Track Listing

1. Planet Telex
2. The Bends
3. High and Dry
4. Fake Plastic Trees
5. Bones
6. Nice Dream
7. Just
8. My Iron Lung
9. Bullet Proof... I Wish I Was
10. Black Star
11. Sulk
12. Street Spirit (Fade Out)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1356 in Music
• Released on: 1995-03-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
After the massive success of Pablo Honey--or, more specifically, the single "Creep"--had made them a household name, most had written Radiohead off as one-hit wonders. That they could return with an album as awesome and monumental as The Bends, therefore, must have been particularly unexpected. Not that Pablo Honey is a bad album, but rather, when compared to the epic grandeur of The Bends, it's obvious that the five Oxford-based boys had matured immensely since the release of their debut. "High And Dry", "Just", "Street Spirit", "Fake Plastic Trees": nary a pop song among them, yet it's testament to their greatness that they all were hit singles. And really, it's easy to see why: Thom Yorke's falsetto crying over a wall of acoustic and electric guitars, as lyrics and music blend to create a masterpiece of melancholy beauty. The Bends is one of the most essential albums of the 1990s, and a spectacular indicator of further greatness to come. --Robert Burrow

CD Description
On only their second outing Oxford's Radiohead fulfilled their huge potential, fashioning an album whose relentlessly downbeat tone was offset by an ability to formulate consistently winning melodies. The title track and "Just" throw some customary rock poses, but for the most part the band displayed a far more expansive approach. Thom Yorke emerged from the woodwork with a new-found vocal confidence, revealing a striking falsetto on two of the album's strongest tracks, "Fake Plastic Trees" and "High & Dry." The last three songs build inexorably to the stunning emotional climax of "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" with a control and poise that showcased the band's new maturity.

Customer Reviews

How to convey the brilliance?
Still pretty much speechless about the magnificence of this record, even after the amount of time it has spent in my CD player. Quite literally no other piece of music in my not small collection has a guaranteed play at least once a week. In particularly emotional periods of my life that turns into constant play, with the album constantly swinging me through emotions of thoughtful melancholia to purest bliss (prime examples being the sweet crescendo building Fake Plastic Trees followed by Bones, the lovely understated Nice Dream followed by the quick fix and suprisingly deep Just, and then the divine Bullet Proof followed by the heartbreakingly wonderful Black Star). This truly is an album that can seemingly bring meaning back to anyone's life, that anything can be so awe ispiringly beautiful is reason enough to carry on living - even heaven can't offer this perfection. I could easily write a 1000 word review about any song on this album, and when I have the time I likely will, in the singles reviews. No other album can so accurately drill a whole into the psyche than the Bends. It feels as if Thom Yorke knows me, knows exactly how I'm feeling all the time. Black Star has become my anthem for life, despite my originally believing it to bew one of the weaker songs on the album. Each and every song is a work of art, and this album will never be supersceded, even Radiohead at their peak weren't this good, the album transcends them. It transcends all of us, and anyone without it has a hole in their life.

Its the best thing that you ever had
This is the greatest radiohead album and the greatest album of the 90's. If you don't own this album you are missing out. The only other album which comes close is 'Ok Computer', however I think 'the bends' is better, only because it has a warmer feel to the cold mechanical,(but also brilliant) 'ok computer'. There isn't a weak song on the entire album. Thom Yorke's voice is at his best. At times the later albums, he can sound winey but it is stretched to perfection here. To thoughs who write off radiohead as 'depressing'. Are you emotionally dead? At times the songs can be sad, but they are always a joy to listen to. Songs are both about personal relationships and relationships between someone and the world. It expresses the the confusion of life in all its forms, that everyone must feel to some degree. However this album lifts you out of the choas and sweeps you across harmonies and melodies. The balance of songs on the album work really well, just as the album begins to flag, after the slow 'high and dry' and 'fake plasic trees', 'just' is thrashed out.'Just' is a stright out excellent rock song, nothing more nothing less. The best is saved to last, with 'street spirit (fade out)', about life, death and love. Thank god a band like this are still around.

