Reviews (page 9 of 14)
Vgg
By far the most rock Radiohead album we have listened to, almost didn't sound like Radiohead compared to the others. I do like that they show some variation and not all albums sound the same though. I really like the guitar used in a lot of these songs. Doesn't seem overly complicated but just works really well. The standouts were (Nice Dream) and Street Spirit. Probably my least favorite of the Radiohead albums so far because I really like the trippy albums that have come before, but still really good in different ways.
I really enjoyed this album. I'm always shocked how much the radio had effected my musical upbringing. I recognized High and Dry, well enough I could sing along, but had never clocked it as Radiohead song.
My first Radiohead vinyl
Very comfy, even though I liked some of the later stuff better.
i was already familair with the first half of this album. 2nd half seemed light on hits. I liked early Radiohead but they kinda lost me later in their catalog. Maybe someday it'll click. Its great though.
cool
Bangers
Best Radiohead album IMO. When they were still an alt rock band rather than delving more into the electronic and abstract. The production is excellent and there's a lot of great songs here. Street Spirit is probably my favorite Radiohead track, the deeper cuts like Fake Plastic Trees and My Iron Lung are wonderful as well. I don't really have a reason not to give it 5 stars except that I'm still a bit biased against Radiohead.
So, to everyone who ever tried to get me into Radiohead, you should've started here. This is the first album of theirs I've been able to sit through all of without any complaints. Matter of fact, I spun it twice. I then decided to check out Pablo Honey, which mostly bored me after "Creep". Unsure if that's my fault for pushing myself too far with them today, or if that's just not a very good album. Anyways, I'll stick with this one for now, and then see if it eventually helps me find my way into anything else.
Album I owned, but rarely played and even less so all the way through. Listening now though, it holds up pretty well. Took a belated deep dive into the 'Head after OKC was an earlier choice here. Following that, I find myself avoiding the whole Bends/OKC vs. KidA/Amnesia debate by zeroing in on what I consider the later, superior, In Rainbows/Moon Shaped Pool. This is good though - but I consider Talk Show Host the best of their 90s work which probably points heavily to their later stuff.
esse álbum é meu parça de academia
tem anos que eu tento gostar de verdade de radiohead, mas o santo nunca bateu. dito isso, esse aqui é o que eu mais gostei das vezes que ouvi. bem post-britpop, tem uma sonoridade boa, meio atmosférica e as guitarra sao top. é um album noventista bem sólido e barulhento! (((acho que a voz do thom yorke me irrita um pouco)))
I liked The Bends more than any other Radiohead album we've had, there's more music I like in it, there's more of a Britpop style sound in it, and while I never got into this lot but really liked Muse, there are parallels everywhere. Didn't like Fake Plastic Trees, liked most of the other stuff, easy 4/5.
I think my second favourite of the Radiohead albums that we've had, it's good throughout with a couple of real highs (High & Dry, Just) and not much in the way of filler. A big step forward from Pablo Honey, and it gets even better with OK Computer. 4/5.
Muy buen álbum, consistente. Tiene grandes canciones y tiene una duración perfecta.
not my fave radiohead album, still a good one
7.5/10 Favorite Tracks: Planet Telex, High and Dry, Black Star, Street Spirit
I really liked this album
Great album. These guys just write amazing songs
Great album, just and street spirit are class. Think this album is a bit too straightforward to be on the same level as OK computer, they sound like a britpop muse here. Not a bad thing for the most part but there a couple of tracks which sound like other bands, which is definitely not the case for all the Radiohead after this. I will definitely listen to a lot of this again but not quite a 5.
I <3 Radiohead. I like "Pablo Honey", but this is where Radiohead locked in. There are a lot of great tracks on here "Planet Telex", "Fake Plastic Trees", "Just", "My Iron Lung", "Street Spirit", etc. I'm really burnt out of "High and Dry" from listening to it all the time in high school but it stills hits. Album cover is fantastic, probably my favorite Radiohead album cover. This album is tight. Close to a 4.5/5 but there is definitely some filler here so I'll just say its a 4. Favorite track: Street Spirit (Fade Out)
I'll admit, I only like Radiohead's first three albums but nothing afterwards. This is a good one and bridges the gap between Pablo Honey and OK Computer. It has some really solid songs on it.
I already listened to this album, more than once! I've listened to it enough to become familiar with this record, and I would consider it a really great Radiohead record and one of the best albums of the 90s. It had a perfect middle point between the sad, poignant musings and the grungy, rock sound that they still had from the previous record. The Bends is just still amazing, front to back, with a production that shoots far beyond dynamic heights or mellow lows, so that it either felt like soft cushions or hammers breaking walls when it came to the mix.
Pretty Good. I enjoyed this quite a bit. I'm not the biggest fan of "OK Computer," so I kind of rolled my eyes when I saw this, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised. Solid 7/10 closer to an 8 than a 6, but still a solid 7.
Great radiohead
Best Radiohead album. Period!
Radiohead's The Bends stands out as one of the band's most sonically accessible albums, offering a compelling blend of alternative rock with melodic hooks and emotional depth. In contrast to the more abstract and experimental nature of their later works, such as OK Computer and Kid A, The Bends captures a rawer, more relatable sentiment, allowing listeners to connect on a personal level through its introspective lyrics and lush instrumentation. This album serves as a beautiful bridge between mainstream appeal and the band's artistic evolution, making it a poignant experience that resonates with a wide audience.
A clear step up from Pablo Honey, but it's just nowhere near as good as almost anything that would come after.
sick ass guitar riffs
Classic rock because it's classic and it rocks
84/100.
not as good as ok computer, but still a solid listen.
Justice for half stars, this one is a 4.5 for me
As someone who hasn’t listened to much Radiohead, this album was a delightful re-introduction. The first half of the album sonically aligned with me most during a morning commute down the peninsula — its namesake, The Bends, High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, and Bones.
I like Radiohead. I think in my Last.fm days it was one of my most played artists. It's hard to rate this album fairly knowing what other albums are to come after and how influential they are. I'm definitely more fond of experimental electronic Radiohead and Kid A is still one of my favorite albums to this day. This is actually the first time I've listened to this album through and it's incredibly emotional. There are a couple OUTSTANDING tracks. Iron lung is insane. I personally feel like If you put this up against other alternative rock from the era it loses a little bit of its luster. There's so much great stuff out there. If I want to hear this style of music I'm much more likely to go for some Sonic Youth, Smashing pumpkins, Dinosaur Jr. Etc. Great album but I don't really see myself revisiting again soon
Great Album. I always forget about Radiohead because their later material is stuff that I couldn't care less about leaving alone. The Bends and OK Computer are total masterpieces. The guitars sound good, the songwriting is good, the vocals are good. It's got sad songs, it's got rockin' songs. It's got it all.
3.5
Well, I have something of a love-hate thing with Thom Yorke's vocals, particularly on OK Computer, but I really rather enjoyed this album, which I'll add to my streaming favourites. Probably not as important as OK Computer but pretty enjoyable.
