The Bends is probably the most genuine record Radiohead made. For those who hate the perceived contrivance of OK should at least be able see the honesty in songs like "Planet Telex", "High and Dry" and "Fake Plastic Trees" not to mention "Black Star" . The Asian release of the CD had "Killer Cars" on it as well. I think In Rainbows makes an attempt to get back to this honesty.

Did you ever stop to think that maybe those albums reach out to our generation the way that albums like Unknown Pleasures or Sgt. Peppers did for their respective generations. I am not comparing the aforementioned albums to these, but to insinuate that people who rate OK Computer and such highly are not as knowledgeable and worthy as yourself is just plain stupid.

'Lucky' is my favourite tune on there- the last verse where Thom sings the head of state/ has come for me/ but I don't have time for him/it's gonna be a glorious day is one of my favourite segments of any song every. The tension built up throughout the album (especially following something like 'Climbing Up The Walls') is quite palpable, and it just drops after this as we realise that Radiohead CAN do happy. It puts shivers down my back every time I hear it

Ok Computer is my favourite Radiohead album. It borrows heavily from 70's art3prog rock like Floyd and some Genesis but was/is still thoroughly modern. There was no way for them to follow-up this album so they totally shifted gears with Kid A which at first kinda bugged me, but now I respect it and think Kid A is their next best album.

If you only give a few albums of theirs a chance, these 2 would be it. If you are open to a 3rd, try ',The Bends'' Cheers!

Nice review, Davey Moore. I agree with dac that this is a seminal album for a younger generation much the same way that Sgt. Pepper's or Unknown Pleasures [or, arguably, The Velvet Underground and Nico, Horses (Patti Smith), What's Going On (Marvin ***e), Trans-Europe Express (Kraftwerk), Straight Outta Compton (NWA), Nevermind (Nirvana), or Ramones, for that matter) was for earlier generations. There are few albums that "change everything" for a significant group of listeners and musicians; OK Computer is one of those, no matter how popular or unpopular it is to put Radiohead down. I would place Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot in the same category, and would say that both it and OK Computer "change everything" for many younger listeners, BUT can be highly influentual and even favorites for older listeners (and artists) as well, as Roygbiv says. (Btw, see his post on Wilco, and especially latest review of Yankee Hotel.) In short, OK Computer is pivitol for many, whether any single person can stand to listen to it or not.

I really loved the video for Paranoid Android too.

What do you mean by honesty?

That would have worked better... The Bends is good guitar-pop, but the album seems a bit lacking at times. Songs like The Bends and Nice Dream really just make me want to skip to the next song. I'm not sure what you're getting at with "genuine" and "honest" but in no way do those describe The Bends any more than they describe any of the other post-Pablo Honey works. Maybe the term you're looking for is "stripped down" because it's not nearly as intricate of a record as OK Computer or even In Rainbows.

OK that works for me too...then Pablo would be "ultra stripped down"

-NN

This is such a beautiful album filled with beautiful songs.
I am becoming a huge fan of your reviews.