WOW! A fantastic album. absolutely captivating
I bought this album from the advice of a friend and was amazed that id ever missed it. how did i live without it? it is beyond words to be honest. not only is the music melodically amazing but on a cerebral level this album will also work wonders.

First off the album starts with the song 'Planet Telex.' This track starts off with a brilliant chord progression and then Thom Yorkes vocals kick in and the album is alive. the chorus and verse on the song just link so perfectly and the whole song is a masterpiece. not my favorite off the album but id give it a 9.5/10

Then the title track 'The Bends' comes up. a nice heavy starting song which still maintains a calm feeling with Thom Yorke's singing. lyrically this song is superb, however, although the melody grows on you, this is one of the songs i was less impressed with. still well worth the listen though. 8/10

I believe that the song 'High and Dry' is the begining of the album. from here on out there are no complaints just all genius music. i LOVE the guitars on this song because they all seem to be working independently and yet they work as a whole aswell. a wonderful song 9.5/10

'Fake Plastic Trees' is a track that at first i was not impressed with but after a few listens the song started to get to me. it is now one of my favorites off the album. good acoustic sounds to finish this beautiful song 9/10

'Bones' ..... just astounding. bass line: perfect, drums: spot on, vocals: seemlessley changes from the grungier verse into the falcetto chorus, guitars: all interesting and all very clever. 9.5/10

'Nice Dream' is actually my favorite song off the album i think. if you prefer mellower songs this is the song for you aswell. the second chorus has some of the cleverest harmonies ever created. not just a nice dream but a perfect one. 10/10

'Just' is again an amazing track, one of the more 'rocky' songs of the album. the verses almost having a jazzy feel with just a simple chord strum and a drum beat to die for.after the second chorus there is an instrumental middle eight which i have attempted to recreate because after listening to it, it wont leave your head. after the octave pedal is used for the guitar part that keeps getting higher a kickass jazz chord comes in. i believe its an 11th and it is so unexpected that it actually knocked me back a bit. another GREAT song 10/10

'My Iron Lung' a mouth watering riff thats simple but very effective. the song starts off being very melodic and then as it goes on distorted guitars are introduced and then the odd but somehow fitting section with uncomprehensible lyrics ( i believe he says :the head shrinkers, they want everything, my uncle bill, my belisha beacon) but i may be wrong. then the heavy guitars stop and this 'frighteningly' mellow part comes in. the boys from Oxford outdoing themselves in this song. this is a more experimental song 9.5/10

'Bullet Proof...I Wish i Was' is the more hauntingly melodic song. much more depressing. but the chorus reminds me somewhat of coldplay. i love the whole song but it is not to some peoples taste as ive discovered. 9/10

'Black Star' 'blame it on the black star' the start of one of the best chorus' on the album in my humble opinion. the verse is nothing special(bass is great) but because of the AMAZING chorus it gets a 9/10

'Sulk' great starting riff on the guitar, great melody over the riff,great drum beat yet somehow the song doesnt seem to work for me. i was more dissapointed with this however after a couple of listens the sublteties are realised and i appreciate the song for its originality now. 8.5/10

'Street Spirit' if anyone dislikes this song they are insane. i love playing this song aswell. i have also attempted to sing it with the guitar but Thom Yorke's voice has so much character its impossible to recreate the sound. the majority of this song is minor which gives the more depressing feel but probly the best outro song to any album EVER. i believe that jonny greenwood plays the beautiful riff that carrys on throughout the song and all i can say about this song really is OMG i can't believe that any song can affect me on so many levels. the harmonies at the end almost want to make you fall to your knees. this is a song to die for and i would gladly kick the bucket to this melodic masterpiece. if anyone can find a song as beautifully crafted and executed as this please let me know. 15/10 ... nothing is even parralled to this song in my opinion.

This album should not be missing from anyones collection. they are all fine musicians, they can write melodies that touch the soul, they have discovered a way to bring different styles of music together to create the perfect album for any music fan with any tastes. if you buy this album you will not be dissapointed as there is something for everyone.