The Smile share stunning new single ‘Friend Of A Friend’ and announce special ‘Wall Of Eyes’ cinema album playback events

nme.com:

The Smile have shared a beautiful new single titled ‘Friend Of A Friend’, and announced a series of cinema album playback events for their upcoming album – find out more below.Released today (January 9), the new track comes as the latest preview of the band’s upcoming sophomore album ‘Wall Of Eyes’.

Set for release on January 26, it is the follow-up to their breakthrough debut album ‘A Light For Attracting Attention’ – which arrived back in 2022.As for the sound, ‘Friend Of A Friend’ sees members Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood with Tom Skinner create an ethereal atmosphere with the song, which gradually develops.“I can go anywhere that I want / I just gotta turn myself inside out and back to front,” sings Yorke at the beginning of the song. “With cut-out shapes and worn-out spaces / Add some sparkles to create the right effect / They’re all smiling, so I guess I’ll stay / At least ’til the disappointed have eaten themselves away.”The single was first showcased live during the band’s 2022-2023 live shows, and the studio version features strings from the London Contemporary Orchestra and saxophone from Robert Stillman.

Check it out below, as well as the music video, made by motion picture director Paul Thomas Anderson.As well as sharing the new track, The Smile have also shared details of some special ‘Wall Of Eyes’ cinema album playback events – set to kick off later this month.Running between January 18-25, the events will allow fans to listen to ‘Wall Of Eyes’ for the first and only time in surround sound, and come as a way to celebrate the members’ collaboration with Anderson.As well as playing the new LP in its entirety, never-before-seen footage of the album’s recording sessions will be shown, as will the world film.