The Bends is the second studio album by Radiohead. In 1995, two years after an incredible debut in Pablo Honey, Radiohead were under tremendous pressure to deliver. Much to the delight of critics and fans the world over, they did more than deliver-they far exceeded expectations. - Building from the sweeping, three-guitar attack that punctuated the best movements of Pablo Honey, The Bends is grand and forceful; it resonates with anguish and despair. Although the influences-R.E.M., the Pixies, and U2-are still there, this is unmistakenly Radiohead maturing and defining their own sound.