Every texture in this album feels like it has the master’s touch while also feeling alien. Every member is at the top of their game and each song feels genuinely original.

“Wall of Eyes.” The very image sounds both disturbing and biblically accurate, yet the album starts… peacefully?

A classical guitar and muted percussion quickly welcome you into The Smile’s unique world with their sophomore album’s title track. Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood have made names for themselves with otherworldly soundscapes, but this time it sounds different. It sounds like they’re having fun. Thom Yorke having fun actually sounds more strange than a wall of eyes. Either way, it feels like you’re getting to hear them for the first time again.

While the album features a few characteristics I would expect from the trio, more often than not, I was surprised by the direction each piece took in the best possible way. Most of these songs feel quite stripped back, but not empty or buried under waves of reverb like you may associate with the co-captains of Radiohead.

Despite the lack of density, each song had me immersed in the group’s dynamic use of textures.

“Bending Hectic,” the first single off of the record, comes in at a whopping eight minutes. What other band would even toy with the idea of releasing their longest song as a single? The building tension rewards the listener with perhaps their most organized chaos to date. The album’s biggest moment is followed only by its sweetest. “You Know Me!” feels like the equivalent of looking inside a cartoon music box and seeing small creatures turning the gears to produce the sounds.

“Teleharmonic” was the stand out track for me. Extraterrestrial synthesizers and electronic drums are met by the coolest bass and drum groove of 2024 (I’m calling it now even though we’re not through the year). Tom Skinner’s contributions to the band’s dynamic are invaluable. Having roots in jazz, his ability to play to the needs of the song make all the difference to the arrangements.

I’m not a drummer, but I fully expect Tom to be on the cover of Cool Drum Stuff Monthly. That’s definitely a real publication. Don’t Google it.

Moments of this album reach The Beatles territory without actually copying the Fab Four. “Friend Of A Friend” is the perfect example of a McCartney-influenced bassline, plus a sliding string section and a bouncing drum part that all bow to a warm and comforting piano. As a big fan of all things Thom Yorke, I genuinely felt like this song was a very refreshing change of pace from his usual compositions without feeling untrue to himself. 

Every texture in this album feels like it has the master’s touch while also feeling alien. The guitar work on this album should be praised especially. Johnny Greenwood’s approach to the instrument is just as far ahead of its time as it was in The Bends or OK Computer.

While The Smile’s first album felt a bit long on the ears for me, I found myself excited to dive back into Wall of Eyes as soon as it finished. Every member is at the top of their game and each song feels genuinely original. No two songs feel the same, yet they all feel connected. This album made me want to pick up a guitar, try a synthesizer, and text a friend to talk about how cool this album is. What more can you ask from a piece of art than just that?