Author: Gracie Cole
Just shy of two years after the release of their debut album, A Light for Attracting Attention, The Smile shows a different side of themselves with Wall of Eyes, their sophomore album. The Smile, consisting of Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and Tom Skinner, is an art-rock band that combines a rock sound with jazz and orchestral elements and experiments with unique time signatures and synth effects. Released on January 26, 2023, Wall of Eyes provides an immersive forty-five-minute experience filled with reverbed vocals, jazzy chords, a plethora of instruments, and plenty to say about religion and consciousness. Adding just eight tracks and two music videos thus far to their discography, Wall of Eyes establishes The Smile as a project to pay attention to.
Kicking off the album, “Wall of Eyes” and its music video starts the album off strong. In just the first track, Wall of Eyes sets itself apart from The Smile’s first album by introducing unique time signatures and a new instrumental style. “Wall of Eyes” is a samba-style acoustic track in 5/4 time, with gentle violin tones and vocal reverb. The slower acoustic style with subtle synth effects creates a perfectly polished song while easing us into the album. The music video, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, references old films such as Singin’ in the Rain as well as practical film techniques from the 1920s. The video follows the song with its theme of the overwhelming feeling of being watched, highlighting the repeating symbols of eyes and crowds.
The next two tracks, “Teleharmonic” and “Read The Room,” are opposites of each other. “Teleharmonic” is stripped down and the track is driven by a beat and bass with soft reverbed guitar chords. The song tackles themes of religion and death with lyrics such as “hung up, pinned up by hammer and nails” and the repeated question “Where are you taking me?” On the other hand, “Read The Room” is very complex, introducing tempo changes and differences in vocal effects depending on what is occurring in the song. For example, when the lyrics indicate words from an exterior source, Yorke’s vocals are stacked, creating the illusion of a crowd. Whereas when the narrator is speaking, Yorke’s vocals are extremely clear, with very little reverb and cutting through the instrumental.
“Under Our Pillows” is possibly my favorite track off of Wall of Eyes with a groovy sound and the use of percussion brushes. A scale is gently played throughout the track, creating additional layers and making the song feel more full. The last three minutes are instrumental and synthy sci-fi effects are sprinkled in, creating a sense of curiosity for what the rest of the album has to offer. “Under Our Pillows” also includes one of my favorite rhymes on the album – “major league” with “make-believe.”
The only other track with a music video so far is “Friend Of A Friend,” which is also directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. This track uses jazz chords and introduces woodwind instruments. The track heavily uses piano and the notes often follow Thom Yorke’s vocals. The beginning and ending of the track are minimal instrumentally, with just bass and piano accompanying the vocals. The middle builds up though, adding violins and multiple vocal tracks as it crescendos to a climax before dropping back down. The music video shows The Smile performing the song to an audience of children, highlighting their expressions and reactions during different parts of the track.
Similarly to “Friend Of A Friend,” the sixth track, “I Quit,” is softer, using violin and organ effects and pulses from ear to ear. “I Quit” also utilizes unique effects and crescendos and decrescendos synth tones. These effects connect to the lyrics, which are about the mind. The next track, “Bending Hectic,” however, is heavier and introduces more experimental elements. The title is very fitting, as the track incorporates the sound of tuning strings and interesting rhythms. The first half of the song is quiet, using these unique elements to build towards something in the second half. Around two-thirds through the track, Yorke sings “I’m letting go of the wheel” before the music is suspended, followed by thirty seconds of increasing violin sounds, likely inspired by suspenseful soundtrack music. This section creates a feeling of anxiety and, upon listening for the first time, my friend remarked that he “feels like [he’s] dying.” This section ends with a crash into a cut-time guitar-heavy section, and the last two minutes are the most intense on the entire album.
Wall of Eyes ends with its eighth and final track, “You Know Me!”, which slows the album back down, focusing on piano chords and kick drums along with rhythmic electronic effects throughout the background. Yorke’s vocals also are heavily reverbed as he wails quietly in the background alongside an orchestral track. “You Know Me!” also contains one of my favorite rhymes on the album – “bone China teas” with “old galaxies.”
While The Smile’s first album was great, Wall of Eyes far exceeded my expectations for the album and the direction of the band. Their implementation of various time signatures, jazz influences, and film-inspired music videos establishes a unique atmosphere of creativity and musicality.
Gracie Cole | Proud Lyric Reader | KXSU Arts Editor