Smile (Boris album)

Smile is the fourteenth full-length album by Japanese experimental band Boris. It was released through Diwphalanx Records in early 2008, featuring guest musicians Michio Kurihara of Ghost and Stephen O'Malley of Sunn O))), both of whom have collaborated with Boris in the past. Shortly after this initial release, the album was released by American label Southern Lord with a slightly different track listing, different artwork (by Stephen O'Malley), and an almost entirely different sound. The first 3000 copies of this edition include a DVD containing videos for "Statement", "Pink" and "My Neighbor Satan".

Notably, this release is the second Boris album to feature vocals on every track (the first, excluding any one-track albums, was Amplifier Worship). Also, it delves more into experimental tendencies with a more manipulated sound, use of drum machines, and even experiments with sampled tracks (notably, "Dead Destination" is essentially "No Ones Grieve part 2" from The Thing Which Solomon Overlooked 2 with added vocals; part of the seventh song from Vein is in "You Put Up Your Umbrella"). Speaking of this, VEIN on the 2LP is essentially the 7th track with remixed bass, effects, and Atsuo screaming and howling atop the song.

It also seems to take a more humorous and jokey approach as Boris have referenced this album in an interview with Terrorizer Magazine as "un-cool" and "The sell-out album" with comical lyricism, an 80s look for the band themselves, and the tones of voice in some of the songs.

The album charted on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart at number 20.

Track listing

Diwphalanx CD

Southern Lord CD

Southern Lord vinyl

Southern Lord Bonus DVD

"Choice Cuts" Amazon Exclusive Drop-Card

Personnel

• Takeshi - guitar, bass guitar, vocals
• Wata - guitar, vocals
• Atsuo - drums, percussion, vocals
• Michio Kurihara - guitar on "My Neighbour Satan", "Flower, Sun, Rain", and "You Were Holding An Umbrella"
• Stephen O'Malley - guitar on "Untitled"

References