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The Bends

Limited Edition

180 grams

Radiohead Format: Vinyl
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (3,789)
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The Bends غ Music Unlimited
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MP3 Download, 13 Mar 1995
£7.99
£7.99 —
Audio CD, CD, 13 May 2016
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£9.49 £9.98
Vinyl, Limited Edition, 3 May 2016
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£27.50 —
Audio, cassette, 13 Mar. 1995
—
— —
Includes FREE MP3 version of this album. AutoRip is available only for eligible CDs and vinyl sold by غ EU Sarl (but does not apply to gift orders or PrimeNow orders). See Terms and Conditions for full details, including costs which may apply for the MP3 version in case of order returns or cancellations. Complete your purchase to add the MP3 version to your غ music library. Provided by غ EU S.à r.l.

Track Listings

1 Planet Telex
2 The Bends
3 High and Dry
4 Fake Plastic Trees
5 Bones
6 Nice Dream
7 Just
8 My Iron Lung
9 Bullet Proof.. I Wish I Was
10 Black Star
11 Sulk
12 Street Spirit (Fade Out)

Product description

The Bends' is the second studio album by the English alternative rock band Radiohead. The album was produced by John Leckie in London, and engineered by Nigel Godrich, who would go on to produce all future albums by the band. The album also marked the beginning of a shift in aesthetics and themes for the band, with greater use of keyboards, and more abrasive guitar tracks balancing subtler ones. The introspective grunge-influenced style of their debut album 'Pablo Honey' (1993) evolved into more multi-layered rock with cryptic lyrics and larger ideas, as the band and singer Thom Yorke reacted against the rigors of near-constant world tours.

Product details

  • Is discontinued by manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 31.29 x 31.39 x 0.79 cm; 235.87 g
  • Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ XL RECORDINGS
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ 35485546
  • Label ‏ : ‎ XL RECORDINGS
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01F0XLQZE
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 3,789 ratings

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
3,789 global ratings

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Weird fingerprints and Flat audio
2 out of 5 stars
Weird fingerprints and Flat audio
It has weird fingerprints on it which are kind of creepy since they look bloody, the digital version seems to have a clearer audio to them and the instruments are mixed better, this vinyl makes them quite muddy.
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Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • A review for you
    5.0 out of 5 stars Must have
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 December 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This album is a must have.
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  • غ Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 December 2024
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    Great.
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  • Mr. Laurence Williams
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Superb Album, Equal in Quality to Their Later 'OK Computer' - A True Rock Classic
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 August 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I rarely bought anything new from 2000 onwards, being happy with my large music collection amassed over the previous 30 years+ and especially as little 'new' really enticed me.

    However, some 10 years after my last Radiohead acquisition, the astounding and utterly memorable 'OK Computer', I was enticed into getting the Radiohead album 'In Rainbows' album and recently, after hearing about a 20th anniversary release for 'OK Computer', I was provoked into trying out earlier albums of theirs.

    So, after a VERY disappointing listen to 'Kid A' but then a MUCH more satisfying audition of their debut 1993 album, 'Pablo Honey' I got 'The Bends'....

    Wow !

    As much of a revelation as 'Pablo Honey' was, this album blew me away and is just about as consistently impressive as 'OK Computer' (their next album); for me, it has several hints at what was to come with that classic album.

    Firstly, like 'OKC', despite having so many strong tracks it demands to be listened to in it's entirety, in order, in one session as it seems to be more fulfilling that way - the playlist order is somehow musically 'logical'.

    Secondly, the final track is one whopping great dollop of Radiohead brilliance which also, despite potentially being a little downbeat in tone, signals what some of the content in 'OKC' was going to be like.

    Things start differently though, albeit with some of those 'sound effect' type of elements we would eventually get much more of from Radiohead, with the almost psychedelic 'Planet Telex'.

    Track 2, the title track, is almost 'normal' in comparison - with prominent guitars; oddly, I find it to be very similar to Track 10, 'Black Star'.

    Then we have an acoustic-type song, 'melancholic'-style song 'High And Dry'.

    With track 4, this is where some will first recognise songs heard before with 'Fake Plastic Trees' - something of a real crowd-pleaser at live concerts I would imagine, torches at the ready...

    and so it continues, excellent music throughout.

    Things finish with that track I think hints at future music, in the form of the superb 'Street Spirit'. This is the track which I think features most prominently the full range of Thom Yorke's vocal talents, with his ability to maintain a note and fluctuate the tone for a lengthy period being the most impressive and influential; the song is, for me, equal to the quality of 'OKC' classics such as 'Paranoid Android' or 'Karma Police' - albeit that it has less 'content'....

    So, their debut album 'Pablo Honey' was most certainly no 'one-off'. Here we have an album which just about reaches the pinnacle of quality for Radiohead which was then reinforced, in spades, by their next album, 'OK Computer'.

    So, I recommended that you not only give this album a try, but of course consider 'Pablo Honey' and then (if it has somehow passed you by, to complete my Radiohead 'set') 'OK Computer', either with the original album or the recent 20th anniversary release.