Done
¿Que hacer después de un debut con una canción para toda una generación? Pues hacer un disco aun mejor y mas influyente. Pasaron de ser alumnos aventajados de los Pixies a ser líderes a los que tratar de emular (que se lo digan Coldplay, Muse y tantos otros). Este The Bends fue un paso de gigante, y les abrió un camino por el que solo ellos transitaron (Ok Computer, Kid A, In Rainbows o The Smile...). Lejos de la euforia Brit-pop, supieron exponer la angustia de fin de siglo y la alienación electrónica como nadie. John Lekie y Nigel Godrich aportaron lo suyo. No es mi disco favorito (In Rainbows), ni el mejor (Ok Computer) pero es imprescindible. ¿Grandes? Inigualables. El legado de Jeff Buckley está a buen recaudo.
Radiohead gets a bad rap by musicheads but they’re actually pretty good. The type of rock they produce is unique and catchy. Their bad reputation SHOULD go to bands that actually deserve it like NINE INCH NAILS!!! Now those guys are the creepy ones.
A bleak album, and arguably, the true start of Radiohead. Great stuff.
Classic 90s alt rock. Very strong opening, tapers off a bit in the second half. Highlights: "Planet Telex" (strong, propulsive opening), "The Bends" (melody is a bit Beatles-esque), "High and Dry" (Coldplay based their early career on this song), "Fake Plastic Trees" and "Just" (epic 90s angst)
Hell yeah
I enjoyed this one!
Super polished and fun listen , some of the track feelings can get repetitive over time but it’s def an album I see with s lot of replay value. There are few but enough skips for me to stop this from being a 5 in conjunction with the repetitive feeling at times it’s a low to mid 4/5
4 Stars (11/15)
Radiohead - The Bends As expected, this was going to sound great. This album is filled with bangers that'll make you vibe with it, there's also a lot of catchy hooks and great riffs that are shown there. If only the band knew for what they will later on create... Overall, this is great! 1.- Planet Telex = 8/10 2.- The Bends = 9/10 3.- High and Dry = 10/10 4.- Fake Plastic Trees = 10/10 5.- Bones = 8/10 6.- (Nice Dream) = 9/10 7.- Just = 10/10 8.- My Iron Lung = 10/10 9.- Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Was = 7/10 10.- Black Star = 8/10 11.- Sulk = 8/10 12.- Street Spirit (Fade Out) = 10/10 FINAL SCORE: 8.9/10
Stand out tracks to me: High and Dry, Just, My Iron Lung, and Street Spirit
This would be 3 stars but Street Spirit pushes it to 4
The first of a great run
Solid and dependable. They’ll never be an all time favorite, but I can’t deny how good it is. 4/5
Album cover freaks me out
83% Best: The Bends; High and Dry; Bones; My Iron Lung; Black Star; Street Spirit (Fade Out) Must-Hear? Sure
although nowadays this album has kind of been discounted by fans, critics, and the band themselves i’ve always really enjoyed it and considered it to be in my top 3 RH albums. it’s very of its time but i don’t think that’s a bad thing fav songs: my iron lung, just, planet telex
I will say, I’ve never actually gotten around to ever listening to more than 2-3 Radiohead songs due to the ones I heard not being my cup of tea. But this album was great and I can understand the hype now. Will listen more
Good
Hot take is that this is the best album by this band, and the reasons are simple. Radiohead wanted to be something different, and there is nothing wrong with that. They wanted to escape the guitar band persona and escape they did. The disappointing thing is that there are a lot of fans of Radiohead as heavier, Thom Yorke more expressive, rather than conceptual, experimental, and seemingly... lazy. This album has emotion, it has expression that is a bit louder than the abstract varietals we will end up getting from later offerings. This is peak Radiohead, everything else afterwards is the price we pay for their popularity. In fairness, OK Computer was a great follow-up and stands on its own for where Radiohead wanted to be, and there is love for that album here. The love though is more of a gratitude for trying something different, but now it is time to come home.
Favorite tracks: Planet Telex, High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Street Spirit. One of the weaker Radiohead albums overall, but still has really high highs across the album and is much better than their debut.
Clearly great written, excellent musicianship, outstanding production. This is objectively great, but I just cannot get into Radiohead.
hef sagt þetta bestu plötu hausins til að fara í taugarnar á fólki. við þetta hlustun er ég nokkuð viss um að hún sé það ekki. hvort ég breyti um nálgun til að hætta að skaprauna fólki er ósennilegt. 4,5.
Yeah maybe it's not as experimental as Kid A but holy shit I'll take this any day of the week over that opening track that just makes me think I'm being moneyshot with mercury. Also one of the better songs on this is called 'Just' and I find that funny. Highlights: Fake Plastic Trees, Just, The Bends
Dookie by Green Day was released 1994, the Bends was release 1995, welcome back dookie. 8/10 Fav tracks - Planet Telex, The Bends, High and Dry, My Iron Lung, Bulletin Proof... I wish I was, Black Star, Street Spirit (Fade Out) Least Fav - Fake Plastic Trees
Tied with OK Computer for my favourite Radiohead album, while it doesn’t have the same level of complexity as OK Computer, this album has a good balance of the meat and potatoes alt rock where the band started and a taste of where it would end up musically. A tad front loaded but an enjoyable listen and something I’m happy to return to after many years seeing as this was probably my most listened to album in my second year of uni. Highlights: The Bends, High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Black Star, Street Spirit (Fade Out)
If only Radiohead made more records like this, rather than the twaddle they have come out with since.
I nearly gave it 5 stars just for Street Spirit but remembering the fact I always find myself listening to the hits rather than the whole album took it down one.
Radiohead's reinvention. While their smash hit Creep off the first album was a big success for the band, Radiohead aimed to show off their depth with the sophomore release. The Bends is an incredible showcase of how a rock band can wield the potential of rock music in whole new directions. Tonally, it's timeless while still borrowing the best from its grungy American neighbors. The songwriting shows innovation and interesting moments from Radiohead that most other bands wish they could capture in a single song. The Bends would go on to be eclipsed by numerous other fantastic Radiohead albums, but it's still worth listening to understand how the band evolved over time.
How many Radiohead albums are on this damn list? I enjoyed this one more than the others that have come up, but it wasn't exactly a high bar to stumble over. This is a bit more abrasive and less whiny than later efforts, yet still polished. I was going to give this a 3, but on subsequent listens I'm bumping it to a 4.
Radiohead's last album as a proper "Rock" band. Soon, they would begin their quest to "disappear completely" and become one with their machines. It's a great album, but loses two half-stars because both "OK Computer" and "KId A" are even better.
Before in rainbows, this one was my fav. Holds up
There’s something beautiful and calm but deeply unsettling about this album. Maybe my favorite Radiohead I’ve heard so far?
favourite song- fake plastic trees favourite lyric- suck, suck your teenage thumb / toilet trained and dumb / when the power runs out, we'll just hum / this, this is our new song / just like the last one / a total waste of time, my iron lung cover - 7/10 album - 4/5
Melancholy and poetic. A great listen and will def revisit. High and dry if perfect for a movie soundtrack. Title track is great too.
I keep saying that I don’t like Radiohead, but I really didn’t enjoy this album. This is maybe less experimental than many of their albums and more accessible. I will listen to this one again and may find that I am a Radiohead fan after all.
Already heard about half the album many times over the years, and I have done a run of this album before. Such a great melancholy feeling throughout this album. Many iconic riffs and chords. Some time soon I’ll focus on the lyrics.
Some of it felt a bit dated and overplayed, but still really enjoyed it. Not quite in 5 star territory for me.
