Smile

Dense. Very dense. I'd never heard this when it came out, partly due to little kid distraction (redundant) and partly due to a lifelong aversion to most Beach Boys material. Which is weird because this kind of iconoclastic overtly melodic composition is fascinating to me and extremely appealing. Nothing in here is immediate single/radio material (outside the newly recorded version of "Food Vibrations" which honestly I like better than the original) which is great - full stop. But again that makes it a (good) challenge to delve into and oft-times feels longer than the 52 minute runtime. But damn if this isn't worth repeat listens - it *sounds* fantastic, there are multiple layers of melody running in and out of every song. I can't imagine how many writes / re-writes / edits this went through over the decades - and the end result is so lush and complex... the satisfaction on finishing must have been a true life goal. Compared to (more) modern artists I can hear strong elements of Jellyfish and Animal Collective running through the work (even tho much of this was finally compiled from music that was 30+ years old). Although a lot of the critical wanking is just too much to take seriously, i really do enjoy a good album creation story. It's hard to personally evaluate this in just one day and yeah, it's hard to find the quick big hooks but inevitably that's the hallmark (for me) of a great album. And I don't even like those old Beach Boys harmonies...but this feels better - a lot better. I'm gonna mark this as a 4 after two listens knowing I haven't really even tapped into this in any meaningful way yet. 8/10 4 stars

I know the basics of the Brian Wilson/beach boys story so I get why this album is historically notable and I can definitely tell that it was made by a semi crazy person at points but I probably don’t have the full context. Either way, it was fun to hear 60s music that actually came out in 2004 and as far as the craziness goes, it was fascinating to hear some of these songs. Like Mrs o learys cow sounds completely different from everything else and could only come from one persons wild idea for a song. Good vibrations is still a banger and the intro is also a standout for me.

CD

Just about all of this sounds like Beach Boys, which tracks. Fun stuff

Unexpectedly good and good kind of weird Of course, "Good vibrations" is a classic

*Listening note* If you can turn on a moderate amount of crossfading, this album warrants it. Harmonies! Brian Wilson!

This feels like a magnum opus for Brian. A swan song, if you will. First of all, a fun listen throughout and powerful where it needs to be. I’m a little foggy on the particulars of this album’s backstory. I tried finding a YouTube video on it, but they’re all so long. Apparently, some serious stuff went down. That might really be all you need to know for the album to work as an intense piece of art. The arrangement evokes something I can only describe as tangibly ethereal. This version of “You Are My Sunshine” is possibly my favorite that’s ever been made. For 1967, this isa truly incredible piece of music that would have, no doubt, changed the game and inspired countless artists. For 2004, it falls by the wayside and gets a lot of “if only” points. Though it isn’t offensive, Brian’s aged voice can’t keep up with the magic this album needs to provide in order for it to work. So therefore, it gets a perfect score for theory, but a point off for being too late and execution which is a TAD too sloppy. 4/5

I enjoyed this.

cha cha cha very nice

Listened to the Smile Sessions.

One gets ultra-theatrical, like Wonka-esque or Pleasuredome vibes on this. It's rich and lush and absurdly melodic and intermittently wondrous, but also tending to the wackily baroque to an extent far out of one's comfort zone. The opening prayer sets the tone, and there are gems throughout – "A Song for Children" and "Surf's Up" and of course "H & B" and "Good Vibes." Overall, this is hugely indulgent, but one indulges BW here because of Pet Sounds, which this isn’t, however smile-inducing and fun it is. Belongs on the list because of its historical import.

I enjoyed this quite a bit.

Wonderful harmonies but also eccentric and strange.

Bizarre to say the least. But good in its own right. Love the Brian Wilson sound.

very fun!

Beach Boys, Charlie Manson, there’s something there

The missing Beach Boys album and it wonderfully scratches that itch. I would have loved to hear this as produced at the time but the modern production suits fine. Brian Wilson, as always, is a sneaky great song writer and lyricist. Tracks that become ear worms that also floor you with content. Really great listen.

I've been in this town so long that back in the city I've been taken for lost and gone And unknown for a long, long time Fell in love years ago with an innocent girl From the Spanish and Indian home Of the Heroes and Villains Once at night, cotillion squared the fight And she was right in the rain of the bullets That eventually brought her down But she's still dancing in the night Unafraid of what a dude'll do In a town full of Heroes and Villains Weird album full of antique vibrations and history of mental illness. Its pretty good, though. 4/5

this album opened as a 5, but soon became a bit too beach boysey and experimental to stay that way. but still a very good album

Fun Album. Love the Beach Boys. Love Good Vibrations!

