Is a busy bee - Thanks for r/r/comments...gizz a shout if I miss anything...Manda :o)
Is a busy bee - Thanks for r/r/comments...gizz a shout if I miss anything...Manda :o)
Member since:13.12.2003
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Ahh another old favorite ...Radiohead 'The Bends' I been digging through my music lately, giving some old faves some play-time on my music machine. 'The Bends' is in my opinion the best of Radioheads efforts for the simple reason ALL the songs are good, it's the kind of album I'll put on and listen to it all without having to skip past any crap songs because I like them all, which is rare. I will say this though it's quite strange when you go digging through your music collection, like finding old friends..bits of soundtrack from your life. Or is that just me?
'The Bends' came out in '95 and is / was the follow up to the 1994 album 'Pablo Honey'.And is still my fave of them all because don't get me wrong the others are good and have some brilliant songs on. But as albums go, this album really *goes* , the style and spirt of Radiohead is captured in this one album and there's not one dull moment. None of the albums seem to me as playable and complete as 'The Bends', and of course it does have ' Street spirt (fade out)' which is one of the most hauntingly good songs ever - when I played it again ( loud ) the intro brought out goosebumps... its such a damn fine atmospheric track.
Right so then.. Radiohead.. where they from ? Oxfordshire. The lead bloke being the mad genius Mr. Thom Yorke, and they've have been around since the mid 90’s.
THE BENDS....
Planet Telex
From the first few seconds the strange electronic wind blowing noises to the bulid up of guitar and drums then to the amazing lyrics and as always FAB vocals of Yorke its a wonderful
opening track.
The Bends
Nice guitar /intro to this song and its carried on throughout with some great drum work too. Great music. what more can I say?
"where do we go from here? / the words are coming out all weird / where ae you now? / when I need you "
about knowing who your friends really are - and - knowing who your real friends are.
High And Dry
starts all slow with drum and some soft guitar builds up slowly before Yorke comes in with his slow but perfect vocals..this guy can sing.
"kill yourself for recognition / kill youself to never ever stop / you broke another mirror you're turning into something you are not / don't leave me high / don't leave me dry "
Risking everything for a bit of attention and recognition, the lengths travelled by some in search of fame.
Fake Plastic Trees
A favourite this one. Slow start with just guitar Yorke and his vocals quickly join in. Is a slow and pretty song. With Some haunting high notes from Yorke.
"she lives with a broken man / a cracked polystyrine man / who just crumbles / and burns"
“ an I cant help the feeling / could blow through the ceiling / and it wears me out / it wears me out "
Fake plastic trees/ fake plastic world. The mass commercialisation of life. 'S all turning fake and plastic.
Bones
Is a bit different speed/beat but as good as the songs before. starts with distorted noise/feedback then drums join in for another FAB intro. Simple yet simply good with slightly heavier chourus.
Nice Dream
Intro 'builds up' similar to the tracks before it, again Yorks singing is top class, bringing feeling to the song, backed up with some well played music.
Is all about a nice little dream, but just a dream. *sigh*
"nice dream / nice dream / nice dream/ -in background- /if you think that you're strong enough / if you think you belong enough " - then kicks in some damn good guitar music!
Just
Probably one of my fave in the lot..had to explain but its another fine song. some of Yorkes singing at its/his finest.
" Can't get the stink out / he's been hanging round for days / comes like a comet / suckered you but not your friends / one day he'll get to you / teach you how to be a holy Cow "
"You do it to yourself you do / and thats what really hurts / you do it to yourself just you / you and no-one else.."
"changed the locks three times / still come reeling through the door / one day I'll get to you / and teach you how to get to purest Hell..."
good vocals.
My Iron Lung
"Driving me away / you do it every day / you don't mean it but it hurts like hell.."
this ones got some kick-ass banging guitar/ chourus? music which kicks in its a great song.
"scratch / our eternal itch / twentith century bitch / and we are grateful for our iron lung.." ( que nice noisey bit 'o' music ! ) " SUCk / suck your'e teenage thumb / toilet trained and dumb.."
"and if you frightened / you can be frightened / you can be it's ok / and if you frightened you can be frightened / its ok.."
Now we come to 'Bullet Proof.. I wish I was'
yet another decent song ( told you they all good !)
slower guitar than those so far. A haunting track with good use of keyboard and spot-on vocals.
" every day / every hour / wishing I was / ...bullet-proof "
To me it a song about wishing you were ' bullet-proof' in that other people couldn't get to you, that nothing and nobody could make you hurt or feel bad. Still lets move on..
Black Star
Faster than the song before yet still a mellow kind pace.
"What are we coming to / blame it on the black star / blame it on the falling sky / blame it on the sattalite / that brings me home/ troubled words and troubled mind / try to undrstand what is eating you.."
ok I admit it 'the bends' used to live in my cd-player when I was feeling down an a bit blue, but the lyrics and mellow singing go a long way to calming my head down long enough to make sense of things. This is one of those tracks that just calms and cheers me up a little.
Sulk
The pace through this on varies but overall is definately a relax and unwind song, with again some good lyrics to it.
" each time it comes / it eats me alive "
The last track and arguably the best in my opinion and I'm sure I wouldn't be alone in saying probably the best track they have done. In the opening few seconds, this track fills my head. Pure raw emotion flows from the stereo. Theres no other song I've ever heard (an I heard a few !) that comes through like this one..and the words and music, its almost if not perfect. This was a step beyond other stuff out at the time and I still say nothing tops this song even now in terms of the emotion and atmosphere. Yorkes vocals sneak in and blend like another instument. However good I describe this song it will never capture just how perfect it is.
" Rows of houses are bearing down on me / I can feel their blue hands touching me "
" This machine will.. / will not communicate... / these thoughts.. / and the strain I am under.."
"Cracked eggs dead birds../ scream as they fight for life / I can feel death ..can see it's beady eyes.."
This is another one of the extremely good yet sadly sometimes forgotten -then often re-dicovered albums in my horde.
Can be found on www.amazon.co.uk for about £9.99. Or you could get lucky on eBay, I've had it for a long long time but another good bet is your music shops..I used to often be found searching through the depths of the old forgooten good stuff in a place called 'Selectadisc' which had a basment-type room packed full of goodies waiting to be adopted and enjoyed. Its worth buying if you come across it. it may be a mellow kind of album but Yorkes vocals really bring it to life and give it substance, Worth a try.
Thanks for reading.
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After the massive success of Pablo Honey--or, more specifically, the single "Creep"--had ... more
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, therefo...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Advantages: Some Fantastic Tracks, no weak ones at all. As close to a flawless album I think I have heard Disadvantages: None, unless you dont like Radiohead
Andy.mack 15.11.2003 (05.04.2004)
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