Ran hot and cold on this. Several songs hint at what Radiohead would become in later albums, but just as many felt like more run-of-the-mill fuzzy rock songs.
I was one of those people who didn't listen to The Bends until *after* OK Computer came out, because I'd written off Radiohead as just another grungey one hit wonder (BWAHAHhahahHHAA in retrospect.) While I still enjoy the album a lot, it's hard to listen to the hits (High & Dry, Fake Plastic Trees) with fresh ears - and the songs I probably return to most feel very much like the direction some of their future work would go in: a bit more ambient, dreamy, alienation-fests (Bullet Proof...I Wish I Was, (Nice Dream)).
just lying in the bar with my drip feed on talkin to my girlfriend waiting for something to happen BARS
First time listen. Loved it
Enjoyed it. More moody than I anticipated. Never sell out.
Not my favorite Radiohead album but pretty great nonetheless. Low 4.
It was good, I shouldn’t have listened to ok computer first
Like Van Halen but actual good and much gayer lol I really like high and dry, very fall vibes :)
Probably my favourite Radiohead album. This is absolutely full of bangers.
Es ist ein ruhiges und gefühlvolles Werk, bei dem die Band ein neues Level der musikalischen Reife präsentiert. Mit Highlights wie “High & Dry” und “Fake Plastic Trees” bietet das Album eine emotionale Tiefe, die sowohl berührt als auch nachdenklich stimmt. “High & Dry” besticht durch seine sanften Gitarrenklänge und Thom Yorkes eindringlichen Gesang, der die Hörer in eine melancholische Stimmung versetzt. “Fake Plastic Trees” hingegen ist ein kraftvoller Ballade, die durch ihre lyrische Schönheit und musikalische Intensität besticht. Insgesamt ist “The Bends” ein Album, das sich perfekt für einen entspannten Britpop Afternoon Tea eignet. Es lädt dazu ein, sich zurückzulehnen, eine Tasse Tee zu genießen und in die gefühlvolle Welt von Radiohead einzutauchen.
With most bands or artists that I dislike, there is one album that makes me see them in a new light, where I realize that I might be mistaken about thme. The Bends is that record for Radiohead. Sure, I prefer many singers to Thom Yorke. But on this record there general nihilism is put aside, and you can actually sense that they are able to feel positive emotions. I quite like that. Also, this is an album where Johnny Greenwood shows that he has a great sence for melody, as seen in his soundtracks for PTA. This has some of his most beautiful guitar work on it. I also think this is their most influential record, seeing how much Coldplay and their peers took from this. There is even a bit of The Bends in early 2000's U2.
This album has some pretty good tracks. Gets a little emo but really the work of guitar and drums sometimes carries it pretty well.
essential 90s and RH record
This is a great album. Smooth with a driving beat.
1. "Planet Telex" 3,8 2. "The Bends" 3,8 3. "High and Dry" 3,6 4. "Fake Plastic Trees" 3,4 5. "Bones" 3,4 6. "(Nice Dream)" 4,2 7. "Just" 4,3 8. "My Iron Lung" 4,2 9. "Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Was" 3,7 10. "Black Star" 3,9 11. "Sulk" 3,6 12. "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" 4 Average 3,83
Classic album
My first Radiohead album that i listened and finished, started their discography with ok computer but didn't finish it at that time, a solid album worthy of re listen.
84
*sigh* Radiohead..... you have some of my favorite songs ever but I haven't gone and gave you a proper listen, bc imma be real yall kinda scare me with how many music snobs slob on your knob..... It not because I don't like you, Creep is in my top 5 songs ever, its just the added pressure of "what if I don't like you?" But here you are and 1001 albums gods have determined its time to listen. Kowabunga Planet Telex The Bends High and Dry (fake plastic tree was alright I just dont want to relisten to it) Just My Iron Lung Street Spirit Hell yea Radiohead, good music... 4/5
Altogether a pretty good album. Some really good sounds going down on this album that I enjoyed. Some of the songs I could have done without, but I was vibing with most of it.
Nice 90s rock!
I always feel like Radiohead is a band I'm supposed to like more but I can't get myself to do it. Thom Yorke's singing can be difficult unless you're in the mood for it. With that being said, this is a great album. High and Dry and Fake Plastic Trees specifically are two amazing songs. Some songs are a bit weaker but overall an above average listen for sure. 8/10 (4/5)
This is a great album, a 90's staple that I had on high rotation back in the day. Perfect intro tune to set the tone with "Planet Telex" then you roll right into radio and alt classics "The Bends", "High & Dry" and the fantastic "Fake Plastic Trees". The next wave includes "Bones, and "Just" & "My Iron Lung", all fan favorite upbeat gems. The entire album has the energy, the vibe of the day and is loaded with some of their very best music. I wish they would have continued down this path & matured their sound after the other absolute classic "Ok Computer", but they chose a different less catchy, less connected and more abstract sound that I didn't ever fully understand or embrace outside of a few songs per album. The album ends on a high note with "Street Signs (Fade Out)" which is just a cool song and a fitting end to a great album. He could really sing and this song epitomizes where they could have gone. Top 1001 worthy.
4 stars. somehow hadn't listened to this one much.
Beautifully sad & melancholic listening experience
i kinda fuck heavy w guitar rock radiohead...8/10
Having this as the last of the Radioheads for me I think cements my opinion they got more to my taste over time. This is a little angsty and raw for my taste, but I do like a couple of the tracks; particularly Just.
Imagine if Radiohead just carried on making records like this? Rather than deciding to take any raw edginess and hope out of their music and pursuing a dream to sound like a bunch of whining woodland creatures. 4.3
This album is Radiohead at their best. Fantastic stuff. High and dry and fake plastic trees are fantastic songs and then further down the album you have just and my iron lung. there are some great tunes! Favourite song:Just Least favourite: Sulk Album artwork: Iconic cover.
I enjoyed this, but they are different than what I usually listen to
a bit weird listening to this after OK computah and in rainbows, but it grew on me after a couple of listens YYY
truly amazing to hear
bombastic
September 16, 2024 HL: "Fake Plastic Trees", "My Iron Lung", "Black Star", "Street Spirit", "High and Dry" Radiohead #4 on this list I guess I used my witchcraft to summon this album, since I just listened to The King of Limbs (2011) for the first time, an odd duck in their catalogue but still enjoyable to me (like a 3.5/5). Which means I listened to *every* other single album in Radiohead's catalogue, including Pablo Honey, before hearing The Bends once in full. Now, the surprise isn't really there, since I knew the big songs, like "High and Dry" & "Street Spirit", in passing. I guess knowing them from their later, more eclectic releases makes the homogeneity of The Bends surprising. No jazz bands this time? No strange, syncopated time signatures? Perhaps my slowness in reaching The Bends has to do with "Fake Plastic Trees"; In my first attempts to get into Radiohead, I saw it was touted as *the* great song of theirs (well maybe along with "Karma Police" & "Creep"). And I thought it was good, but in the realm of lighter-waving anthems from Coldplay, The Verve, Muse, Snow Patrol, etc., it kinda got lost in the mix. Now, I hear its fragility ("If I could be who you wanted / all the time") & slow build on a simple musical idea, and I think it’s one of the most beautiful songs of the 90s. I don't know what changed, tbh Aside from that song, I enjoy this album, but consider my feathers unruffled. Admittedly, I see several of the songs in the same light I used to see "Plastic Trees". Logically, this implies The Bends will be my favourite Radiohead album at some point.
