Smile

This album is breathtaking. I nearly wrote a whole thing about separating art from its context. About how my appreciation of BWPS really has very little to do with the music itself. About how Smile plays more like a great documentary about the making of a great piece of art that was never actually made. About how it all feels a little nostalgic, a little "Disney." About how there's a quality to the mix and production of BWPS that I find unpleasantly nostalgic, stale, flat, over-produced. There's an element certainly that feels like a museum piece—the ornate stitching around the album art helps hit that home, as does the word "presents" in the album title. Not too mention the fact that there are far better recordings of many of these songs scattered across various post-Smile-sessions Beach Boys' albums, and that BWPS doesn't feature any other Beach Boys members. But—now that I've gotten those asides out of my system—I can reaffirm that this album is truly breathtaking. I think those struggles I have with BWPS are accurate, but the truth is listening to this album is an experience unlike any other I can think of in modern music. Recorded and released nearly 40 years after the 24-year-old originally sat down and attempted to record it, had a nervous breakdown, and ultimately abandoned the project, Smile is packed with so much emotional drama, so much story, so much humanity...it really makes me want to cry just thinking about Brian Wilson's personal struggle and ultimate success with this piece art. Sure, a part of me wonders constantly about the version of Smile that might have been recorded in 1967 as originally envisioned (and I can't help but miss the younger Brian Wilson's falsetto in these songs, either). But that doesn't take away from my thoroughly enjoying the version that the elder Brian Wilson released in 2004. In fact, it's an essential part of the experience of listening to BWPS. Listening to this album is to reflect on time, art, and age. To wonder about our younger selves and older selves, and if they're really the same person. To wonder if the art that we might have made in our youth could ever truly be re-created in our middle-to-old age. And to marvel specifically about the emotional journey Brian Wilson took in revisiting this material; reflecting on his younger self—a younger self in the throes of his traumatic, emotionally wrought, defining hours no less—and reclaiming a forgotten dream. I admire this album a great f***ing deal. This album is as great a champion of the human spirit as I can think of. And actually listening to the music, only heightens the emotional pull of that experience. Many moments on this album seriously make me want to cry in the same way I almost always cry listening to "God Only Knows." It's the music itself, but it's also the tragic, heartbroken figure of Brian Wilson inside of it. To hear him struggling through his music. Expressing his deepest feelings and personal anguish and doing it through the traditionally rigid confines of a 1960s pop format. Not to mention, there are some wonderful melodies and great pop experiments here. The whole album has a wonderfully cohesive, downriver flow to it. It's a very strange storybook sort of experience to actually sit down and listen to it. To unpack its movements, its textures, its characters, its geography, and musical histories. It's magical. But I'm also a Brian Wilson fanatic. In the liner notes for this album, author David Leaf asks, "Does Smile exist?" It's a legitimate question. And as an album that I think requires knowing some backstory to appreciate, it's hard to argue that this album really stands on its own in the way it might have in 1967. But does anything? BWPS is the realization of dream. It's music that soars well beyond the confines of music. It exists in our cultural unconscious; in our minds and in our hearts. Of course Smile exists. It always has. I was going to give them album a 4 but screw it, it's a 5.

Do I appreciate the history? YES Would I ever listen to this again? NO

I waited all my life for this, there's no way it's getting a bad review. I loved Smiley Smile, the 'best effort' that was put out when the label realised it would never be finished. Any album that contains Heroes and Villains and Good Vibrations is a clear contender for best album ever. That it also contains the delightful Vegetables too is just gilding the lily. Is it better than Pet Sounds? It's genuinely a possibility. One was ambitious but still sounded traditional. This might be a step too far ambition wise (certainly it was for Brian Wilson's mental health), but it reaches for the stars and sometimes comes tantalisingly close to touching them.

Boomer nostalgia shit

Wow. This is something. I'm glad I had the time to give it a focused listen. I think it might not be quite so great in the background but, as an activity all its own, this album's got layers galore to explore. It's symphonic with its movements and recurring motifs, one piece of music rather than a collection of songs. Tantalizing snippets of the familiar melody from Good Vibrations appear early in the album in Song for Children. Heroes and Villains and Surf's Up are similarly teased before those songs actually start. The instrumentation is incredible: strings, brass, woodwinds, a deep percussion bench, whistles (so many whistles!), power tools. So much to discover on repeated listens. (I appreciated the inclusion of the instrumental Heroes and Villains bonus track to hear some of the sounds I missed the first time through.) Lyrics are often child-like and nonsensical, often just repeated words, phrases and sounds, using the voices as more instruments as opposed to a means to tell a story. I'm so grateful that Brian Wilson found the strength to come back and finish this after a tough 40 years. It did indeed make me SMiLE.

Half a dozen great songs, and then a bunch of snippets and unfinished music fragments stitched together and padded out to album length. Lots of good ideas, but most don’t really feel fleshed out. Not the masterpiece that critics and a lot of people will tell you it is.

