Bending Hectic
| "Bending Hectic" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by the Smile | ||||
| from the album Wall of Eyes | ||||
| Released | 20 June 2023 | |||
| Studio | Abbey Road Studios | |||
| Genre | Post-rock | |||
| Length | 8:00 | |||
| Label | XL | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Sam Petts-Davies | |||
| The Smile singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Bending Hectic" is a song by the English rock band the Smile, from their second studio album, Wall of Eyes (2024). It was released on 20 June 2023, one day before the Smile began the second leg of their debut North American tour.
History
[edit]In 2022, during their first North American tour, the Smile debuted material written while travelling.[1] They first performed "Bending Hectic" at Switzerland's Montreux Jazz Festival in 2022. The singer, Thom Yorke, said he had written the lyrics that day.[2] A video of the full set, including "Bending Hectic", was released for 48 hours to promote the live album The Smile (Live at Montreux Jazz Festival, July 2022).[3]
After completing the first leg of their first North American tour, the Smile began recording new material.[4][5] "Bending Hectic" was recorded in Abbey Road Studios, with production by Sam Petts-Davies and strings by the London Contemporary Orchestra.[6]
Composition
[edit]"Bending Hectic" begins with a detuned guitar and builds to a heavy crescendo, with lyrics describing a car crash, a familiar subject for Yorke.[7][8][9]
Release
[edit]"Bending Hectic" was released on 20 June 2023, the day before the Smile resumed their North American tour.[10][11] It was the first single from their second album, Wall of Eyes (2024).[12] An animated video was directed by Sabrina Nichols, with art by Yorke and Stanley Donwood.[13]
Reception
[edit]"Bending Hectic" received praise from critics and fans when the Smile first performed it.[10] In Stereogum, Chris DeVille described it as an "epic that starts out soft and quiet and builds into a splendorous stomping beast" and called it among "the best and most ambitious" of the new songs played on their 2022 tour.[14] However, reflecting on Wall of Eyes after its release, DeVille wrote that he did not like the slow build, writing: "The payoff is tremendous, but the journey there becomes a slog."[15] American Songwriter said it would "chill the hearts and minds of fans listening, given its musical nuance and tonal nostalgia".[16]
Personnel
[edit]The Smile
- Thom Yorke – vocals, bass
- Jonny Greenwood – guitar, orchestration
- Tom Skinner – drums
Production
- Sam Petts-Davies
Additional musicians
References
[edit]- ^ "Thom Yorke confirms The Smile are working on new music". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ Skinner, Tom (13 July 2022). "Watch The Smile debut new song 'Bending Hectic' at Montreux Jazz Festival". NME. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ Gallagher, Alex (13 December 2022). "The Smile announce new live album recorded at Montreux Jazz Festival". NME. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ "The Smile Are Seven Weeks Into Recording Their Next Album". Stereogum. 23 March 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ Jones, Abby (16 June 2023). "Jonny Greenwood says The Smile "have a big backlog of ideas"". Consequence. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ Strauss, Matthew (20 June 2023). "The Smile Release New Song "Bending Hectic"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ Deville, Chris (20 June 2023). "The Smile share new single 'Bending Hectic': Listen". Stereogum. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ Deville, Chris (1 January 2024). "Premature Evaluation: The Smile Wall of Eyes". Stereogum. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
- ^ Oinonen, Janne (21 January 2024). "The Smile Wall of Eyes". Loud and Quiet. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ a b Dunworth, Liberty (20 June 2023). "The Smile release 'Bending Hectic', their first new music of 2023". NME. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ "The Smile's "Bending Hectic" is packed tight with orchestral noise". The FADER. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ Lindert, Hattie (13 November 2023). "The Smile Announce New Album Wall of Eyes, Share Video for New Song Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson". Pitchfork. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
- ^ "The Smile release new track, 'Bending Hectic'". Crack Magazine. 20 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ DeVille, Chris (20 June 2023). "The Smile share new single 'Bending Hectic': listen". Stereogum. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
- ^ DeVille, Chris (26 September 2024). "Premature evaluation: the Smile Cutouts". Stereogum. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
- ^ Burditt, Peter (20 June 2023). "The Smile Release New Single 'Bending Hectic'". American Songwriter. Retrieved 23 June 2023.