The Bends album cover
The Bends

Radiohead

1995
Parlophone

At the time it was just Radiohead aiming to escape the already daunting shadow of “Creep” and demonstrate that they had more to potentially offer — and with The Bends they delivered incredibly well, avoiding a sophomore slump by taking more chances sonically and lyrically. Songs like the title track and the video hit “Just” demonstrated that they could deliver more loud riff monsters but moodier numbers like “Street Spirit (Fade Out),” “Nice Dream” and the astonishing high point, the twisted love song of sorts “Fake Plastic Trees,” hit even harder.

Ned Raggett

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