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DvChWi
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« on: July 17, 2003, 05:34:53 PM » |
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The Bends and Films for Radio came today. I haven't gotten a chance to listen to them the whole way through yet. I can say this so far: The Bends is Radioheads weirdest album yet! Almost all real instruments, normal song structures, pictures of the band in the liner notes. What in the world?  Its weird being a backwards Radiohead fan, going from Kid A to OK Computer to The Bends. Watch this thread for detailed opinions later.
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Fun facts about Chuck Norris:
Newton's Third Law is wrong: Although it states that for each action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, there is no force equal in reaction to a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick.
Chuck Norris can divide by zero.
Chuck Norris CAN believe it's not butter.
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Josh
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« Reply #1 on: July 17, 2003, 05:37:28 PM » |
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Yeah, The Bends is pretty weird when you work your way through their material backwards, isn't it? To tell you the truth, I think that's their most overhyped and underwhelming album, and I rarely listen to it, but it's still solid guitar rock stuff. Should appeal to musical reprobates (coughJesscough) who haven't the sense to enjoy Hail to the Thief, Kid A, and OK Computer.  |
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frommetoyou
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« Reply #2 on: July 17, 2003, 09:04:50 PM » |
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Should appeal to musical reprobates (coughJesscough) who haven't the sense to enjoy Hail to the Thief, Kid A, and OK Computer. Bah-humbug. Actually, I like what I've heard of The Bends. Not enough to buy it, I don't think, but I like it. "High and Dry" is a super-dee-duper great song. |
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Josh
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« Reply #3 on: July 17, 2003, 09:51:25 PM » |
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Mmmhmmm, "High and Dry" is the album highlight, no question.
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JupiterCrash17
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« Reply #4 on: July 17, 2003, 10:49:31 PM » |
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oh....I absolutely love Street Spirit. And how could anyone forget the anthemic "Just"?
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Fall into the century of supersonic cross/blessed she in aching silence/eternal loss/calling out a warm surrender/a locket of her hair/ i sympathize her pious treasures/go down the stairs/into the dark again/to feel alive again/cant wait for.../real love
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Josh
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« Reply #5 on: July 17, 2003, 11:04:50 PM » |
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Ah yeah, I forgot "Street Spirit." That's a standout track, as well.
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bloop
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« Reply #6 on: July 18, 2003, 08:01:33 AM » |
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"Street Spirit (Fade Out)" is the clear highlight of "The Bends" IMO, and it is a great album in its time, but isn't thoroughly modern like their newer albums.
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DvChWi
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« Reply #7 on: July 18, 2003, 11:47:20 AM » |
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Opinions are here! At least initial ones... Films for Radio, Over the Rhine OK, after hearing all the talk on the phorum about how amazing OtR is, and how their work is better than anything Radiohead has ever thought of doing , I decided that I must by Films. So I did. Keeping in mind the comments about listening carefully, I simply listened to the album while reading the lyrics from the sheet. As I listened, I was very disapointed. The opening track didn't for anything for me, and "Fairpoint Diaries" drove me crazy from the start. Where was this beautiful voice I'd been hearing about? To me, her voice sounds like its perpetually cracking, and her phrasing seems sll off. Weird recording things kept jumping out at me. Loud fret noise. Leakage(at least to me ears) in the vocals. So, on finishing the album, I was very perplexed. What in the world do they see in this band? [My size limit has been reached, cont.] |
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« Last Edit: July 18, 2003, 11:48:24 AM by DvChWi »
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Fun facts about Chuck Norris:
Newton's Third Law is wrong: Although it states that for each action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, there is no force equal in reaction to a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick.
Chuck Norris can divide by zero.
Chuck Norris CAN believe it's not butter.
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DvChWi
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« Reply #8 on: July 18, 2003, 11:56:14 AM » |
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[cont. from last post] So, my rule is never judge an album from just one listen. Second time, I listen to the album while reading Eye of the World. This time around, some things begin to grow on me. Her phrasing isn't so bad, after all. Some of the songs do have a good, slow groove to them. "Moth" and the last track(the name escapes me at the moment) are standouts. "Fairpoint" doesn't seem quite so bad. So, I'll keep listening, but I don't hear a work of genius, yet. I await heavy criticism for this opinion.  The BendsOk, since I already like Radiohead, this will be easier. Kid A took a few listens, but I grew to greatly enjoy it. OK Computer was different, with its more convential sound, but it stil had that "edge" to it. I grew to like it more than Kid A. So, to continue my backwards Radiohead experience, I decided to purchase The Bends. When I got it, I was amazed at how conventional and standard it sounded. Where was the famed experimentation? [cont.] |
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Fun facts about Chuck Norris:
Newton's Third Law is wrong: Although it states that for each action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, there is no force equal in reaction to a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick.
