The Smile: Musical Alchemy Beyond Radiohead

The Smile emerges as a creative spark amidst the prolonged silences of Radiohead. While fans of Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood await the next chapter of Radiohead, The Smile offers a space where both musicians, alongside drummer Tom Skinner, can experiment with more abstract and free sounds. Eight years after Radiohead's last album, A Moon Shaped Pool, The Smile arrives as an unexpected gift, their second album in less than ten months and their second of 2024, showcasing the creative restlessness of these musicians, which does not rest and shifts form restlessly.

It is evident that The Smile has a distinct energy. The ethereal soundscapes of Radiohead give way to a more accelerated dynamic, with Skinner injecting complex, vibrant rhythms. His influence is prominent in this project, creating a rhythmic foundation that propels the songs in a more visceral direction. While Radiohead has characterized itself with an introspective approach, The Smile is more immediate, more tangible, and in that sense, more surprising.

The band's first album, A Light for Attracting Attention, revealed a unique chemistry. Greenwood and Yorke showcase their talents, but it is Skinner's energy that adds a fresh dynamism to their sound. Then, with the release of Wall of Eyes, it became clear that this project was not just a simple experiment. The Smile had found its voice. The album was praised for its depth and for pushing the boundaries of experimental music without losing its essence.

And then came Cutouts. Although recorded during the same sessions as Wall of Eyes, this album is something different. It is, in many ways, what Amnesiac was to Kid A: an evolution, the application of lateral thinking in the creative trajectory. Cutouts is not a collection of discarded songs; it is a work that stands on its own, showcasing the versatility of the group.

The album opens with "Foreign Spies," a track that, while evoking nostalgia with its echoes of the Beach Boys from the '70s, is not exactly the best start. However, what follows is pure gold. "Instant Palm," with its krautrock-inspired rhythm, recalls the more introspective moments of The Velvet Underground. This is where The Smile truly shines, experimenting without losing control of the musical direction.

One of the most electrifying moments of Cutouts comes with "Zero Sum." The band's energy is overflowing, with guitars unfolding in waves as Yorke, more animated than usual, delivers a powerful performance. It’s one of those songs that, when you listen to it, invites you to imagine Yorke dancing frantically on stage. Even established bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers would dream of capturing this level of intensity today.

"Colours Fly" is a more enigmatic piece, echoing the jazz of Miles Davis. The ability of Greenwood, Skinner, and Yorke to create complex yet accessible soundscapes is evident here, reminding us of the best moments of the German experimental band CAN. The song is an auditory journey, a blend of the familiar with the new, a perfect synthesis of what The Smile represents.

In "Eyes & Mouth," the band reaches one of its high points. The playful guitars and afrobeat rhythms evoke Robert Fripp and Tony Allen, showing an almost telepathic connection between Greenwood and Skinner. This is one of those moments where everything seems to flow naturally, as if the music couldn’t exist any other way.

"The Slip" delves into CAN's influences, with a pulsating rhythmic section and a vocal performance from Yorke that reminds us of the legendary Damo Suzuki. This is the kind of song that solidifies The Smile as a band that, while inheriting the legacy of Radiohead, follows its own path, reinventing itself at every turn.

Near the end of the album, "No Words" appears as a kind of nod to Radiohead. With its frenetic rhythm and hypnotic keyboards, the song recalls the early days of CAN when Malcolm Mooney led the band with his chaotic and unpredictable style. Here, The Smile plays with tension and abandon, once again showing that they are masters of controlled experimentation.

The album's closing track, "Bodies Laughing," is a triumph. Hypnotic and enveloping, it captures the essence of what The Smile has been building since its inception. It is a song that not only caps off an outstanding album but also leaves the listener wanting more. In just ten months, The Smile has released two albums that feel like a breath of fresh air in current music, and while Wall of Eyes has proven its great relevance, Cutouts matches and even surpasses it at various moments.

The Smile has demonstrated that it is more than a side project. It is a space for Yorke, Greenwood, and Skinner to explore without restrictions, and the result is music that challenges, excites, and, above all, connects in a unique way.