The Smile Are Seven Weeks "Deep in Recording" New Material

The trio have holed up in the studio ahead of a North American tour

Photo: Alex Lake

BY Calum SlingerlandPublished Mar 23, 2023

Some February studio shots from the Smile had listeners wondering if they were already at work on a follow-up to last year's vaunted debut A Light for Attracting Attention, and the trio have now confirmed that they've been holed up at work on new music.

In an email pointing to newly-announced performances on their upcoming North American summer tour — including stops at Ottawa's RBC Bluesfest, Quebec City's Festival d'été and Pitchfork Fest — the subject line reads, "More North American tour dates for when we are let out of the studio," later revealing, "we're deep in recording, week 7."

Since releasing A Light for Attracting Attention — which was among Exclaim!'s Best Albums of 2022 — the trio of Radiohead's Thom YorkeJonny Greenwood and Sons of Kemet co-founding drummer Tom Skinner have delivered a live album captured at the Montreux Jazz Festival and a second live, vinyl-only release.

While on tour behind their debut last year, the trio premiered a number of unreleased songs.

Last year, drummer Skinner released solo album Voices of Bishara, while Yorke and Greenwood's longtime bandmate Philip Selway recently shared that Radiohead will get together in the "next couple of years."

Today, it was also announced that Radiohead's Colin Greenwood would play bass for Nick Cave on tour in North America this fall.

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