JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates Radiohead’s and The Smile’s Jonny Greenwood’s 54th birthday.
Tag: The Smile
Throwback: Happy 57th Birthday, Thom Yorke!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates Thom Yorke’s 57th birthday.
Throwback: Happy 53rd Birthday, Jonny Greenwood!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates Jonny Greenwood’s 53rd birthday.
Throwback: Happy 56th Birthday, Thom Yorke!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates Thom Yorke’s 56th birthday.
New Audio: The Smile Shares Eerily Sparse “Bodies Laughing”
Last year, The Smile — Radiohead‘s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, and Sons of Kemet‘s Tom Skinner — released their critically acclaimed Nigel Godrich-produced full-length debut A Light For Attracting Attention. The album saw the acclaimed outfit collaborating with London Contemporary Orchestra and a full brass section of contemporary British jazz musicians that include Bryon Wallen, Theon Cross and Nathaniel Cross, Chelsea Carmichael, Robert Stillman, and Jason Yarde.
The acclaimed trio started this year with the release of their Sam Petts-Davies-produced sophomore album Wall of Eyes. The album, which featured “Friend of a Friend” and album title track “Wall of Eyes” was recorded in Oxford and Abbey Road Studios saw the trio continuing their ongoing collaboration with London Contemporary Orchestra. The album, which charted at #3 on the UK album charts has also received “Best Album of Year So Far” nods from Pitchfork, The Needle Drop, Consequence, BrooklynVegan, Treblezine and Spin.
Their third album — and second of this year! — the 10-song Sam Petts-Davies-produced Cutouts was recorded in Oxford and Abbey Road Studios during the same period of Wall of Eyes. The new album is slated for an Friday release through XL Recordings.
Adding to a busy and wildly creative year, Thom Yorke shared the original score for Daniele Luchetti’s film Confidenza and announced solo tour dates in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and Japan. (Tour dates can be found here: https://www.wasteheadquarters.com/schedule/thom-yorke) Johnny Greenwood debuted a new work X Years of Reverb at Norwich, UK’s 268 year-old Octagon Chapel — and is writing the score for Paul Thomas Anderson’s upcoming film, The Battle of Baktan Cross. Tom Skinner released Voices of Bishara Live at “mu” and is touring the summer jazz festival circuit with his own solo material.
Earlier this year, the trio shared two tracks from the soon-to-be released third album:
- “Foreign Spies,” a slow-burning and minimalist track featuring woozy synth arpeggios and Yorke’s imitably yearning delivery. Sounding a bit like a mix of Kid A and Amnesiac-era Radiohead, Beach House and Kraftwerk‘s “Hall of Mirrors,” “Foreign Spies” captures a sense of awe, nostalgia and despair.
- “Zero Sum,” a funky bit of post punk and math rock featuring a looping and arpeggiated guitar line, relentless four-on-the-floor punctuated with off-kilter percussion, bursts of swaggering horn and Yorke’s punchy vocal turn. Sounding a bit like wild mix of Talking Heads“I Zimbra” and “15 Step,” “Zero Sum” may arguably be the most hook-driven song written and recorded by the acclaimed trio.
Cutouts‘ latest single “Laughing Bodies” is a brooding and atmospheric track featuring strummed acoustic guitar, eerily atmospheric synths, skittering and propulsive drumming paired with Yorke’s imitably yearning vocal. Sonically, “Laughing Bodies” brings later Radiohead to mind — particularly In Rainbows and The King of Limbs but somehow eerier and more unsettling.
New Video: The Smile Shares Two from Forthcoming Third Album
Last year, The Smile — Radiohead‘s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, and Sons of Kemet‘s Tom Skinner — released their critically acclaimed Nigel Godrich-produced full-length debut A Light For Attracting Attention. The album saw the acclaimed outfit collaborating with London Contemporary Orchestra and a full brass section of contemporary British jazz musicians that include Bryon Wallen, Theon Cross and Nathaniel Cross, Chelsea Carmichael, Robert Stillman, and Jason Yarde.
