The Bends - Radiohead Reviews

Radiohead's second album eliminated the flecks of gauchness that smudged the first. With a remarkable range of guitar noise, its bitter outlook is shaped by their exclusion from the Britpop party while they were 'breaking' the States ('You kill yourself for recognition' grumbles High & Dry), while its spiralling arrangements impart more defiance ...  Read the complete review

The Bends Radiohead (Parlophone 1995) Truly unique. A great album that explores many different emotions. The music is so clever that it is difficult to concentrate on anything but the music. Thom Yorke’s lyrics are beautiful astonishing, with very powerful visual images: “Cracked eggs dead birds…I can feel death and ...  Read the complete review

Radiohead's second, and best album "The Bends" is filled to brim with classic tunes, such as the superb "Fake Plastic Tree's" and, in my opinion there best track ever, "Street Spirit" a classic anthem with amazing lyrics, and huge "sing along" appeal! This album is class all the way though, and ...  Read the complete review

The Bends is an album of consistent quality. I’ve become a big fan of OK Computer since buying it recently, so it was natural for me to try this album. While it’s not quite as good as OK Computer, it’s worth your time, especially if you prefer a faster tempo than displayed in many of OK Computer’s songs. Just ...  Read the complete review

Radiohead are an outstanding band with an outstanding few albums. This is without a doubt their best effort. Despite common believe, Radiohead music isn't all depressive, and some of the songs are actually quite uplifting, take High and Dry for example. The most beautiful track on the album is fake plastic trees, which is not only a ...  Read the complete review

This is an utterly amazing album. Every song on The Bends is brilliant, and I genuinely mean that. There ae no fillers whatsoever – all of the tracks could have been singles. The general publuc would seem to agree with me on this, as The Bends has recently beaten the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper to number 2 in Virgin's poll of greatest ...  Read the complete review

This album was recently voted at number two in the top 1000 albums. I would put it at number one, but then I don't like the Beatles! This is one of those albums that can only be described as a classic because every song is so strong. Radiohead use all their song writing ability and playing talent on this album. From the moody opening ...  Read the complete review

I bought this album back in 1995 a month or so after it came out, and I liked it so much I went out an hour later and got Pablo Honey! I tend to gauge a truly great album by if it has a few wonderful songs on it and nothing that I have to skip through, and The Bends fits this criteria completely, whereas the next one, OK Computer, ...  Read the complete review

The best album Radiohead have, or will ever make. Thom York is at his best, over the drugs and not quite into the pretentious state which gave us OK Computer. There are no flaws here, just Brit Pop at its strongest. The highlight of the album is track 7 - Just, its up there with "creep" for me, need I say more? There's a new album ...  Read the complete review

The Bends is the album that every other should be compared with to see how good they are. Thom York’s voice fits perfectly with every one of his lyrical masterpieces, while Johnny Greenwood’s experimental guitar riffs complement each song perfectly helping to add to the already strong mood created by Thom voice. The sound of ...  Read the complete review

I love this album! There is absolutely nothing that could be done to make me want to listen to this any more than I already do, apart from making it longer =) It's absolutely superb in every way - Radiohead's very distinctive sound is played out beautifully in every single track. It's a wonderfull collection of records to test every ...  Read the complete review

This is a astonishing album that literally takes your breath away with its unrivaled magnificence. The raw power and energy of Pablo Honey, the forerunner to this album, was superb in itself, but hinted nothing to what was to come on this heartbreaking masterpiece. The mixture of Thom Yorke's brutally pained vocals and the torturous beauty of ...  Read the complete review

This is a classic album. Following on from the mediocre 'Pablo honey', 'The Bends' represents a massive change in direction for Radiohead. Gone are the jangly, upbeat guitars of previous, to be replaced by a moody, brooding sound that is bordering on the suicidal. You just have to look at the cover of this album to discover the ...  Read the complete review

This record is stunning. It is very easily one of the best records of the 90's alongside OK Computer by Radiohead. The Bends has so much more to it than the majority of other bands efforts. Every track on here is superb, absolutely amazing, from the gentle emotional graceful songs like High and Dry and Street Spirit, to the twisted powerful ...  Read the complete review

After recording a disappointing debut album in 'Pablo Honey', Radiohead were beginning to be seen as one hit wonders with their top 10 single 'Creep'. It seems quite poetic that their come back was to be this good. Indeed one of the many problems with 'Pablo Honey' was the production. Yes it was the great John ...  Read the complete review

Forget Oasis; forget Blur - the only band not concerned with recycling rock or patronising the social classes of the 90's were, and most possibly still are Radiohead. After releasing a bollocky debut ('Pablo Honey'; although there was a proper lost debut before this...) with the socially inept classic 'Creep', you knew that ...  Read the complete review