Immerse Your Soul In Love (The Bends - Radiohead)

Member Name: kfingleton

Product:	The Bends - Radiohead
Date:	01/05/01 (56 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A classic and groundbreaking rock album

Disadvantages: More conventional rock and commercial than OK Computer and Kid A

The second Radiohead album marked a massive leap forward from the sub-grunge sound of their debut ‘Pablo Honey’. It arrived in the year of Britpop, 1995, but unlike most albums from that period, it has stood the test of time and is generally regarded as a classic. But what makes ‘The Bends’ so good? Its qualities are in many ways indefinable, but judged in retrospect; it still has that special something, five years since I forked out to buy it.

I bought my first CD in July 1995, so I was only starting to build up my CD collection when I purchased ‘Pablo Honey’ in November of that year, it was just after Christmas that I invested in ‘The Bends’ and even on its first play, I knew that this album was unique and strangely wonderful. The single ‘Fake Plastic Trees’, an acoustic anthem that turns into a raging epic had been that first CD I ever bought, so there is a large element of the sentimental involved. I didn’t even know the song at the time, but my brother urged me to buy it anyway.

FPT sounded a lot like U2 to my young ears and I did get the impression of a hint of U2 throughout ‘The Bends’ when I listened to it in those early days. The sleeve even had a hint of the ‘Zooropa’ or ‘Achtung Baby’ about it too. It’s maybe a testament to the greatness of this record that while the U2 albums now sound overblown and pretentious, this album still sounds fresh and new.

It begins with rumblings of some sort that blend into the heavily effects-laiden guitars and keyboards of ‘Planet Telex’. The second verse offers wonderful guitar strokes from Johnnie Greenwood and the whole song is complemented by Phil Selway’s thumping bass drum. ‘The Bends’ begins with excellent loud guitars and Thom Yorke’s amazing voice wailing (in a nice way). If many people prefer this album to ‘OK Computer’, it is par
ty due to songs like ‘The Bends’ that could so easily have been hit singles, but were never released.

‘High & Dry’ was a single, and what a superb one at that. Compared to the other tracks it is relatively sparse and subtle. Again the drums are superb. ‘Fake Plastic Trees’ is an epic, but the lyrics only complement the beautiful sounds. "She looks like the real thing / She tastes like the real thing" are words that do tend to echo U2. Colin Greenwood’s bass line makes ‘Bones’ what it is, but despite being a great song, it is the weakest link. Goodbye.

‘Nice Dream’ has a title very suited to the song, due to its dreamlike qualities and distant lyrics. "I called up my friend the good angel / But she’s out with her answer phone". What this means, answers on a postcard please. The dreamy sound of that track is beautifully juxtaposed with ‘Just’, a sonic burst of loud guitars and screaming vocals. Like ‘Let Down’ on ‘OK Computer’, it has a double ending.

‘My Iron Lung’, otherwise known as ‘Heart-Shaped Box’ by Nirvana appeared on the EP of the same name in 1994, and has some wonderfully ironic words. "This is our new song/ Just like the last one." The bands previous single had been the horrible ‘Pop Is Dead’ in 1993, it strangely failed to make the cut for ‘The Bends’ and sounded nothing like ‘My Iron Lung’.

The album then follows through some solemn, quiet and dreamy moments. ‘Bullet Proof…I wish I was’ is almost ‘Nice Dream’ part two, while ‘Black Star provides the big singalong choruses again. ‘Sulk’ again provides a great chorus, but is most notable for possibly Thom’s finest vocal delivery on the album.

The producer, John Leckie (he of Stone Roses fame), layered the alb
um with all sorts of modern effects, even a few string sections and was at least an equal for OK Computer’s Nigel Godrich, but for the finale he left well alone. ‘Street Spirit (Fade Out)’ is one of those songs that are so simple, musicians must wonder how he or she didn’t think of the melody first. This song is devoid of any fancy tricks or effects, it is just the band, playing a sparse fragile song.

The closing track may well be the album’s finest moment, but that’s not to take away from the wondrous sounds of the eleven songs that precede it. Few bands can have one classic album, even fewer have more than one. In my opinion, Radiohead have given us two classic records, so we must be very grateful. I would hate to get amnesia and forget about it.

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