"The Smile's 'Wall of Eyes': A Fascinating Departure from Radiohead"

The Smile, a spinoff of Radiohead consisting of Jonny Greenwood, Tom Skinner, and Thom Yorke, has released its second studio album, "Wall of Eyes," which pushes further away from pop music. The album features elusive and complex compositions, with fragmentary and bleak lyrics delivered by Yorke's tormented voice. The band questions and undermines its grooves, allowing the music to emerge gradually before deflating or obscuring it in hazy productions. The album prioritizes atmosphere over legibility, with music that feels molten and improvisatory yet clearly premeditated, resembling film soundtracks in its amorphous and open-ended nature.