Review
Darlings, let me tell you about 'A Light for Attracting Attention' by The Smile - it's like a jazzy cocktail shaker full of post-punk, prog rock, and electronica, with a dash of Afrobeat for good measure! This debut album is a delightful departure from the Radiohead we know and love, even though it's got Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood at the helm, along with the brilliant Tom Skinner on drums.
Yorke's lyrics are a veritable smorgasbord of disgust, paranoia, and eco-anxiety, served up with his signature snarl-singing. 'You Will Never Work in Television Again' and 'The Smoke' are particularly spicy numbers, critiquing society with all the subtlety of a Charleston dancer kicking over a prohibition-era speakeasy. But don't let that fool you - there's beauty to be found here too, darlings. 'Speech Bubbles' is a positively haunting affair that'll have you swooning like a flapper at a Valentino picture show.
Now, let's talk about that cover art, shall we? It's a marvelous mishmash of medieval maps and early British Isle cartography, dreamed up by Yorke and his partner-in-crime Stanley Donwood. It's as if they've taken us on a time-traveling adventure, much like the album itself. And speaking of adventures, this little gem climbed to number five on the UK Albums Chart and even snagged a nomination for Record of the Year at the 2023 Libera Awards. It's enough to make a girl want to put on her dancing shoes and Charleston the night away! - Clementine
