak
loved!!!!
10/10. The cover art is hilarious.
i love shit made for sad people. love feeling something
As far as a band’s catalogue goes, this is a “classic”. Whining and thrashing guitars, lyrics for days and composition that is a glimpse of projects to come, both within and outside the band itself. A solid listen that really never grows old.
3rd Radiohead album on this list and think this might be my favorite
After spending years of slagging off Radiohead, I'm ashamed to say, I actually didn't mind this album. Some pretty samey songs, but definitely some standouts.
Great album start to finish. Probably one of my least favorite radio heads though. It gives drinking beer in the garage working on my car. Favorite tracks: high and dry, just, nice dream 8/10
Ollaan rehellisiä, odotin enemmän. Tällä levyllä Radiohead oli vielä suoraviivaisempaa rokkia. Ei tää huonoa oo, tää on vaan aika perus. Toki vois mielipide muuttua useammalla kuuntelulla. Mutta odotusten takia 3 tähteä. Parhaat: High and Dry, (Nice Dream), Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Were, Street Spirit (Fade Out)
Just is one of my fav songs ever really good album some quality tracks all of it tickles the brain
GOAT alert 10/10
Helt ok
Guitars Gasping for Air.This is the sound of losing your innocence and gaining self-awareness in the most sonically gorgeous way possible.Every chord is a crisis. Every lyric is a subtle scream into a satin pillow of reverb.
Magic. If I've learned anything so far in this its that I should have been listening to Radiohead a long time ago.
A handful of songs I adore and a handful that are more in the vein of boring brit pop. This album stirs up so many good and sad feelings for me.
If this was teenage me, it would have been an insta-5. High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, and Just remain all-timers, but the album cuts and other singles are a bit… “Britpop boring” for me these days.
Good! I kept thinking this was Pablo Honey prior to this and definitely underrated it in my memory; finally going back to it made me realize it’s like a more straightforward OK Computer, or at least a blueprint. My preferred R-HeD is still bleeps and bloops with The Kid King A-mnesiac of Limbs approach, but I enjoyed this.
It's just such a crying shame that Thom Yorke quit actually singing in the later Radiohead albums because when he sings, they absolutely soar. There are so many fantastic songs on this album: Just, My Iron Lung, Planet Telex, Fake Plastic Trees and Street Spirit all stand out. I was a little late to the Radiohead party but when I found myself there it was actually because of 'Just' being a favourite of the DJ at the Rock & Indie night at uni. I then had to work my way backwards and forwards but by that point, they'd stopped making the great rock music that got my attention. This is the Radiohead album I still come back to the most, either way.
Excellent album 4/5
A perfect record.
This album is a Black Star. Strange just enough, love this sounds. - my iron lung - fake plastic trees
In the end, this album just doesn't do it for me. Where Purple Rain got the 'novelty' aspect, this sound is just too much like all the other rock bands, and I don't love it. Obviously Radiohead's later albums are all better as they get away from this sound and the 'cliches' of it. While the best parts of the album are easily 5-stars, none of the songs are 5-stars from start to finish. Ultimately, that and the 'cliche' sound are enough to make it 3-stars for me. - A couple of 'noise' moments, but generally a pleasant album. A bit too much 'rock band' for my liking, but the highs are high. The okay songs here are really just okay though. - Intro is fantastic, though the rest of the first song is only okay. - A lot of songs with great moments, but that turn into something not as enjoyable later on in the song
I'm not a Radiohead diehard but they're influential for a reason.
It’s not Radiohead’s most ambitious album, but it might have their best tunes.
Near perfect. Superb collection of songs.
Very good for an alt rock album, but it pales in comparison to what Radiohead would do. Still, some of my favorite Radiohead songs are on here including My Iron Lung, Fake Plastic Trees, and High and Dry.
Nice to listen but not much more. Quite générique sounds.
The dreamy songs like (nice dream) make this a great record.
Really liked it. Fave track: Just
The perfect vibes for a walking music playlist!
Upbeat rock music. Sometimes slow. 4/5
ill say 4/5 cuz its pretty goated. just not a big fan of bones, sulk, and black star.
Solid but have never been fully on the RH bandwagon
This is one of my favourite albums. I actually listened to it twice yesterday.