If I'm honest with myself, I didn't give this album the listen it deserves. I was very distracted while listening to this on Friday and didn't write a review until Monday. I liked the overall sound of this album, but I couldn't tell you a single song.
Really enjoy the quieter songs not so much a fun of their louder stuff.
Good radiohead
Love those 90’s drums and guitar. Radiohead was, without me knowing (or understanding), such a huge part of my teen years. Thom Yorke is always a win. Straight up nostalgia. Fake plastic Trees is delightful. Sad sack music is honestly a jam. Hellooo Bones. Oh shit Just is on this. There is a a nice flow through the tracks. There are times where the instruments overpower his voice but it really only adds to the overarching feeling of the album. I have missed songs longer than 2 minutes 30. Released in 1995… fuck my life I am old.
A good album, I liked Pla et Telex and Just the most.
þori ekki að gefa henni 5 en hun er up there, fyrsta skipti sem eg hlusta almennilega a hana. cover fær 5/5 samt
Nostalgic. Slow. Not as great as I remember
I like my 90s sad boys.
Not as good as Paranoid Android. But still great.
Love the general feeling, not their best work but surely a great one
I’m new to Radiohead. I have sampled in the past but nothing has stuck. 1001 has gave me two now and I’m enjoying it! Excited to get one of the more popular albums
Finally, a Radiohead album I can get behind. This was good.
When I was young and had never listened to Radiohead I remember seeing an indie compilation album called ‘The Bands’ that had a pastiche of this artwork as its cover, but I’ve just googled and can’t find any trace. Did I imagine it? There’s an opportunity there for someone if so. Anyway, great album, but I feel I have give it a nominal deduction to differentiate it from their even better ones. 4.5
What a solid album. This feels like an accessible album for Radiohead and has a great energy and sound. I can see how this helped their career and how this was a kicking off point for them to get more experimental.
This might be my favorite Radiohead album so far, but I stand by what I said every other time. I'd like to hear it with the vocals replaced by a trumpet. If no one ever makes it for me I either need to learn to play the trumpet to karaoke tracks or use AI.
Good guitar tracks
You simply have to hand it to them. I'm trying to think of another musician or band that experienced such a dramatic step-up from the first album to the second and the only one that readily comes to mind is, well, Bob Dylan. Not that I equate Bob Dylan and Radiohead in terms of aesthetic and artistic quality, though each offered ready-made anthems for the youth of their respective generations and then distanced themselves from such a responsibility. When push comes to shove, I have to admit that 'The Bends' could be the Radiohead album I've listened to the most out of pure pleasure. The height of my listening occurred when I was 14 or 15 years old, not long after the release of 'In Rainbows.' Truthfully, when I come across Radiohead fans, I feel an instant scepticism (at best) and distrust (at worst) when I hear people dismiss this album and not give it the time of day. It's easy to assume that, as a transitional record, it's filled with uneven ideas and awkward growth, but repeated listens have shown me it's anything but. There are flourishes of grander aims and a burgeoning interest in adopting an expansive sound, even if it's buoyed by tunes with typical song structures. But even those songs still strike at the emotional depths the band would explore later on through more complicated means. I used to consider "Planet Telex" as my all-time favourite album opener. True to its name, there is an otherworldly quality to the opening 20 seconds. From the whoosh and whirr of a spaceship landing to the echoed chords that always reminded me of walking in slow-motion, there is already a sense that this is not the same band that produced "Creep." But like "20th Century Schizoid Man" by King Crimson or "Zoo Station" by U2, this opening track is not necessarily an indication of what the rest of the album would sound like. Not that 'The Bends' falls short of the expectations set by the opener, at least not for me. For example, I love the way the guitars absolutely crush your eardrums in the opening chord for the title track, which really feels like a rapid pressure change in your brain. Radiohead too were students of The Pixies and utilized the soft-loud dynamic incredibly well in their sound. If we're being honest with ourselves, the dirty, crunchy guitar tone by Jonny Greenwood before launching into the chorus in "Creep" was the first indication that this band may have way more tricks up their sleeve. More than any of their other albums, 'The Bends' would take this idea and push it to its logical extremes on "The Bends," but also on "Just," "Nice Dream," and "My Iron Lung." And yet, they would sound so ethereal and pretty on "High and Dry," "Fake Plastic Trees," and "Bullet Proof...I Wish I Was." This brings us to the album closer, "Street Spirit (Fade Out)." If you listen to 'The Bends' for clues as to what the band would later become, then "Street Spirit" could be the clearest link to the mood found in later albums. A mounting tension, layered sound, and soaring vocals from Thom Yorke with lyrics that are evocative about death and modern life, where technology has a role to play with damaging results: "This machine will, will not communicate/these thoughts and the strain I am under." 'The Bends' is as accessible (if not more so) than 'In Rainbows' and hints at an innovation that would be explored in greater detail on 'OK Computer' and 'Kid A' without as cold and bleak of an atmosphere. If you're looking for some observations about the role technology would have on our ability to form relationships and construct a better world, I'd argue that Radiohead was already offering that on 'The Bends.' I mean, look at the album cover. A-
4 good radiohead
Solid angsty album
I really enjoy Radiohead, but sometimes I’m just not in the mood for their more experimental work and want something a little more easygoing. That’s where “The Bends” comes in. While their first album is, to be honest, kind of sleazy, “The Bends” has a more straightforward alternative and Britpop sound. At the same time, it also shows a lot of characteristics that indicate the band’s evolving style. Overall, I think this album captures that sweet transitional period where you get the best of both worlds.
Early Radiohead is great, lyrically and musically differnet from a lot that was going on at the time. As time went on I found them harder to get into. Anyway The Bends is amazing: Stand out tracks: - Planet Telex - The Bends - High and Dry - Fake Plastic Tress - Just - My Iron Lung
better than i expected
I have a hard time deciding if this falls at 2 or 3 in my list of Radiohead albums, just depends on the day. It is a great album top to bottom. Doesn't quite push its way to a 5 for me, but I hold this album in very high regard!
Levyn viba alusta jonnekin keskipaikkeille niiku aurinkoinen sunnuntaiaamu.
Almost a 5. Very good
Some really full and romantic sounds on this thing… obviously less futuristic than many of Radiohead’s successive albums, but even if it’s less ambitious, it doesn’t strike me as any less cohesive.
I always think of this as the most dated sounded Radiohead album because of a lot of the production sounds very 90s but man does that not take away from this. Really strong start with some front-loaded banger singles but it stays pretty consistent throughout. Love me some bends
Sorta a mixed bag of feelings on this one. For a long time it was my fav radiohead album and I think that’s mostly cuz Planet Telex was the theme song to Q on CBC radio... anyways - sorta their most successful ‘alternative rock’ album? And the britpop vibes really work on me, but i ultimately think it can be a bit tedious at times.
nice, but repetitive
Levels above the guff we've been served up by this lot before
Finally. A Radiohead album I liked.
Baby’s got depends… oh no…
Great album, one of my favorites by these fellas.
