How Can You Be Sure

When approaching How Can You Be Sure?, we encounter a piece that, while not the most well-known by Radiohead, reveals interesting layers about the band's creative process, especially in the context of recording The Bends. This song, with a duration of 4:22, was conceived during a high-pressure period for the band. The work sessions for The Bends began in February 1994 at RAK Studios in London. At that time, there was considerable expectation from their label, Parlophone, that they would match the success of their first single, "Creep". This environment, coupled with the slow initial progress, generated tensions.

After an international tour that extended through May and June, work on the album resumed in two distinct locations: Abbey Road in London and The Manor in Oxfordshire. It was during these sessions that Nigel Godrich, who has collaborated on all subsequent Radiohead albums, and artist Stanley Donwood, responsible for much of the band's visual art, began their long working relationship with the group. The overall production of the record was handled by John Leckie, with additional production by Radiohead, Nigel Godrich, and Jim Warren. Recording engineering involved Chris Brown and Nigel Godrich, while mixing was handled by Paul Q. Kolderie and Sean Slade.