Like I said before when I reviewed Amnesiac, I used to like Radiohead a lot, but I wasn't ever so in love with The Bends as an album album so I don't think I listened to it in full beyond one time. I did listen to some of the songs a lot, mainly the singles but not to the level of their other albums, so it was interesting to check this one in full with basically fresh ears and.... well yeah it's pretty good, I think partly because I have a bias towards this era of 90s British rock but it's also this weird crossroad with Radiohead's sound before they did their thing on OK Computer but after being basically another scrappy alt rock band that couldn't decide if they were grunge or britpop. This album is both doing some fun distorted riffs or other effects that are very 90s and then onto the more slow stuff they would get known for, hell the fact that the two most remembered songs from this are Fake Plastic Tree (meh), High and Dry (Good) and Street Spirit (Great), so it's obvious which ones stood the test of time, but despite that the other songs here are pretty good albeit nothing I haven't heard from other bands of the era, which is another sort of issue I had, the feeling that despite the songs being mostly neat I couldn't shake off that having all 12 of them felt like too much, it could have been shaved down to 10 or 8 and you would have had a stronger tracklist than songs that feel like they iterate on typical rock of the era (specially with songs like Just or Black Star, they are cool but nothing too stand out). So, is The Bends good? Well yeah, and I enjoy it more because it's the kinda rock I enjoy already, to turn my nose at it cuz its Radiohead can be too much for an album that at least brings good tunes.
I feel like most people who love Radiohead like their earlier stuff the most. I think their earlier stuff was not very good but they started at a 2 and grew to a 10. This album is for sure a 2.
Molt xulu
Fantastic album. Definite throwback. My Iron Lung FIRE!
Pas assez accroché aux chansons
Already listened 🙏… loved it… amazing album
Too jammy. Prefer other Radiohead albums. Liked a couple songs
Incredible. Thanks
Not quite as good as OK Computer but still excellent. High and Dry and Fake Plastic trees are standouts. This one is definitely more Coldplay sounding but it’s well executed. With more time might be a 5. High 4.
Less “experimental” and more mainstream than most other Radiohead albums. Some of this even sounds a lot like U2.
This was great. The music is atmospheric but is not meandering and the album feels epic yet approachable. The melodies are strong (especially "high and dry" which was stuck in my head afterwards) and the guitar parts rip. I think I'm starting to see why people love Radiohead so much. I will definitely be adding this one to my library. Favorite tracks: Fake Plastic Trees, High and Dry, Nice Dreams
The music was fine. I just don't think it's for me
litttttt
Such a rocking album from one of the best there is
Already know I like Radiohead and have a couple of songs in Liked Songs from this. Yeah this album is great.
Classic, every song amazing.
I can’t be objective. I’m a Radiohead Stan. I will say that, Pablo Honey aside, this is probably their weakest of their albums through King of Limbs. It is pretty straightforward compared to later works, but I love it.
honestly just shuffle the album and vibe
Excellent and consistent album full of stunning alternative rock classics from the 90s. Not as iconic as Ok Computer but doesn't have to be. Not one sub par song on this album!
YOU DO IT TO YOURSELF YOU DO
Абсолютно никак
2.5 stars really, but it’s cool to think that this is what they’re sound was at the very beginning
I really regret that I didn't get more into Radiohead back then
I enjoyed this way more than I expected. It's angsty, sometimes chaotic, and most of the songs swing between melancholy and aggressive, all of which are things that I love. Highlights were Just, My Iron Lung and Fake Plastic Trees, but the whole album is very consistent.
One of my favourites
The Bends is where Radiohead truly found their voice. While Pablo Honey hinted at their potential, this follow-up throws off the post-grunge tag entirely and embraces something far more expansive and emotionally resonant. The album walks a perfect line between raw guitar-driven power and delicate introspection, with Thom Yorke’s voice shifting effortlessly between wounded vulnerability and explosive frustration. It’s packed with unforgettable moments—Fake Plastic Trees aches with fragile beauty, Street Spirit (Fade Out) closes the album with haunting grace, and High and Dry delivers one of the most perfect sad-pop melodies of the '90s. But it’s not all melancholy—Just is pure chaos bottled up in a four-minute track, with spiraling guitars and a frantic energy that still sounds electrifying. Bones, too, is a hidden gem: gritty, compact, and full of grit and anxiety, offering a jolt of urgency in the album’s midsection. Even the deeper cuts (Bullet Proof..., Black Star) are layered and thoughtful, never filler. There's a confidence running through every track that shows just how quickly the band was evolving, pushing themselves into deeper emotional and musical territory. The production is big and bold without being overbearing, and the songs are sequenced so well that the album flows effortlessly from start to finish. The Bends feels like the moment Radiohead fully stepped into their greatness, laying the groundwork for everything to come. It’s one of those rare albums where every track holds weight, and if 5 stars is the limit, this one’s pressing hard against it.