Pre-listening thoughts: Uh oh. My first Radiohead album. I was wondering when it would finally show up since there's like 8 of them on this list! The album cover is... unsettling. And do I really need to explain whether I know Radiohead or not? Either I've been living in the darkest hole under the deepest rock or I've heard of them. Take a guess. Post/during listening thoughts: It is exactly what I thought it would sound like. British alt rock. Is it bad? No. It's extremely well produced, and Thom Yorke's voice fits the sound here really well. Title track is kinda fire. I find myself craving vocal harmonies though. A track like "High and Dry" would be so fire with vocal harmonies. Overall it's a lot more mellow than I was expecting - lots more acoustic guitar and subdued vocal performance than I thought would be on here. But that buildup on "Fake Plastic Trees" is so seamless! "Just" is that perfect burst of energy after some of these slower tracks. The distortion in "My Iron Lung" is not my fav choice but whatever. Fade in on "Black Star" is kinda weird, like you never really hear songs fade in. Ok vocals on "Street Spirit (Fade Out)"! Overall I am shocked at how much I enjoyed this album. Will I ever speak about it in public? No. 8.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR IT BEFORE I DIE: Not necessarily but I'm glad I did Fav tracks: The Bends, Fake Plastic Trees, (Nice Dream), Black Star, Street Spirit (Fade Out) Least favs: My Iron Lung
meh good for its genre but not my taste rlly
Mid 90s angst!
Other than Creep from the first album and High and Dry from this album I’m not very familiar with the band musically. I knew Thom as a kook but I’ve changed my mind. Good album and looking forward to paying more attention going forward.
8/10 I like radiohead. this album is great but nowhere near their best. That said I had a good time listening. 7-22-2024
Nice and grungy
4 out of 5. Having always had trouble getting into Radiohead I appreciate when their albums are more conventional. This was probably the most melodic album of theirs I listened to so far. Favorite song: Fake Plastic Trees
i must need to listen to a *lot* more by these guys, because i don't understand why people say they're such geniuses. i assume they are, i just don't get it. i particularly like high and dry & iron lung off this album; humorously enough, i first knew high and dry from jamie cullum's cover of it - see: https://open.spotify.com/track/4fOwKPYZUkIlFOzDNlp3RL anyway, this was, you know, fine.
This made me want to listen to more Radiohead. It’s difficult to be this consistently gloomy without being boring
Good stuff, not very cheery but a decent album, would listen to again if in the right mood. Recognised Street Spirit (Fade Out) from somewhere, turns out it was from a cover by the Darkness, shout out to that tune.
Love Street Spirit
freaking great, and weird only in the best areas, thom's voice sounds extrordinary, its young, bolstry, angry, melodramatic, guitars screech loud, but not every song is as magical as they would later get for the band
Solid album with some really great stand-out tracks. The Bends (the song) was a gem from the ones I hadn't heard as much. Well worth a listen and likely a 4.5 (but probably on the 4 side).
I've listened to this album for years and have liked it. Most of the songs are phenomenal but there are a few underwhelming moments. 4/5.
90's alt rack can often feel bland to me, but this album is definitely not that. Great album that they will still somehow surpass it multiple times.
Never knew I liked Radiohead as much as I do. Best win from this project for sure.
So. Very. Conflicted............... Radiohead now feel like the band that "superior" music people challenge you with. If you don't like Kid A / OK Computer then you're either stupid or not trying hard enough. So when this popped up, I was fully prepared to go all out snark and dish out 1 or 2 stars. But. BUT. My word this was a fabulous album. "High and Dry", "Just", "Sulk" all glorious soundtracks to my teenage angst and misery before the ultimate finale to the "staring into a bottle of Bells / Southern Comfort wondering why girls won't talk to me" era with "Street Spirit" and it's howling into the void "fade out again". 4 stars, should probably be 5, whilst hating myself for not rating it a 2. Which is probably exactly how it should be.
YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
УУУУУУУ. Это первый Радиохэд в этом списке для меня. Всё ок, начинаем с самого начала. Величайшая группа в истории. Величайшая музыка. Возможно (и только возможно) пиковый Том Йорк с точки зрения исполнения именно здесь, на главных хитах Street Spirit (Fade Out) и Fake Plastic Trees. Прекрасный альбом и начало чего-то просто Невероятного. Лучшая песня - Fake Plastic Trees.
Grows on you. I've only heard the singles before but the overall album is very well crafted
Used to be my favourite Radiohead album, and I listened to it a lot at the time of its release. I still like the album, especially its highlights (such as Street Spirit), but the vocals are a little too much, and some of the songs I have heard enough. score in 1995: 10/10 score in 2024: 8/10
Un muy buen disco que de cierta forma continúa y expande el sonido del debut de la banda "Pablo Honey". Mucho más sofisticado y complejo, "The Bends" empieza a esbozar la experimentación por la que la banda alcanzaría su estatus de "alt darling". "My Iron Lung" es una divertida crítica a "Creep", mientras que "Fake Plastic Trees" y "High & Dry", enriquecen el catálogo de singles radiales de la banda liderada por Thom Yorke y Jonny Greenwood. En mi opinión, la mejor canción del LP es "Street Spirit (Fade Out)". Si bien este es un muy buen disco, no creo que sea un indispensable del inventario de la banda. De todas formas, sumamente recomendable.
Nostalgia probably plays a small factor but this was great to revisit. These songs, while not all their best in my opinion, have rightfully been engraved in my subconscious, and works really well as a whole. Interesting transitional album.
I only knew about creep and 2 other famous songs. It was a really nice discovery, which reminded me some early work from muse, at least for the beginning of the album. The end is more calm and I enjoyed it less
3.8
Radiohead’s first great album influenced a generation of wannabe edgy rock musicians (including some of my favorite bands like Muse). For me, the only thing that doesn’t elevate this album from the level of great to masterpiece is the production. Which is interesting because starting with OK Computer, Radiohead and Nigel Godrich are often the absolute pinnacle of what production can accomplish. “Planet Telex” and “Karma Police” (from OK Computer) were really the two songs which got me into Radiohead, and the rest of The Bends followed, particularly “Fake Plastic Trees” and “Just” which I always forget how much I like.
#37 - incredible how many songs in this album have become classics. Radiohead's angst defined a generation!
Great album. Great peaks and the album flowed nicely. Favorite Song: High and Dry Rating: 4.1/5
blame it on the blackstar duh
The verge of stadium status. Some bloody great songs.
Day 34 of listening to 1001 albums, one day at a time. The Bends by Radiohead as a whole is the band really trying to show they are more than just a one hit wonder with Creep. I’ve have mixed emotions about this album it’s a bit all over the place but I think that lends towards the album. This an album that in my mind is trying to prove something by showing the world they can do so much more. So while this album has a pretty wide variety of sounds from track to track, Radiohead is ultimately giving that iconic Radiohead sound that would become so beloved. Not only would this album be a pretty big inspiration for a lot of other artist to come, it would lead the band into making albums that pretty would call perfect and a masterpiece. The Bends sets out to prove Radiohead is more than Creep and I think it does more than just prove they are more, it’s shows they are a band that will be remembered for a long time.
Not a band I'd listened to before but they weren't bad!
Good stuff! I've only heard maybe 3 or 4 of these before. Not their best (Kid A), but still holds up and marks their blowup from PH to OC
Good good
Liked it better than the first one
One of the better radiohead albums.
