WALL OF EYES

The power trio that is basically Radiohead rebooted, THE SMILE gave Radiohead fans the next best thing and delivered a new band that features Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood. With Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner, THE SMILE was born in 2020 and although not officially the replacement for Radiohead which claims it is still a fully functioning band, it's more like an intermission to deliver the same exact style of space rock revival without the contractual nonsense that goes into being a successful famous band. After the band's debut "A Light For Attracting Attention," THE SMILE received critical appraise and Radiohead fans ate it up. After all Thom Yorke knows a good thing and how to market it.

The band returns two years later with its sophomore effort WALL OF EYES which means one thing for sure, THE SMILE is not a one off side project. This band has taken on a life of its own no matter what the future of Radiohead may be. Yet another album of mopey space rockers that feature Thom Yorke's distinct detached vocal style, Johnny Greenwood's signature guitar moves and a bunch of new sounds to distance itself just enough from the Radiohead project, THE SMILE has captured the hearts of not only alternative rock lovers but has wooed the more progressive side of the music world as well and for great reason: once again this band captures that perfect sound that lies in between indie pop and experimental progressive rock.

WALL OF EYES has been released in many formats to cover all grounds. The album features only eight tracks that add up to just over 45 minutes of playing time. The opening title track was released as the first single and features a distinct 5/4 time signature wrapped in a Brazilian samba style of guitar playing however despite that, it is the closest track to the classic Radiohead sound with other tracks taking on more guitar oriented styles including lengthy jamming. None of the tracks are particularly long ranging around the five minute mark or more but the eight minute "Bending Hectic" is the exception. This time around it seems that THE SMILE made more of an effort to distance itself from the parent Radiohead comparisons and good for these guys for doing so otherwise this band couldn't really warrant a continued project at least IMHO.

Another album, another diverse list of tracks with that offer just enough pop hooks to reel you in immediately but then fortified with all kinds of beautiful orchestrations, surreal counterpoints and of course all those classic Radiohead inspired electronic sound effects that offer moments of chaotic discord especially the endings. THE SMILE implements many familiar Radiohead sounds but also employs many ethnic influences, math rock, Krautrock inspired motorik, ambient drone and even a piano ballad in the form of "Friend Of A Friend" which has been compared to Randy Newman or the classic Beatles song "A Day In The Life" in the way it has a complex orchestration that allows various parts of the song to crescendo and then slip back to its original simplicity. The album is intelligently designed and the production is perfectly executed to add the proper support to any particular track without taking things too far into the stratosphere.

To sum it up succinctly, if you loved the first album then you'll love this one. It's close enough to the first that it exercises all the same elements yet differs in how it adds all the bells and whistles as well as allowing the songs themselves to expand in stylistic approach without losing an overarching album feel. Whether this appeals to you or not will really depend on how much you like or dislike Radiohead in the first place and how you feel about a side project that sounds more like Radiohead than not. For my tastes i don't mind the Radiohead proximity simply because it's a style that i don't really get tired of even though i would hardly consider Radiohead one of my most beloved musical entities. Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood are simply doing what they do best and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Thom Yorke is an artist who benefits from a certain aura. Not that the "Rock Critic" microcosm cries genius with each new appearance of the character?but not far off. The man who knew how to embody from the beginning of the 90s the successful mixture of the disillusioned revolt of Kurt Cobain and the charismatic but disturbing British elegance of Bowie , never compromised, tracing his path to integrated artist impervious to carrier currents. And yet, the group Radiohead, of which he is the singer, has achieved the feat of combining both massive public success and an ambitious artistic approach. But, no more Radiohead today, at least for now. So we find our Thom as a member of The Smile with his Radiohead sidekick Jonny Greenwood and drummer Tom Skinner . So, is this set a way to record an excess of musical ideas, a laboratory for creativity, or a real group with a vision and its own identity? The Smile's second studio album, 'Wall Of Eyes' seems to tip the scales towards the third possibility.

A light and swaying acoustic guitar rhythm opens the eponymous track "Wall Of Eyes". It is around this rhythm that the group will develop its ideas, featuring a zig-zag harmonic progression and the support of strings trying to put everything back on the right path. Under a hypnotic and uniform aspect, the title presents a real complexity which seems to be the direction chosen on this record.

Arrival of the atmospheric electronic elements so characteristic of "Teleharmonic". Once again the group adopts an almost jazz attitude, based on great freedom of expression in a space of immense dimensions. Don't look for the verse-chorus-bridge format here, the codes are largely ignored.

A priori more traditional in format in the guitar-bass-drums vein, "Read The Room" combines an atypical rhythmic twist with a repetitive riff and freewheeling drums. I haven't mentioned it yet, but Thom Yorke 's voice is of course the element linking the whole, incredible in amplitude and expression, his forays into the bass in particular are remarkable.

In the same vein, "Under Our Pillows" is even more reminiscent of Radiohead, and Thom Yorke once again surprises with his ability to lay fluid and accessible singing over an ever-changing rhythm and harmony. The title gradually evolves towards a hypnotic turn which can recall certain psychedelic experiences from the time of Jimi Hendrix for example ("Third Stone from the sun").

"Friend Of A Friend" is one of the highlights of the record with its unusual start in low voice, joined by a piano and drums with a very rhythmic approach. The piece is also the subject of an orchestral crescendo which will of course recall "A day in the life", an inevitable reference on this kind of figure.

On the long lament "I Quit", a few electronic, percussive or orchestral elements seem to break the torpor of a development that is a bit too flat.

Second peak of the album (in my opinion), "Bending Hectic" is built in part around a vaporous guitar plan marked by a "bend" towards infinity adding tension to the velvety atmosphere. The title is enhanced by the orchestral arrangements, completely free drums, and singing that flies towards the stars (or rather towards the ground given the lyrics: "The ground is coming for me now"). The title ends in a saturated deluge that we didn't see coming.

The closing track "You Know Me!" sees the piano return as a central element accompanying Thom Yorke 's high-pitched vocals . This ensemble evolves towards almost Indian sounds with the support of the London Contemporary Orchestra, and thus closes this album on a new hypnotic note.

'Wall Of Eyes' is the testimony of a group, although recently formed, perfectly in control of the space it grants itself. He navigates freely between Rock, Jazz, Electro, Pop, and many other musical genres, to create a style of his own. Certainly, those nostalgic will find that the Himalayan peaks of Radiohead have not been reached, but The Smile drives home with this record the point of asserted independent creativity.

Review originally posted on www.progcritique.com.