Chuck Norris can divide by zero.
Chuck Norris CAN believe it's not butter.
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DvChWi
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« Reply #9 on: July 18, 2003, 12:02:26 PM » |
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The answer: it isn't much here. While the album has some good, regular guitar driven rock songs, it doesn't have that special something that makes me enjoy Radiohead so much. I guess I will just have to accept Radiohead's "normal" album for what it is. "High and Dry", "Fake Plastic Trees", "Sulk", and "Street Spirit" stand out to me as good tracks. This album does make me think that I should halt my backwards Radiohead quest, because Pablo Honey is supposed to be even more conventional!
As an unrealted side note, does your copy of The Bends have a purple, elliptical globe logo all over it? On the disc, the case, and the notes? I'm wondering if its some kind of bootleg. My OtR CD was an illegally sold promotional copy, so I'm wondering,
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Fun facts about Chuck Norris:
Newton's Third Law is wrong: Although it states that for each action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, there is no force equal in reaction to a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick.
Chuck Norris can divide by zero.
Chuck Norris CAN believe it's not butter.
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Josh
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« Reply #10 on: July 18, 2003, 12:53:29 PM » |
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My Bends CD has a purple globe thing on it, too, I think. I'm not going to cash for for not liking OtR as much as I do- that's certainly your right- though I genuinely don't fathom someone disliking Karin's voice. Dude, if God spoke in a woman's voice, I'm sure it would sound quite a bit like Karin's. (That was a figure of speech- let's not get into the gender of God in this thread!). I think Films is a masterpiece, and I'll tell you why later; short on time right now.  |
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bloop
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« Reply #11 on: July 18, 2003, 11:34:52 PM » |
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"The Bends" was quite mature at the time, though. Not experimental per se, but do we really need everything to be? Among the best British rock albums of the nineties and definitely Radiohead's best "conventional" rock album (although there is some fine musicianship there...again, check out those shimmering "Street Spirit" arpeggios).
That said, you needn't go back any further. "The Bends" is the earliest full Radiohead album I would recommend with little hesitation. Just download "Blow Out", "Anyone Can Play Guitar", and a b-side, maybe "Killer Cars" and that'll give you an idea (I really like the three songs above btw, it's just the album as a whole isn't so great...maybe 2 stars, 2 1/2 on a generous day, out of 5).
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« Last Edit: July 19, 2003, 09:58:45 AM by bloop »
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Enjoy our pub. user/pw: thephorum Follow me on Grooveshark or Spotify. username: iceybloop |
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Josh
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« Reply #12 on: July 19, 2003, 09:35:12 AM » |
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Yeah, Pablo Honey isn't worth putting any money down on, truth be told. Just look at my rating for it in comparison to other RH albums:
Pablo: 2 out of 5
Bends: 4
OKC: 5
Kid A: 5
Amnesiac: 4
HTTT: 4.5
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bloop
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« Reply #13 on: July 19, 2003, 09:59:51 AM » |
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Yeah, those ratings sound about right, Josh. Did you read my mind?
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Enjoy our pub. user/pw: thephorum Follow me on Grooveshark or Spotify. username: iceybloop |
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Josh
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« Reply #14 on: July 19, 2003, 11:12:53 AM » |
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Heh... actually, I think we went over that before at CMC at some point, didn't we?
I might change my Pablo Honey and Bends scores if I heard them again (it's been a while), but probably not.
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bloop
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« Reply #15 on: July 19, 2003, 11:28:08 AM » |
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I might change my Pablo Honey and Bends scores if I heard them again (it's been a while), but probably not. I fall in love again with "The Bends" from time to time, so I probably listen to it at least once every 3 months or so. "Pablo Honey" I might get the urge to listen to 1 or 2 times a year. btw (this is particularly for those with a good connection) - you can get a Radiohead bootleg live from Dublin 5-17-03 and 5-18-03 at www.injektilo.com/Audio.htm. I'm on dialup and it's taking me forever (finished downloading 5-17-03, I'm on track 5 of 5-18-03). Irish people are such a good audience. |
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Enjoy our pub. user/pw: thephorum Follow me on Grooveshark or Spotify. username: iceybloop |
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