Listen, I'm just as surprised as you that The Smile is still kicking. When Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and jazz drummer Tom Skinner started this band in 2020, I figured it was just another pandemic side project to keep the Radiohead guys busy. Maybe they'd put out an album or two then call it quits.
But here we are, two years and two albums later, and The Smile is showing no signs of slowing down. Their latest record, Wall of Eyes, finds the trio getting even tighter and trippier. The songs sprawl out more here, with the band warping free-jazz freakouts into grungy alt-rock riffs that would make Billy Corgan proud.
You can tell Yorke and Greenwood are having fun just chasing musical whims, whether it’s channeling the darkness of Black Sabbath or the orchestral bombast of Sgt. Pepper's. But the lyrics show these old-timers are still worried about the state of the world, from the trauma of 2020 to the egos running wild on social media.
So what’s the deal - is this just a temporary joyride before Radiohead gets back in gear? Or could The Smile actually have some staying power? Heck if I know! But their “here for a good time, not a long time” attitude suggests this lineup won't last forever.
Maybe that constant risk of evaporating is what makes Wall of Eyes so vital. It captures three great musicians pushing each other, trying to summit creative peaks before the ride ends. We should enjoy this burst of psychedelic energy while it lasts - who knows what projects Yorke and Greenwood will chase next? But 40 years into their careers, it's awesome to hear them hit refresh again. Even legends need to keep things weird sometimes.