I listened with an open mind and even tried to like it, but, sorry folks, just bored me.

01) Our Prayer/Gee - 4,0 02) Heroes and Villains - 6,0 03) Roll Plymouth Rock - 5,0 04) Barnyard - 3,0 05) Old Master Painter/You Are My Sunshine - 3,0 06) Cabin Essence - 7,0 07) Wonderful - 6,0 08) Song For Children - 5,0 09) Child Is Father of the Man - 5,0 10) Surf's Up - 5,0 11) I'm in Great Shape/I Wanna Be Around/Workshop - 3,0 12) Vega-Tables - 4,0 13) On a Holiday - 5,0 14) Wind Chimes - 5,0 15) Mrs. O'Leary's Cow - 5,0 16) In Blue Hawaii - 5,0 17) Good Vibrations - 8,0 TOTAL: 4,94 (49/100) Maybe I'm just too tired, but I don't get this. It's like snippets of the songs, repeating all over again. "Cabin Essence" is the only song I hear, the rest are all 30 seconds snippets. Is this like a children's album? My favorite vegetables? WTF? Oh, I'm too tired, it's been a long day...

Don't get this at all. Clearly I'm in the minority, as it's so loved ... but to me, load of old guff

This would be considered too clownish to be a soundtrack to a toddler’s cartoon. If this is a masterpiece, then a toilet spewing the contents of a backed up septic is evidence of divine design of the universe. Nothing on this album is fun, listenable, or anything short of droning and irritating. Good Vibrations is on this for some reason, possibly to remind you what a weak song it is, despite its popularity. I suppose if you like the sound “ooooooh” a lot and really wish there was a more modern take on the barbershop quartet, this is probably for you. Otherwise, I highly recommend keeping functioning ears far away from this album which goes on so long, I’m fairly certain it exists to make sure it doesn’t end before you’ve forever lost the ability to smile. Wheeee, zzzzzip, pop pop pop, wheeeeeeeeeeee.

I agree with Noel Gallagher on this

So on films or cartoons whatever, when a character is sitting there and that weird effect comes on the screen as there about to daydream and it goes a bit warped with a strange sound as the transition takes place, that’s this whole album. I felt like I was on my way to daydream but never fucking get there. I dunno man. I couldn’t tell you if this album was 40 minutes long or if I am going to look in the mirror and I am 62 years old.

I just don't like the Beach Boys and I don't like this. There is the odd OK moment - but those slide whistles - jeez!

What the actual hell ? That was just annoying

Utter rubbish, only managed to listen to a few tracks before giving up. Beachboys on an extremely off day.

Phenomenal. Animal Collective owes him so much

The Beach Boys’ lost masterpiece is at last given the arrangement it has so long cried out for. Deeply emotional, satisfyingly complex, it represents the apex of Brian Wilson’s songwriting skill.

This album is nearly perfect and just absolutely incredible. Particularly for how good it sounds after so much time and history and gestation. What an accomplishment for Brian Wilson--a true masterpiece. We should consider ourselves lucky and fortunate that this even exists.

I went through a phase a few years ago when I had Pet Sounds on very heavy rotation, so it’s fair to say I love the songs by the Beach boys that I’ve already heard. Google says this is Brian Wilson’s version on an unreleased Beach Boys album from many moons ago. I’m excited to listen! Songs I already knew: Good Vibrations Favourites: Heroes and Villains, Cabin Essence I know this is a bold thing to say, but this was an actual perfect album. I’ve never been a believer of there being no such thing as perfection and this is a prime example of this. Brian’s composing is far beyond anything I’ve heard before. The opening track Our Prayer is comparable to a symphony, but with only voice. Heroes and Villains is much the same, but with a typical orchestra thrown into the mix too. There is so much going on with this music, and yet it manages to never sound too busy or overwhelming. It’s common knowledge that Brian Wilson isn’t the most mentally well man in the world, and being able to write something as beautiful as this in the midst of ongoing hallucinations should inspire people everywhere to never let anything stop you from doing what you love.

Brian Wilson is a genius, I don't know if I need to say anything else. I honestly think I like SMiLE more than Pet Sounds. The fact that this was unable to be released in this manner in the 60s is a tragedy. This world has been so unkind to Brian and I am so glad that he found the strength to fulfill his dreams after so many years of abuse and adversity.

This album has been a top five album for me for quite a while. Though I’m more partial to the 2011 release made with the original 1967 tapes, this release is more fleshed out and features lyrics that were never recorded by The Beach Boys. I won’t rehash the history of this album, but it was intended as The Beach Boys’ follow up to Pet Sounds. I firmly believe that if this album had been completed and released, it would have eclipsed Sgt. Pepper in its influence. Just its mystery alone, along with bootlegs cobbled together by fans as speculative releases gave credence to this album’s supposed genius. And genius is exactly what I would call this album. It is a kaleidoscope of Americana with ponderous and abstract lyrics by the great poet Van Dyke Parks told through Brian Wilson’s incredible and complex songwriting. Themes arise and are revisited and inverted to thread the album together to culminate in the emotional release of Good Vibrations in what is perhaps the most satisfying ending to an album ever. Surfs Up remains my favorite pop song and this album is always in heavy rotation.

