The Bends is the second studio album of the group Radiohead made up of singer and guitarist Thom Yorke, lead guitarist Johnny Greenwood, rhythmic guitarist Ed O’brien, bassist Colin Greenwood and drummer Philip Selway. Released in the year 1995, the album marks a pivotal moment in the band’s history, solidifying them in indie rock history as one of the most brilliant and significant artists of the 1990s and 2000s. This was possible thanks to the album’s brilliance in combining complicated instrumental music with deep song texts, which overall gave the album its unique sound which people all cherish and love to this very day.

Recurring themes include alienation, self-doubt and existential questioning, which are all very intricate emotions reflecting Thom Yorke’s character. These feelings were perfectly blended and split between very melancholic tracks such as “Fake Plastic Trees”, “(Nice Dream)”, … and much more energetic tracks such as “Just” (my personal favourite), “The Bends” and others. It is thanks to the album’s versatility with songs that the record is able to deliver such a powerful experience to the listener. 

Furthermore, the record worked as a bridge in Radiohead’s career as it signified the shift between the more straightforward alternative rock of the ’90s and the experimental, genre-defying work that would’ve defined the group in the years to come. With The Bends, Radiohead not only refined their sound but also set the stage for their groundbreaking albums that followed, making it a crucial turning point in their history.

The Bends was strongly acclaimed at its release and certainly still is to this very day with people and critics regarding it as an impeccable musical milestone. If you love the more indie and melancholic side of rock music, I strongly recommend you give this record a listen and if you like it, you might want to check out the rumors for Radiohead’s upcoming 2025 tour.