Ahh yes...the epitome of 90s guitar rock (The Bends - Radiohead)

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Product:	The Bends - Radiohead
Date:	07.02.02 (158 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: excellent production, excellent songs, thom, ed, phil, jonny, and colin

Disadvantages: none

"The Bends" marked a giant leap in the career of Radiohead. From a one hit wonder band known for "Creep" to a band who could make songs worthy of a stadium show, Radiohead absolutely proved themselves on "The Bends."

The album opens strong with the strange "Planet Telex" where Jonny uses his homemade, hand operated tremolo pedal to create some wicked guitars that careen around the stereo image. Phil's stilted drumming in this tune is machine-like and gives the song a somewhat modern feel. (I know they looped a good take in the studio to get the drums for this tune 'cos Phil was having a hard time nailing the beat perfectly.)

Then the title rocker, "The Bends" with absolutely brilliant guitar work from Jonny. The crunch of his Telecaster hasn't been the same (at least on an album) since this cut. Listen for the big rock ending starting at about 3:00 minutes in the tune where you have to rewind, turn the volume up, and listen again.

Quickly slowing down the pace of "The Bends" are two ballad type cuts "High and Dry" and
"Fake Plastic Trees". These jams highlight the vocal and songwriting prowess of one Mr. Thom Yorke. Colin's bass work on "High and Dry" is brilliant. His awareness of the song's dynamic in his ability to leave notes out and add notes back in is masterful.

"Fake Plastic Trees" is perfect for a stadium show or for sitting in your room by yourself on a rainy day. This acoustic lament climaxes in an emotional guitar driven frenzy that will make you want to cry. Thom collapsed on the studio floor in tears after singing the vocal track for this song and you can feel it. I've seen this song performed live 3 times and everytime it got me choked up.

With "Bones", the pace picks back up with more of Jonny's jimmied up tremolo and Phil's heavy rock beats. I wish I had one
of Jonny's homemade gizmos to mess with because it sure gives a unique sound and looks fun to fiddle with. This song is straight forward rocker that leads right into a pretty number "Nice Dream."

I've always thought "Nice Dream" was about Thom and his relationship with the rest of the band. Quite a touching ode to his mates if that's what it's about. "They love me like I was a brother/They protect me/Listen to me/The dug me my very own garden/Gave me sunshine/Made me happy/Nice dream." Beautiful string arrangement by Jonny in the background too. One of my favorites on the album.

"Just" is quiet/loud rocker with an intro that resembles Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." A great song where Thom seems almost snotty as he sings his words. At 2:05 Jonny busts a fat old guitar break that almost sounds like a Rhodes electric piano. This song has a lot of chords in it.

"My Iron Lung" is the band pissing on their own experience of being a one hit wonder where "Creep" is compared to an artifical breathing apparatus. This song was recorded live at a show at Astoria. The only thing they re-did was Thom's vocal. An excellent performance to say the least. Colin's bouncey groove on this cut is quite sly. Jonny's pitchshifted guitar is heavy as hell. Brilliant.

A song to float away to: "Bullet Proof--I Wish I Was." Thom's vocal and lyrical power is shown off yet again. A subtle song that is smooth as ice.

"Black Star" is a rocker in a strange meter that is so wonderful. Radiohead's awareness of dynamics is so spot on. All the time changes and the breaks and the quiet guitars and the loud and the quiet drums and the hard...Superbly executed in this song.

"Sulk" is song that seems to be in a constant crescendo until it finally explodes in the end. Phil's drum work moves this song along
and plays into that feel. His shakers, his tambourines...very nice. Ed and Jonny's guitar play is genius. Around 2:00 minutes in the song...listen closely in the left and right channel for Ed and Jonny's arpeggios.

"The Bends" closes with "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" which is a darker song driven by a difficult to play arpeggio. Ed wrote that part and it's absolutely brilliant. The song seems to defeat itself as it picks up at the end where drums actually "fade" in. An amazing end to an amazing album.

10/10

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