The comparatively spare "You Never Wash Up After Yourself" stands out with its simple sadness and an understated performance from Yorke. All of these tracks are good and represent the transition from Pablo Honey toward the more focused and immediate sound of The Bends. Disc two kicks off with the "My Iron Lung" EP, released ahead of the album. As with other reissues in this series, this Collectors Edition pairs the original album with a second disc containing all related EPs, singles, b-sides and live recordings.
The Bends doesn't yet add the electronic textures of later albums, but it's a clear evolutionary step toward the sound perfected with OK Computer and the result is an amazing piece of work. The music plays with contrasts loud and soft, dirty and clean and layers of noise and effects to create dynamic and evocative experiences. Thom Yorke's voice is a haunting and vulnerable instrument as he explores the emotional imagery of his lyrics. The spirit of experimentation with sound features more prominently.
With their sophomore release, Radiohead makes a strong, uncluttered statement about who they really are.
The title of Radiohead's second album, The Bends, references the painful condition suffered by divers who ascend too quickly a fitting image for the band's state of being following their unexpected rise to fame on the back of "Creep," a song they famously resent, and a grueling tour in support of it.