Exceptionally produced but hard to listen to after a certain point. A bit too much sugar for my taste.

Holy Grail for harmonies. Nice.

Voice front and center. This is a flawed album in my opinion as I think the tools that Brian Wilson wanted/needed were not available to really build what he wanted. It would be very cool for someone to rebuild this album using the latest software. Still, this is an amazing album in how it spins off into its own world. It is like the birth of ballet by making special rules for how one stands and moves. The music builds on known methods but asserts its own rules. The layers are amazing. The lyrics are almost throw-away in terms of any meaning as it is more about the flow, cadence, melody, sound and not a specific meaning of language. A very cool album that opened a door for many people.

cool to hear a re-cut of good vibrations!

Can’t really beat Wilson’s harmonies. Pretty close to church music — good and bad.

If only the rest of the Boys could have opened their mind and allowed this to be. Brian's genius at work.

Had some brilliant moments of harmony and melody only he can think up

I didn't realize Brian Wilson was a beach boy and immediately got whiplash from heroes and villains

A wonderful album. On the whole, I really dislike “quirky” or “goofy” music but I really enjoy bands/artists that think outside the box. In this case the “outside the box” music outweighs the silliness of the album

Beautiful

Smiley smile is better. This is good, even great, but it wasn’t going to push McCartney and Lennon to higher achievements. It occurred to me while listening to this that while most of the comparison goes McCartney-Wilson, Lennon and Brian had one major thing in common. They never move on from the music of their youth, even embracing it in their later days. Both men are capable of many styles, but 50s rock and roll remains their bedrock. This album includes doo-wop harmonies, eighth-note piano, walking bass lines, etc. I prefer the versions of the songs on Smiley Smile, and none of the new songs grabbled in the way a great Brian Wilson song can. As far as 20th century American composers, he ranks with Scott Joplin, Gershwin, Dylan, Hank Williams, Willie Dixon, Ellington, Jimmy Webb, Cole Porter, Frank Zappa, Joni Mitchell, Aaron Copeland, Thelonius Monk and Burt Bacharach. You can add your personal favourites. I know I'm forgetting some. But that list should suffice in showing where Brian Wilson sits in the US music pantheon. (It's in no real order, just written as they came to mind). Having said that, this is not his best work. Go back to Smiley smile, or even the over-rated Pet Sounds, or Cabinessence, or 20/20 or Surf's Up, or Love You. Listen to the glory of Good Vibrations - the original I mean. Listen to I Get Around, or Wouldn't it be nice... https://www.toppermost.co.uk/beach-boys/ I wrote the first bit, and it's as good a list as any to show Brian's greatness. Smile is great. No question. But not Brian Wilson great. 3.5/5 rounded up.

We never heard Smile in the 60’s. It was trashed & its bastard son, Smiley Smile (1967) was released instead. Only 5 of the songs on Smiley Smile, which I picked up in the early 70’s, are included on this 2004 Brian Wilson release - Heroes And Villains, Good Vibrations, Wonderful, Wind Chimes & Vegetables (re-titled Vega-Tables for the 2004 release). Cabin Essence & Our Prayer turned up on The Beachboys’ 20/20 LP(1969) and Surf’s Up was the title track of a 1971 Beachboys LP. Listening to the 2004 CD, I’m reminded of what seeing Wilson twice in the early 2000’s was like - he had put together a band that sounded so much like The Beachboys & that you knew would sound better than the original Beachboys if they magically reformed before your very eyes. So this CD is just a pleasure to listen to. I love the inclusion of bits of 3 old standards that obviously meant something to Wilson - Gee (the 1953 Crows doo-wop classic), You Are My Sunshine (written in 1940 by Jimmie Davis, who went on to be the Governor of Louisiana) & Johnny Mercer’s I Wanna Be Around (first recorded by Tony Bennett in 1962). Cabin Essence & Surf’s Up are the standouts for me.

It sounds like a nervous breakdown, in a good way.

Finally! Another album I'd include in a Top Albums ... list.

I wasn't sure what to expect from the opening track, but as soon as Heroes and Villains kicks in, I knew it was going to be a great album.

An interesting listen with some beautiful moments, Wilson shows us what he was all about and testing to accomplish but I could do without the song.

Smile is the long-awaited almost mythical follow-up to Pet Sounds. It showcases Brian Wilson's musical genius and emotional turmoil. The poor man suffered a mental breakdown during the recording process, which delayed the release for decades. Listening to this album is a way of honoring his artistic vision and personal struggle. Compared to Pet Sounds, Smile is less cohesive and more experimental, but also more ambitious and adventurous. It features some of the most beautiful and complex songs ever written, such as "Good Vibrations", "Surf's Up", and "Heroes and Villains". It is an artistic statement that deserves a place in the history of music, even if it is not as flawless as its predecessor. I give it 4 stars out of 5.

