NewsItem
The Smile
New music announced
28 Aug 2024
The Smile announce the details of a new album titled Cutouts, set for release on October 4th via XL Recordings.
The Smile Announce Third Album 'Cutouts', Out October 4 via XL Recordings. Hold onto your headphones, because The Smile are back with a brand-new record, Cutouts, set to drop on October 4th through XL Recordings. The alt-rock supergroup—comprising Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and Tom Skinner—gave fans a taste of the new album during their UK tour earlier this year, playing several fresh tracks to a rapturous reception. The 10-track collection, produced by the ever-talented Sam Petts-Davies, marks the trio’s third studio effort. It follows hot on the heels of their January release Wall of Eyes, and their 2022 debut A Light For Attracting Attention. Recorded in the hallowed halls of Oxford and Abbey Road Studios, Cutouts captures The Smile at a creative crossroads, blending haunting string arrangements by the London Contemporary Orchestra with the raw, emotive power fans have come to expect. The album's artwork, a collaborative creation by Stanley Donwood and Yorke himself, was painted in the heat of the recording sessions, adding an extra layer of intimacy to the project. This rapid follow-up comes less than a year after Wall Of Eyes soared to #3 on the UK album charts, earning rave reviews and "Best Album of the Year So Far" nods from the likes of Pitchfork, The Needle Drop, Consequence, Brooklyn Vegan, Treblezine, and Spin. Clearly, The Smile are on a creative roll, and Cutouts promises to keep that momentum going. Outside of The Smile, the band members have been busy. Thom Yorke recently released the original score for Daniele Luchetti's film Confidenza and announced solo tour dates across New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, and Japan. Meanwhile, Jonny Greenwood unveiled a new piece, X Years of Reverb, at Norwich’s 268-year-old Octagon Chapel and is scoring Paul Thomas Anderson’s upcoming flick, The Battle of Baktan Cross. And let’s not forget Tom Skinner, who’s been touring the jazz festival circuit with his solo project Voices of Bishara Live at “mu”. With Cutouts, it’s clear The Smile are not just a side project but a force to be reckoned with. October can't come soon enough.