Light in the Attic, in cooperation with Laurie Anderson and the Lou Reed Archive, is thrilled to announce the forthcoming release of Why Don’t You Smile Now: Lou Reed at Pickwick Records 1964-65. Due out September 27th, the latest installment in LITA’s critically acclaimed Lou Reed Archive Series is a compilation of pop songs penned by Reed during his mid-60s stint as a staff songwriter for the long-defunct label Pickwick Records. The compilation follows on the heels of Lou Reed’s Hudson River Wind Meditations (2023) and Words & Music, May 1965 (2022).

One of the most original and innovative figures in music history, Reed (1942-2013) first gained recognition as co-founder and frontman of the massively influential Velvet Underground. Over the course of his five-decade career, the two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer brought his singular vision to an eclectic expanse of musical endeavors, including era-defining albums like 1972’s Transformer and wildly experimental works like the 1975 avant-garde noise classic Metal Machine Music. But before establishing himself as an enduringly iconic singer, songwriter, musician, and poet, Reed got his start as an in-house songwriter (and occasional session guitarist/vocalist) for Pickwick Records—a label specializing in sound-alike recordings that emulated the major pop hits of the day. Encompassing everything from garage-rock and girl-group pop to blue-eyed soul and teen-idol balladry, Reed’s output for Pickwick ultimately offers a fascinating early glimpse at his ever-evolving and truly limitless artistry.

The album has been restored and remastered by GRAMMY®-nominated mastering engineer John Baldwin. Both the 2xLP & CD editions feature in-depth booklets with unseen photos, liner notes by Richie Unterberger (renowned music journalist and author of such acclaimed titles as White Light/White Heat: The Velvet Underground day-by-day), and an essay by Lenny Kaye (the legendary guitarist, Patti Smith Group co-founder, writer, producer, and curator of seminal garage-rock anthology Nuggets). The double-LP package is designed by multi-GRAMMY®-winning artist Masaki Koike and pressed at world-renowned plant Optimal (Germany). A special color vinyl edition is pressed on “Oxblood” wax (A/B side) and “Gold” wax (C/D side). This release marks the first official anthology of Lou Reed’s work for Pickwick Records and features rarities, cult classics (The Primitives’ “The Ostrich”), & previously unreleased material (The Beachnuts’ “Sad, Lonely Orphan Boy”).

TRACK LISTING

The Primitives - The Ostrich
The Beachnuts - Cycle Annie
The Hi-Lifes - I'm Gonna Fight
The Hi-Lifes - Soul City
Ronnie Dickerson - Oh No Don't Do It
Ronnie Dickerson - Love Can Make You Cry
The Hollywoods - Teardrop In The Sand
The Roughnecks - You're Driving Me Insane
The Primitives - Sneaky Pete
Terry Philips - Wild One
Spongy And The Dolls - Really - Really - Really - Really - Really - Really Love
The Foxes - Soul City
The J Brothers - Ya Running But I'll Getcha
Beverley Ann - We Got Trouble
The All Night Workers - Why Don't You Smile
Jeannie Larimore - Johnny Won't Surf No More
Robertha Williams - Tell Mamma Not To Cry
Robertha Williams - Maybe Tomorrow
Terry Philips - Flowers For The Lady
Terry Philips - This Rose
The Surfsiders - Surfin'
The Surfsiders - Little Deuce Coupe
The Beachnuts - Sad Lonely Orphan Boy
The Beachnuts - I've Got A Tiger In My Tank
Ronnie Dickerson - What About Me

The Smile announce the details of a new album titled Cutouts, set for release on October 4th via XL Recordings.

The trio - Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood and Tom Skinner - debuted several songs from Cutouts during The Smile’s UK tour in March. Cutouts features 10 new-tracks and is produced by Sam Petts-Davies. It’s the band’s third studio album following Wall of Eyes, released in January, and the trio’s 2022 debut album A Light For Attracting Attention. Cutouts was recorded in Oxford and at Abbey Road Studios during the same period of time as Wall Of Eyes. The album features string arrangements by the London Contemporary Orchestra and the album art was painted during the recording process by Stanley Donwood and Thom Yorke.

