Baby's got the Bends.... (The Bends - Radiohead)

Member Name: drewboy

Product:	The Bends - Radiohead
Date:	15/06/05 (300 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Musical Themes, Fantastic Guitars & other sounds, Vocals

Disadvantages: Nowt

Full review
How do you start to review an album by such a band? How do you try and adequately convey how much you would urge everyone to get a hold of a copy of this CD or their collection is simply not complete? I actually do not know, but I will try my best here to let you know how and why.

Radiohead started its life in the late 1980's, originally calling themselves 'On a Friday' (the only time they could all arrange to meet) but didn't really get any kind of success until after they had finished their respective university courses. They then produced and released their debut which enjoyed great success over the pond and the album actually went gold. The main 'anthem' from this album was the track 'Creep' which, when writing the tracks for The Bends, was at the forefront of their minds.

After the success of Pablo Honey, the band had a gruelling touring schedule and used this to try and write new tracks for the upcoming album but found this just wasn't working for them. When they finished the tour, they hit the studio however had major problems with trying to emulate the feel and sound of 'Creep' because they in fact didn't like it all that much but wanted to put together and album of potential 'Creeps' in a way that they liked so that the fans wouldn't (as they feel) misinterpret them in the same way as they had with said song.

So, they hit the road again but this time went round Australasia and with a much less gruelling schedule, they concentrated on performing newer tracks to the audiences and this proved so successful that when they got back to the UK, they went back to the studio and had the album was done and dusted in about two weeks.

The main thing you feel when listening to this album is a remarkably mature one, especially when compared to the more basic rock feel of their first attempt. There are many reasons for this but most importantly, this is because they incorporate distinct influences from bands such as the Pixies, REM and U2. They in essence, were trying to convey their tracks in such a way that although they were essentially classed as alternative rock, they wanted other sounds to both subtly and forcefully come through in what they were doing.

This is done perfectly with the first three album tracks as each one is different while still most definitely rock. The opening track 'Planet Telex' opens up with a very futuristic sounding sample before a set of piano chords and drums simply set the theme of the song with Thom Yorke and some crashing yet simple guitar chords take over in the same structure. The song goes on in a similar manner with a few guitar riffs coming in here and there. They all mesh together to form a very 'nice' sound yet still retaining the feel of what this album is about to bring to you.

Hot on its heels, the title track 'The Bends' with a very definite guitar riff starting it off. This song fully utilises Yorkes fantastic voice and also cleverly contrasts the previous song by moving quickly into a quite first verse and gradually upping the volume and harshness of the guitars to the chorus where Yorke provides some outstanding long notes where as he does them, the style running below him changes tempo, volume and depth. All this and then it ends in the best way I could ever hope for, right down to basics with just Yorke and a guitar.

The third of these tracks is 'High and Dry', a hauntingly beautiful song that again, differs from the previous two and shows that while this is a rock album, it has variety and style. This track is very much about keeping it simple with mostly guitar chords strumming away with soft drums in the background and the very occasion riff coming in at the louder sections.

The rest of the album can pretty much be broken up to fit with these three songs with the exception of one, but more about that later. In the 'Creep' category, you have 'Nice Dream', 'Just' and 'My Iron Lung'. Each song fully utilising the musical theme of soft verses and massive crescendo's into some seriously rocking guitar work, with the exception 'Just' which is more based around a louder, more in your face sound (and a cracking good video if you ever get the chance to see it). On the softer side you have tracks relating to 'High and Dry' like 'Fake Plastic Trees' and 'Bulletproof' which show off Yorkes vocal skills magnificently and are songs that you can truly loose yourself in and the emotions running through them are incredible. The remainder of the third set of songs comprise of 'Black Star' and 'Sulk'. They really are not that similar to 'Planet Telex' to be fair, however they do have a much more calmer tempo than the other tracks in the way that there is less of the highs and lows of musicality within them. They feel calmer in a strange way even though they do have the rock feel to them with guitars playing riffs and chords all over the place.

Then we come to the odd one out so to speak. Perhaps one of Radioheads most famous songs and one that has such a hauntingly stunning sound that you never tire of. Based around a continuing, what I can only describe as circular, guitar with a stunningly simple melody expertly sung by Yorke. The only realson I have sigled it out is that it is just so different to the rest of the album, yet somehow is such a fitting end to it. It is somewhat monotone in its sound, yet a complex mix of different, yet similar musical ideas. Just what the album is as most songs tend to have the opposing soft and harsh sounds all rolled into one.

The review is not complete however without mentioning the man that pretty much saved Radiohead from completely giving up on the whole thing and quite frankly brought so much to the sounds that you hear through his production. John Leckie's use of mixing and sound techniques are evident from the very opening sample on 'Planet Telex' right through to the final track and far from making it sound over produced and to take away from the rock side of things, actually makes the album what it is - A mature offering from a genuinely talented group of young men.

So to conclude, I hope I have managed to convey how fantastic this album actually is. I wish I could choose a favourite track from the list, but its just so hard as there is not a dud track on it. At a push, I would say that it was 'Sulk' however I think that's for personal reasons and I have no doubt that others would pick other songs due to the emotions that run through this masterpiece.

Five stars from me.


drew

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