Radiohead Side Project the Smile Return With New Album ‘Wall of Eyes’

Radiohead side project the Smile — featuring the band’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood along with former Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner — have announced their second album, Wall of Eyes, the follow-up to their 2022 debut A Light for Attracting Attention.

Ahead of the LP’s January 26 release, the trio have shared the video for the album’s title track, a visual that reunites Yorke with director Paul Thomas Anderson, who previously helmed the singer’s Anima short film along with Radiohead’s “Daydreaming” video:

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Wall of Eyes features the Smile’s epic 2022 one-off single “Bending Hectic” along with a handful of songs the band road-tested while touring in support of A Light for Attracting Attention: “Teleharmonic,” “Read the Room,” “Under Our Pillows,” and “Friend of a Friend.” The eight-track LP is filled out by the three previously unheard songs, including the now-released title track, “I Quit,” and closing track, “You Know Me!”

Wall of Eyes — available to preorder now — marks only the second Yorke-related album since Radiohead’s The Bends to not feature production by longtime collaborator and producer Nigel Godrich; Sam Petts-Davies, who co-produced Yorke’s Suspiria soundtrack alongside the singer, takes the reins for Wall of Eyes.

The album was recorded in both Radiohead’s native Oxford, England, as well as Abbey Road Studios, and features string arrangements by the London Contemporary Orchestra.

The title Wall of Eyes calls back to Radiohead’s still-mysterious Wall of Ice, which was speculated to be a post-In Rainbows EP in 2009 boasting the track “These Are My Twisted Words,” which ultimately was released as a standalone single.

In addition to releasing their new album, the Smile will also head back out on the road in 2024 for a month-long European tour that kicks off in March.

Wall of Eyes Track List

Wall Of Eyes
Teleharmonic
Read The Room
Under Our Pillows
Friend Of A Friend
I Quit
Bending Hectic
You Know Me!

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