The Bends [CD]

Radiohead: Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano); Ed O'Brien (vocals, guitar); Jon Greenwood (guitar, recorder, piano, organ, synthesizer); Colin Greenwood (bass); Phil Selway (drums). Additional personnel: John Matthias (violin, viola); Caroline Lavelle (cello). Producers: John Leckie, Radiohead, Jim Warren, Nigel Godrich. Engineers include: John Leckie, Nigel Godrich, Chris Brown. Recorded at Rak, The Manor and Abbey Road, London, England. On only their second outing Oxford's Radiohead fulfilled their huge potential, fashioning an album whose relentlessly downbeat tone was offset by an ability to formulate consistently winning melodies. The title track and "Just" throw some customary rock poses, but for the most part the band displayed a far more expansive approach. Thom Yorke emerged from the woodwork with a new-found vocal confidence, revealing a striking falsetto on two of the album's strongest tracks, "Fake Plastic Trees" and "High & Dry." The last three songs build inexorably to the stunning emotional climax of "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" with a control and poise that showcased the band's new maturity.

• Format: CD