In May, the Smile announced they were seven weeks into recording the follow-up to debut album A Light For Attracting Attention. Yesterday, the Radiohead offshoot posted video of the Abbey Road recording session for “Bending Hectic,” one of the best and most ambitious of the new songs they debuted on tour last year. The impression that we got was that this was fresh footage, but it turns out it was a teaser for the finished track, which is here now.

“Bending Hectic” is an eight-minute epic that starts out soft and quiet and builds into a splendorous stomping beast. The loud part might even remind you of early Radiohead. Billed as a standalone single ahead of the group’s summer tour dates, it’s produced by Sam Petts-Davies, with strings by the London Contemporary Orchestra. Listen below.

TOUR DATES:
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