Cool tunes
Radiohead gets better and better each time
Un álbum excelente y que ha sido de enorme influencia en el rock de los 2000. El primer álbum que suena a Radiohead por excelencia y el que los catapultó a grupo de culto. No me voy a poner a criticar aquí uno de los álbumes fetiche de los millenials mayores, y de los mejor valorados en esta web. Merece una muy buena nota. Pero, a pesar de haberme gustado mucho, me quedo con la etapa más experimental de Radiohead que vendría más adelante, ya que este álbum ha sido tan imitado que, a día de hoy, no es capaz de atraparme. Vamos a dejarlo en 3.5.
Love Radiohead. Very thoughtful sounding album
****High & Dry, Bulletproof I guess this is forcing me to confront that I'm kind of a Radiohead hater in my old age despite having passing fondness for OK Computer as a teenager. I think I resent their modern canon status especially since it seems like this sound / scene didn't amount to much + I like scrappy/punk/indie rather than mewling artsy indie. THat being said, giving this a fresh chance with fresh ears! Like this better in a lot of ways than OK Computer and onward -- slightly rockier and some interesting arrangements. Never heard most of the songs (maybe some from the ASOB Radiohead show lol). I think the stretch of The Bends -> High & Dry -> Fake Plastic Trees is kind of undeniable and pretty interesting. Some of the melodies too do work on me -- Radiohead do this melody turn that reminds me of 'Stay Faraway So Close' or whatever by U2 which is significant for obvious reasons.... IDK though, think it's pretty solid but just not really my thing these days.. too like grunge-y or something. Plus I've always found Thom Yorke singing kind of boring. But glad to fill this gap a little bit and understand what this sounds like.
Really mellow and relaxing Radiohead. This album feels more traditional in singing-songwriting compared with their others that feel a bit more experimental and ultimately make Radiohead Radiohead. This album is still very representative of the band, but it feels a bit more structured. Great record.
favorite radiohead album... thanks mom
Had some nice soft elements in there but didn’t blow me away
It’s happening. This is not a drill. I am emerging from a voyage deep into the musical trash heap. I have endured mightily and have been stricken with the bends. At least that’s what I think this is. I’ll have to google the symptoms. Hold on. Oh uhh yeah, that bone and joint pain do be excruciating. Will Radiohead be as painful? I’ve been waiting for the critical darlings of musically inclined virgins worldwide and I await my entrance to paradise. Take my ticket, hyperbaric crash test dummy. We’re going back down. Whoa. They’re rockin’. This has to really piss off the guys who cry and scream and puke trying to say Pablo honey isn’t representative of Radiohead’s quiet genius or whatever. I gotta say, this uh ain’t good. Now we’ve got the bends. I can’t believe how normal this is. It’s just like meat and potatoes rock? It’s ahead of its time in many respects and would pave the way for worse songs deep into the 2000s. Not hating this song though. Has a life to it. Yo I’m big radio head and I’m here to say, I’m the funkiest band (not) in the USA. That was my cool Thom Yorke freestyle. SHES SO HIGHHHHHH. That is one of the meaner things I’ve compared a song to, BUT while the similarities are there, this song came first, and for that, it should be ashamed. I would sue Tal Bachman, but I feel as though the justice system known as “life” has beaten them to the proverbial punch. Apologies if the guy is really dead. I just wanted to rip on a one hit wonder. This song is fairly cool. Nice to have the gentle moment. Bones? Bones Schmones. I’m still reeling over how rocky this whole thing is. Not necessarily bad, but based on the genre of rock. We’ve all heard of that one, right? This song is really bad until the sort of metallic interlude near the end. That quickly fades out. Not loving this. Is this Weezer? Rivers Cuomo better sing on this. Oh no, it’s still the primordial Coldplay man. Oh I shouldn’t say that. This is way better than Coldplay. Decent rock song. Elements that make it more interesting as well. Apart from the horrible guitar solo, this track has a cool sound. Nobody talks about iron lungs anymore. Just the massive apparatus they kept sick people in for the rest of their lives. Like a prison that you must remain in to stay alive. Truly one of the most horrific concepts ever concocted by the human race. Listen to me criticizing incredible medical advancements. Really on my soapbox here. The song is pretty decent. Loving the loud parts. I wish I was bulletproof too. Would certainly make me less terrified