The Smile - Cutouts

New album confirmed, second for 2024. Releases 4th October. 

https://bleep.com/release/469186-the-smile-cutouts

1. FOREIGN SPIES
2. INSTANT PSALM
3. ZERO SUM
4. COLOURS FLY
5. EYES AND MOUTH
6. DON'T GET ME STARTED
7. TIPTOE
8. THE SLIP
9. ?
10. BODIES LAUGHING

Cool. Haven't listened to the last album because I haven't been in the mood for Thom for ages, however I listened to my Radiohead playlist the other day of b-sides and non album singles so I guess its game on.

Nice. Ive found the Smile to be slightly more hit and miss compared to the Main Event, but theres good stuff in there and its being fired out at an impressive rate. I'm looking forwards to Bodies Laughing, a song written for In Rainbows which they played on tour recently and it sounded sweet.

eh.. last album really fizzled out for me, their music is feeling more bland to me lately. and honestly, seeing how much greenwood and the band in general seem to be fine with zionism and maintaining the status quo globally has been disappointing - i typically don't care too much about somebody's views if the music is good, but for a band that's always made the vaguely anti-capitalist, anti-warmongering sentiment a big part of their whole vibe, it makes them seem a lot more fake. feels like it's all talk and they lack any real backbone. it's just turned me off of them a bit for now.

  On 8/28/2024 at 3:49 PM, Boxus said:

eh.. last album really fizzled out for me, their music is feeling more bland to me lately. and honestly, seeing how much greenwood and the band in general seem to be fine with zionism and maintaining the status quo globally has been disappointing - i typically don't care too much about somebody's views if the music is good, but for a band that's always made the vaguely anti-capitalist, anti-warmongering sentiment a big part of their whole vibe, it makes them seem a lot more fake. feels like it's all talk and they lack any real backbone. it's just turned me off of them a bit for now.

That's fair enough. I don't get too involved with band politics, probably because I'm fairly apolitical myself so I don't really give a shit. I've had Mexican stand offs at my barbecues between the lefties and the right-wingers, I just sit there eating and drinking like a king without a care in the world. Couldn't give a monkey's. But yeah I remember the Hail To The Thief era they were very anti-war mongering. The whole Israel/Palestine thing is a massive brain drain. I can't even be bothered with it anymore. Me getting upset about it isn't gonna change anything is it. So what's the point? I'm certainly not gonna get upset about what Thom Yorke thinks. But here's the thing, I totally respect your point of view. 

  On 8/28/2024 at 3:49 PM, Boxus said:

eh.. last album really fizzled out for me, their music is feeling more bland to me lately. and honestly, seeing how much greenwood and the band in general seem to be fine with zionism and maintaining the status quo globally has been disappointing - i typically don't care too much about somebody's views if the music is good, but for a band that's always made the vaguely anti-capitalist, anti-warmongering sentiment a big part of their whole vibe, it makes them seem a lot more fake. feels like it's all talk and they lack any real backbone. it's just turned me off of them a bit for now.

Can you say more about Greenwood's/the band's views?  I saw that he said he felt ok about working with Israeli musicians, and in general seemed to have the attitude that an artist needn't boycott an entire country.  But I hadn't seen, for example, statements in support of killing Palestinians for example.

New tracks are decent, need more listens.

  On 8/28/2024 at 4:41 PM, beerwolf said:

Mexican stand offs at my barbecues EP

can't wait for this release

  On 8/28/2024 at 4:41 PM, beerwolf said:

The whole Israel/Palestine thing is a massive brain drain. 

I listen to a comedian's podcast and he talked about 400 years into the future when teleportation will be possible and accessible. One of the first uses will be a Palestinian appearing in a living room to detonate himself OR vice-versa. It really drove home your exact phrase: "brain drain". If 2 Millenia hasn't sorted it out, what can be done in this lifetime? Anyway, I don't want to sidestep The Smile. 

  On 8/28/2024 at 7:56 PM, atypic said:

Can you say more about Greenwood's/the band's views?  I saw that he said he felt ok about working with Israeli musicians, and in general seemed to have the attitude that an artist needn't boycott an entire country.  But I hadn't seen, for example, statements in support of killing Palestinians for example.

