SOUNDTRACK: RADIOHEAD-The Bends (1995).
This album catapulted Radiohead out of alt-rock awesomeness into pop rock ubiquity. It opens with “Planet Telex” which sounds like a continuation of the grungy noise of Pablo. And yet from there, the album pushes stylistic envelopes but also works within the convention of rock songs to make fantastic singles. The title track is still being played in concert today (which is funny since it wasn’t a single).
But it was “High and Dry” that was the first monster hit. It was everywhere (and still sounds fresh fifteen years later). And then “Fake Plastic Trees” basically gave a blueprint for the amusing label “mope rock” (thanks Clueless).
The album fleshed out the sound that Pablo Honey established with far more dynamic instrumentation. But the strangest thing about the disc is that it is recorded mostly on a platform of acoustic guitars. Even the rockingest tracks like “Just” (which gets wild and screamy by the end) is still built upon a very simple acoustic guitar motif. “(Nice Dream),” for instance, features some screaming guitar solos over the acoustic backdrop. Of course, the brilliant “My Iron Lung” doesn’t have acoustic guitars, it is built on a simple guitar riff until the chaos descends on it.
It’s interesting to see conventional things on the disc, like the fade in intro of “Black Star” which would be totally abandoned (often shockingly so) on later discs. And then the disc ends with the gorgeous “Street Spirit (Fade Out)” a fairly conventional song that shows what great songwriters the bands have always been.
Despite all the high points on the disc, I tend to overlook it because of how much I love their follow-up. But that in no way diminishes the greatness of The Bends.
[READ: December 28, 2010] “The Trojan Prince”
I was never entirely certain when this story was set, and so I have settled on the relatively distant past. It concerns a young man and his first and future attempts at wooing a young woman. James is a working class fellow who is on the verge of “going to sea.” But before he leaves, he decides to visit his distant cousin Ellen. Ellen comes from a very well off family, and James’ first steps in her house are nervous ones (he didn’t wipe off his boots before coming in and he’s afraid to see if he tracked in mud).
While he is waiting for Ellen to come downstairs, he is greeted by Connie, a girl who is slightly older than him who he grew up with. She was a pest to him then and he is more than a little disappointed to see her here. (The short explanation for her presence is that Connie is now orphaned and Ellen’s family has taken her in). Despite the initial teasing she does, she quickly invites him up to the girls’ room and when he (sort of) sneaks in, he is almost overcome by the smells of a sealed-up room where to young women spent the night. Ellen is embarrassed when he walks in, but Connie soon settles things out (blindfolding him while the girls get dressed).
The remainder of the story sees the three of them as virtually inseparable. Although James works (and the two women don’t) he winds up spending most of his free time with them. He resents Connie’s presence because he is interested in Ellen, but he does enjoy the time the three of them spend together. He just can’t seem to get any time alone. Until they all go on a picnic. (more…)
I Just Read About That... 