Prefer the smile sessions release but glad this exists

Still not sure if this is the finished smile, but this is probably as close as we'll ever get. It's a bold, almost proggy record that is always light in atmosphere to avoid the heaviness of its format. The hooks (when you get one) are as lovely as anything else Brian's done and some of songs here (Heroes and Villains, Surf's Up, Good Vibrations) are at the absolute top of the beach boys catalogue. However, it's difficult to listen to this version of Smile and not see it as a kind of postscript, a plan B. Brian's vocals are obviously past their peak, and quite a few of the tunes have clearly not met their full potential. A lot of the album has a deeply fragmented, still-not-quite-there-yet tone. Its a huge relief to see Smile finally released, and it actually sounding somewhat finished, but you can't help but wonder when listening what could've been had the original project been completed.

Almost 40 Years after the first attempt, Brian Wilson finally published the Smile album, and it sound like a real Beach Boys record, albeit with some touches of the later Beatles here and there. It's a very good collection of songs that flows well. I like it. 3.5/5

My first impression was this was a poor man's "Sgt. Pepper's." While I'm not sure that's inaccurate, I gave it a second listen and enjoyed it more. It can be relentlessly cheerful, but hey, the album's called "Smile," so that tracks. Ultimately, I'm a sucker for harmonizing and this album's got it in spades, so I think I'll round up from 3.5 stars.

Listening to this makes me sad that it didn't get made back in the sixties, because this sounds so cool and I have to wonder how it would have been received. I'm just glad it got made eventually. It's a lovely album and I really like all the motifs that tie every song together. Everything flows together seamlessly and it's very pleasing. Plus, some songs have extra parts in these versions, which I assume were originally cut, so it's cool to see their inclusions. I'll have to listen to the original demos at some point. My favourite songs were probably Heroes and Villains and Surf's Up.

Saw the documentary on this when it came out (~2004). I mean it's Brian Wilson. What do you say?

Very much a feels good album. Definitely reminded me of the beach boys which makes sense since Brian Wilson was the lead singer.

For me, the value of Brian Wilson's Smile is simply from hearing the end product that took him decades to produce. However, I would prefer to go back to Smiley Smile for the original recordings and the time and place those represent. There is no way Brian Wilson could ever fully recreate where his mind was at the time he started the songs, and even if he was the primary songwriter, all the other Beach Boys influenced their records, the song structures, and, of course, the harmonies. Therefore, I'm glad this album exists, and I think that, simply due to the many amazing songs on it, it deserves a lot of praise. However, I prefer the Smiley Smile versions of every song that is present on both, and I can't help but listen to Smile and think about how it could have been so much greater if it would have just been finished in the couple years after he started it.

A blast from start to end.

Production is amazing. Just not my jam

Love this album. Never would have found or looked for this if it wasn’t for this project!! Thank you!!

Tchê um som bem diferenciado, orquestra e tals

18th August 2023 Listened with a sleepy Dusty in the living room. Everything has changed. Maybe the timing or how I listened to it, but this album felt relaxing and a conversation between fathers and children. Both innocent and menacing.

Ik was niet op de hoogte van het bestaan van dit solo album. En ik moet zeggen dat het goed klinkt hoor. Het had zo gewoon een Beach Boys album van eind jaren 60 kunnen zijn, behalve dat z'n stem wel duidelijk ouder is geworden. Ik mis voor nu wel een echt hoogtepunt, maar al met al denk ik dat het net voldoende is voor 4 sterren. De remake van Good Vibrations is ook wel een leuke toevoeging.

I watched the documentary around this on a plane, cool story great album Brian Wilson is the man

I think I prefer the Smile Sessions version, but this still has a lot to offer.

Pretty cool. Would have been wild to have gotten this when it was originally intended. It's a lot but it's good.

I enjoyed this album. It was eccentric at parts but I liked it. It was only 45 minutes and that warranted listening to it again. A couple of songs were familiar. I will round up.

Solid album with a few classics

Excellent, of course Wilson is a genius composer and arranger, backed by a Cadre of very talented musicians. I have to fall in the camp though of feeling it hearkens too clearly to the Beach Boys without quite capturing that particular lightning in the bottle. It's nice to have a version of this according to the artists vision but seems like something of a contrived artefact.

Straining. For every blissfully perfect song on here there is another that doesn't feel finished. There is no questioning Brian Wilson's brilliance and this would have made an excellent addition to the Beach Boys catalogue and wish it was released in the 1960s

Beautiful music - reminds me of my grandparents. 4/5

Long may he sandpit.

