Released: Oct 4, 2024
I’m of the opinion that comparisons to Radiohead are best kept to a minimum when discussing any of the various members’ side projects. I mean, how else can someone like Ed O’Brian or Phil Selway get a fair shake when their day job’s monolithic shadow looms so large?
That said, when Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood launched The Smile (along with Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner) back in 2020, one couldn’t help but notice (and write about) the trio’s uncanny ability to channel that good ‘ol’ ‘Radiohead…when they rocked’* sound of yore (i.e., the ‘90s).
Through the band’s first three albums, however, the only major overlap between Radiohead and The Smile are a couple of the main ingredients. Where the former seemed hell-bent on reinvention, trying (rather successfully) to further distance themselves from the idea of being a rock band with each subsequent release, The Smile has fully embraced the notion of progress through refinement. And in the case of Cutouts, that means The Smile have delivered tightest batch of songs yet.
* I’m firmly in the ‘Radiohead still rocks/there’s more than one way to rock’ camp.
Below are my track-by-track thoughts:
- “Foreign Spies” – The album opens with Yorke singing “In a beautiful world…” over an airy synth vamp. The line briefly lingers before the other shoe drops: “…we are melting.” From there, “Foreign Spies” slowly rides a swell of strings to an understated peak before dissipating. Where “The Same” pleaded for hope and tolerance and “Wall of Eyes” pedaled in paranoia, “Foreign Spies” splits the difference between the two (and might just be the best of the bunch).
Side Note: The Smile has developed a clear preference for the slow-burn opener.
- “Instant Psalm” – Pairing a vintage Yorke performance with some stunning orchestral embellishments, “Instant Psalm” is a subversively catchy mid-tempo number. The band has flirted with this sort of confidently left-of-center, hum-alongable songcraft before (“Friend of a Friend” immediately comes to mind), but this is yet another high watermark for the trio.
Side Note: This would’ve sounded right at home on The Bends.
- “Zero Sum” – A spry two-and-a-half minute fusion workout, “Zero Sum” is easily the tightest, busiest song on the record. Where the inclination has traditionally been to ‘stretch out’ on these prog-tinged tracks, keeping this one short and sweet ultimately works to its advantage.
Side Note: Jonny’s playing never ceases to amaze me.
- “Colours Fly” – Another guitar-led number, this time featuring a menacing Greenwood riff that feels like something you might hear in a ‘60s spy-thriller. As one of the albums ‘darker’ moments, the band’s ability to utilize avant-garde elements (those trumpets!) in a way that never feels forced is pretty incredible.
Side Note: Four songs in and Cutouts is beginning to feel like a master class in song sequencing.
- “Eyes & Mouth” – Opening with an incredibly tasty fill from Skinner, this is the third upbeat number in a row, and once again, the band finds a way to put a fresh spin on things. This time, Yorke’s vocal floats over a bed of ringing piano chords and a barrage of Skinner/Greenwood interplay.
Side Note: Skinner is front and center here, reminding us all that each member’s contributions are essential.
- “Don’t Get Me Started” – Side two begins with Yorke declaring, “You don’t get to…” over another sparse synth line. The band spends a few minutes ebbing and flowing before eventually giving way to a knob-twisting coda. Meandering, six-minute-long songs might feel like old hat for these lads, but it works well within the context of the album, providing some much-needed breathing room.
Side Note: The fuzz bass that enters around the three-minute mark is so cool–if only it stuck around for the rest of the track.
- “Tiptoe” – The opening minute or so is dedicated to a piano motif that sounds like it was recorded in a crowded room. Yorke’s vocals eventually float in along with some haunting orchestral lines, vanishing far too soon. A rare example where the band might’ve made things a little too concise.
Side Note: Longtime producer Sam Petts-Davies deserves a shout if for no other reason than managing to seamlessly stitch together a lo-fi field recording with an otherwise pristine studio performance.
- “The Slip” – With a bass-driven groove and a downright danceable chorus, “The Slip” is easily one of the most accessible things on the album. Of course, the trio still manages to (ahem) slip in a healthy dose of polyrhythmic madness and some pretty ominous lyrics talking about black holes and freezing to death–par for the course!
Side Note: While he plays more of a supporting role here, Jonny’s unmistakable guitar tone gets the ‘front and center’ treatment’ during the chorus.
- “No Words” – One of the few songs from The Smile with a straight-ahead downbeat from start to finish, “No Words” feels like something resurrected from the In Rainbows sessions (evoking shades of “Jigsaw Falling Into Place”).
Side Note: The sputtering snare fill at the end of this track is yet another example of Skinner’s ‘less is more’ brilliance.
- “Bodies Laughing” – Of the four pre-release singles, this was the song that took me most by surprise. Opening with some gentle acoustic strumming and another stellar Yorke vocal performance, the song slowly builds to a brilliant chorus. From the apocalyptic lyrical nods to the eerie stabs of synth work that creep in and out of the mix, “Bodies Laughing” is a stark, potent statement that hits that much harder considering the times.
Side Note: This is easily some of Yorke’s best vocal work in years–while I love the road-worn edge his voice adopted on the prior Smile releases, he seems to have turned back the clocks for album number three.
Recency bias alone tends to invite superlatives–(this is their best album since…). In the case of The Smile, however, all three albums really have exceeded the expectations of nearly every Radiohead fan. While the debut established a wildly ambitious template for which Wall of Eyes further refined (and redefined), Cutouts is the best fusion of each member’s talents (and eccentricities) to date.
Recorded in Oxford and Abbey Road Studios, during the same sessions that produced Wall of Eyes eight months earlier, Cutouts is hardly your standard ‘best of the rest’ compilation. If anything, the album showcases a band that has found its groove, balancing experimentation with accessibility in a way that feels both fresh and familiar. And like Wall of Eyes before it, Cutouts sounds freaking incredible–Sam Petts-Davies’ stellar production nails that oh-so-tricky mix of studio polish and live abandon.
Be it Yorke’s borderline-nihilistic lyrical musings (is it really that bad), Greenwood’s ability to simultaneously operate as a guitar god and in-demand maestro, or Skinner’s inability to over-play, the dividing line between each member and their contributions has practically vanished. In the span of one presidential administration, Yorke and Co. have already compiled an impressive body of work where each release feels indispensable–talk about firing on all cylinders.
If nothing else, Cutouts showcases a band that has quickly found its footing and is pushing forward with confidence. In the current musical landscape, where genre boundaries are increasingly blurred, Cutouts feels both timely and timeless. Most importantly, it’s a record that rewards repeated listens. Sure, it might not completely shed the specter of Radiohead, but let’s be honest: that’s probably a big part of why it works.
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