WALL OF EYES

Thom Yorke is an artist who benefits from a certain aura. Not that the "Rock Critic" microcosm cries genius with each new appearance of the character?but not far off. The man who knew how to embody from the beginning of the 90s the successful mixture of the disillusioned revolt of Kurt Cobain and the charismatic but disturbing British elegance of Bowie , never compromised, tracing his path to integrated artist impervious to carrier currents. And yet, the group Radiohead, of which he is the singer, has achieved the feat of combining both massive public success and an ambitious artistic approach. But, no more Radiohead today, at least for now. So we find our Thom as a member of The Smile with his Radiohead sidekick Jonny Greenwood and drummer Tom Skinner . So, is this set a way to record an excess of musical ideas, a laboratory for creativity, or a real group with a vision and its own identity? The Smile's second studio album, 'Wall Of Eyes' seems to tip the scales towards the third possibility.

A light and swaying acoustic guitar rhythm opens the eponymous track "Wall Of Eyes". It is around this rhythm that the group will develop its ideas, featuring a zig-zag harmonic progression and the support of strings trying to put everything back on the right path. Under a hypnotic and uniform aspect, the title presents a real complexity which seems to be the direction chosen on this record.

Arrival of the atmospheric electronic elements so characteristic of "Teleharmonic". Once again the group adopts an almost jazz attitude, based on great freedom of expression in a space of immense dimensions. Don't look for the verse-chorus-bridge format here, the codes are largely ignored.

A priori more traditional in format in the guitar-bass-drums vein, "Read The Room" combines an atypical rhythmic twist with a repetitive riff and freewheeling drums. I haven't mentioned it yet, but Thom Yorke 's voice is of course the element linking the whole, incredible in amplitude and expression, his forays into the bass in particular are remarkable.

In the same vein, "Under Our Pillows" is even more reminiscent of Radiohead, and Thom Yorke once again surprises with his ability to lay fluid and accessible singing over an ever-changing rhythm and harmony. The title gradually evolves towards a hypnotic turn which can recall certain psychedelic experiences from the time of Jimi Hendrix for example ("Third Stone from the sun").

"Friend Of A Friend" is one of the highlights of the record with its unusual start in low voice, joined by a piano and drums with a very rhythmic approach. The piece is also the subject of an orchestral crescendo which will of course recall "A day in the life", an inevitable reference on this kind of figure.

On the long lament "I Quit", a few electronic, percussive or orchestral elements seem to break the torpor of a development that is a bit too flat.

Second peak of the album (in my opinion), "Bending Hectic" is built in part around a vaporous guitar plan marked by a "bend" towards infinity adding tension to the velvety atmosphere. The title is enhanced by the orchestral arrangements, completely free drums, and singing that flies towards the stars (or rather towards the ground given the lyrics: "The ground is coming for me now"). The title ends in a saturated deluge that we didn't see coming.

The closing track "You Know Me!" sees the piano return as a central element accompanying Thom Yorke 's high-pitched vocals . This ensemble evolves towards almost Indian sounds with the support of the London Contemporary Orchestra, and thus closes this album on a new hypnotic note.

'Wall Of Eyes' is the testimony of a group, although recently formed, perfectly in control of the space it grants itself. He navigates freely between Rock, Jazz, Electro, Pop, and many other musical genres, to create a style of his own. Certainly, those nostalgic will find that the Himalayan peaks of Radiohead have not been reached, but The Smile drives home with this record the point of asserted independent creativity.

Review originally posted on www.progcritique.com.