Bon jovi

I still feel like a Beach Boys/Brian Wilson novice - I haven’t even listened to PET SOUNDS yet for crying out loud - so I’m not sure I’m ready for SMiLE, but here goes… Talk about an aptly named album! The choir opening leads into “Heroes and Villains” and I couldn’t help but smile. It’s fun and inventive and I instantly loved it from beginning to end. Old favorites like “Surf’s Up” and “Good Vibrations.” Vegetables. Sea shanties. Barnyard animals. SMiLE is a genuine adventure! Despite the inevitable changes in Brian Wilson and the world in the nearly 40 years it took to complete SMiLE it feels like a vision fully realized. I’m stunned by this mythical creature that has appeared in my headphones. I love listening to this. I love that Brian Wilson created this. I love that this can exist. I love SMiLE.

I'm just saying: If you want to hear the best version of the Smile album, listen to the 2011 released original 1967 album. Not that this album is bad and it definitely was better than 'Smiley Smile' but 'The Smile Sessions (2011)' is just the proper way to enjoy these tracks best. Anyway, if you are not familiar with what this album is: basically Brian Wilson (from the Beach Boys) had a project planned after 'Pet Sounds' but had to scrap that after the were more and more disagreements within the band. The songs were stripped down into 'Smiley Smile' (1967) and Wilson did not touch the album due to the formation of a trauma as he began to drift into schizophrenia and depression. In 2003 he made a live version of the album with new overworked melodies/structures and decided to make that into a studio album a year later. Movement One: The albums beginns with the vocal-only intro of 'Our Prayer / Gee' that turns halfway through into a piano driven and typical Beach Boys vocal harmony. I don't mind the song but I am not much interested in it either. The end of that song announces the next 'Heroes and Villains' a song filled with a lot of vocal harmonies and (considering 1967) experimental pop takes that in 2003 were simply artistic choices rather than "weird". Still, the song is very memorable and moves through different stages and has a couple of "false" endings where you think the song is over for a second but then it comes right back with more vocal harmonies. My only real criticism is that it feels a bit streched halfway through. Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys were great in making short but effective pop songs but at nearly 5 minutes it does get a bit ponderous. A song that might not be as strong in terms of being as instantly recognisable and catchy, 'Roll Plymouth Rock' still has a lot of great moments and I think it doesn't loose its momentum as much as 'Heroes and Villans'. The Hawaiian part is also really catchy and I at first thought he sang "Hallelujah" but no, it's Hawaiian. 'Barnyard' is a pretty short but cute interlude between the songs. I like the animal sounds and all around. It's cute, that's it. 'Old Master Painter / You Are My Sunshine' is another "interlude" type song but instead of being pretty cute, it's rather boring. I feel it only deserves to be here as a bridge between 'Barnyard' and the next song. And speaking of the next song, 'Cabin Essence' is a pretty good song. It has a nice transition between cowbells, violins and harmonica that make the song just flow in between its parts. Movement Two: The second half beginns with 'Wonderful' a pretty nice song that has a very lush warmth to it. It isn't anything crazy but it works and that is what counts. That song transitions into 'Song for Children' that works a lot with multiple transitional harmonies in the chorus that switch between the singers with Wilson taking the main presence. A really neat song that adds another memorable piece to the album. 'Child Is Father of the Man' takes a darker approach to the same song that was 'Song for Children' and it surprisingly works. The duality that are both songs make it a great transition without even having one noticable. A great idea with a great execution. The song 'Surf's Up' became the title track for the Beach Boys 1971 album. Nontheless, it was a part of the Smile Sessions and I'm happy they included it here as it is one of the best tracks on the album. It has a somber start that works while taking most of the song but when the chorus starts, the song is elevated even more. It is one of my favourite moments and near the end the "Father of the Child" motive is repeated once more closing of this second half perfectly. Movement Three: The last part starts with the short medley of 'I'm in Great Shape / I Wanna Be Around / Workshop' that works much better compared to 'Old Master Painter / You Are My Sunshine'. It's transitions are noticable but not disruptive and the workshop part is really funny. A much weirder song is 'Vega-Tables' that actually features much less vegetables than the original version and as I am not a big fan of the vegetables, I actually prefer this version although I still don't like it as much as other tracks. The vocal harmonies are pretty good though. Another repetion of an earlier motive has 'On a Holiday' that has the 'Roll Plymouth Rock' chorus integrated. That transitions into 'Wind Chimes' another more laid-back but effective song that strips down on a lot of the "wall of sound" instrumentation. The result is a cute song in which every detail is noticed. And then out of nowhere comes it all back with loud and dense instruments and as fast as it cames and vanishes before re-appearing to form the songs outro. And although there is a lot of dynamic, I am not the biggest fan. A pretty weird song 'Mrs. O'Leary's Cow' with all the "gnome laughing" and goofy sound effects that actually elevate this song more than one would think. Still a rather forgettable song. 'In Blue Hawaii' is the best one on this part of the album so far. It is catchy, interesting and doesn't disrupt as much as other songs. The vocal effects are also really adding to the experience of the song. And of course, to close it all off: 'Good Vibrations'. The legendary and incredible song that is good in every version that the Beach Boys or BW recorded. And while I prefer the original, this is still the best song on the album. A worthy and perfect closing track. If I had to rank all three movements it would be: 1. Movement 2 (Wonderful -> Surf's Up) 2. Movement 1 (Our Prayers / Gee -> Cabin Essence) 3. Movement 2 (I'm in Great Shape / IWBA / WS -> Good Vibrations) favourites: Good Vibrations, Surf's Up, Song for Children + Child Is Father of the Man least favourites: Old Master Painter / You Are My Sunshine, Our Prayer / Gee, Mrs. O'Leary's Cow, Vega-Tables Rating: strong 7 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

