All music lovers have one unforgettable album that changed their perspective on music. The Bends is definitely one of those as it is literally music to the ears.
The Bends twists listeners’ perspectives on music in the indie rock genre, leaving them thirsty for more. WIth its unique sound and production, this album was destined to be a fundamental change for the genre.
It was released in 1995, the best year for music as it was the most influential, inspiring hit bands like Coldplay and Muse.
In this album, Radiohead disguises their use of powerful topics such as insecurity, uncertainty of self-image, alienation, and toxic romance with catchy guitar riffs and sentimental ballads. For example, “Just” talks about being in a cycle of self-destruction, even though the powerful guitar in the background can distract listeners from the meaning behind the song. This makes people want to decipher every lyric.
It is said by fans that this album is the perfect length, with a duration of 48 minutes, and 12 tracks. The longest track on The Bends is “Street Spirit (Fade Out)” at around four minutes.
Unlike other Radiohead albums like Kid A and OK Computer which won big awards, this album is criminally underrated, with only a few minor awards. Even though this album wasn’t as widely appreciated as their others, it is one of the most respected albums within the music industry.
It is believed that the main reason The Bends wasn’t as appreciated is because it was more of an experimental album, and it was neatly disorganized because of the constant switches from slow songs, to groovy songs.
The most experimental aspect of this album is the shift from their typical formal sound, like the one in their debut album, Pablo Honey, to a more exploratory and risky sound. The fact that Radiohead, with all their fame, decided to risk their whole career to make one of the most unique and influential albums of all time speaks volumes.
One of the main themes in the album regards the fame that Radiohead acquired when releasing Creep from Pablo Honey. Thom Yorke, the lead singer, sings about his insecurities of being in the spotlight so suddenly, and the fear of him becoming something that he never wanted to be. For example, a line from “My Iron Lung” states “This, this is our new song, just like the last one, a total waste of time,” implying that Yorke is self-deprecating, and believes that Radiohead will be a one-hit wonder.
Songs like “Planet Telex” and “The Bends” sound more lively and melodic. However, there are also sentimental songs on the album that can make the listener feel as if they have a bullet in the chest.
“Bullet Proof… I Wish I Was” talks about the struggle of wanting to resist emotional harm just like an object being resistant to bullets. Yorke sings this song over a slowly-strummed guitar and a delicate synthesizer that flows like a peaceful tide.
In brief, The Bends shouldn’t just be looked at as a great album, but it should also be looked at as an inspiration, as something for lonely people to relate to, and as an album that changed indie rock forever. The Bends proved that artists can take pain, and turn it into something much more complex and beautiful.