I don't think it's anything too egregious, mainly just the band maintaining a generally very pro-Israel stance and being rude and dismissive to pro-Palestinian activists over the years. The current backlash seems to be motivated by Greenwood performing in Tel Aviv amidst what's going on there now, and despite being opposed to the current government in Israel it seems like he's been unwilling to make any explicit mention or condemnation of the horrors inflicted in Gaza in his statements. I've seen that his wife is apparently more fervently supportive of the IDF, had family members serving with them, and has made stronger statements in support of their actions, and it seems like he's likely on the same side as her with regards to the whole thing. I'm sure there's more to it but this is just what I've gleaned from some cursory searches.

I typically don't pay much attention to a musician's sociopolitical views and I still enjoy art made by some fairly shitty people, but it just strikes me as hypocritical given the leftist antiwar posturing of a lot of their music, and this particular issue does hit harder than most for me at this point so it rubs me the wrong way. I don't mean to stir shit up though, I'm not proposing a boycott or anything. And I don't mean for this issue to take over the thread. Album will be decent I'm sure, they know how to make great music. That's just kind of where I'm at with them right now.

  On 8/28/2024 at 7:56 PM, atypic said:

Can you say more about Greenwood's/the band's views?  I saw that he said he felt ok about working with Israeli musicians, and in general seemed to have the attitude that an artist needn't boycott an entire country.  But I hadn't seen, for example, statements in support of killing Palestinians for example.

I get the impression a Jonny is non-confrontational, diffident guy and his wife is a fervent Zionist so he goes with the flow. Thom doesnt want to poison the relationship w his creative collaborator so keeps his mouth shut. They probably also feel some residual gratitude to Israel because it was the first country that broke them into the bigtime. They attempt a more nuanced/peacenik style take on things. For many, considering the outrageous state of play - this is not enough. Essentially they are part time lefties, libs with no balls etc etc.

Good god, I'm glad I don't know a lot about the musicians I like. Seems to suck all the fun out it.
Speaking of, what's up with this Michael Jackson guy?

eating popcorn 

with a big SMILE

'Don't Get Me Started' is really great! The synthy bridge section omg

  On 8/29/2024 at 7:36 AM, Squee said:

Good god, I'm glad I don't know a lot about the musicians I like. Seems to suck all the fun out it.
Speaking of, what's up with this Michael Jackson guy?

If youre a Radiohead fan, fun was never on the list of options.

  On 8/28/2024 at 5:00 AM, Poimandres said:

New album confirmed, second for 2024

BoC please

  On 8/29/2024 at 8:33 AM, Key said:

If youre a Radiohead fan, fun was never on the list of options.

Hehe! Very true

Album is pretty good. Maybe better than Wall of Eyes. 

This album is so radioheadey, it sounds like early jams to find points of contact between participants, hence the name, Cutouts

good album, was missing this vibe surprisingly

Totally forgot about this

My goodness, the Jonny strings:

Why I am not hyped for this at all

Yeah usually super keen on all things Radiohead but can't get much enthusiasm for this one. Doesn't help that the opening track sounds so half assed.

I reckon there's enough for a pretty decent album between the two that got released this year, a lot of B-side level stuff on there that could easily have been cut.

  On 10/15/2024 at 10:10 AM, Goiter Sanchez said:

My goodness, the Jonny strings:

 

 

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I generally find The Smile super dull, but damn, this video is so cool. Bigfoot trapped in a haunted gameboy.

  On 10/15/2024 at 3:39 PM, danshoebridge said:

Yeah usually super keen on all things Radiohead but can't get much enthusiasm for this one. Doesn't help that the opening track sounds so half assed.

I reckon there's enough for a pretty decent album between the two that got released this year, a lot of B-side level stuff on there that could easily have been cut.

Yeah the whole thing feels less curated as it used to be. The lose jam type character also seems to take place in the track selection where everything is kind of just vibing somehow instead of carefully crafted like before. I can live with that it’s just another experience