The acclaimed trio started this year with the release of their Sam Petts-Davies-produced sophomore album Wall of Eyes. The album, which featured “Friend of a Friend” and album title track “Wall of Eyes” was recorded in Oxford and Abbey Road Studios sees the trip continuing their ongoing collaboration with London Contemporary Orchestra. The album, which charted at #3 on the UK album charts has also received “Best Album of Year So Far” nods from Pitchfork, The Needle Drop, Consequence, BrooklynVegan, Treblezine and Spin.
Their third album — and second of this year! — the 10-song Sam Petts-Davies-produced Cutouts was recorded in Oxford and Abbey Road Studios during the same period of Wall of Eyes. The new album is slated for an October 4, 2024 release through XL Recordings.
Adding to a busy and wildly creative year, Thom Yorke shared the original score for Daniele Luchetti’s film Confidenza and announced solo tour dates in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and Japan. (Tour dates can be found here: https://www.wasteheadquarters.com/schedule/thom-yorke) Johnny Greenwood debuted a new work X Years of Reverb at Norwich, UK’s 268 year-old Octagon Chapel — and is writing the score for Paul Thomas Anderson’s upcoming film, The Battle of Baktan Cross. Tom Skinner released Voices of Bishara Live at “mu” and is touring the summer jazz festival circuit with his own solo material.
In the meantime, the trio share two new singles from the forthcoming third album.
“Foreign Spies” is a slow-burning and minimalist track featuring woozy synth arpeggios and Yorke’s imitably yearning delivery. Sounding a bit like a mix of Kid A and Amnesiac-era Radiohead, Beach House and Kraftwerk‘s “Hall of Mirrors,” “Foreign Spies” captures a sense of awe, nostalgia and despair.
Directed by Weirdcore, the accompanying video for “Foreign Spies” features computer-generated visuals of mountains that gently undulates with the woozy synths of the song.
“Zero Sum” is an a funky bit of post punk and math rock featuring a looping and arpeggiated guitar line, relentless four-on-the-floor punctuated with off-kilter percussion, bursts of swaggering horn and Yorke’s punchy vocal turn. Sounding a bit like wild mix of Talking Heads “I Zimbra” and “15 Step,” “Zero Sum” may arguably be the most hook-driven song written and recorded by the acclaimed trio.
Also directed by Weirdcore, the mind-bending accompanying video features a humanoid figure walking in a computer-generated landscape — but the video quickly appears as though you’re viewing a flip book with the humanoid figure seemingly undulating to the song’s off-kilter groove.
New Video: The Smile Perform Brooding and Cinematic “Friend Of A Friend” for School Kids in New Visual
Last year, The Smile — Radiohead‘s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, and Sons of Kemet‘s Tom Skinner — released their critically applauded Nigel Godrich-produced full-length debut A Light For Attracting Attention. The album saw the acclaimed outfit collaborating with London Contemporary Orchestra and a full brass section of contemporary British jazz musicians that include Bryon Wallen, Theon Cross and Nathaniel Cross, Chelsea Carmichael, Robert Stillman, and Jason Yarde.
The Smile’s sophomore album, the Sam Petts-Davies Wall of Eyes officially drops today through XL Recordings. The album, which was recorded in Oxford and legendary Abbey Road Studios features string arrangements from London Contemporary Orchestra.
Late last year, I wrote about Wall of Eyes‘ first single, album title track, “Wall of Eyes,” an eerily haunting and meditative song that sees the trio pair Yorke’s imitably yearning delivery with a glitchy arrangement featuring strummed guitar melody, glittering strings and gently padded drums. The song evokes — at least to me — a slow-burning sense of dread and unease.
Wall of Eyes‘ latest single “Friend Of A Friend” continues a remarkable run of broodingly cinematic and meditative material that sees the trio pairing twinkling keys, gently swinging jazz-inflected percussion, mournful saxophone from Robert Stillman and soaring strings with Yorke’s achingly yearning delivery. “Friend of a Friend” manages to be a subtle synthesis of Amnesiac-era Radiohead, 70s AM rock and art film scores.
