Rock · 2023

Europe: Live Recordings 2022

The Smile's live energy captured, with intricate rhythms and Thom Yorke's signature vocals. A cerebral and intense rock experience from their debut tour.

March 3, 2023 · XL Recordings

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Europe: Live Recordings 2022 by The Smile offers a raw, unfiltered glimpse into the band's nascent but already formidable live presence. This album is a deep dive into the cerebral and often anxious soundscapes that Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and Tom Skinner craft. It feels like being right there in the audience, experiencing the intricate rhythmic shifts, the haunting melodies, and the palpable tension that builds and releases throughout their performances. The atmosphere is one of late-night introspection, a soundtrack for a restless mind navigating the complexities of modern existence.

Moments Worth Listening For

The way the bassline on "The Smoke" gains an almost hypnotic, driving quality, pushing the song into a new intensity in a live setting.

Thom Yorke's vocal improvisation during the extended outro of "Pana-vision", stretching notes and phrases for heightened emotional impact.

A moment where the intricate drumming on "We Don't Know What Tomorrow Brings" shifts abruptly, creating a jarring yet compelling rhythmic disorientation.

The sudden burst of distorted guitar feedback cutting through a more ambient passage in "Skrting on the Surface", signaling a powerful shift in mood.

Reviews

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Where This Album Departs

How does Europe: Live Recordings 2022 sound next to the rest of The Smile's catalogue?

Live Recording+4.0σ

The production is built around live recording than this artist usually allows.

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