At first blush, the Smile seemed like a bit of a busman's holiday for wayward Radiohead members Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood and Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner. Given the volume of material the trio has released since making its surprise debut at England's Glastonbury Festival in the summer of 2021, however, this thing is starting to look like the main focus for everyone involved. For now, at least. Who knows what goes in Yorke's head, anyway?

In any case, on 2024's Wall Of Eyes -- recorded after extensive touring in support of 2022's A Light For Attracting Attention -- the Smile sounds like a new band reveling in the excitement of figuring out what it's capable of as a band. It still can't help sounding like a looser-limbed Radiohead jamming with a jazz drummer from time to time because ... well ... it's two-fifths of Radiohead jamming with a jazz drummer but the Smile is definitely starting to develop an identity more substantial than that of a mere "side project." Yorke, Greenwood and Skinner are clearly having fun figuring it out, even if the music they make together is less "fun" than uneasy. In the absence of a new Radiohead album, this will do just fine.

TRACKLISTING:

1 Wall of Eyes
2 Teleharmonic
3 Read the Room
4 Under Our Pillows
5 Friend of a Friend
6 I Quit
7 Bending Hectic
8 You Know Me!