Slithering away from the sizzling electronic-tinged jazz-rock of their debut, The Smile takes a turn into the slow-burn Post-Rock. Quite the pretty and mesmerizing soundscapes at first, only unearthing uninteresting compositions, writing, and performances that only make the project less and less enthralling.
Since the last release from Radiohead back in 2016, it’s safe to say that the interest in putting a new record has subsided to further look into their side projects, whether that be solo projects, other band works, or soundtrack diversions that may have felt like providing leftovers towards the fans that have been waiting for a new project of theirs, especially when the post-pandemic environment shows that there has been a new generation of fans who have been getting into Radiohead’s discography. And through the manifestation of The Smile, the band comprised 2 out of 5 members Radiohead members, Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood alongside multi-instrumentalist Tom Skinner, it may seem like just a one-off venture, but since they did slip in a few unreleased Radiohead cuts in their debut project ‘A Light for Attracting Attention’ alongside a turning point in sound that cultivated widespread acclaim shows that this band will move forward creating new music, even if the debut project doesn’t revitalize anything that Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood have already stepped foot on with what they have experimented before through the Radiohead band. Now, 2 years after that project, ‘Wall Of Eyes’ continues to fill into what they have been building off their debut project, and that is to say, a lot more wavy, atmospheric tangents.
‘Wall Of Eyes’ immediately moves away from the brand of shaky jazz, rock, and electronic sonics of The Smile’s debut and leers into the tastefully arranged post-rock, creating slow-moving atmospheres into grandiose climaxes that have been a big hallmark of Radiohead’s sound since their electronic embellishments in the 2000s. While that meant that the melodies and the overall soundscapes can sound quite captivating and alluring on the surface, it’s also an aspect that has been done in a more intriguing way in Radiohead’s past projects from the 2000s to the mid-2010s. Because as much as there is a tasteful quality to the production overall where the instrumental blending creates warmth on these dreamy mountains of psychedelically tinged post-rock and art rock, it’s an experiment that doesn’t have enough surprises or phenomenal performances and melodies to make the overall album to become emotionally moving. Whether that be the rock shuffles of ‘Read The Room’ and ‘Under Our Pillows’ where there might be some pretty moments from the cooldown phases before sauntering back to a different melodic phrase, the overall melodic construction just doesn’t sound satisfying, especially the melodic progressions of the latter track that end up becoming an awkward mess. Nor does the droning ambiance atmospherics of ‘Teleharmonic’ with its hazy layers of vocal harmonies, analog synths, and trilling woodwinds touch upon any memorable peaks and valleys, the 60’s balladry of ‘Friend Of A Friend’ with the leadup of that sweeping string orchestration don’t come emotionally sold with Thom Yorke’s sedated vocals, or the swooning airy closer of ‘You Know Me!’ that ends the album on a lull state of washed out psychedelic stillness. Of course, there are certain moments where the tasteful beauty does shine through a bit, like the gentle acoustics of ‘Wall Of Eyes’ being touched upon with faded strings, reverbed effects, and nudges of electronic crackles bursting through, the choppy dusted waves of synths gliding across gorgeous string melodies and tapping percussion on ‘I Quit’, and the ascending guitar melodies that effectively leads up to the shrill violin section before breaking off with a tense guitar snarl paired with Thom Yorke’s tempered but still potent performance on ‘Bending Hectic’.
And this Post-Rock diversion does make sense in terms of the writing presented in this project. Quite the shift from what was being described on their debut with the multiple parts going for the outwards perspective, especially within the political tensions that The Smile treats as observations rather than trying to do more with it, because ‘Wall Of Eyes’ essentially goes the other way around. Dealing with something more internal. The album title does give the narrative away because, within the rather abstract imageries, it does talk about the protagonist dealing with the changes in time and the various existential anxieties they ask themselves, especially given the subtext of social ecosystems taking the protagonist apart bit by bit into something lesser and hollow, especially when those people that are taking those pieces away from the protagonist are those who don’t exactly know them. It’s a bleak overall arc, where after acknowledging the crumbling state of money and ego soon sucks the protagonist out of their stupor, they proceeded to crash themselves off a cliff in an attempt to escape this hellish miasma they’re in. However, as much as the writing creates a bit of contrast with the pristine soundscape and does what it needs to show, the impact just doesn’t punch the way through, especially with the abstract imagery connected with the mostly dulled-out compositions lessening any sense of cutting points in the poetry.
A second swerve from The Smile comes in shaky results. The production and instrumentation might be tasteful and prettier, but the compositions and the performances are less than stellar, sometimes inert, and is a palette that has been taken from various Radiohead projects that had more impressive melodies and soundscapes to begin with. And while it makes sense given the rather anxious and bleak turnout of the writing, that aspect itself does not have enough impact or fascinating details to ruminate on, as the abstract tone doesn’t help to make itself less gripping, only getting more numbing as a result. It might be a wall of sound that can get pretty on the surface. But once you look even closer, you may as well step away and keep an eye out for something that reveals more than just hollowed-out colorations.
Favorite Tracks: ‘Bending Hectic’, ‘I Quit’, ‘Wall Of Eyes’
Least Favorite Track: ‘Under Our Pillows’