It can't get a 5 because I feel it is lacking the magic and fun of the original recordings. It's brilliant and beautiful but original flavour is always the best.

... wow... I know some B-Boy fans may be ga-ga over this, but I thought it is a hot mess. The vocals and melodies are there, but man-o-man I can't un-hear this. Don't lump what Brian was trying to create here.... 2 only because he threw in a "Good Vibrations" redo,

Not a fan. This is the type of music your boomer uncle puts on when he tries to persuade you and your cousins that "music was so much better in my day." This was like an LSD trip at a haunted circus where the clowns are zombies chasing you for your brain. No bueno. There is no redeeming factor in this. At all.

Listened to it twice in a row. Good stuff.

Originally drafted after “Pet Sounds” as a “teenage symphony to god”, SMiLE was abandoned by Beach Boys frontman Brian Wilson after numerous setbacks and mental breakdowns, as well as the release of Sgt. Pepper. Now, nearly 40 years later, Brian finally brought a fully matured version of SMiLE to listeners, presenting what is probably the greatest pop album in the 2000s. The album lives up to its title and then some. It’s just so… fun. Are there better performances of the songs on other existing Beach Boys albums? Yes. But this album’s flow between them all is unmatched. Infectious pop hooks framed with an orchestra and packed vocal section, glazed with witty lyrics by original SMiLE collaborator Van Dyke Parks, all come together with the trademark Beach Boys harmonisation to dazzle the listener. And not a dull moment is heard on this album. Truly one for the ages, and a worthy fulfilment of Brian’s promise all those years ago. Standout Songs: “Heroes and Villains” “Roll Plymouth Rock” “Surf’s Up” “Vege-Tables” “In Blue Hawaii” “Good Vibrations”

Incredible. If Brian was able to record this at the Beach Boys’ prime as intended, this would have undeniable GOAT status, but even now it’s unbelievably gorgeous music. A

I can't believe I never listened to this album! What an emotional conclusion to Smile. The first two songs made me tear up, thinking of what this must have been like to actually finish after so many years. I'd listened to the Smile sessions dozens of times before, but I would always come away confused its overall direction. It felt beautiful and far advanced from Pet Sounds, but incomplete. This really feels like all the pieces of the puzzle are in their place. And what a treatment! Brian's writing is incomparable... wide-eyed and childlike, but always with some complexity lurking. Now that everything is arranged the way it was intended to be, it makes so much sense. The album plays out like a film or musical... very strong arcs. I could gush about this more, but I mean... it's one of my favorite and most cherished songwriters, finally realizing a vision that was a dream for 40 years. Emotional and captivating. 5 absolutely deserved stars. As an album, it feels completely realized, in a way that I never appreciated before

Well… that was a bloody brilliant, beautifully bonkers ride through Brian Wilson’s mind. A true creative maverick and songwriting genius.

I have heard of this album and even had added it to my library a while back, as I was curious about it. Today was my first listen, however. I am glad I have finally taken the time to explore it! The album was not an assembly of singles, but rather a musical event meant to be experienced in it entirety. The recurring musical themes and deliberately designed transitions make the album more of a work of art...one that I can appreciate. I will say that for some of the tracks where I am already familiar with the versions from The Beach Boys, I was not always thrilled. However, as an overall album, I can totally dig it!

