A New Groove in “Cutouts” Brings Listeners The Smile

By Isaak Brickner

Hot off the heels of their album released in July, rock band The Smile, shows that old dogs can still learn a few new tricks in their psychedelic rock album “Cutouts,” albeit with a bit of a rough landing. 

Comprised of legendary duo Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead alongside drummer Tom Skinner, The Smile has always been shrouded in expectations of a certain sound. However, in a departure from their somber history as musicians from past endeavors, The Smile incorporates a funky, psychedelic mood into their album, with Byrnesque inspirations ringing loud on the lead single “Zero Sum.” Greenwood showcases his alienlike guitar playing with an infectious, stress-inducing riff that repeats in the background, joined by Yorke’s pessimistic babbling about the shortcomings that come with the idolization of internet figures. Akin to an older relative talking your ear off about the damage that comes from staring at your phone too long, this seems to be right in Yorke’s ballpark, especially in the more recent parts of his career. 

And even if this record’s tone seems eerily similar to that of their last album “Wall of Eyes,” it is framed differently due to the inclusion of a dreamlike brigade of instrumentation composed by Greenwood. It seems that the album flows the same way as a lucid dream, a relaxed come down into sleep starts on the first track of the album “Foreign Spies,” with Yorke singing “In a beautiful world, we are melted.” As the album progresses, it flips between the deep thoughts brought out from the back of your mind to the whimsical events that only happen in a dream. 

Lead vocalist Thom Yorke (pictured here) along with bandmates Jonny Greenwood and Tom Skinner have continued to evolve sonically with their new album that released on October 4. Credit: Flickr

However, in these sudden changes of tone and dreamlike feeling, comes the thought that this album is not as seamless or connected as hoped from the music industry’s sweethearts of concept albums. Some of the songs feel out of place or unfinished, notably “Don’t Get Me Started,” which feels like a dialed-back version of Radiohead’s legendary “Exit Music (For A Film),” with an instrumental that builds to an epic climax with repetitive lyrics of misjudgment and defeat. Where “Exit Music” triumphs, “Don’t Get Me Started” falls on its face before it even begins to rise with a less-than-exciting chord progression. Instead of a fully developed album, “Cutouts” feels like an amalgamation of just okay to great singles that didn’t make it on their last album, seeing as both albums were made during the same recording sessions. While many of these songs are great on their own, the compilation leaves more to be desired from the legendary duo.

Small disappointments aside, “Cutouts” gives a glimpse into a new, more lighthearted era for Yorke and Co. that could match even the peaks they reached during Radiohead's prime. Hopefully next time, The Smile won’t be as laid back and will show more structure in the narrative for their album. 

Rating: 7.2/10