Radiohead – The Bends (1994)
Frankly, I’m surprised it took this long for Radiohead to finally get a added to our classic album library. I mean, I’m all about these guys, they’re like my favorite band. I’m pretty sure Colin’s all about them too, and John and Nancy seem to accept them.
After the success of “Creep” and Pablo Honey, and before the experimentation of OK Computer, Radiohead turned out a brilliant rock epic called The Bends. While you can hear the band’s growing interest in electronic sound, this album is entirely guitar-driven.
Lead singer Thom Yorke pours his angsty heart out over each of The Bends‘ 12 tracks, making himself a hopeless cripple. These melancholy lyrics blended Jonny Greenwood’s meladic guitar genius create an amazing experience that surely influenced the sound of bands like Coldplay. This album is sometimes gentle, sometimes intense, and always astounding.
Normally I’d go through the track order, but I don’t really feel like that would accomplish anything in the case of The Bends. Each song’s a winner. In my iTunes library the lowest score I gave any of them was 4 stars.
Honestly, what more can I say than when I awarded this my top album of the Ninties? It was Colin’s number two. There are few records out there that I get more enjoyment out of then The Bends. If you honestly don’t like it, well, then I don’t know how to help you.
Favorite Tracks: “Just,” “Bullet Proof… I Wish I Was,” “Black Star,” “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”