Brian Wilson Presents Smile I remember buying this when it came out and there was quite a bit of excitement, although I don’t think I listened to it a great deal then. Kind of an odd one, and tricky to separate the context from the actual music, although I’m not sure its worthwhile to do that - the context of finishing the album he never finished and that caused him to have a mental breakdown is the album and is the music. Listening today I thought it might sound dated to 2004, but it has aged really well (apart from a drum fill on Wind Chimes), it sounds lovely, with a lot of warmth and depth, and his voice sounds also great, the age and the years in it suit the themes of childhood nostalgia and fantasy in the songs and add an extra layer of being sung 40 years after they were written and first sung. I think the three suites work well, suiting the recurring motifs and musical references as well as the themes, and going through it song by song misses the point, although the songs already recorded by the Beach Boys do stand out: Heroes and Villains, Cabin Essence, Surf’s Up, Vega-Tables. The version of Good Vibrations is fine, but does lack the charm and freshness of the original recording. The music of the Beach Boys, and it’s uniqueness is probably a separate conversation, but I really enjoyed this, both for what it is musically in its own right, but also for the context and history - I really like the palpable sense of catharsis turning into joy as he re-visits and tries to finish the album that was in his head in 1967, and there’s no doubt of his skill as an arranger and pop orchestrator. It may not hit the heights of the Beach Boys but its a solid 4 for me. 🙃🙃🙃🙃 Playlist submission: Heroes and Villains

A blast out of time. Feels modern and vintage at the same time. Almost saccharin sweet. I feel like the harmonies aren't quite as perfect as Beach Boys, but very close.

I really liked the variety of this album. At some points there was spook and others it was very happy which made me wondering what mood would come next. I really liked the last song and its eerie mood. Very good album and I could see a lot of simulators to the Beach Boys of course and I liked it.

Gets pretty dark in places!

This album obviously has the sounds and charm of a Beach Boys album, but the lyrics are something else. There are large religious themes through many of the songs, but also one of the songs is about organic vegetables. Its definitely a fun album with some interesting messages throughout.

First time I've heard this and it's great.

Really interesting, especially reading the history. Like a symphony at times, but bouncing between rich harmonies, complex songs, and goofy, childish tunes. Only a few that can really be called songs. A huge range of instruments.

“Surf’s Up” is a sparkling title that’s an odd fit to a song that’s shambling, hesitant and sluggish, not easy to remember in part or entirety. It’s carefully wrought and reaches for the deep parts while also sounding rushed, thrown together and unsure of itself - and this is how the album hits me as a whole. I’m a “Pet Sounds”-liker, am glad this exists, but I prefer thinking about it to listening to it: “Smile” works as a sequence of distractions, but the challenge with presenting a pop album of songs built from many modules is that it needs several times as many tunes as a regular album to hold the ears. “Good Vibrations” is masterful, “Heroes and Villains” has kick, and the rest is a sometimes-intriguing mash, with the inevitable, detestable carnival music interval making a cameo to remind you what decade this comes from.

Probably rock’s most mythical album, Smile stayed unrealized for nearly 40 years before being recreated by Brian Wilson in 2004. Had it been released in 1967, I have the feeling it would have been a pretty divisive record. Because of its ambition, it likely would have received mixed reviews, it’s not anywhere near as immediate as Pet Sounds or any of The Beach Boys’ prior work. Over time, however, it likely would have gained appreciation, as listeners and critics had the opportunity to revisit the record. On a personal level, I think the historical aspect of Smile is more interesting than the reality of this decades-later recreation, as excellent as it is. 2011’s Smile Sessions Boxset, is an exhaustive companion to this and mostly allows you to hear the record as it would have been released in 1967, with recordings of these songs from that time.

Maybe the originally conceived album would have been great. I know Brian recorded what he considers the definitive version. There is some really great stuff on here, but also some half baked ideas. Ultimately, too many underdeveloped ideas. If all the songs ended up as good as Heroes and Villains and Good Vibrations, we would have a 5-star album on our hands. But Mrs. O'Leary's cow is not gonna get you into 5-star land.

A multitalented songwriter with a tremendous grasp of musical styles, but the songs are all too disjointed to feel like you ever really get “into” it.

He got there in the end, but was it worth the wait. Complex harmonies, counterpoints all over the place, tight vocal performances throughout. Gets way too nursery-rhymey through the middle and the crisp production never lets any of the Casio samples hide. Songs aren't at all memorable.

“Lying in Bed Just like Brain Wilson Dead” I understand Brian Wilson covered this Bare Naked Ladies’ song on one of his tours. Why wasn’t there room on the 1001 for a Bare Naked Ladies’ LP? They could have left this Brian Wilson album off the list.

Jesus Christ what is this shit? Did someone record an open mic at a kindergarten? Van Dye Parks is a fucking self-satisfied charlatan. It's certainly no Pet Sounds..

I know it’s sacriligious to say but: I am massively annoyed.

The productions just sounds uncomfortable. The timing seems off. Sounds a little like when a movie distorts the audio when a character is on depressants. The layers feel like they don't mesh. Probably should have just stayed existing in hearts and minds Someone should make a horror movie based on this album with it as the soundtrack.

