The Smile have released a surprise 12” vinyl with two new songs, ‘Don’t Get Me Started’ and ‘The Slip’ – listen to the songs below.
The band – comprised of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood alongside Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner – had not previously announced the new release.
The vinyl is currently only available physically in store in an extremely limited edition with a bespoke XL Recordings housebag, with online ordering reported to be available starting August 8 (via Stereogum).
Listen to the mesmerising songs here:
The band had posted cryptic AI imagery on the social media accounts on Friday (August 2), without confirming what it represented.
— The Smile (@thesmiletheband) August 2, 2024
Last month, the group cancelled their upcoming European tour dates for August while Greenwood recovered from his stay in intensive care.
“A few days ago, Jonny became seriously ill from an infection that needed emergency hospital treatment, some of it in intensive care. Mercifully, he is now out of danger and will soon return home,” the band wrote.
“We have been instructed by the medical team in charge of Jonny’s care to cancel all engagements until he has had time to make a full recovery. To that end, The Smile tour of Europe in August is cancelled.
“Refunds for headline shows are available from your ticket provider. We all wish Jonny a speedy recovery.”
The shows were to be in support of their second LP ‘Wall Of Eyes’, which was released at the start of the year and was described by NME as solidifying the group as “one of the finest and most inventive rock bands on the planet right now”.
“On 2022’s ‘A Light For Attracting Attention’ their sonic identity was consolidated, a skittish marriage between wonky electronics and the occasional rock rager. ‘Wall Of Eyes’ is similarly expansive in its vision, but also restrained, carefully selecting moments where the intensity needs upping,” the four-star review read.
NME also caught their show at London’s Eventim Apollo in March. In another four-star review, we wrote: “The Smile manage a rare feat. As they swap instruments and lose themselves, the show feels like a GarageBand jam but without the wankery (and that’s accounting for the dissonant clarinet solos and Greenwood somehow managing to make shredding on a harp look cool). You can’t call this self-indulgent when a capacity crowd are stuck in their quicksand funk.”
Thom Yorke is also preparing for a solo tour of Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Japan in October and November. See here for all the details.
The post Listen to The Smile’s surprise new songs ‘Don’t Get Me Started’ and ‘The Slip’ appeared first on NME.