I really enjoy Radiohead, but sometimes I’m just not in the mood for their more experimental work and want something a little more easygoing. That’s where “The Bends” comes in. While their first album is, to be honest, kind of sleazy, “The Bends” has a more straightforward alternative and Britpop sound. At the same time, it also shows a lot of characteristics that indicate the band’s evolving style. Overall, I think this album captures that sweet transitional period where you get the best of both worlds.
I wanted so bad to roast Radiohead. Unfortunately, it's ok. Street Spirit (Fade Out) is the best one, but in general I think their more active songs are better. There were definitely points where it put me in mind of an awkward car ride, and wondered why someone would put Muse in a blender, strain it and only keep the soggy parts. But that's just me looking for creative insults, and I honestly can't give it less than 4 overall lol
Liked it a lot
Classic, not their best album 8
Another great from radiohead
sicklyy
O primeiro 1/3 de “The Bends” me desceu com tantas ressalvas que já estava preparado para falar dele aqui pisando em ovos. Entretanto, de “(Nice Dream)” em diante, ele engatou de tal maneira comigo que se tornou um grande disco. A influência do grunge é notável (afinal, é um disco de rock de 1995), é um alt-rock de altíssima qualidade. Destaco “My Iron Lung”, “Just” e minha favorita, “Bullet Proof… I Wish I Was”.
I like this more than In Rainbows but not as much as OK Computer. I really love Fake Plastic Trees and like Planet Telex and High and Dry quite a bit. 3.5 rounded up to 4.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard this album. Knew the tracks High and Dry, as well as Just. Although I prefer the quirkier Kid A and OK Computer, this is a great collection of fairly straightforward songs. Quite enjoyed Fake Plastic Trees and Bullet Proof. Have always loved Greenwood’s guitar work and there is a lot of good examples of it here (Sulk). I should probably try Pablo Honey…
I never got in to Radiohead, and really not sure why. A lot of the elements seem perfect, but it just ends up a bit boring. Maybe that boringness is part of the perfection. Another band that is stuck in my friend zone in a similar way is Muse. So much is good, but it's almost like I'm getekeeping myself. I know I'll never be a T-shirt owner of theirs. In terms of this specific album, I liked the opener and the main two tracks, and at least another near the end. I wasn't able to keep track as it played. Solid enough for a 4 star. Favorite track "High and Dry" ( nostalgia) 4/5
Out of the unnecessarily numerous Radiohead albums on this list, this one is my favorite by far.
This is by far my favorite Radiohead album, and it's held up well.
Haven’t listened to a ton of Radiohead, but I liked this album.
It’s good but kinda boring Very alt rock compared to later Radiohead High and dry bangs
4/5. I could definitely listen to this again. It's got some of their most popular songs and even the deeper cuts are really good. 90s rock is best rock.
Not the best Radiohead album by any means, it’s can get a bit repetitive but this still had good tracks. Pretty cool!
Never listened to radiohead before, however this was surprisingly great
I prefer later Radiohead, but this is still a great album
With this being my first Radiohead album, I am pleased to say that this one lived up to the hype. I particularly enjoyed "Just", which I have added to my playlist. Aside from that, the albums flows really well throughout, with some epic guitar parts. I'm not 100% keen on the vocals but they are nice enough and the album is good enough to warrant a 4/5.
As far as Radiohead goes, this is their most palatable attempt. The most grounded in reality, while also exploring the expanse of music. Thom lets loose his creativity, and the music complements it nicely. The angelic vocals and spacey arpeggio guitar are a match made in heaven. There are some truly incredible tracks here that speak to me, and I go back and forth on the rating here, I think it’s simply that I don’t fully appreciate the majesty here. I know it is there, and other feel so strongly about it, and maybe one day I will, or maybe that day has passed. It deserves the chance, and is a record I would own. This is a revisit 4 and likely my favorite Radiohead.
High and Dry is one of my favorite songs. Haven't found a Radiohead album I dislike yet. 4/5
First time I have listened to a full album of theirs. I like their sound overall. His voice does wear on me a little though.
great way to begin the week. really solid album. love the blend & layering of guitar with heavier bass, drums, & synth. High & Dry and Fake Plastic Trees-excellent tracks
holy fuck, i was a bit drunk, but overall since i first saw the album cover i was like nahhh. But bro... say no more holy fck 4.2/5
Yes yes
Pretty good, no real duds. Was considering giving it a 5 but feel like some of the tracks kind of stood out as louder and more pop than others, which took me out of the vibe. But still great album, I liked the album cover too.
Quite enjoyable, easy listening but not boring. 8/10
8/10 - This album is quite good. My friend is a huge fan of radiohead and I get it now. Each song is different and super enjoyable. Some of them are really vibey while others are more energetic. I feel like grunge music like this can be quite hit or miss for me but most of these songs hit.
Kinda a vibe. Didn't particular love any one song but it was all solid
I always was a fan of the earlier Radiohead albums, this stepped away from their grunge style at the time but still felt raw enough to feel rocky, while showing hints of the experimentation that was to define their later years. Sick band.
Quite great. This ought to be the first radiohead album to listen to. Radiohead had it dialed in, its moody, moany, and slow building. This is why radiohead fans are like no other. Its a genre of its own.
Pretentious, overblown, awesome.
A great Radiohead album, and yet probably my 5th or 6th favorite Radiohead album.
Incredible album. Mellow without being boring. Sad without being depressing. A little repetitive and as I’ve said in other Radiohead reviews, I think this would be much better live than on recording but that’s a small knock on a masterpiece. 4.5 stars
Generous 4, some of it is obviously great but there's plenty that hasn't dated well.
I do in fact love me some Radiohead. I love the unique vocals and difference in style of music that differs from other artists. Personally, I’m more of a fan of late Radiohead, with more electronic instruments and less acoustic, but The Bends does a good job of blending the two together and acting as a transition into the “new Radiohead”.
Not a single bad song. Not quite as unique as their later music, but they're getting there, you can feel it. Really liked the second half, from Just to the (amazing) last song
I felt as if some songs didnt transition well into other ones, as if they werent meant to be listened to consecutively like an album is but rather individually but they were still good enough on their own
It's Radiohead. It's good
A genuine black swan. I have discovered a Radiohead album I *actually* like. And it's really, really good. The rare sophomore album that's better than the debut. I might even listen to this again. The problem comes in the rating. It's not among my favorite albums. BUT it's the best Radiohead album I've heard. And it IS still Radiohead in the end.... 4. Seems fair.
Una sola canción de su álbum de debut (The Creep) abrió grandes expectativas sobre Radiohead y en su segundo largo, The Bend, las confirmaron sobradamente con un sonido épico y contundente que, sin embargo, está permanentemente acunado en una música texturizada. Thom Yorke mantiene letras introspectivas, a veces melancólicas y de alto voltaje intelectual, en las que permanente sobrevuela la angustia juvenil e incluso la desesperación. Con este disco, en el que destacan canciones como "The Bends", "High and Dry" (una de las que más me gustan del disco aunque el grupo haya renegado de ella), "Fake Pastic Trees" (sobre la hipocresía y el desgaste de mantener una imagen perfecta), "(Nice Dream)" (sobre la necesidad de pertenencia, de ser aceptado por quienes nos rodean y dar un sentido a tu vida) o "Just" (un temazo sobre la responsabilidad de las decisiones que uno toma que son las que realmente nos dan forma), Radiohead da un vuelta de tuerca y reimpulsa el 'anthemic rock' (rock emblemático o de himnos). Especial mención me merece la canción que cierra el álbum, "Street Spirit (Fade Out)", un toque de esperanza ante un mundo oscuro y complejo, impulsado por las voces corales y el verso repetido "sumerge tu alma en el amor".