Smile is the album The Beach Boys never completed because Brian Wilson lost his way. It admire the fact he tried to complete it years later. A lot of songs were published earlier on other (Beach Boys) albums. In the end the question remains if something that was not finished really was the masterpiece or it was never there. I am convinced it was the latter. This is a good album, but I doubt if it would ever been better than Pet Sounds (or the Beatles albums it tried to compete with).

Surfs up its good stuff my dude

Love those harmonies. Good vibrations is one of the happiest sounds to my ears 3.75/5

This was quite fun! Reading the history of the album was also interesting: this was an unfinished follow up to Pet Sounds that wasn’t released until 2004. Only Good Vibrations was released as a single. Cool production and wonderful harmonies. You can see the influence of the production on bands like Animal Collective.

This was a super interesting listen. Tentative rating at the moment, but I definitely dug it for the most part.

This is a very interesting album. It has the nostalgia of the Beach Boy hits mixed with surprising sounds and composition. The sound production is wonderful and makes this worth the listen even if the songs are not your cup of tea.

It's like being back in the 60s <3

Solid 3.5 here

Lovely soundscapes and great writing

Interesting, I like this funny chaos

I liked the album as a whole, I could see how it was close to a regular beach boys album. However, none of the songs stood out that much to me. The two songs I liked the most were Good Vibrations and Heroes and Villains

there is a strong case to be made that this is better than pet sounds. and depending on the day, i just might think so. while i prefer the production and atmosphere of the smile sessions version over the solo brian wilson version, the overall cohesion is way better. but either way, good vibes.

As I walk through the valley of a shadow of meth, I can't believe what I'm hearing from Brian Wilson. The sounds melt through my brain and tickle my soul with enough force to wake a walrus who's been in a coma for 6 month after being run over by a downbeat cyborg. The cyborg wasn't paying much attention to the road as it had recently found out that its wife had been sleeping with the local mayor.

4.5/5. Never knew this even existed. It's rich in its instrumentation and definitely sounds like a record from the 60s, would've blown everyone's mind back then. Wilson is an incredibly talented musician and I'm just happy that he was able to move on from his past trauma enough to fully realize his vision from decades ago.

this album was originally written in 1967 - it's the follow-up to pet sounds, the greatest album ever, and a reply to sgt. pepper, another one of the greatest albums ever (but not the greatest. suck it, beatles). in 2004, this wasn't doing much, but in 1967 - yeesh. this would have blown it all wide open the first time i ever listened to this album was not on a beach boys binge, actually - it was after seeing its placement on rolling stone's 500 greatest albums ever. i had always heard that smile was a bit of letdown, so to see it ranked 399 was a surprise to me. i decided to try it out, risking the perfect image i had of brian wilson as a songwriter after listening to pet sounds countless times. not a letdown, not a blemish on wilson's record. a credit to his talent, even in 2004, a little less than 40 years than it was originally written. it's goofy, it's earnest, it's loving, and it's really really good. it's nowhere near pet sounds though, but that's not its fault. nothing can touch pet sounds. thanks again, brian, for this and for everything.

Amazing album that shows Brian Wilson’s range and genius.

Strange that this s the first time I’ve heard of this album. Knowing the mythical status of the original ”Smile”, some might be disappointed by this rendition. I think it’s nice

Boss

Genius

So much music history lore in this one! Brian Wilson placing a flaming log in the middle of the studio for the recording of the song Mrs. O'Leary's Cow to evoke the Great Chicago Fire caused by the aforementioned cow, then a fire randomly starting in the building next door, causing Brian to freak out. Heroes and Villains being the most expensive single the band ever recorded, consuming months of the band's attention, then having a lackluster release and sending Brian into a nervous breakdown. The whole album being shelved for 35 years until Brian could finally return to it and see his vision through to the end. There are moments of true greatness on this album. The line "And sonny down scruff I'm alright" from Heroes and Villains; the mournful interpretation of You Are My Sunshine, some of the most beautiful use of the harpsichord in rock music, the unbelievably angelic harmonies on Surf's Up. And going back to Heroes and Villains, that is simply one of the most beautiful uses of the human voice I've ever heard in music. Much of the absurdism and goofiness is a little bit lost on me (Vega-Table). And there are moments when Brian's age shows in his voice, making me wonder just how good this might have sounded if it was released all those years ago when it was first written. Which begs another question- obviously this album would have been super revolutionary and cutting edge if it came out in 1967. But released in 2004, so much has changed in music that it feels like this weird relic that finally made it to the party long after the other guests left. It's an important album in the sense of it being this grand vision of this brilliant man that finally got its cathartic ending. There is a beautiful poetry in that. Is there more significance to it than that?

