The Bends is such a great album! And important as it's transitional both for the band and for "britpop" as a label. On the first album, and in parts on this, they were basically just another good rock band in the britpop-wave along with Suede, Blur, Oasis, Elastica, Supergrass and what have you. But on this album they start to hint at what they will become, a transformation that would be further explored on "OK Computer", and then fully realized on "Kid A". Songs like "Bullet Proof", "My Iron Lung" and "Street Spirit" point towards a bold future for "rock" and "pop" music, while more traditional numbers like the MTV-prepped hit ballad duo of "High and Dry"/"Fake Plastic Trees", nervy rocker "Bones" and indiepop anthem "The Bends" ground this in an apparent British pop tradition. And then there's "(Nice Dream)", which sums up every conflicting emotion I've ever had about my own self esteem to the sound of a beautifully wayward and restless guitar sent from heaven, before ending in chaos and turmoil. Still one of my favourite songs from the 90s! I still think both OK Computer and Kid A (and also Hail To the Chief and In Rainbows) are better albums, but this is still one I listen to more often than those.
Score: 4,5 stars
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