The Smile Prioritize Grace and Restraint on ‘Wall of Eyes’
The Smile’s second record jettisons the post-punk energy of their debut in favor of a cohesive statement that’s glacially paced and texturally dense.
thom yorke
The Smile’s American Tour Rolls on Through New York City
For the Smile, Sons of Kemet’s Tom Skinner provides a deeper London jazz groove to lock into while the Radiohead side offer moody rock elements.
Between the Grooves of Radiohead’s ‘The Bends’
PopMatters takes a deep dive into Radiohead’s first musically important album, The Bends, where the group’s experimental inclinations initially took flight.
The Smile’s ‘A Light for Attracting Attention’ Possesses Great Musical Depth and Shading
The Smile aren’t a full-on syncretism of Radiohead and Sons of Kemet, but A Light for Attracting Attention proves that it needn’t be.
Discovering the Sounds of London’s New Jazz
These London jazz musicians are all relatively young and just as anxious to embrace all subgenres of jazz, soul, and funk as they are resistant to the rules of the old guard.
The Annotated Guide to the Music Videos of Radiohead’s ‘The Bends’
With The Bends Radiohead left an impressive music video legacy, one that would extend to later masterpieces such as OK Computer.
The 25 Best Electronic Albums of 2019
Electronic music is a huge tent with so many diverse approaches, and it's more international than ever with producers around the globe pushing music forward. The year's best albums featured returns from established talents, as well as ground-breaking newcomers, and a host of women changing the old boy's club of electronic music.
The 70 Best Albums of 2019
From forward-looking electronic and experimental to new approaches in the ever-evolving R&B scene, from hip-hop and punk to rock and pop, 2019 bestowed an embarrassment of musical riches upon us.
The 50 Best Songs of 2009
As part of PopMatters’ 20th anniversary, we are revisiting classic features. Travel back in time a decade ago to 2009, when indie rock was in its full ascendency,and hear the songs that soundtracked the era.
Thom Yorke’s ‘ANIMA’ Offers an Uplifting Kind of Dystopia
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke's third solo album ANIMA offers relatively peppy music to accompany his unsurprisingly bleak lyrical worldview, but it all works rather wonderfully.
Bilbao BBK Live Day 1: Mash of Rock and Roll Classics and Evocative Electronica Prove a Winning Formula
Liam Gallagher brings the hits, Slaves bring out the anger, and Thom Yorke gets experimental in a cozy first night of the 14th edition of BBK Live.
Two Hour Rush Inside Thom Yorke’s Glitchy Kaleidoscope
Thom Yorke provides the finest in dreary ballads and glitchy music at a sold-out solo show at King's Theatre in Brooklyn.