Last week, a handful of cryptic messages and clues were given out by The Smile through social media for fans to decipher. A new collection of songs was rumored, as many potential song titles and their position on the tracklist were being discovered. Now, the trio, formed by Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood with Sons of Kemet's drummer Tom Skinner, have confirmed the news.
A new album, Cutouts, featuring 10 new-tracks, is releasing 4 October via XL Recordings. This is their third studio album and second full-length project released this year, following January's Wall Of Eyes, and their 2022 debut A Light For Attracting Attention. It includes previously released singles "Don't Get Me Started" and "The Slip", which were put out in a limited 12" vinyl.
It was recorded in the same period of time and location - Oxford and Abbey Road Studios - as Wall Of Eyes. It again features strings performed by the London Contemporary Orchestra and Grammy-nominated producer Sam Petts-Davies.
The cover art is painted by long-time collaborator Stanley Donwood (has worked with Radiohead since 1994) and Yorke himself.
Along with the announcement came two new singles, "Zero Sum" - one of the song titles discovered thanks to the clues - and "Foreign Spies", both presented with a music video directed by Weirdcore, who also worked on their "Don't Get Me Started" music video. Both tracks where already performed live during the Wall Of Eyes UK Tour in March.
Track nine's title features one of the cryptic messages, though fans (who are already familiar with it) have taken a short time to discover that it is titled "No Words".
Cutouts tracklist:
1. Foreign Spies
2. Instant Psalm
3. Zero Sum
4. Colours Fly
5. Eyes & Mouth
6. Don’t Get Me Started
7. Tiptoe
8. The Slip
9. UGcgWGFkcWE= (No Words)
10. Bodies Laughing
What do you think?
Show comments / Leave a comment