I would very likely have rated this perfect had this album been made 4 decades earlier. Smile is the best album that's never been made, and here we have the closest piece of art to Brian's vision. Compared to what I've heard in Smiley Smile, tracks like "Heroes and Villains" are much better put together and less chaotic. "Vega-Tables" and "Wind Chimes" are the two really enhanced by this. And as a whole, the album is perfectly coherent, with one track flowing smoothly to the next. It all comes together beautifully, with wonderful harmonies and full to the brim with countless creative and mindblowing ideas in every song. It pulls your attention in how amazing it all sounds. The production is clean, and this is essential to understand how Brian aimed to put together all of his hard work. I love the goofy imagery that evokes a sense of childlike playfulness and curiosity in the classical-inspired soft and warm melodies. Every song is great and stands out one way or another, and many of their masterpieces like "Cabin Essence" and "Surf's Up" are here. I noticed a shift in the silliness of the songs starting with "I'm in Great Shape", with more attention on the strange instrumental techniques compared to the baroque harmonies, but it does feel a little disordered here, especially with the sudden conclusion with "Good Vibrations." That being said, I can't fall in love with this. It doesn't have the charisma of their 60s production style, and although this might sound better, it lacks the character from their 60s albums. The tracks smoothly flow, but sometimes it feels a little too fast for me, not as patient and warm as their 60s records. The harmonies are there, but they merge too closely together and feel mostly supplementary and a bit artificial at times... I much prefer the voices of the Beach Boys. But for most of all, Brian just has a rusty aging voice. This is mostly noticeable on tracks like "Surf's Up" where he can't hit as high as he could in the 1971 version, but really I just don't like his voice overall too much here.

After the first couple songs I was ready to hate on this album. Oddly, I loved it. I feel like it was lighthearted, whacky, but also pleasing to listen to.

Really interesting album. At times inane (for me), but I listened a little more closely as I read about Brian Wilson (didn't know a lick about him before) and Mrs. O'Leary's Cow was really unexpected. Ended up liking the album and learning from it. Not sure I'd listen to it again.

Dacht al klinkt oud, blijkbaar al in 1966 opgenomen. Wel lekker vrolijk en best goed, maar wel klinkt ook wel wat oud. 4*

Classic Beach Boys vibes, stoner rockish fun.

报道完毕

I bought this one when it came out, mainly because of the hype around it. This was an album rescued from oblivion - a hell of a backstory. And there are some great moments on this for sure. But I've never successfully listened to this all the way through. It's just a smidge over 45 minutes - not that long a stretch. But it feels like twice that to me. Maybe that's because it has so much to live up to? Still, Heroes and Villains, Roll Plymouth Rock, Surf's Up, Child is Father of the Man... all good stuff. Good Vibrations strikes me as a tug of war between Wilson and Mike Love. Those verses are hauntingly beautiful. Then the chorus busts in and "She's giving me excitations" - jesus that's bad. It's always been bad. I can't stand it. So this is better than background, but it always ends up in the background for me. 3.5 stars.

Well produced album

I liked the soap opera style of the album. It benefits from not knowing the back story and listening as a standalone piece of work. Heroes and Villains is the standout track. I was left feeling happy that something positive came out of what sounds like a very negative creative process going back over the years. Smile...

It's the beach boys

Stuck it on repeat all day and listened to the original sessions and Smiley Smile. I like the grandiose scope of the project but don't feel like it achieved what it set out to do at all. The modules seemed to break up the quality rather than add texture. For me, part of the joy of the forms that he's working in is their simplicity so this treatment just feels fussy. Great orchestration and 'Good Vibrations' is near perfect. These recordings sound every bit as rich and warm as the originals to my ears despite the presence of no original Beach Boys beyond Brian, so this version to me is a success. Finally, if you're trying to stake a claim as a genius, move away from the siren whistle.

Amongst some of the great "what could have been" musical events of the 20th Century, Smile exceeds its expectations simply by finally being created. One can wonder what would have happened had Brian Wilson been given the encouragement and the proper support needed to see Smile through and gave the world its "teenage homage to God" in the year of Sgt. Pepper and Surrealistic Pillow. Instead, all that was showcased was blueprints and scattered songs across their later discography and visions of the supposed masterpiece that never came. Good thing Brian finally found the courage, support and care necessary to finally bring this monument to it's most complete structure; for its existence does bring about a smile amongst this listener. Favorites: Heroes and Villains, Roll Plymouth Rock, Cabin Essence, Wonderful, Song for Children, Child is the Father of the Man, Surf's Up, Vega-Tables, Mrs. O'Leary's Cow, In Blue Hawaii, Good Vibrations.