    One final observation, I had to buy this CD twice as the first second-hand purchase was duff; the re-purchase was fine BUT ALSO had a noticeably better recording quality. Both are EMI 'owned, but the duff original originated from USA on the Capitol label, the second better quality recording originated from UK on the Parlophone label....
    21 people found this helpful
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  • Sam
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the greatest of all time
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 May 2012
    Verified Purchase
    This is in my opinion, radioheads best work along with OK Computer. It has a strong alternative rock sound, but they put there own spin on it to set themselves out from the crowd. The albums opens with the song "Planet Telex", which isn't one of the standout tracks on the album, but it is still has a catchy hook and is a good opener. Next is the title track which is a big stadium sort of song that would fire up a crowd. "High and Dry" comes next which in my opinion is one of the best songs on the album. It opens with a nice, mellow guitar riff before the rest of the band comes in. Thom Yorkes incredibly catchy vocals in the chorus are beautiful and uplifting. After that is the track "Fake Plastic Trees" which is to me, one of the best songs on the album. It is very minimal at the beginning, consisting of just vocals and guitar. But during the chorus an organ comes in which only adds to the beauty of the song. Halfway through the song the song picks up with some electric guitars and drums. The album bursts into life with the track "Bones" which is the most aggressive and loud song on the album. Thom's wailing vocals in the chorus are no doubt one of his best vocal performances on the album. The song " Nice Dream" marks the halfway line on the album and is a nice mellow way to calm things down before the next track "Just". This song is a big loud rock song with a catchy guitar riff and some fast background playing by Johnny Greenwood. Next comes "My Iron Lung" which I feel is one of Johnny Greenwood's best guitar riffs to date. The guitar riff is whiny and feels surreal.. After the that the song slowly creeps along until the loud chaotic ending.One of the standout tracks for me. Following that comes "Bullet Proof...I wish I was" which is a slow, moody, mellow track which is very pleasant to listen to. This song gets a little tedious after a while, but is overall a good listen. "Black Star" comes next and this is another rock song with a big chorus and a catchy hook. Next comes the powerful song "Sulk" which I feel is Thom's best vocal performance on the album and one of his best ever. His soaring powerful vocals are great and incredibly impacting which makes this song feel so warm and deep. Finally come the song "Street Spirit" which features a haunting riff from Greenwood, followed by the equally haunting vocals from Thom Yorke. A great way to close the album

    There aren't many negative points I can make about this album. It is is powerful, emotional, and brilliant. I highly recommend it.

    10/10
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Josh Gray
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful rendition of an absolute classic
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 January 2024
    Verified Purchase
    It's always great to experience music in the way it was originally intended. The Bends lends itself to vinyl, as some of the crunchier aspects of the guitars are lost in the lower quality streaming of Spotify or Apple Music. Being able to hear every note of Just ring out is a must-have experience for any Radiohead fan. Get this for your collection now!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Ella Baker
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great for gifts
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 January 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Record in perfect condition and very durable
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  • Daniela
    5.0 out of 5 stars Increíble disco
    Reviewed in the United States on 26 December 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Le regalé a mi novio por navidad y fue el mejor regalo para el. Estoy muy feliz con mi compra♥️
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    Daniela
    5.0 out of 5 stars Increíble disco
    Reviewed in the United States on 26 December 2024
    Le regalé a mi novio por navidad y fue el mejor regalo para el. Estoy muy feliz con mi compra♥️
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  • Tommy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Impressive
    Reviewed in Canada on 27 November 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Search for this album on vinyl for a year and a half now, and I finally found it on amazon at such a good price for its rareness.
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  • Orlando Vargas
    5.0 out of 5 stars Radiohead ilove you
    Reviewed in Mexico on 7 August 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Buen disco pero al escucharlo siento que es muy opaco y le falta brillo a este acetato
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  • Lilian Stock
    5.0 out of 5 stars Essencial!
    Reviewed in Brazil on 2 August 2024
    Verified Purchase
    The Bends é meu disco favorito do Radiohead, junto com o OK Computer. Já tinha em cd comprado no lançamento mas queria em vinil.
    Mas... eu não tenho muita sorte com vinis fabricados recentemente. Comprei na época do Prime, lacrado, e a faixa "High & Dry" veio com vários riscos de fábrica. Felizmente não pulou mas você escuta os pops e clicks pela faixa toda.
    Nesse lado A dá pra ouvir mais pops e clicks em partes mais silenciosas também. Numa próxima audição eu lavarei antes pra ver se melhoram esses pops todos.
    Também vem com muito pó e sujeira... mas é meio que um padrão isso hoje em dia, ainda mais porque os vinis importados vem dentro de encartes de papel, por estática atrai tudo e mais um pouco.
    Mas o que realmente não dou sorte é q os vinis lacrados sempre vem com arranhões. Seja lá de qual loja eu comprar, sempre me acontece. O padrão das fábricas de vinil mundialmente está um esculacho!
    Mas... eu recomendo comprar o The Bends, aliás compre qualquer versão que você achar porque esse disco é um dos melhores dos anos 90 e vc tem q ter na sua coleção!
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  • Nathan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Quel album !
    Reviewed in Belgium on 11 May 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Un classique de Radiohead
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