Spanning post-punk to orchestral, The Smile are grooving their way through existentialism on their genre-fusing debut LP ‘A Light for Attracting Attention’
Moody yet uniquely beautiful, this debut feels like taking a musical tour of the band’s inspirations whilst also standing out in its own sonic space.
★★★★½
Photo: Press
The Smile is the latest project of Radiohead members Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood, joined by Sons of Kemet member Tom Skinner on drums. Being as two members of the band are also members of Radiohead, comparisons to the band are to be expected. Whilst Radiohead fans will recognise many artistic motifs, Thom Yorke’s falsetto vocals and esoterically apocalyptic lyrics are omnipresent on the LP, there is much that sets this release apart from the bands’s usual stylings. Tom Skinner’s drumming is decidedly jazzier, with ghosted snare hits and ride chimes galore, giving the record a hint of subdued funk. The bass is certainly more prominent too, as some riffs account for some of the most memorable passages on the album.
Right from the get-go, the influence from Thom Yorke’s solo work can be heard. The opener The Same reminds me of Anima with its layers of pulsating synths and cinematic swells that build to a buzzing crescendo. As openers go it’s a great tone-setting piece but gives little clue as to the direction the album will come to take.
Whilst this styling of more gentle synths and swells can also be found on tracks like Waving a White Flag, there are moments that reek of punk and even grunge. Take for instance the lead single You Will Never Work in Television Again, where Yorke ditches his usual vocal style in favour of an almost chant-like rant full of punk angst, all over rapid chord strums from some crunchy guitars. This rage is entirely justified as the track takes aim at the culture of abuse and exploitation that permeates much of the entertainment industry. Yorke screaming “Heaven knows where else you’ve been” — to what is presumed to be entertainment executives — demonstrates the less than pure intentions of the industry so often rocked by scandal but so rarely reformed.
Another standout moment comes from another single The Smoke; an off-kilter groove plays as the perfect backbone to one of the most memorable basslines I’ve heard in a long time. Whilst the track is skeletal, an ensemble of flute-like horns comes to accentuate and fill the mix. This is certainly not the only track with quirky grooves or jazz-like instrumentation, take for instance the unique percussive rhythms on A Hairdryer which sways as it meanders between strings and hauntingly shrill synths. Jazz meets post-punk on Thin Thing, which features a fantastic music video that I recommend for anyone interested in stop motion horror.
Even understated moments on the record are supremely serene, Open The Floodgates is a touchingly stripped-back ballad adorned with bleeping synths and droning strings. The closing track Skrting The Surface is equally relatively simplistic but far too emotionally poignant to overlook as Yorke muses over the fragility of life and its uncertainty.
A criticism some might have is the album is infrequent in its blaring releases typical of albums like OK Computer, however, I feel the more dialled back approach to song structure works in this record’s favour as it aids in building its atmospheric mood.
This debut does more than enough to make The Smile every bit as relevant and exciting as Radiohead’s recent releases, this is a must listen to anyone with a passion for alt-rock, jazz, post-punk, funk and orchestral compositions. The fact I had to list so many genres there is only testament to the band’s ability to take their influences and make them something entirely belonging to The Smile.