*kicks dustballs* cue some Crazy Horse vibes…
Produced by Sam Petts-Davies and with strings by the London Contemporary Orchestra, the standalone single was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London earlier this year. It was first debuted by The Smile during their Montreux Jazz Festival appearance in 2022 and, while not included on the subsequent live album The Smile (Live at Montreux Jazz Festival, July 2022), it became a word-of-mouth phenomenon, with fans and critics calling for its release. After a year of waiting, “Bending Hectic” gets a global digital release today via XL Recordings.
The single marks The Smile’s first piece of new music in 2023. It follows the band’s acclaimed 2022 debut album, A Light For Attracting Attention which was named amongst the Best Albums of 2022 by Pitchfork, Uncut, MOJO, Rough Trade, Billboard, New York Times, Consequence and many more.
Tomorrow, the band embark on an extensive tour of North America. Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and Tom Skinner will kick off the 16-date excursion on Wednesday June 21st with their first-ever performance in Mexico City. After two nights, they will then go on to the United States and Canada, marking The Smile’s debut live performances in every city they play — with the exception of New York where they’ll return to headline Forest Hills Stadium on July 7th. For more information or to buy tickets, head to www.thesmiletheband.com. Following the tour, the band will return to the studio to continue working on new material.
Full tour dates include:
06/21/23 – Mexico City, Mexico – National Auditorium
06/22/23 – Mexico City, Mexico – National Auditorium (SOLD OUT)
06/25/23 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at The Moody Theater (SOLD OUT)
06/26/23 – Austin, TX – ACL Live at The Moody Theater (SOLD OUT)
06/29/23 – Miami, FL – James L. Knight Center
06/30/23 – St Augustine, FL – The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre
07/02/23 – North Charleston, SC – North Charleston Performing Arts Center
07/03/23 – Asheville, NC – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium (SOLD OUT)
07/05/23 – Richmond, VA – The National (SOLD OUT)
07/07/23 – Forest Hills, NY – Forest Hills Stadium
07/08/23 – Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall (SOLD OUT)
07/10/23 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE
07/11/23 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
07/14/23 – Quebec City – Festival d’été de Québec
07/15/23 – Laval, QC – Place Bell
07/16/23 – Ottawa, ONT – Bluesfest Festival
07/19/23 – Kansas City, MO – Midland Theatre
07/20/23 – Chesterfield, MO – The Factory
07/21/23 – Chicago, IL – Pitchfork Music Festival