Listened to this while playing the ship maintenance phase of ISS Vanguard. I liked this album when it came out, but we were all young and stupid once. Seriously...whoever was responsible for putting this on the list deserves to listen to "Vega-tables" on a loop for eternity. I honestly would die more happy if I never have to listen to this again.

My apologies fellow travellers, the nostalgia is so lost on me, even after reading of the emotional journey needed to do this work. Suitable listening alongside a Brian Wilson biography perhaps?

I have been known to not like the Beach Boys as a knee jerk reaction, so upon first seeing today's album, I didn't hold out much hope that Brian Wilson's solo stuff would be any different. Boy was I right. This is actually much worse than anything the Beach Boys ever put out as a group. Apparently Brian started this album as a Beach Boys record, as a follow up to their album Pet Sounds in the 60's, then had a mental breakdown, and ended up taking 40 years to get his life back in order. As a nod to the Barenaked Ladies song: Brian Wilson should have stayed in bed. First off, as with every Beach Boys song ever released, there are so many layers of La La La's, Ooo Ooo Ooo's, and Do Do Doo's that it's sometimes hard to hear what Brian is saying. Not that it matters, because his lyrics are mostly nonsense. Also, I found it very hard to get into the groove and listen to this album because in one song, Brian may change up instruments, tempos, and storylines about 50 fucking times. I don't know if Brian was on good drugs, or bad meds but my fuck, at least the Beach Boys music had a direction. A lot of the time this music made me think there was someone who owned an obscure music shop who kept going out back and fetching new instruments, and the exchange would be like: I have this trumpet.. OK, I'll play that for 22 seconds... How about this choir bell? Perfect, I'll use that for 36.5 seconds... A tambourine? Excellent I'll wail on that for 56 seconds... How about this fucking drill and hammer? Excellent, I'll make a whole song using them!! For some reason, it seems like Brian was obsessed with the harpsichord on a lot of this record for some reason, so all I could think of is the Addam's Family theme song with many layers of shit laid over top. This "compilation album" is garbage, and I truly think I would take the lowest rated album on this list: Einsturzende Neubauten's Kollaps over this any day. A horrible listen, and I will never listen to it again. I barely got through it once today. Favourite song: if forced to pick, Heroes and Villains Least favourite songs: the whole album, but most of all, Mrs. O'Leary's Cow 1/5

Beautiful album. Almost forty years after it was first attempted by the Beach Boys, Brian finally finished his masterpiece. Most of these tunes send shivers down my spine.

Frankly, it's amazing this record wasn't salvaged at the time. It's amazing. I understand Brian Wilson was having a lot of mental issues, but anyone involved in the recording should have recognized the brilliance. I can only assume that one of the factors is that the record label probably thought it was far out -- really not at all what anyone would expect from the Beach Boys -- and so the record label wasn't pushing for it to be finished. (I know there's tons of history around this record, and I don't think I've read any of it, so that's just an educated guess. Another great example of this is Daryl Hall "Sacred Songs" which is a fantastic record and it just kind of went into obscurity... his label wouldn't let him release it, they went back and forth, he wrote the sardonic tune "Something in 4/4 Time" which is about as strong of a rebuke as you'll hear from an artist to a record label. That album was totally out there compared to the output from Hall & Oates and understandably the record label was concerned that the solo record would reflect poorly on the duo career. Anyhow, great record, never got any label support, most people have never heard of it...)

Great harmonies, very inventive and weird in the best ways

One of the most beautiful albums ever created. Had this come out back in the 60s it would have completely changed the game. Sadly too many issues stopped this project from ever fully realizing back then, but at least now we have this. Superb vocals as always with a Beach Boy, but my god the arrangements are next level. One of my favorite discoveries on here is this album

I actually liked this album!! It took me to a different place.

Bilo bi bolje da je izašlo tad kad je trebalo ali i dalje je nevjerojatno koliko su dobre ove pjesme

I need to know it by heart

The backstory to this one is insane. We are truly blessed this came to be. The true spiritual sequel to Pet Sounds. And Brian Wilson proves that even so many years later he is a genius.

10/10. I'm not a fan of The Beach Boys, but this album is literally so amazing. I absolutely love it. :)

Standouts: • Our Prayer / Gee • Heroes and Villains • Roll Plymouth Rock • Cabin Essence • Song for Children • Surf's Up • On a Holiday • In Blue Hawaii • Good Vibrations

Everything Brian Wilson touches turns to gold

I'm picking up good vibrations...

Very good.

An astonishing record. Was great to listen again. Had to stop still and pay full attention to Surfs up - beautiful

Amazing achievement by Brian Wilson. Went to see this performed live in Manchester 2004. Hearing surfs up made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, still does. Was already familiar with outakes/smiley smile but heard in this format as a cohesive piece of music was a moving experience.

