Radiohead is undeniably one of the most prolific bands to rise out of the 90’s. Whether they are within personal taste or not, it is challenging to deny that their music has a sound few groups can compete with.
Thom Yorke, the frontman of Radiohead, is one of the most unique-minded musicians in the business and has since developed a newer project called Smile, a group consisting of drummer Tom Skinner, Yorke’s fellow bandmate Johnny Greenwood, and Yorke himself.
The Smile has already released one full-length album and a recording of their performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2022. Their most recent feat was the release of three singles: “Bending Hectic,” “Wall of Eyes,” and the recent “Friend of A Friend” earlier this year.
The singles, although new material, share the same integral Radiohead sound that spawned from their later work.
“The Smile is a lot more like [Radiohead’s] later work, where they are more experimental and not necessarily as much like their earlier alternative rock stuff,” said senior Lilliah Engel.
This trio of singles demonstrate masterfully crafted production and stunningly unsettling instrumentals which are both constants in Radiohead’s discography as well. Continued use of strategies like these tends to make them sound like extensions of Yorke’s previous work rather than a brand-new project.
However, this is a double-edged sword for seasoned listeners. Although the Smile is seemingly providing more of what Radiohead fans already love, it prevents them from fully having the experience of listening to the Smile as its own group. Rather than appreciating the objectively odd feeling of the music, they are trapped in a loop of comparisons.
“Usually it just feels like I’m listening to Radiohead because I’ve associated the style with them,” said sophomore Ava Maxwell.
Differences between the groups do exist, but it is really hard to find them when listening to the music through the lens of a Radiohead fan. The expectations of listening to Thom Yorke’s work affect the experience of listening to the Smile unfairly.
“I actually think it would be better to listen to them without having in mind Radiohead’s past work because that sets up a lot of expectations for what the Smile is supposed to be when it’s supposed to be their own band,” said Engel.
Comparisons aside, the sound of both groups is a topic that is controversial among music lovers. The way in which Yorke writes and produces is almost genius-like, but to appreciate that people need to be able to overcome the style that the group’s music is in. Yorke mixes rock and jazz influences with technology in a way that can truly only be described as weird to an untrained ear.
“I think it’s different than lots of mainstream artists today because of the rawness. Thom Yorke’s vocals and lyrics are crazy and have a deeper meaning, same with all the instrumentals,” said Maxwell.
The hesitation towards this music is understandable because it is not easy to listen to. Radiohead’s early discography has more universal appeal, but Yorke’s more recent music takes the unsettling aspects that were still apparent in the earlier work and turns the dial up exponentially, making it a difficult transition.
“I feel like Radiohead and the Smile have branched out and been more creative with experimenting with stuff like different time signatures […] that’s interesting to hear, but there are also elements that make it unsettling to listen to,” said Engel.
The Smile is an impressive band that has merit to apply to both Radiohead fans and people who have no experience with this type of music. For existing fans, the new singles provide more material to a fanbase of a less active group and provide an exciting glimpse of what is to come for Thom Yorke and his music. But even for new listeners, there is so much to dissect in this music, and it’s a great change of pace for anyone ready for something new.
I am a senior at OH and so excited to be a Managing and Opinions Section Editor this year! I love working on 42Fifty, but I am also very involved in band and numerous honor societies here. Looking forward to doing great work this year!
