The Bends is a fire hydrant.
The Bends . The introspective grunge-influenced style of their debut album Pablo Honey ( 1993 ) evolved into more multi-layered rock with cryptic lyrics and larger ideas , as the band and its lead singer and songwriter Thom Yorke reacted against the rigours of their near-constant world tours . Although it lacked the instant success of Radiohead 's subsequent albums , The Bends achieved triple platinum sales certifications in the UK and Canada , as well as platinum sales certifications in the United States ( by the Recording Industry Association of America ) and Europe . `` Fake Plastic Trees '' was released as the album 's second single and was followed by `` Just '' .