There was a lot of Beach Boys on in my house growing up so I'm probably a little partial here. Though never any solo Brian Wilson. I really enjoyed the opening from Our Prayer / Gee to Heroes and Villains and I think that kind of hooked me. It's a little strange of an album, but in a good way. If you listen to it a few times, you really appreciate how it all blends together. Pull out a song here or there and yeah, it's going to be meh, especially because the lyrics can get pretty childish. But stay in any one of the three movements and it's pretty cool (and really try to ignore the lyrics in movement three - downright silly except for In Blue Hawaii and Good Vibrations). Not a classic, but neat concept and all the moving parts are executed pretty well.

I love the history (damn near mythology) around SMiLE, and this is probably the closest we will ever get to having the original vision be realized. And it's good! But still, in some places it does feel unfinished or inadequately realized. However, it also feels like a final breath of relief to settle the whole thing, as well. Cathartic, I imagine.

It is how I expect the Beach Boys sound. It is not bad, but a little tired and not surprising in any way.

Solid studio sorcery with a wacky back story! Fave track - "Good Vibrations" is obviously iconic. "Vege-tables" is another fave!

Complex and ambitious. Lovely layers and motifs connecting the album. Maybe a touch bloated/overbearing but the ambitious vision and good vibrations makes this a strong 4.

That wonderful period of pet sounds

Rock muy a lo Beach Boys. Un 4.

Holy cow, I don't even know how to talk about this album. You'll never catch me driving down the road, Smile blaring from my windows, but it's really cool. It feels a little like a hodgepodge mess initially, but every inch of this is deliberate and kind of wonderful. Beautiful arrangements, wild sonic experiments, and a sense of humor on top. The symphonic elements are gorgeous, and I love the musical threads that wind through multiple songs, which is really brilliant. This actually did make me smile. Fave Songs: Heroes and Villains, Good Vibrations, In Blue Hawaii, Vega-Tables, On a Holiday, Wind Chimes, Child Is Father of the Man

Took a minute to warm up to, but ultimately this album had beauty and charm. Sometimes thrown off by some of its weirdness (vege-tables?). I will have to look into the history of this one more, and might gain more value from this one.

I've always heard comparisons between the evolution of the Beach Boys to that of the Beatles, but never really dove into their discography to find out why since the singles I knew I wasn't super into. This album really illuminated those comparisons, and taking those hits and really building on the musicality of it while making each song flow into the next shows how strong Brian Wilson is with crafting a piece of music. Really enjoyed this and opened my eyes to the band, can't wait for more of their albums to show up on this project.

Aug. 5, 2025. Going into this with an open mind and heart as a Beach Boys hater, or at least a Beach Boys “appreciates their tremendous influence but finds them grating and thinks they’re overrated”-er. Listening to this I feel like I am finally seeing some of Brian Wilson’s “genius” that I’ve heard so much about, so many decisions just made exactly right, even if the songwriting still isn’t my favorite. The way the vocals swoop and fade in and out is really nice. 7/10

7/10. Like Pet Sounds, except this album actually has some pet sounds in it.

sonic genius on this lost gem... not sure it is masterpiece on a pet sounds level

A fast-paced, epic record from music icon, Brian Wilson. This concept record's tracks seem to blend into one another, there are some great songs on here, though it's a bit of a jumble at times. Not really a big fan of the Beach Boys, but enjoyed it and glad this finally got a real release!

Love Brian wilson. Not quite as good as pet sounds

there was some good vibrations in this one

Rock muy a lo Beach Boys. Un 4.

Brian Wilson is a universal treasure xxx

Weird, but good. Pretty sure it works best as a whole piece, given the songs all meld together. I would love to have more time to listen a few more times through

I prefer the smile sessions version of this, but it's still very good. Gotta commend the fact this got made in the first place. Favourites: "Heroes and Villains", "Cabin Essence", "Surf's Up"

Uplifting. 7/10.

Un bon album de wilson, je dois reecoute car jai bien aime ce que j’ai ente du 4

Heavy on the slide whistle, but definitely the spiritual successor to Pet Sounds. I said it about that album: “Brian Wilson has a time machine.” Enjoyable.

Such a fantastic album. It's funny that this is our 1001 albums of the day, on the same day when Godspeed You! Black Emperor's famous lost album officially released. Love both of them.