Directed by acclaimed motion picture director Paul Thomas Anderson, the accompanying video for “Friend Of A Friend” features the trio performing the song at a school assembly for a collection of first and second graders. Some of the little learners are mesmerized by what they’re seeing and listening to, others become bored and listless, others start shifting about uncomfortably, another group are roughhousing and barely paying attention. Most are kind of confused and don’t know what to make of what’s going on. The kids are adorable — and the video manages to capture childhood and the kids in their natural element with a guileless sweetness.
We also know that some of those kids will remember being at that video shoot for the rest of their lives.
The Smile is an acclaimed outfit that features some of the world’s most accomplished musicians — and a couple of household names: Radiohead‘s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, and Sons of Kemet‘s Tom Skinner.
Last year, the trio released their critically applauded Nigel Godrich-produced full-length debut A Light For Attracting Attention. The album saw the acclaimed outfit collaborating with London Contemporary Orchestra and a full brass section of contemporary British jazz musicians that include Bryon Wallen, Theon Cross and Nathaniel Cross, Chelsea Carmichael, Robert Stillman, and Jason Yarde.
The Smile’s sophomore album, the Sam Petts-Davies Wall of Eyes is slated for a January 26, 2024 through XL Recordings. The album, which was recorded in Oxford and legendary Abbey Road Studios features string arrangements from London Contemporary Orchestra.
Late last year, I wrote about Wall of Eyes‘ first single, album title track, “Wall of Eyes,” an eerily haunting and meditative song that sees the trio pair Yorke’s imitably yearning delivery with a glitchy arrangement featuring strummed guitar melody, glittering strings and gently padded drums. The song evokes — at least to me — a slow-burning sense of dread and unease.
Wall of Eyes‘ latest single “Friend Of A Friend” continues a remarkable run of broodingly cinematic and meditative material that sees the trio pairing twinkling keys, gently swinging jazz-inflected percussion, mournful saxophone from Robert Stillman and soaring strings with Yorke’s achingly yearning delivery. “Friend of a Friend” manages to be a subtle synthesis of Amnesiac-era Radiohead, 70s AM rock and art film scores.
Along with the new single, which was originally showcased during the band’s 2022-2023 tour, the bands announce new European headlining dates in June and August, in addition to their near sold-out run of shows in March. All tour dates, including the new ones are listed below. But tickets for June and August run go on sale Friday, January 12, 2024. Check out: https://www.thesmiletheband.com/live for details.
James Holden will open for The Smile at all of their headline shows this year.
The video for “Friend Of A Friend,” by motion picture director Paul Thomas Anderson, will be premiered alongside a surround sound album playback of Wall Of Eyes at a series of one-off events hosted at independent cinemas between January 18-25th.
The events, titled Wall Of Eyes, On Film will celebrate the new album and the band’s collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson. It will take place at 12 cinemas from Sydney to Mexico City, and includes a New York City event at The Village East. The events comprise:
- Wall Of Eyes album playback in its entirety, for the first and only time with surround sound and accompanying never-before-seen footage of the album’s recording sessions.
- The world film premiere of Friend Of A Friend and a presentation of Wall Of Eyes, both directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and shot on 35mm film*
- A programme looking back over Paul Thomas Anderson’s previous directorial collaborations with both Thom Yorke and Radiohead to include ANIMA (short film) and Radiohead’s Daydreaming (35mm), Present Tense & The Numbers.
Further information on these events and how to obtain tickets can be found here HERE.
Tickets will be on sale from 10am GMT on Thursday, January 11th.
