When we discovered that part of Radiohead was transiting to The Smile, the only thing we were sure of was that the change would not go unnoticed, because nothing those at Oxford do is just for the sake of it. With the first sample of him, “A Light For Attracting Attention” (22), which marked a direction of wide chromatic ranges under the emblematic darkness of its composers, we were able to discover a new, fresh sound, which confirmed the inextinguishable creativity of Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, complemented perfectly by Tom Skinner (Sons Of Kemet).
Now, at the beginning of the year, The Smile they dare to “Wall Of Eyes”, an ode to all the creative and musical fantasies of the artists to leave us collapsed, suspended in the air, with our gaze lost and, at the same time, with our senses fully fixed on what the three British artists offer us. And what they offer us are eight songs – between five and eight minutes long – in which they invite us to enter another world that is, once again, the blurry reflection of what we have around us. An introspective expedition in which hope and anguish are intertwined, leaving us with an almost lethargic state of dreaminess.
The album begins, on the title track, with a whispering Yorke crawling over acoustics and tribal percussion that provide something of a hazy light. A light that, as the album progresses, will lead to an almost progressive and labyrinthine scenario based on the elaborate structures of the songs, with their transitions and those modulations that Yorke’s impeccable vocal range is capable of creating.
To all this we can add some exquisite string arrangements (“Friend Of A Friend”, “I Quit”), the dazzling presence of the piano (“You Know Me”) and the wide variety of instruments that come and go along the route.
So, once again, The Smile They convince us amply with a “Wall Of Eyes” that reflects these times of resilience, strength and improvement better than anyone else, and that asks the listener for calm, confidence and, above all, courage.