The Smile, the trio featuring Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood alongside jazz drummer Tom Skinner, is set to surprise fans with a second album release this year. Titled Cutouts, the album drops on October 4 via XL Recordings, following their earlier release, Wall of Eyes. The announcement comes hot on the heels of their latest single, “Don’t Get Me Started” b/w “The Slip,” and will be further teased with two more tracks, “Foreign Spies” and “Zero Sum,” both accompanied by music videos directed by the visual artist Weirdcore.
Despite a year largely spent on the road promoting Wall of Eyes, The Smile had to cut their tour short recently due to a serious health scare that left Jonny Greenwood hospitalized with a severe infection. Thankfully, the band has reported that Greenwood is now recovering and out of danger.
The upcoming album, Cutouts, features both “Don’t Get Me Started” and “The Slip,” which was previously only available on vinyl. Recorded with producer Sam Petts-Davies in Oxford and at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London, Cutouts was crafted during the same sessions that produced Wall of Eyes, promising a continuation of the haunting, intricate soundscapes that have come to define The Smile’s musical identity.