Screening events:
Jan 18th – The Prince Charles Cinema, Leicester Square, London, UK*
Jan 18th – The Village East, Manhattan, New York, US*
Jan 19th – Brain Dead Studios, Los Angeles, US*
Jan 20th – SangSang Madang Cinema, Seoul, SK (x2 showings)
Jan 20th – Cinema Godard – Fondazione Prada, Milan, IT*
Jan 20th – Cine Tonalá, CDMX, MX
Jan 22nd – 190 Cinemas Premium Shinjuku, Tokyo, JP*
Jan 22nd – MK2 Quai de Loire, Paris, FR*
Jan 23rd – Golden Age Cinema, Sydney, AUS (x2 showings)
Jan 23rd – Eye Filmuseum, Amsterdam, NL*
Jan 23rd – Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow, UK*
Jan 25th – 190 Cinemas Premium Shinjuku, Tokyo, JP*
Jan 25th – Kino Intimes, Berlin, DE
*35mm presentations available in select participating cinemas
March 2024 UK and European Tour Dates
Wed 13th March: Copenhagen – K.B. Hallen
Fri 15th March: Brussels – Forest National
Sat 16th March: Amsterdam – AFAS Live
Mon 18th March: Brighton – Brighton Centre
Tue 19th March: Manchester – O2 Apollo
Wed 20th March: Glasgow – SEC Armadillo
Fri 22nd March: Birmingham – O2 Academy
Sat 23rd March: London – Alexandra Palace
June and August 2024 European dates:
June 8th – Hamburg, Stadtpark Open Air, Germany
June 9th – Cologne Palladium, Germany
June 11th – Berlin, Verti Music Hall, Germany
June 12th – Prague, Forum Karlin, Czechia
June 14th – Belgrade, Hangar, Serbia
June 15th – Pula Arena, Pula, Croatia
June 17th – Bucharest, Arenele Romane, Romania
June 18th – Sofia, Arena Sofia, Bulgaria
June 23rd – Rome, Cavea Auditorium, Roma Summer Fest, Italy
August 13th – Sigulda Castle, Sigulda, Latvia
August 14th – Warsaw, Progresja, Summer Stage, Poland
August 20th – Frankfurt, Jahrunderthalle, Germany
August 21st – Munich, Zenith, Germany
August 22nd – Vienna Open Air Arena, Austria
August 26th – Bordeaux, Krakatoa, France
August 28th – Valencia, Jardins De Viveros, Spain
New Video: The Smile Shares Eerie and Haunting “Wall of Eyes”
The Smile is an acclaimed outfit that features some of the world’s most accomplished musicians — and a couple of household names: Radiohead‘s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, and Sons of Kemet‘s Tom Skinner.
Last year, the trio released their critically applauded Nigel Godrich-produced full-length debut A Light For Attracting Attention. The album saw the acclaimed outfit collaborating with London Contemporary Orchestra and a full brass section of contemporary British jazz musicians that include Bryon Wallen, Theon Cross and Nathaniel Cross, Chelsea Carmichael, Robert Stillman, and Jason Yarde.
The Smile’s sophomore album, the Sam Petts-Davies Wall of Eyes is slated for a January 26, 2024 through XL Recordings. The album, which was recorded in Oxford and legendary Abbey Road Studios features string arrangements from London Contemporary Orchestra.
Wall of Eye‘s first single, album title track “Wall of Eyes” continues a run of haunting and eerily meditative material with the song seeing the trio pair Yorke’s imitable and yearning delivery with a glitchy arrangement of strummed guitar melody, glistening strings and gently padded drums that evokes — at least to me — a slow burning sense of dread and unease.
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the accompanying video for “Wall of Eyes” begins with the band’s Thom Yorke sitting in a front of a mirror in a meditative pose, and then follows him walking through a busy city and sitting in a crowded pub by himself. The world rushes by him with furious intensity before a surreal, Being John Malkovich-like ending.
Summer Festival season is coming y’all. And naturally, that means a boatload of festival-related announcements over the next handful of months.
So let’s get to it, eh?
Founded in 1968, Festival d’été de Québec is a massive 11-day musical festival that hosts over 150 shows featuring internationally renowned and beloved headlining artists and emerging artists from all over the world in all genres playing on multiple stages in the heart of historic Québec City, Québec’s capital and one of the oldest cities in North America.
Festival d’été de Québec’s main stage is located on one of the most notable historical sites in Canada: The Plains of Abraham, where the British and French fought a decisive battle in the Seven Years’ War. The battle not only decided the fate of New France, but also led to the formation of Canada.