Pre-listening thoughts: was literally just reading up on this albums history one week ago today 😭. I went down a crazy Beach Boys rabbit hole for some reason and it was super entertaining but one of their biggest pieces of lore is this album/Smile sessions/Smiley Smile. I’m not gonna take the time to explain it ALL here but the main gist is The Beach Boys worked on Smile for a while and it never met Brian’s expectations (among other issues) and it never got released. So then a bunch of the songs were reworked into the album Smiley Smile but it wasn’t the original vision they were going for. Smile was one of the most famous pieces of unreleased material (fans would try to piece together what they thought the album would sound like based on leaks) until Brian released this, and then the record label released more footage from the recording sessions. I think reading the full lore will change your perspective on this album. And lowkey… listen to all 3 mentioned above if you get the chance/have the time. Smiley Smile was the first Beach Boys album I chose to listen to a while back and I knew NONE of the context. I have no clue why I chose that album. Maybe something inside of me knew it had really interesting lore. Post/during listening thoughts: man if you don’t know the lore this just sounds like Beach Boys stuff but a little more bizarre 😭. Also without the rest of the boys. But like I see the vision. Or at least part of it. But the album itself never really reached a finished state. This may be my most undecided rating ever. On one hand I really want to give this a 5 just because it was so beyond ahead of its time in 1967 and it is really musically inventive and complex. On the other hand, how often would I revisit something as weird (and really unfinished) as this? The lyrics are questionable at times (looking at you, Van Dyke Parks). The newly done production also doesn’t have the same charm as the old sessions. But the top review for this album sums up my feelings pretty well - it’s not really about the music itself and more about the confrontation of a 40 yr old vision with this album. Im so sorry but I have to give this a 5 because the whole story is just so cool to me. But just know, my 5 encompasses not only this album, but also the Smile Sessions, as well as Smiley Smile. I feel like you really need to hear all 3 at some point to have a sense of why this one in particular is important. 9/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: lowkey… Fav tracks: Heroes and Villains, Roll Plymouth Rock, Wonderful, Surfs Up, Vega-Tables, Good Vibrations Least fav tracks: Barnyard 😭 don’t know why I could handle the veggie song and not this one

Astonishing

This was an interesting one. I liked the overall composition! Fun, whimsical instrumentals with at times fairly ethereal vocals. It was a fun listen. 'Good Vibrations' was my fave.

Simply wonderful

Brian Wilson is arguably the most important U.S. pop musical artist of the rock and roll era other than perhaps Elvis Presley and I had the great fortune of seeing him perform Smile live in 2004. Just great!

Genius, brilliant, my only criticism is that Brian didn’t get to record it this way when his voice was younger.

5/5. It feels pretentious to give this a 5 but with every listen, I notice a different song and it's crazy these were thought of in 1967 and how progressive they are. It feels like the evolution from Beastie Boys debut to Paul's Boutique. Keeps the same genre but really evolves it to almost a new genre in and of itself. I always think about something I read that said pop music would be very different if this actually came out in 1967. We would have artists try a lot more things if this came out. A lot of people say Beatles albums were progressive but only in one direction. This goes everywhere and it's 100% an album that needs to be listened to front to back. It's a 5 for audacity and innovation alone, plus it's a fun listen. The original recordings version is better that came out later but still great here. Best Song: Heroes and Villains, Surf's Up, Wonderful

has clawed its way in the last couple years to become my absolute favorite version of smile...almost makes me glad that the initial sessions fell apart purely so this version could exist in this form, with this old man brian wilson voice and this full breath technicolor production. smile is an album people get lost in even when theyre not listening to it, hearing the stories and putting together the pieces in various configurations...but it shouldnt be discounted that the record itself is , for me, one of the definitive Get Lost In listening experiences, utterly engrossing with the beach boy harmonic style and the brian wilson melodic style taken to absolute extremes in a series of dreamlike suites so real that u can reach out and touch them. and unlike what i thought for years (though it sounds so obvious in hindsight), this doesnt lose the hauntological appeal of the sessions one tiny bit, in fact it probably has it even more strongly...so much has changed, but smile refuses to die in whatever form it takes. a good contender for the single most vibrant and colorful record ever made. and the best ever in general, tbh.

Some of this is excellent, and some of this is maybe the most beautiful music I have ever heard, stopping me in my tracks and bringing me to the verge of tears. I have been superficially aware of Smile and Brian Wilson's struggles with the album from the 1960s (shamefully, I was only made aware by one of my favorite movies; Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story), but I didn't know it was actually completed in 2004. This has been the best "never heard it before" album from this list for me. I'm definitely adding this to my personal collection and will be listening again. Probably today, actually...

columnated ruins domino

One of the best. I count myself lucky to have seen this album performed live in Denver in the early to mid ‘00’s. Made me a fan of Brian Wilson’s genius.

Brilliant

What a nice record! I really enjoyed the good vibes it brought. I will definitely listen to this more often.

