Smiler

A massive group of guests appears throughout the session, including Paul McCartney, Elton John, and members of the Faces. The music acts as a clear record of a transition phase for the performer.

Released in 1974, the tracks shift between gritty blues-rock and acoustic arrangements common to the British scene of that decade. There is a palpable friction between his past reliance on pub-rock energy and a developing desire for ballads that could easily reach a radio audience.