From what I’ve been told, FEQ is the closest North American analog to European city festivals like Wireless Festival, Primavera Sound or Roskilde. And because of its location, Québec City is arguably the closet thing to a European city within driving distance across the Northeastern US. And if you don’t feel like road tripping, you can take one of 21 direct flights to Jean Lesange/Québec City International Airport.
The 55th edition of the festival will take place from July 6, 2023 – July 16, 2023. Featuring over 200 artists, this year’s FEQ continues the festival’s long-held reputation for being a smorgasbord for any kind of music lover. Fans of stadium/arena rock can catch Foo Fighters, Green Day, Imagine Dragons, Quebecois icons Les Cowboys Fringants and Les Trois Accords. If you want something harder and more punk, you can catch Lamb of God and Bad Religion. The indie crowd could catch Lana Del Rey, The Smile, Feist, The War On Drugs, Alvvays and Saskatchewan-based singer/songwriter Andy Shauf. Hip-hop heads can catch rising stars Lil Durk and GloRilla, the legendary Cypress Hill and Canadian emcees bbno$ and Killy. Rising country artist Zach Bryan leads a group of country artists that include Megan Moroney and Québec’s Quebec Redneck Bluegrass Project. Pitbull and Illenium will provide dance floor bangers. French outfit Christine & The Queens will offer Francophone pop tunes. Additional artists on the bill include Heart’s legendary Ann Wilson, Quebec’s Robert Charlebois, Sudan Archives and Meet Me @ The Altar.
So pass for FEQ are available. The passes are fully transferrable — fans can share with friends and family if they’re unable to attend any of the 11-days. The passes start at$140 CAD (about $103 USD) or about $12.72 CAD per day (about $9.27 per day). Passes and information is available HERE.
.
s
New Video: The Smile Returns with Cinematic “Pana-Vision”
The Smile features a highly accomplished collection of familiar names and faces — Radiohead‘s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood (maybe you might have heard of them?), and Sons of Kemet‘s Tom Skinner. The Radiohead and Sons of Kemet side project has released three critically applauded singles this year “The Smoke,” “You Will Never Work in Television Again,” and “Skirting On The Surface,” a gorgeous, meditative slow-burn centered around Greenwood’s looping and shimmering guitar, stuttering jazz syncopation, a supple yet propulsive bass line, mournful saxophone and Yorke’s weary falsetto singing lyrics contemplating impermanence and mortality.
The Smile’s fourth single, “Pana-vision” is centered around a mesmerizing piano line, jazz syncopated drumming, a supple bass line and a gorgeous string arrangement paired with Yorke’s imitable falsetto singing the refrain “like a newborn child” throughout the song. While sonically bearing a bit of a resemblance to Amnesiac era Radiohead, “Pana-vision” possesses a remarkably sublime, cinematic quality.
The accompanying visual features Stanley Donwood‘s haunting artwork coming to life through Sabrina Nichols‘ gorgeous animation.
New Video: Radiohead and Sons of Kemet Side Project The Smile Share Meditative Visual for “Skirting On The Surface”
The Smile is a new act featuring some familiar names and faces: Radiohead‘s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood (maybe you might have heard of them?), and Sons of Kemet‘s Tom Skinner. The act has released two critically applauded singles so far this year — “The Smoke” and “You Will Never Work in Television Again.”
The alt-rock All-Star act’s third and latest single together, “Skirting On The Surface” is a stunningly gorgeous and meditative slow-burn centered around Jonny Greenwood’s looping and shimmering guitar lines, stuttering jazz syncopation, a supple yet propulsive bass line, mournful sax and Thom Yorke’s imitable, achingly weary falsetto singing lyrics contemplating human mortality and impermanence.
The accompanying video was shot in the depths of the disused Rosevale Tin Mine in Cornwall, UK on 16mm black and white film by BAFTA-winning writer/director Mark Jenkin. The visual follows Thom Yorke, as a cart-pushing miner through the mine’s narrow passageways and tunnels. He sees water go about strange, almost supernatural phenomenon. And at one point in his journey, the exhausted miner stops, dumps his load and begins filling in a passageway. It’s as gorgeous, meditative and as surreal as its accompanying song.