4.5 - It seems like every one of his records post-Pet Sounds comes with a litany of caveats and disclaimers about the record's originality and authenticity. I'm going to assume I'm listening to a finished record as the artist intended it to be released because I can't be bothered to dive into Brian Wilson's messy backstory. So all that aside, I loved this record! I hear the labor of a tortured artists trying to create something multi-layered and inspired. The flow on this record is top-notch - it leads me on a pleasant journey both between songs but also within songs that often unfold into separate sections. There's so much playfulness, some good and some goofy. On the good side are tracks like "Old Master Painter / You Are My Sunshine" that incorporates an old spiritual into the mix. On the goofy side there's "Cabin Essence" that has some weird vocal back-up ("doing doing...").

Surf music

It's a beautiful album, and I appreciate it so much for what it represents: Brian's triumph over past traumas and a return to his best creative self. A lot of songs and arrangements remind me of They Might Be Giants. He's such an impressive and influential artist. I love to see him being fun, quirky, and oddball in his lyricism, it pairs so perfectly with all of the playful instrumentation.

The sound of one acid casualty revisiting losing his mind. It's curious to wonder what would've happened to music if he'd managed to complete it during the first attempt. Best Tracks: Heroes and Villains; Surf's Up; Good Vibrations

Nice

Love those Brian Wilson harmonies!

This album could be absolute garbage and it would still need to be on this list. The history and story behind Smile is legendary across the music industry. Nevermind that Brian Wilson's push for weird soundscape stuff has undoubtedly left a large impact on the future music scene. Who knows what the original Smile album in the 60s would have been and whether or not it would actually be close to the version Wilson was able to conjure in 2004. Either way, it's an interesting listen. It does feel manic and all over the place, which feels very 60s Brian Wilson for sure. It's interesting, but it's not something I'd put in a regular rotation

Listened

Album #129, Brian Wilson, Brian Wilson Presents Smile ⭐⭐⭐ I’ve only ever listened to three Beach Boys albums: Pet Sounds, Smiley Smile, and Wild Honey (very underrated). I am in the majority of people who think Pet Sounds is a masterpiece. While it’s not really my kind of music per se, I do think the Beach Boys kind of lack an element of darkness, edge and grittiness that I tend to look for. But I also think Pet Sounds, and some of their other work too, shows the absolute extent to which you can take pop music. What they do with chord progressions and melodies is just unbelievable. I think they’re one of the great music-making bands. That’s a very loaded sentence, but it’s the best way I can describe them. They’re geniuses at making music, even if they don’t always make music that I personally gravitate towards. This being the famous lost successor to Pet Sounds, I went into it really interested to hear what Brian Wilson could do. I do think it’s a worthy successor. If he’d managed to complete and release it back in the 60s, I think it would have been considered an all-time classic in much the same way. But, it’s not as good as Pet Sounds and it’s hard not to make that comparison. There’s some amazing stuff on here. Great chord progressions as always, brilliant melodies, and the whole thing sounds fantastic from a recording and production perspective. Brian Wilson, despite his voice being a bit deeper, doesn’t sound like he’s aged a day since his peak with the Beach Boys. Some of the songwriting is just masterful. Although I don’t think I’ll be listening to Heroes and Villains regularly, I really appreciate just how complex it is. This is complicated music. There are all kinds of different movements and motifs, and the whole thing feels like one big song cycle that really should be listened to as a complete package. That being said, I do think it drags a little. Even though it’s made up of lots of very short songs and little snippets, it still feels long at times. I do think it picks up again towards the end though, and it gets very strange, especially on tracks like Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow. I also don’t think it should have ended on an instrumental version of Heroes and Villains. They were obviously very proud of that piece of music, and rightly so, but I think Good Vibrations would have been an incredible closing track. Pet Sounds was a massive grower for me. I didn’t fall in love with it instantly, and I haven’t fallen in love with this instantly either. So I do think this is another grower if I give it the time. I definitely want to come back to it, and I also want to explore more of the Beach Boys’ catalogue. So it’s three stars for the moment, but who knows? This could become something really special for me.

Good stuff but doesn’t reach beach boys level

This just makes me mourn the album that never was.

A classic mix of Wilson songs with the sunny harmonies we’ve come to associate with his work. Lacks some of the star quality/ big hits of the BB albums though.

Weird divide on this one. Had some great trippy sequences on Child and O’Leary’s Cow but also some ridiculous stuff (Vegatables/Wind Chimes)

These sound like memories of Beach Boys songs rather than actual Beach Boys songs. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

Didn't like it that much, except for Good vibrations.

It’s really great but I did not like listening to it. Truly beautiful compositions, but the aesthetic choices are bonkers to me.

