The Bends

I don't know where to begin... OK, now I do. I was introduced to Radiohead through a burned copy of Amnesiac. BIG MISTAKE!!! The songs were much too wierd. I...See more » I don't know where to begin... OK, now I do. I was introduced to Radiohead through a burned copy of Amnesiac. BIG MISTAKE!!! The songs were much too wierd. I was currently getting into rock legends like Zeppelin, The Doors and Hendrix. I simply could not enjoy such wierdness as "Pull/Pulk Revolving Doors", "Packt like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box", and "Life In A Glass House". Still, I admired the slow, sometimes haunting beauty of "Morning Bell", "You And Whose Army", "Pyramid Song, "Knives Out", "Dollars and Cents", and "Hunting Bears". So, I ordered The Bends used for a few dollars. This has been one of the greatest choices in my life. I pop the CD into my computer, turn it loud, and press PLAY for track 1. The blizzard-like sound rushes from speaker to speaker and seems to ascend into the air like a flock of birds. The piano finally slams into the song and echoes loudly like a hammer to my speakers as the slick yet booming drums go along perfectly. I, enthralled and glued to my seat, crack a smile as I stare at my computer screen mindlessly like a labotomized elephant. It was a sublime experience I'll never forget. Planet Telex, which I described, is an excellent standout track with Thom yelling "Everything is broken, everyone is broken!!" The follow-up track, The Bends, is a masterfully composed rocker that sounds like nothing I've ever listened to. The acoustic High And Dry; an unfogettable anthem that simply demands to be heard. The gorgeous, elegant Fake Plastic Trees is about whateer you want it to be. So unstructured...I like that! Bones, a nice and short rocker. Nice Dream is a great track which will grow boring to the impatient. But those two tracks that are the least memorable are immediately followed up by the catchy, rocking, commanding song Just; such a classic!! The smooth, haunting futuristic riffs of My Iron Lung make for yet another worthy sequel, a song about the band's hatred for the smash hit Creep. Bullet Proof is a memorable song, but Black Star and Sulk are instant classics. Black Star is pure catchy rockability, and the crazy computer sounds add to the pure greatness and great guitars of Sulk. But the album really ends on an awe-inspiring note with Street Spirit, a slow, beautiful, all-the-way-there ballad. OVERALL, out of 10, I would give: Planet Telex: 10 The Bends: 9.5 High And Dry: 10 Fake Plastic Trees: 10 Bones: 8.5 Nice Dream: 9 Just: 10 My Iron Lung: 10 Bullet Proof...I Wish I Was: 8.5 Black Star: 10 (YEAH!!! I LOVE THIS SONG!!! YOU WILL AT LEAST LIKE IT TOO, OR YOU'RE AN IDIOT!!!) Sulk: 9.5 Street Spirit: 10 Yeah, pretty good rating. So, if you're looking for a: Rock album Pop album Great album Album with no really explicit lyrics 1st Radiohead album Five Star album Piece Of Art Album you can sing along with and rock out to Album You Can Fall In Love With Album known as the Best Of Radiohead Then buy this. Bye. Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)See less »