Bending Hectic
{{Infobox song
| name = Bending Hectic
| cover = The Smile Bending Hectic.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = the Smile
| album = Wall of Eyes
| released = 20 June 2023
| recorded =
| studio = Abbey Road Studios
| venue =
| genre = Post-rock
| length = 8:00
| label = XL
| writer = {{hlist|Jonny Greenwood|Thom Yorke|Tom Skinner}}
| composer =
| producer = Sam Petts-Davies
| prev_title = Thin Thing
| prev_year = 2022
| next_title = Wall of Eyes
| next_year = 2023
| misc =
}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
"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
In 2022, during their first North American tour, the Smile debuted material written while travelling.{{Cite web |title=Thom Yorke confirms The Smile are working on new music |url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/thom-yorke-confirms-the-smile-are-working-on-new-music |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=The Line of Best Fit |language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Skinner |first=Tom |date=2022-07-13 |title=Watch The Smile debut new song 'Bending Hectic' at Montreux Jazz Festival |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-smile-debut-new-song-bending-hectic-montreux-jazz-festival-footage-watch-3268319 |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=NME |language=en-GB}} 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).{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Alex |date=2022-12-13 |title=The Smile announce new live album recorded at Montreux Jazz Festival |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-smile-new-live-album-montreux-jazz-festival-2022-3365606 |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}
After completing the first leg of their first North American tour, the Smile began recording new material.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-23 |title=The Smile Are Seven Weeks Into Recording Their Next Album |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2217913/the-smile-are-seven-weeks-into-recording-their-next-album/news/ |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=Stereogum |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Abby |date=2023-06-16 |title=Jonny Greenwood says The Smile "have a big backlog of ideas" |url=https://consequence.net/2023/06/jonny-greenwood-smile-big-backlog-ideas/ |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=Consequence |language=en-US}} "Bending Hectic" was recorded in Abbey Road Studios, with production by Sam Petts-Davies and strings by the London Contemporary Orchestra.{{Cite web |last=Strauss |first=Matthew |date=2023-06-20 |title=The Smile Release New Song "Bending Hectic" |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/the-smile-release-new-song-bending-hectic-listen/ |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}
Composition
"Bending Hectic" begins with a detuned guitar and builds to a heavy crescendo, with lyrics describing a car crash, a familiar subject for Yorke.{{Cite web |last=Deville |first=Chris |date=2023-06-20 |title=The Smile share new single 'Bending Hectic': Listen |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2227470/the-smile-bending-hectic/music/ |access-date=2023-06-21 |website=Stereogum |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Deville |first=Chris |date=2024-01-01 |title=Premature Evaluation: The Smile Wall of Eyes |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2246233/the-smile-wall-of-eyes-review/reviews/premature-evaluation/ |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=Stereogum |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Oinonen |first1=Janne |date=21 January 2024 |title=The Smile Wall of Eyes |url=https://www.loudandquiet.com/reviews/the-smile-wall-of-eyes/ |access-date=26 January 2024 |website=Loud and Quiet}}
Release
"Bending Hectic" was released on 20 June 2023, the day before the Smile resumed their North American tour.{{Cite web |last=Dunworth |first=Liberty |date=2023-06-20 |title=The Smile release 'Bending Hectic', their first new music of 2023 |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-smile-release-bending-hectic-their-first-new-music-of-2023-3458351 |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=The Smile's "Bending Hectic" is packed tight with orchestral noise |url=https://www.thefader.com/2023/06/20/the-smile-bending-hectic |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=The FADER |language=en}} It was the first single from their second album, Wall of Eyes (2024).{{cite web |last=Lindert |first=Hattie |date=13 November 2023 |title=The Smile Announce New Album Wall of Eyes, Share Video for New Song Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/the-smile-announce-new-album-wall-of-eyes-share-video-for-new-song-directed-by-paul-thomas-anderson/ |access-date=13 November 2023 |website=Pitchfork}} An animated video was directed by Sabrina Nichols, with art by Yorke and Stanley Donwood.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-20 |title=The Smile release new track, 'Bending Hectic' |url=https://crackmagazine.net/2023/06/the-smile-release-new-track-bending-hectic/ |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=Crack Magazine}}
Reception
"Bending Hectic" received praise from critics and fans when the Smile first performed it. 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.{{Cite web |last=DeVille |first=Chris |date=2023-06-20 |title=The Smile share new single 'Bending Hectic': listen |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2227470/the-smile-bending-hectic/music/ |access-date=2023-06-21 |website=Stereogum |language=en}} 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."{{Cite web |last=DeVille |first=Chris |date=2024-09-26 |title=Premature evaluation: the Smile Cutouts |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2279890/the-smile-cutouts-album-review-thom-yorke/reviews/premature-evaluation/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=Stereogum |language=en}} American Songwriter said it would "chill the hearts and minds of fans listening, given its musical nuance and tonal nostalgia".{{Cite web |last=Burditt |first=Peter |date=2023-06-20 |title=The Smile Release New Single 'Bending Hectic' |url=https://americansongwriter.com/the-smile-release-new-single-bending-hectic/ |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=American Songwriter |language=en-US}}
Personnel
The Smile
- Thom Yorke – vocals, bass
- Jonny Greenwood – guitar, orchestration
- Tom Skinner – drums
Production
- Sam Petts-Davies
Additional musicians