Agreed completely. More insulting is the fact that this is dumbing-down of Google Scholar, and so presumably aimed at a demographic of above-average intelligence and emphasis on content compared to the typical computer user.

"Cite" and "Save" are self-explanatory, icons are not. They're also unusual on a line with plenty of other text (which no doubt they would now decide to "iconify" in the future...)

I've seen enough of this trend that phrases like "cleaner look" make me think of an empty room left behind by someone who decided to throw away everything you need --- bland and useless. It's beyond stupid.