By: Matt Bocamazo
If you’re a huge Radiohead fan like myself, any new music adjacent to the band is bound to bring high expectations and comparisons to its predecessor. Still, former members Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood’s side project, The Smile, proves their new group is worthy of being its own entity, especially after its sophomore album, Wall of Eyes (2024). With the help of former Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner, the trio expands on their previous discographies with a fresh and jazzy prog-rock album.
The first track and lead single, “Wall Of Eyes,” features an acoustic riff from Greenwood that brings much of the percussion in the song while Thom’s voice and Skinner’s drums echo in the background. Its simultaneously mellow and haunting sound does enough to draw in the listener but also leaves room for more adventurous tracks. “Teleharmonic” builds on this with woodwind instruments (which I don’t think Radiohead has ever used). Regardless, they perfectly mesh with Yorke’s addicting bassline, Skinner’s waterfall-sounding cymbals, and whatever droning instrument Greenwood uses.
A pair of manic tracks follow the spacy songs. Both “Read the Room” and “Under Our Pillows” start groovily and switch gears come to their respective second halves, but only “Read the Room” sticks an even groovier landing, whereas “Under Our Pillows” falters towards a more annoying version of Pink Floyd’s “On the Run.” Still, the latter’s elongated fade-out transitions into my favorite on the album.
“Friend of a Friend” kicks off with a bassline from Yorke that rhythmically leads each layer that follows, including Yorke’s instantly recognizable falsetto, Greenwood’s keys, and Skinner’s jazzy drumming. It’s the album’s prettiest song and one for a sunny day, which is something you can’t say about most Radiohead songs.
The album’s momentum fittingly staggers with “I Quit”. Its aim of atmosphere turns into one that drags on without a worthy payoff. The song’s big strings moment pales compared to its neighboring tracks and undeservingly delays us from listening to “Bending Hectic”: The Smile’s first masterpiece.
It’s grand and aptly titled. The verses are laced with accelerating arpeggios and bends from Greenwood, which slowly go out of tune with each pluck but still somehow works in the song’s context. At the same time, inventive and unpredictable drumming from Skinner scatters in the background. This combination allows the song to continuously build and release tension, ultimately reaching a climax of strings reminiscent of Kid A’s “How to Disappear Completely.” But where “HTDC” exhales to ease the listener, “Bending Hectic” allows for a fiery, chaotic, and epic outro led by Greenwood’s guitar that caps off the masterpiece that this song is. “You Know Me!” attempts to follow up. Unfortunately, like “I Quit,” it too feels like an unworthy bookend to “Bending Hectic.” However, it effectively creates a weird and warm sound that works as a proper exit to the world of Wall of Eyes– a world where Yorke and Greenwood can still get a little crazy because of Skinner’s innovative drumming and use of space.
Song Ranking
- Friend of a Friend
- Bending Hectic
- Read the Room
- Teleharmonic
- Wall Of Eyes
- Under Our Pillows
- You Know Me!
- I Quit
3.75/5