of an impending union with the United States. Still terrifying. Anyway. This song was very repetitive and overly simple. Nothing here for me. There is a whiff of a nice melody here, but not enough to make me like this. This thing is running its course. More boredom. Moredom, if you will. You know what? I won’t. I won’t accept that I wrote that. These reviews get worse by the day. What was supposed to be a writing “exercise” has just injured whatever belief I had in my potential writing ability. A lesson to any prospective artists. Never try. That applies to this song. Rancid. Ooh a Halloween song. This album had a way of going nowhere. I think the band’s reputation had me believing this would be a stretched out atmospheric opus, so hearing traditional rock song structures shocked me. Some of the songs were exciting and had a different take on generic rock, but some of the others were meandering and not all that unique to my 2025 ear. I could hear that a lot of bands went on to ape this style which is admirable in a sense, but it feels like the well has been poisoned by the bands that went on to do this same thing, except worse. If I try to transport myself to 1995, I think this album was decent. That’s pretty much it. And I think that hurts more than my joints. Put me back in the hyperbaric chamber. I need some more detox time. 2.5-3 HIGHLIGHTS: Fake Plastic Trees, Just, My Iron Lung, Street Spirit (Fade Out)
Overrated trash. Has like 2 actual good songs on it. Mostly noise. Oh sorry, I meant “It’s so ingenious, man.”
Perfect soundtrack for when you have the metaphorical bends. The (very iconic) cover image is my face when listening to Street Spirits (Fade Out). The only thing I have to criticize is that the album doesn't manage to keep up the quality of the tracks over the slightly above-average running time. Slightly off-topic: There is a joke to be made involving this image and the term "radiohead", but I will not make it. 4.5/5
Arguably the greatest rock album of the 90s track for track.
Nice, relaxing. Reminds me of U2.
wo war ich nur in den 90ern? habe radiohead als name gekannt, auch einige songs - aber dieses tolle album habe ich verpasst, schade! umso besser ist es bei 1001 dabei. gefälliger rock mit melodie und anleihen von grunge.
Ich höre die Einflüsse auf spätere Bands, aber für mich wirkt es halt wie eine erste Version die noch etwas flach ist.
The perfect soundtrack for my early 20's angst. I find it fascinating that they released this right after Pablo honey and creep... in my pretentious opinion it is so leagues ahead that it kind of tickles me. I LOVE RADIOHEAD!!
Good, not best one.
De cuando Radiohead era una banda de rock. Temas clásicos que no caducan y que suenan bien.
Ok
Seemingly came out of nowhere by band that refreshingly seemed to care far more about their music than anything else It’s streets ahead of most of its contemporaries and deserves a listen at least once by everyone
Me esperaba nada, porque Radiohead me da mucha pereza, pero está lleno de bangers.
1. Just 2. My Iron Lung 3. Fake Plastic Trees 4. Street Spirit (Fade Out) 5. Planet Telex 6. The Bends 7. Black Star 8. (Nice Dream) 9. Bullet Proof... I Wish I Was 10. High And Dry 11. Sulk 12. Bones
this is such a silly but amazing first album to get. listened to in rainbows all the way through the other night and have been listening to so much radiohead in general recently so this is really exciting (even though i’ve already listened to the bends all the way through multiple times)
Why does every fart this band ever made receive such adoration from the makers of this list? At least this album isn't as much of a downer as the later ones. That still doesn't count for much in my opinion.
10/10 no notes
Maybe my favorite from Radiohead so far, vocals were much less whiny and had a nice atmosphere without getting too slow. Good alternative rock but still not really outstanding in my opinion
This is one of the best albums ever released.
имба.
Pretty solid, remarkable vocal performance by Thom.
This album feels so ahead of its time. This feels more like mid 2000s alternative rock. It puts me in a mood and I have had no skips. Also the lead singer's voice reminds me of Keane.
Pablo Honey, Radiohead’s freshman album was an OK album with a smash hit. The leap the band made to their sophomore album was unbelievable. What a masterpiece. This album solidified their place a band
stream leah kate - super over
Better than I expected
Ummmmmm…..5?
I liked this one more than the Kid A album.
I enjoyed this more than I expected to. I only knew Creep til now, which does nothing for me, but i might actually listen again to some of these tracks, especially Street Spirit. 3
Классика, ни слова больше...
