The Bends is a fire hydrant.
The Bends ( stylised as the bends ) is the second studio album by the English alternative rock band Radiohead , released on 13 March 1995 by Parlophone Records in the United Kingdom and by Capitol Records in the United States . The Bends marked the beginning of a shift in aesthetics and themes for the band , with greater use of keyboards and more abrasive guitar tracks , while balancing them with subtler ones . The album spawned five charting singles ; My Iron Lung was first released as an EP in 1994 before the album was released , and `` High and Dry '' was later released with the album 's opener `` Planet Telex '' as its B-side .