One of 2021’s more interesting surprises was the debut of The Smile during the Glastonbury livestream. The trio consists of Radiohead‘s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood along with Sons of Kemet’s Tom Skinner and after their initial live performance, they’ve now issued their first single. Take a listen to “You Will Never Work in Television Again” in the video toward the bottom of this post.
The song itself is a driving rock track, with Thom Yorke spitting a vitriolic description of a predatory intimidator using a position of power to prey upon the innocent. The track clocks in just shy of three minutes, never letting up on its momentum and keeping the energy and intensity high.
The band initially debuted the track during last May’s Glastonbury Live at Worthy Farm livestream, but now have a proper video and studio version of the track. Within the video, you can check out the lyrics as they scroll across the screen like a teleprompter. If you like what you hear, The Smile’s “You Will Never Work in Television Again” is available via streaming services here.
While the song, produced by longtime Radiohead collaborator Nigel Godrich, is now available, there still has not been an announcement of a studio album. However, fans will get a chance to dig further into The Smile’s new music later this month when they stage a global livestream.
The band will play three consecutive live shows over a 24 hour period, allowing for different parts of the world to get their unique airings. The shows will take place Jan. 29 from Magazine London, with livestreams set for 3PM, 8PM and 6AM ET on Jan. 30. The shows will take place with a live audience and tickets will go on sale this Friday (Jan. 7) at 9AM GMT, while you can also get tickets to watch the livestream in your area at this location.
The Smile, “You Will Never Work in Television Again”
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