песнки хорошие есть
really good but i think u just have to be in the right mood to listen to some of the songs. this album is best played when moody or sad so it was kind off-putting but it was still really good. my 3 all time favorites were “the bends”, “high and dry”, and “street spirit (fade out)” :) 💕
Rating: 4/5 | Favorite Track: Just --- I much prefer Radiohead's art rock albums that come later, but this still a very solid alt rock sound.
Maybe if i was more sad i’d enjoy this album, still a handful of good tunes
Dunno, but this album feels like a transition between old alt-rock Radiohead and experimental Radiohead, and it isn't working for me. The lighter, airy-er tracks work (High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees), but the more alt rock songs just sound dated. Also don't know if it's just me but I'm noticing a slight alt-country tinge to a lot of the music, and I'm not a huge fan of that either. Overall though, decent.
I regret that I originally gave this album 2 stars based on only half-listening to it. That was unfair. But now that I've had the opportunity to give it my full attention, I am pleased to report that I fully hate it.
Never listened to a Radiohead album because I knew it wasn’t for me. I was surprised I didn’t hate this. It was kinda what I expected though. My opinion on Radiohead has gone from ignorantly neutral to a more informed neutrality.
Good timing. Radiohead have just created a new LLP so the rumour mill is rife that they're touring again this year or maybe even a new album? Also I went to see this covers band with a string quartet at the cathedral on Friday and they absolutely blew me away. Although I think they only played 1 song from The Bends, they closed with Fake Plastic Trees. More words written about this and 2 other Radiohead albums than contained within 100 libraries so I will just say I still love it, and it's all wrapped up with hearing at an impressionable age, so nostalgia decrees it be my favourite, this or In Rainbows, depending on the day of the week.
most tolerable album i have heard from these guys which i generally cannot listen to
Not a Radiohead guy personally but I do understand the hype this was very well-constructed
I'm not a Radiohead fan, but this album was quite good. It was well produced, with good writing, and some complex music that made it fun to listen to.
I had no idea I liked Radiohead this much. These songs are great. Big and bombastic but still personal. Arena rock that is simultaneously heady. Great great production.
Loved a few tracks but not a listen through album for me. Pivotal alt rock sound though and does feel like an essential experience for that scene.
Awesome album start to finish.
Radiohead is one of my favorite bands and I have listened to this album probably >100 times so I'm obviously biased but it's hard to not give this album 5/5. Part of it is nostalgia, as I remember listening to this dozens of times with friends in high school, and part of it is a genuine love of Radiohead. This is one of my all time top albums from one of my top bands.
Not my type but the guitar was good
fantastic album
I'm sorry, but I don't like Radiohead. I never liked Radiohead, and I never will. The first thing that always catches my ear is singer Thom York's voice, and I'm totally annoyed. That whiny, whiny sound, unbearable. The rest is easy to explain, insignificant! I've never understood the hype surrounding Radiohead and consider them one of the completely overhyped bands.
Well, it took four albums in under two months, but I finally found a Radiohead album that I liked more than just "it's Good!" Maybe it's because this one is a lot more generic and less experimental. Maybe, I just need things like guitar hooks and melody to enjoy albums. 7/10
brilliant
I was not sold on the debut album Pablo Honey, thought that Creep was a cliched effort with overly crunchy guitars and angsty lyrics. The Bends dispelled my dim view of Radiohead and I've been on board ever since. This is a great album, and incredible to think this was just their second release. It's complex in an era where alternative music just wasn't this experimental. There's enough hits here for 3 albums crammed into one. Finishing with Street Spirit is icing on the cake.
Another one from Radiohead, I really have to set aside time and deep dive into this band. This is the second album and the last one before they hit insane levels of popularity with some of their next releases. This fits more into the mold of UK pop-rock bands of that time and for me personally it's a bit more engaging than the other releases, where they moved to a more abstract sound and feel. Arguably though, this album doesn't transport you to a different world like the later ones do, it just doesn't have that emotion and style. From this album it's definitely evident that they began to develop their sound, which is half way between UK pop-rock and "classic" Radiohead. There are some signs of their future work on here, but they are also mostly using the usual song structures and big choruses. Sonically it's pretty straightforward most of the time, with guitars and the rhythm section. I liked the guitar work on 3-4 songs, where they played some nice, complicated, riffs. Lyrically it's also in line with Radioheads usual sad, depressing and slow style. All in all a solid album from my perspective.
