The Bends

I rarely bought anything new from 2000 onwards, being happy with my large music collection amassed over the previous 30 years+ and especially as little 'new' really enticed me.However, some 10 years after my last Radiohead acquisition, the astounding and utterly memorable 'OK Computer', I was enticed into getting the Radiohead album 'In Rainbows' album and recently, after hearing about a 20th anniversary release for 'OK Computer', I was provoked into trying out earlier albums of theirs.So, after a VERY disappointing listen to 'Kid A' but then a MUCH more satisfying audition of their debut 1993 album, 'Pablo Honey' I got 'The Bends'....Wow !As much of a revelation as 'Pablo Honey' was, this album blew me away and is just about as consistently impressive as 'OK Computer' (their next album); for me, it has several hints at what was to come with that classic album.Firstly, like 'OKC', despite having so many strong tracks it demands to be listened to in it's entirety, in order, in one session as it seems to be more fulfilling that way - the playlist order is somehow musically 'logical'.Secondly, the final track is one whopping great dollop of Radiohead brilliance which also, despite potentially being a little downbeat in tone, signals what some of the content in 'OKC' was going to be like.Things start differently though, albeit with some of those 'sound effect' type of elements we would eventually get much more of from Radiohead, with the almost psychedelic 'Planet Telex'.Track 2, the title track, is almost 'normal' in comparison - with prominent guitars; oddly, I find it to be very similar to Track 10, 'Black Star'.Then we have an acoustic-type song, 'melancholic'-style song 'High And Dry'.With track 4, this is where some will first recognise songs heard before with 'Fake Plastic Trees' - something of a real crowd-pleaser at live concerts I would imagine, torches at the ready...and so it continues, excellent music throughout.Things finish with that track I think hints at future music, in the form of the superb 'Street Spirit'. This is the track which I think features most prominently the full range of Thom Yorke's vocal talents, with his ability to maintain a note and fluctuate the tone for a lengthy period being the most impressive and influential; the song is, for me, equal to the quality of 'OKC' classics such as 'Paranoid Android' or 'Karma Police' - albeit that it has less 'content'....So, their debut album 'Pablo Honey' was most certainly no 'one-off'. Here we have an album which just about reaches the pinnacle of quality for Radiohead which was then reinforced, in spades, by their next album, 'OK Computer'.So, I recommended that you not only give this album a try, but of course consider 'Pablo Honey' and then (if it has somehow passed you by, to complete my Radiohead 'set') 'OK Computer', either with the original album or the recent 20th anniversary release.One final observation, I had to buy this CD twice as the first second-hand purchase was duff; the re-purchase was fine BUT ALSO had a noticeably better recording quality. Both are EMI 'owned, but the duff original originated from USA on the Capitol label, the second better quality recording originated from UK on the Parlophone label....

This is in my opinion, radioheads best work along with OK Computer. It has a strong alternative rock sound, but they put there own spin on it to set themselves out from the crowd. The albums opens with the song "Planet Telex", which isn't one of the standout tracks on the album, but it is still has a catchy hook and is a good opener. Next is the title track which is a big stadium sort of song that would fire up a crowd. "High and Dry" comes next which in my opinion is one of the best songs on the album. It opens with a nice, mellow guitar riff before the rest of the band comes in. Thom Yorkes incredibly catchy vocals in the chorus are beautiful and uplifting. After that is the track "Fake Plastic Trees" which is to me, one of the best songs on the album. It is very minimal at the beginning, consisting of just vocals and guitar. But during the chorus an organ comes in which only adds to the beauty of the song. Halfway through the song the song picks up with some electric guitars and drums. The album bursts into life with the track "Bones" which is the most aggressive and loud song on the album. Thom's wailing vocals in the chorus are no doubt one of his best vocal performances on the album. The song " Nice Dream" marks the halfway line on the album and is a nice mellow way to calm things down before the next track "Just". This song is a big loud rock song with a catchy guitar riff and some fast background playing by Johnny Greenwood. Next comes "My Iron Lung" which I feel is one of Johnny Greenwood's best guitar riffs to date. The guitar riff is whiny and feels surreal.. After the that the song slowly creeps along until the loud chaotic ending.One of the standout tracks for me. Following that comes "Bullet Proof...I wish I was" which is a slow, moody, mellow track which is very pleasant to listen to. This song gets a little tedious after a while, but is overall a good listen. "Black Star" comes next and this is another rock song with a big chorus and a catchy hook. Next comes the powerful song "Sulk" which I feel is Thom's best vocal performance on the album and one of his best ever. His soaring powerful vocals are great and incredibly impacting which makes this song feel so warm and deep. Finally come the song "Street Spirit" which features a haunting riff from Greenwood, followed by the equally haunting vocals from Thom Yorke. A great way to close the albumThere aren't many negative points I can make about this album. It is is powerful, emotional, and brilliant. I highly recommend it.10/10

My son loves it

Great.

I know that is what you were thinking - right? Well - yes - because yesterday I found myself in dialogue with my son and trying to compare Everything Everything's new album Arc (which we both love) to an album that was released pretty much the year he was born and to which his exposure had been restricted largely to TV adverts - so we played OK Computer on the way to football and The Bends on the way back with Arc in the middle. Firstly let me say that EE and Radiohead are very different despite the comparisons in the press and elsewhere - more different than I had really gathered until I listened to these works in close proximity - OK Computer in particular is much less accessible and I think I would have got the same initial reaction from my son if I had put on Stockhausen! The biggest single difference is guitars - The Bends is one of the greatest if not the greatest guitar album and partly that is the dual leads of Greenwood and O'Brien which EE wisely don't even try and emulate. And in fairness the overall quality of The Bends is totally extraordinary - I used to think that it had 11 outstanding tracks out of 12 until Ricky Gervais picked my least fave Bones as one of his Desert Island discs and made me reappraise it. Yesterday was the first time I had listened to The Bends in 5 years and I have to say age has not withered it one jot. If you don't own this already buy it now!

Record in perfect condition and very durable