Radiohead is a British rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire formed in 1985. The band includes the lead vocalist, Thom Yorke, as well as Jonny Greenwood and Ed O’Brien on guitar, Colin Greenwood on bass guitar, and Philip Selway as their percussionist. 

The band released their debut album, Pablo Honey, in February 1993. With the continuous success around their debut single titled “Creep”, Radiohead began working on their second studio album, The Bends. This album, though it initially gained less traction than their first, included 12 tracks with far more complex and compelling lyricism, giving their fans something raw to connect to. The album’s self-titled track, “The Bends” perfectly encapsulates the overall tone of this release. 

“The Bends” is an arm outstretched to all who suffer from a feeling of hopelessness and false contentment; its opening lyrics calling out for help to an ambiguous figure and leading into the main theme of the song: 

“I need to wash myself again, to hide all the dirt and pain, ‘cause I’d be scared that there’s nothing underneath.”

This perfectly describes the fear of finding out what is truly wrong, only to come face to face with the realization that all you are is pain and sadness. Self-reflection is a common theme throughout The Bends, and their seventh track is another great example. 

“Just” is a personal favorite. The cryptic wording in the song insinuates the constant presence of self hatred and its long term effects, with lyrics like “one day he’ll get to you”. Leading into the chorus, all instruments stop while Thom delivers a line that feels like news you don’t want to hear:

“You do it to yourself, you do, and that’s why it really hurts.” 

Instrumentals come flooding back all at once to create an overwhelming feeling of forced realization. 

“Nice Dream” takes a step in a different direction. The song’s whole vibe is something unlike other tracks on this album, feeling light and hopeful while Yorke describes a dream in which he is safe and taken care of. In this dream, he had a family who “gave [him] sunshine, made [him] happy”, which directly contrasts his real life. ‘Nice Dream” is an ode to the singer’s own family as well as anyone who wishes their life was different. 

Radiohead as a collective does an incredible job connecting with their fans on a deeper level, as well as reaching the darker sides of human ideation in the most beautiful and poetic way. The Bends is a truly remarkable album packed with complex emotional vulnerability. It is a 10/10 for me.