Pretty interesting,
Standouts: • High and Dry • Fake Plastic Trees • Just • Black Star
In hindsight The Bends was clearly a sign of what was to come, Radiohead becoming the best band on the planet. The 3 guitar attack, mixed with soaring climaxes, soul crashing melodies lifted them above the rest of the alt-grunge music of the time. Fake Plastic Trees is one of the best ballads ever, Just is one of the best guitar songs ever, Street Spirit is one of the most beautiful melodies ever written… until their wrote their next album…. 9.3/10
Added to Library: TRUE This album slaps. It was probably my second introduction to the band after hearing In Rainbows and it's something I keep going back to. The intro to The Bends where you can hear some TV nonsense in the background is for some reason enjoyable to try to catch. I also like the album cover. Its like... robotic or cyborg-ish, with feelings of elation or bliss, given the entity's expression.
Baby i get the bends
Jag lyssnade aldrig så mycket på radiohead när det begav sig. Var inte helt såld. Detta album är dock rätt bra. Har lyssnat ganska mycket för att bryta igenom. Tycker rösten är lite sisådär, men musikaliskt är det intressant. Det är fint och varierat. Nog inte riktigt nåt jag skulle lyssna på särskilt mycket idag. Men jag tycker ändå det förtjänar en fyra. Det är för bra för att bara ge en trea.
Fjärde skivan av Radiohead hittills och jag gillar den precis som jag gillade In rainbows. Solid fyra med många bra låtar!
another album with tom york singing i like this one a bit less than the kid but it's still pretty good black star iron lung the bsides are good too
I love Radiohead completely. But this is not my fav set of music.
I bet you think that's pretty clever, don't you, boy?
raptures of the creep
75/100
Good, but I still don't see what all the fuss is about with these guys
the first hints of genius to come
The best
I get how people love Radiohead, I just can’t stand Thom Yorke’s singing. This one is better since it’s a full band and not mostly electronic bits and bobs with Thom. Great musical compositions with interesting guitar parts and effects.
I'm familiar with this one, the kids had it back in the day and I dropped the cd into my car for a few days to check it out. When anybody mentions Radiohead to me this is the album that comes to mind. Familiarity breeds acceptance. :)
Been waiting for this one. :) Part of my regular rotation, one of my favorite Radiohead albums (sits just below OK Computer in my book).
0 skip album
The endless debate of The Bends or Kid A is long argued and I will not rehash it here, I will only say that The bends is one of the best albums of all time, which is more than I can say about some of the albums on this list
Not bad, but kinda just bounced off me
ААААА ГЕННАДИЙ Я КОНЧАЮ 8/10
THIS is how you do a sophomore album! Fantastic album with so many emotions running through it at all times. 8.5/10
Listened: 10/03/2025 Album no: 32 % rating: 83% Fave song: Fake Plastic Trees I absolutely fucking love Radiohead. I have listened to this album so many times over the years and I’m sure I’ll listen to it more. Not my favourite by them, but still up there. Yep, no notes. Phenomenal. 👏👏👏👏
301/1001 Radiohead con más guitarritas es mejor Radiohead. 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
classic
One of the best album ever recorded.
One of the greatest sophomore albums of all time.
1/2
Soundtrack of my life in high school. It's still amazing, especially the less known songs (Nice Dream, Bulletproof, Black Star). It's really close to a 5, but I just feel like there are other Radiohead albums I prefer much more. I'd put Bends in the 4th place, hence 4/5 (a strong one though!)
It’s been a while since I listened to this one. In 1995 though, this was in constant rotation. Production holds up for being 30 years old. Not a bad tracks on the album. They would only continue to get better with each album over the next few!
there was a time that i was pretty neutral on radiohead but honestly they kick ass. even the albums that aren't THE albums are great
Another album I have on vinyl! To make an album this good and it only be your 3/4th best is insane
I grew up on this album
I mess with this. Good lyrics, solid and interesting production. Could use some catchier hits i think, but overall it was fun to listen to.
Amazing album that can serve as a gateway for newcomers getting into Radiohead
Not as bad as I feared -- there were actually a few songs that weren't walls of noise. But Thom Yorke's voice is still excruciating. (Tim's review: "That was a long 48 minutes.")
Maybe it would have been more impressive in the '90's, but as it stands in the present, it's four chord alt-rock played by art students -- neither innovative nor particularly groundbreaking, but just self-involved enough to believe it's both. High and Dry stinks of manufactured shit like Three Doors Down and James Blunt. Grossly reminiscent of a montage in a spring break movie department-store-core. I've heard better from Radiohead. Do better.