Much more accessible than some of their later efforts, this album boasts some fantastic electric guitar bits and adds up to something greater than its parts. Listened to: walking through Prospect Park. Favorite tracks: The Bends, Just
Beautifully constructed and recorded. So much to entertain the ears. Thom Yorke's voice urges you to rail along with him against all the bad things in the universe... Which is great if that's how you are feeling. It's tougher if you are feeling okay with the world and just want a good tune.
thom yorke holds an emotional note while guitars play. sometimes the guitars are sad, sometimes they are angry. but the notes sound nice and i like them
I've never really given this album a chance before, it's really really good.maybe not my favorite of theirs but you can see the seeds of everything else they grow into.
I'm not sorry that I prefer this era of Radiohead to the latter, more experimental era.
Planet Telex 4 The Bends 4.2 High and Dry 4.3 Fake Plastic Trees 4.4 Bones 4.2 (Nice Dream) 3.8 Just 3.5 My Iron Lung 4 Bullet Proof… I Wish I Was 3.3 Black Star 3.4 Sulk 3 Street Spirit (Fade Out) 4 Score: 3.841666667
Rushed because I left this too late Planet Telex - 4/5 The Bends - 3.5/5 High and Dry - 3.5/5 Fake Plastic Trees - 4.5/5 Bones - 4/5 (Nice Dream) - 4/5 Just - 4.5/5 My Iron Lung - 4/5 Bullet Proof... I Wish I Was - 3.5/5 Black Star - 4/5 Sulk - 3/5 Street Spirit - 4.5/5 This is good, probably not Radiohead's best but still really strong.
Solid album. New to me but familiar. Good chill album
great album.
It is an excellent album - I def need to listen to this some more
This is such a great album
Highly enjoyed
I'm not a huge Radiohead fan. In general I think the are Overratediohead. This album is the exception. It's fantastic. It misses a 5 for me just because it's a bit too dour for regular re-listens. It is a very strong 4 though.
Really good album liked it a a lot 7/10
I loved this record when it came out. I think I had it on tape and the CD singles, at least the ones for High & Dry and My Iron Lung. I had Seven Television Commercials, a compilation of music videos from The Bends and OK Computer, on VHS. To my knowledge, this is Radiohead's only true good rock album before they went full prog with OK Computer. It was a huge step up from Pablo Honey. In fact, I was so obsessed with The Bends for so long that I didn't get into any of their other albums for years, no matter how good they were. Listening again now, it's obvious to me that this record isn't as mature as their later efforts. It rocks out, and it does that excellently, but it doesn't have sonic and musical depth of the albums that came after. It also feels that it wasn't mastered as well either. It's loud. The dynamic range is pretty limited, but it helps that this is a distorted album already. Of course it's still an awesome record and a personal favorite. I still get goosebumps when Thom harmonizes with himself on Black Star. But it's just not Radiohead's best, no matter how much I love it. Four stars.
Sad
The Bends was one of the first CDs that I bought when I was 13. I loved the gritty garage rock sing-along style of it and I still know every inch of these songs. It doesn't compete in my mind with the more complex albums that were to come, but it was the beginning. It was raw and different.
everything you would expect from early radiohead… crunchy guitars, ethereal sometimes indecipherable vocals. good mix of quieter songs and guitar driven songs. a masterful album. highlights: “the bends” “high and dry” “bones” “just”
There are huge leaps and bounds that radiohead is making during this period and especially leading into ok computer. Thom has begun changing his vocal style, with a stronger focus on amplifying his sweet vocals. Even before I knew that Godrich was on this album I could feel his influence. The mixes are much more subtle compared to Pablo Honey and the vocals can get tastefully surrounded by the other tracks. The drums are much more subdued and everything is pulled back. I enjoyed this album despite its place near the bottom of the radiohead discography."
Before they head got up they ass. It's innovative enough to create catchy songs with structure and climax and tension and shit, no need for the faux innovation that made their later years dreary. Always struck me as innovative music for people who don't listen to innovative music. There are some dirty good songs on this one, good hooks, and good lyrics. J. Greenwood still gets to pull weird solos and riffs off. If only they stuck with this line of thinking.
Probably one of my favorite Radiohead albums. Favorite songs: Planet Telex, High and Dry, (Nice Dream), Just, Bullet Proof… I Wish I Was, Black Star, Sulk
Really good album.
Day102 - i was ready to judge this one before i listened. i’m not a radiohead fan but this is a good one
Really like Guitar-Radiohead a little more than Experimental-Ambient-Radiohead, and this peak Guitar-Radiohead. SO EMOTIONAL though, fakeplastictrees kills me every time. High and Dry is a great pop song on an album is chock full of great songs, I don't care if Thomm doesn't like it. Not an easy or casual listen, but as deep as anything the band ever did. Not for everyone. It was always odd to me how popular this band was, hoping someone can explain it to me some day.
I love this album, but I can never get through this album in one listening session.
Chill 4/5
one of my favourites, 4 stars only to leave some space open for my favourite albums of Radiohead.
7/10
Great album once again by Radiohead. 4 stars
4.4 - a mix of nearly great and great songs.
Nearly 5 stars. 9/10
- This feels like the most 4-star of albums. Easy to get immersed in Radiohead's mesmerizing soundscape and the musicianship is incredibly clear, but I also have difficulty pointing out specifics that truly garbbed me. - Love the start...first two tracks ("The Bends" in particular) are extremely solid. - Radiohead has a weird ability to lull me into an absolutely acceptable, slightly more than fine track, and then insert a funky, jarring guitar jam element into the back third to wake me back up. This is often very pleasing (looking at you, "(Nice Dreams)" and "Just"). However, sometimes you are liking the vibe of the song a lot and the shift is very unwelcome because it harshes your musical buzz ("Iron Lung").
A nice mix of depressing and blissful
There were moments I enjoyed very much. There were also moments that put me to sleep. Overall I liked it more than I thought I would.
Can’t get the stink off … holy cow
I'm one of those losers who sometimes buys Best Of/Greatest Hits compilation albums and sometimes I wonder if I'm missing out by not buying the albums (one of the reasons I'm doing this project). I have the Radiohead: Best Of album, but I don't have that strong feeling that I missed out. It is overall definitely a high quality album though.
There must be at least 10 or 20 great debut albums for each great SECOND album. For me, The Bends transformed Radiohead from near-novelty one hit wonders ("Creep") into A Band To Be Taken Very Seriously. This album still sounds powerful but at the same time there are a couple of odd songwriting choices that don't work as well for me, and a couple of borrowed cliches, too. So while this album showed huge growth, their best was yet to come. Come to think of it, it's staggering to follow the growth of this band's artistry across their first three albums (or 5-6 albums if you're so inclined). I've seen them play a couple of times and the first time they were in their prime and I remember thinking "if I was a teenager I would be weeping with awe right now and possibly for the next few days." Pre-girlfriend teenager, if I'm honest. Are they an incel band? If so, they are one of the very best.