This is the second studio album release from The Smile in under a year. In January, Wall Of Eyes charted at #3 on the UK album charts, receiving “Best Album of the Year so far” praise from Pitchfork, The Needle Drop, Consequence, Brooklyn Vegan, Treblezine and Spin.

Outside The Smile, Thom Yorke released the original score for Daniele Luchetti’s film Confidenza and announced solo tour dates in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and Japan, Jonny Greenwood debuted a new work, ‘X Years of Reverb’ at the 268 year old Octagon Chapel in Norwich, and is writing the score for Paul Thomas Anderson’s upcoming film, The Battle of Baktan Cross. Tom Skinner released Voices of Bishara Live at “mu” and is touring the jazz summer festival circuit to perform his own solo music. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: The second outing from The Smile in one year! This time sees the dynamic trio working through some more off-kilter jazzy electronic gems. Though it was recorded at the same time as 'Wall Of Eyes', there's a little more mystery and uneasy syncopation behind 'Cutouts', like a moody and weird little brother. If you like the Smile already, you'll love this. If not, get stuck in!

TRACK LISTING

Foreign Spies
Instant Psalm
Zero Sum
Colours Fly
Eyes & Mouth
Don’t Get Me Started
Tiptoe
The Slip
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Bodies Laughing

Extremely limited The Smile 2-track 12” packed in a bespoke XL Housebag.

Following on from 2022 debut LP 'A Light For Attracting Attention', which garnered a top 20 spot in our 2022 end of year review, 'Wall Of Eyes' sees Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood and Tom Skinner once again coming together for another art-rock opus that is inventive and boundry-pushing; whilst still remaining incredibly accessible and potent at it's core. With string arrangements by the London Contemporary Orchestra, 'Wall Of Eyes' comfortably shrugs off the burden of being "just another Radiohead side-project" and in the process leaves us hoping there's more from The Smile for years to come.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Though it's easy to compare The Smile to Radiohead (for obvious reasons), and there is a similarity to the sound that Yorke & Greenwood bring, the end result ends up quite drastically different. The Smile are a lot less rooted in rock music, ending up presenting something that's both beautifully organic and free-flowing whilst never straying too far into experimental territories. Lovely stuff.

TRACK LISTING

1. Wall Of Eyes
2. Teleharmonic
3. Read The Room
4. Under Our Pillows
5. Friend Of A Friend
6. I Quit
7. B7ending Hectic
8. You Know Me

Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood are joined by Tom Skinner of Sons Of Kemet fame, and it's amazing how transformative his presence can be. While there are elements of the sombre avant-electronics of Radiohead (obviously), Skinner's frenetic drumming morphs the whole sound into the peripheral realms of modern Jazz. We get surprising progressions, soaring orchestration and glimmering pop all at once. As expected, a thoroughly stunning listen.

The 13- track album was produced and mixed by Nigel Godrich and mastered by Bob Ludwig. Tracks feature strings by the London Contemporary Orchestra and a full brass section of contempoarary UK jazz players including Byron Wallen, Theon and Nathaniel Cross, Chelsea Carmichael, Robert Stillman and Jason Yarde.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood are joined by Tom Skinner of Sons Of Kemet fame, and it's amazing how transformative his presence can be. While there are elements of the sombre avant-electronics of Radiohead (obviously), Skinner's frenetic drumming morphs the whole sound into the peripheral realms of modern Jazz. We get surprising progressions, soaring orchestration and glimmering pop all at once. As expected, a thoroughly stunning listen.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
The Same
The Opposite
You Will Never Work In Television Again

Side B
Pana-vision
The Smoke
Speech Bubbles

Side C
Thin Thing
Open The Floodgates
Free In The Knowledge

Side D
A Hairdryer
Waving A White Flag
We Don’t Know What Tomorrow Brings
Skrting On The Surface