Really really liked this. Makes you ponder where it would stand had it been released when it was supposed to be, given how iconic Pet Sounds is now. Simpsons: Yes

Holy shit, I think I finally get Brian Wilson / The Beach Boys! The vocal harmonies, the creativity for the hell of it, and the positive vibes - terrific!

:)

Oh my word this was great! Almost sad or uncomfortable at points, yet always felt brilliant and deliberate :)

It may not fire on every cylinder, but I think it's a true gift to the world that Brian managed to get this together 37 years later. The opening track is sublime.

My preference when it comes to *Smile* will always go to the original unfinished album by the Beach Boys that Brian Wilson abandoned in 1967. Indeed, in 2011, *Brian Wilson Presents Smile*'s sequencing served as a blueprint for *The Smile Sessions*, a compilation dedicated to the original Beach Boys recordings, reconstructed through all the tapes recorded in 1967. You just need to listen to the two versions of hit single "Good Vibrations", between the 1966 original one (released to tease the album that never came to fruition) and the 2004 version, to understand where the difference lies. The original is simply iconic, whereas the 21st century version, admittedly endearing and perfectly faithful to the original, is obviously the work of an older man that doesn't possess the voice of his youth anymore, through no fault of his own... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Smile_Sessions So there's absolutely nothing wrong with this project, which was executed with a profound respect for Wilson's original intents, even with the minor changes here and there. It's just that *Smile* is a product of the sixties, and that even if its 1967 release only occured in an alternate universe, that's where and how its emotional impact is the most potent for me. Pretty sure the off-kilter, experimental nature of the project would have been controversial, had Wilson managed to overcome his insecurities (fuelled by drug use and a schizoaffective disorder) so as to not abandon it at the time. But you can bet your boots that the album would have been considered a milestone decades later. Its complicated history in our world sure added to the myth. But the elegiac, Wordsworth-inspired vocal mantras of "Surf's Up / Child Is Father To The Man", the hypnotic, surreal groove of "Cabinessence" and whimsical adventures of "Vega-Tables" (pointing to far later Animal Collective gems in quite an outstanding manner), or the sly, playful twists and turns of "Heroes And Villains", are as stunning today as they were during the late sixties. Evidence enough of Wilson's mad genius. Number of albums left to review: 74 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 398 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 231 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 298 (including this one, but I'll add *The Smile Sessions* instead).

I’m only giving this 4 stars because I prefer the version with The Beach Boys. This, though is also essential, with more lyrics than the original. What a treasure it was when this came out and we finally had an official document of Brian’s magnum opus. You know what? This gets 5 stars, it’s just too good.

Smile indeed I did. All the way through this glorious LP.

This was 35 years in the making you better give it a 5

Beautiful album. Brian Wilson is a genius.

This was an incredible listen, made all the more impressive given the fact that Wilson was in his 60s at the time of recording. You'd never know from the quality of his vocals -- both in lead and in harmonization. This album is full of beautiful songwriting and display of craft as songs shift back and forth with beautiful layering and plenty of minute details to pick up in the mix. The sequencing here is fantastic as the whole thing maintains a sense of cohesive urgency start to finish. Definitely some kooky, psychedelic workings in the mix here. All the "animal sounds" on Barnyard; the trippy back and forth of concepts on Roll Plymouth Rock; the deeply unsettling flip into You Are My Sunshine; and especially Mrs. O'Leary's Cow, which is far more metal than anything I would have expected here. Some really beautiful songs tucked in here. Surf's Up, I've heard before, but I never tire of it. Same can be said for Good Vibrations. Also love Heroes and Villains. Just a fantastic album. Not quite prefect, but worthy of a low 5.

Sweet.

It’s kind of a miracle that this album was finished and it’s a pretty remarkable call back to Wilson’s younger years. Amazing.

Wonderful!

What a delightfully bizarre and beautiful album. This was cool to listen to having watched The Beach Boys docu just a few weeks back. Loved having the context of the album and knowing the circumstances around its recording. Innovative and troubled and enjoyable and lots more!

Gobsmacking to find this was removed from the book, with the amount of pure dross that's been kept in. The incorrect Rufus Wainwright record was preferred to this. Whereas this literally a piece of musical history from one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Whether you personally like it, that's an actual fact. There's such a story behind it. Probably the greatest crime the editor has committed so far, and I am over 750 albums in. I still remember going down to visit my best friend and we went to London, and he was so obsessed with this album (or rather the unfinished record that turned into this, it was pre-2004) that he talked about almost nothing else all day. I found it slightly annoying at the time as I wasn't well versed, but then I heard this, and the original cuts, and I understood. Ferreting around on internet message boards to find fan-compiled mixes made from the original recordings (PurpleChick was a good one, until it was finally released in 2011) Magical.

Very enjoyable, upbeat, Beach Boys sound

This album was an experience. Relevance to this list: 5/5 Personal enjoyment: 5/5

Purple Chick Smile > Smile Sessions > Brian Wilson's Smile

He’s a genius