This is one I liked better then expected. Personally I never really understood the appeal of Radiohead. I only ever listened to what they played on the radio and those songs to me are whiny, creepy, dissonant and just blah. They left me very underwhelmed and didn't ever make me want to seek out more. I really liked The Bends and Bones. As an album it was much better then a stand alone song on the radio. Not anything magical or transcendent to me, but it was better then I expected.
"The Bends" has a lot of great singles including "Fake Plastic Trees". It's not as amazing as "OK Computer" in my opinion but it's solid. This was the album that made Radiohead superstars. Thom Yorke is at his best here. "The Bends" is another reason why Radiohead is one of my favourite bands. I'll give it 4 stars.
Early Radiohead is always my favorite but I forgot just how many great songs this album has
Awesome
En af de mindst gode Radiohead plader! Pissegod!!
pretty great stuff
Know of Radiohead but not crazy familiar worth many songs. Pretty good album, from my musically-formative years so a bit of nostalgia rates this up. Not seeking this out but enjoyed listening throughout. 4/5
There's something about the engineering/production/etc of this album that's always bothered me. But it's still Radiohead and has street spirit on it.
Hypnotic
Pretty good.
As a product of the 90s, I love early Radiohead more than a non-biased listener should. The Bends lacks the depth and maturity of ALL of their followup albums, but it's just a fun listen and it itches my 90s alt rock scratch. Even a 2nd rate Radiohead album deserves a 4.
Kind of dreamy, he sounds half asleep at times, but it's enjoyable. Stand-out: Black Star
I mean what can i say… I love radiohead and this isn’t their best album but it’s still great and I still bop and cry whilst i listen.
Very good alt indie rock
It is a great album, but I think compared to other radiohead albums I still think they weren't at their peak. It's still great a solid 4/5. Stand Out Songs: High and Dry Just Black Star
Radiohead is one of those bands that I really like but for some reason never became one whose career I follow closely or buy ever album. The Bends is a great album and about half of the songs would be in my favorite songs playlist.
I really liked this album. It rocked - it seduced - it mesmerized - it delivered a satisfying experience. The electric guitar could be fierce, then a nice acoustic follow up, or even a blend. The words, often (and probably intentionally) blurred together and were hard to understand, but the singing was very effective and frequently beautiful. Excellent album.
Solid grunge. Had heard before - Radiohead brilliance always there from the beginning
Standouts: Planet Telex, The Bends, Bones, Black Star. Lost me towards the end a bit but liked it WAYY more than Amnesiac.
Ooh baby. Not as experimental as their later work, but still enough to give it an original and unique feel. I enjoyed myself throughout and expect to listen again someday. 4/5
My favorite Radiohead album, even if it shows its age a bit more than OK Computer. High and Dry is everything a rock ballad should be. Some amazing guitar riffs on this album, which is saying something, since I don’t care much for guitar riffs. A classic. 4.6
Didn't think I liked Radiohear but turns out I knew more tracks on here than I thought. Listening front to back it makes a lot more sense than the mopey melancholia of an isolated track. Captures a dark depressive mood very well.
It's the best of "this". I remember listening to High and Dry by a bonfire summer after high school and being very moved. Karma Police (though not on this album) was a top 10 song for me for a long time. But as an entire album it all becomes a bit samey. Maybe it's because its 72 and sunny in February here and I'm about to leave for vacation.
.
I always WANT to be able to get into Radiohead, even if I never do.
Gets better with every song
Hard to detach these guys from their Image and Reputation among my peers. I don’t believe they’re the greatest band on earth, but I do believe they’re a good band with some rip-ass guitars, and the guitars are especially rip-ass on this album. Rounding up on this one, if only to create a reasonable curve for future Radiohead picks.
9/10 Held up way better than I expected, this has forced me to slightly reevaluate my opinion on the album A band finding their place as one of the best in the world, confident and brash Much more interesting than the concurrent grunge sound The first half is so stacked that the second half can’t help but suffer a bit Takes me straight back to school lunchtime hanging with friends Best: Fake Plastic Trees/Street Spirit
4 At the end of the day, Radiohead’s best album, despite what the Internet music nerds will tell you. Yeah, it may not be their most unique-sounding or adventurous, but it’s their catchiest and least pretentious by far (though still a little pretentious - I mean, come on, it’s Radiohead). But I gotta give credit where credit is due - this album is really solid and contains some of the band’s best work. In particular, I have to shoutout the three-track run of The Bends, High and Dry, and Fake Plastic Trees, which is an absolutely insane trio of songs. I mean, you’re hit with an amazing, high-energy alternative rock track with a catchy chorus and killer guitar work to it, followed by an enchanting and transcending ballad about a relationship gone stale, finally followed by what is the single best song of the band’s career. Look, for as much shit as I give Radiohead, I have to admit that Fake Plastic Trees is one of the most beautiful and profound songs I’ve heard. I can never help but get sucked into the buildup, especially when it hits at an emotional and musical high with the lyric “She looks like the real thing/She tastes like the real thing/My fake plastic love” and its follow-up into the mellow “If I could be who you wanted” section, with the tender, organ-esque keyboard outro being icing on the cake for me. Fantastic song, and for me, probably the only true argument for Radiohead as an all-time great band. But even outside of the three songs mentioned above, there are a lot of just really solid tracks across the board here, with Bones, Just, and Sulk also being heavy hitters through their own merits. There’s really nothing to dislike here, and I think a lot of that has to do with how fantastic the production and flow of this album is - after having a couple that felt overly long, it was nice to have something with a great sense of pace. So there you have it folks, probably the best review I’ll ever give Radiohead - I suppose a broken clock is right twice a day after all. Though, that to say, Thom Yorke apparently hates this album (as he does their song Creep), so maybe it was just a happy accident. Speaking of Thom having bad takes, I’m going to end this with a quote from Wikipedia that I enjoyed: “Yorke held contempt for the style of rock The Bends popularised, feeling other acts had copied him. He said in 2006: ‘I was really, really upset about it, and I tried my absolute best not to be, but yeah, it was kind of like— that sort of thing of missing the point completely.’ Godrich [their producer] felt Yorke was oversensitive and told him he did not invent ‘guys singing in falsetto with an acoustic guitar’”
listened so much in highschool. had the vinyl.
great
I'm not sure which is more baffling, the fact that these fellas still aren't in the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame; or that the music press somehow hasn't lost their collective shit over how Radiohead is seemingly never even considered for enshrinement.
underrated by the radiohead fanboys The Bends >>>>>>>>>>>> In rainbows. facts.
Classic
Finally gave it a proper go - did not disappoint. Bangers.com
This band has potential, maybe they’ll make the best album of all time after this :p
Very good but still a long shot from their best imo.
Some of my favorite guitar work from Radiohead on this album. Still has that Britpop vibe before they branched off into more electronic elements.
Not their best, but an essential part of their catalog. 4.1
To have an album like The Bends in your discography and it still not be considered among your best is pretty impressive. Or maybe it is among their best? I don't know. Either way, this album is a stone cold stunner from start to finish. I think the biggest detriment is that a few tracks are sort of stuck in the 90s, but even then, there's enough that sets this band apart from what so many peers were doing at the time to leave a mark. And you can hear the direct inspiration this would go on to have on major, major bands like Muse, Coldplay or any anthemic rock groups to come from the later aughts.
Good!
Großartiges Album. Noch viel Britpop, aber schon wie Radiohead.