Don’t let the title surprise you. “Cutouts” might’ve been released less than a year after The Smile’s album “Wall of Eyes” – and recorded in the same sessions – but according to the band, it’s not a true B-sides record.
Instead, it’s The Smile, composed of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood (who seem to be copying the “Amnesiac” and “Kid A” timeline) as well as Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner, flexing their artistic efficiency. Modern Radiohead was leaving four to five years in between studio albums before they went dark after 2016; The Smile have now recorded three since 2022.
The music is good, too. Not on the level of Radiohead in their prime, but well up to The Smile’s standards, which is to say that “Cutouts” will earn a deserved spot on several best-of-the-year lists, likely next to “Wall of Eyes.” Yorke and co. haven’t lost their musical brilliance.
Generally, “Cutouts” is groovier and looser than its predecessor, but the opening two tracks don’t give that away. “Foreign Spies” and its lazy synths construct a swirling atmosphere to open the tracklist. It takes until “Instant Psalm” for the band to introduce Skinner on the drums, a track led by acoustic guitar and vocals slightly buried in the mix, filled out with string-accompanied instrumentation.
Then, the opening jitters of track No. 3, “Zero Sum,” hit, and “Cutouts” reveals its true identity. Greenwood’s guitar settles into a cascading stream of notes that sound almost sequenced, brought to life by Skinner’s danceable beat, a brass section, and Yorke’s vocals.
“Eyes and Mouth” follows a similar structure, this time buoyed by a piano chord progression that’s disarmingly optimistic for a Yorke creation. “The Slip” adds an ultra-modern, almost hip-hop synth bass, while “No Words” takes on an more indie rock approach with driving riffs and drums.
There’s also the hard-to-count 5/4 of “Colours Fly,” with raga-esque verses that build to a gorgeous conclusion behind the droning bass and guitar.
Yorke’s lyrics remain difficult to decipher as always, but he remains an expert at blending his vocals perfectly with the music like just another instrument. It’s the case again here, with The Smile’s frontman fiercely in the pocket on “Zero Sum” or floating dreamily over “Foreign Spies.”
But there are some missteps. “Don’t Get Me Started” builds an intriguing atmosphere with its swung synth stabs and off-kilter groove, but it just never builds to anything to satisfy the unease. “Tiptoe” is a beautiful slower cut with gorgeous string swells, but with the piano mirroring Yorke’s vocals and Skinner bench-warming yet again, it lacks the intricacies of The Smile’s usual output.
Closer “Bodies Laughing” feels the most like it was “cut out” from “Wall of Eyes,” with a similar acoustic atmosphere: a touch of bossa nova, Skinner’s impeccable feel, and haunting, ominous synths. It’s a fine song – the Yorke-ian melody is ear-catching and the drums and bass lock in perfectly in the mix – but it doesn’t do the best job of wrapping up the many musical ideas of the album.
If The Smile is a poor man’s Radiohead, “Cutouts” is their “Hail to the Thief” – made by a band that’s confident in its sound but still willing to traverse a lot of sonic ground in one project. It’s not their best, or their most cohesive, but it’s a fun side project by master musicians that’s sure to have something for every listener.
Album: Cutouts
Artist: The Smile
Overall Rating: ★★★★