it's ok

From Pablo Honey to this, is outstanding. Pablo Honey wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great, besides a few songs. The Bends is where Radiohead truly became their own, and with this being the first album Nigel Godrich produced, Radiohead sounds more personal, raw, yet beautifully produced. It's not my favorite Radiohead album, but for me, choosing my favorite Radiohead album is like picking my favorite child, and I don't even have kids, I tricked you. "Planet Telex", the title track, "High and Dry", Fake Plastic Trees", "Just", "My Iron Lung", "Street Spirit", there's so many fantastic songs, and the rest are great as well. I cannot express my passion enough for how much I love this album, and Radiohead as a whole. It's a great start for anyone looking to get into Radiohead, and it's among their best releases.

While it is a big improvement from "Pablo Honey", "The Bends" is still not up to par with what Radiohead is going to give us later.

I think it's a good album, but nothing is spectacular here. I would even dare say that it gets a little boring and repetitive as we go through the songs. "High And Dry", "Fake Plastic Trees", "(Nice Dream)" and "Bullet proof... I Wish I Was" are all very similar in their tone and general feeling. I don't think we needed four songs like this, two would have been ok for me. Especially 23 years later, now that these songs may sound a little cheesy.

The rest of the album sounds like an average guitar-driven 90's band. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate it, in fact I like it. It's just that I don't love it. It is not as innovative or groundbreaking as, say "In Rainbows" or "The King Of Limbs", which are my two favorite Radiohead albums.

Radiohead will mark the music history as one of the greatest bands ever. But I think most of their legacy (if not all) is because of the work they've done after "The Bends".

This is Radiohead's probably most accessible album in my opinion. Very much rooted in guitar-rock, whereas later releases become more atmospheric, moody and experimental. Excellent record. My 2nd favourite album by them behind OK Computer.

An incredible sophomore album. Funny how the midpoint between OKC and Pablo Honey is literally just that.

9.6/10

Top Tracks: "(Nice Dream), "Just", "Black Star"

Still their best for me.

My third or fourth favorite album of theirs. Would be any other band’s crowning achievement. Radiohead is my generation’s Beatles.

My favorite Radiohead album, number 9 in my top 100 greatest albums list.

Very straight-forward, melodic brit-rock/pop that owes more to its Britpop contemporaries than the earlier alt-rock/grunge bands the band borrowed their sound from. Excellent album. My 2nd favourite of theirs.