It's an album, and nothing about it is bad? But it isn't particularly good or interesting.

just unbelievably cool. im not musical enough to even comprehend brian wilson, but i laughed and cried and jammed through this. not as weird as beach boys love you, will return to this. fave track surf's up

Not for me at all but I understand the cultural influence and its significance

RIP. I watched the documentary Beautiful Dreamers before listening and it gave a lot of context on what makes this album so legendary and kind of a culmination of Brian's rise and fall. The Beach Boys essentially rejected it all those years ago and that experience really messed him up to the point of mental breakdown and stepping away from music completely. It took a ton of courage to revive it and move forward from that experience, and I'm glad he did before he passed. But it does make you wonder what could've been if his bandmates had been a little more open minded and gave it a shot. I think it would've been a very influential and well known concept album right among Pet Sounds and Sgt Pepper if given the chance to be finished. I don't think the 2004 released version is really complete, if I'm being honest, and I mourn the potential in a similar way I'm sure Brian did. But I am glad to have listened to it and learned about Wilson's struggles.

🤮

Really nice album! The calm summer vibe of this album is super nice and ahead of its time in so many ways, especially with the harmonies and found sounds! Definitely their most experimental of that time. Another one of Brian Wilson’s genius stuff but it isn’t as good as Pet Sounds sadly. I’d recommend Heroes and villains, Vegetables, She’s goin’ bald, Little Pad, (Obviously) Good vibrations, With me tonight, Wind chimes and (honourable mention: gettin’ hungry)

Well after yesterday’s shitty mood I was in because of the record I was forced to listen to this one seems appropriate. Smile. No fuck off Brian Wilson - maybe I don’t want to. I am guessing this is the beach boys guy. 2004 beach boys guy. I don’t have high hopes. Yeah what was the point of this. Was this like re-recorded stuff. This pissed me off for real. Not like beach boys records I listened to here. Corny.

A very unique album with an interesting history. While the songs are not my style, I am giving an extra star for the story behind the album

Мужик загрустил от сержанта пеппера и 40 лет писал альбом. Опоздал на столько же

Our prayer / gee - 3 Heroes and villains - 4 Roll plymouth rock - 3 Barnyard - 3 Old master painter / you are my sunshine - 3 Cabin essence - 3 Wonderful - 3 Song for children - 3 Child is father of the man - 2 Surf's up - 3 I'm in great shape / i wanna be around / workshop - 3 Vega-tables - 2 On a holiday - 2 Wind chimes - 3 Mrs. o'leary's cow - 2 In blue hawaii - 3 Good vibrations - 5

Is that Bill Murray singing on this? But seriously, beautiful arrangements, harmonies, and singing from Brian. I am happy for him that he was able to finish this. This rating reflects the fact that Good Vibrations and Heroes and Villains had already existed for ~45 years.

i liked bits and pieces, but it rather unremarkable

Didn’t live up to the hype

a nice ambience choir

It's a very messy record packed with lots of different instruments and multi-tracked harmony vocals. Sometimes the vocals are mimicking other instruments or providing rhythm. It's nice to hear that Wilson still has that magical singing talent, but the overall effect is disjointed and busy. You can hear some of that Pet Sounds sound, particularly in Child is the Father of the Man which borrows and rearranges the Good Vibrations motif. The lyrics and some of the music remind me of late-period XTC - goofy and naive, wistful, punny, ambitious, wordy. It also often sounds like musical theater. Includes a version of Good Vibrations with different lyrics.

Heroes And Villains

Sounded like another breach boys album, which makes sense, but it seems like nothing changed musically for Brian between the 60s and 2000s besides his sabbatical.

Favorite track: Mrs. O'Leary's Cow

I'm Pickin Up Good Vibrations 1001 Albums Generator 291 (5/14/2026) Smile is probably the most famous unreleased album of all time. The Beach Boys had their work cut out for them to follow up Pet Sounds and Brian Wilson just couldn't handle it. The album was shelved and became a thing of legend and bootlegs. Finally, in the early 2000's, he re-recorded and released his approximation of Smile. We now live in a world where The Smile Sessions exist as a compilation of original recordings of the album from the 60's, but Brian Wilson's Smile is still an interesting take. From the a capella choir of Our Prayer that opens the thing, this is quite a strange pop album. Heroes And Villains is a classic, and I love Roll Plymouth Rock as well. It's super cool how the melody from HaV makes its way into this song. The whole "first act", which spans the first six songs, is really good. The "second act" or the childhood suite, as I'm calling it, is okay; I like Child Is The Father Of Man, and I love Surf's Up, but the "third act" is by far my least favorite. Vege-Tables is funny in concept, and Good Vibrations is an al-timer, but everything else here is pretty forgettable. Smile is an album written by a young man and sung by that same man 40 years later. That is an interesting concept, but I don't think this album holds up to my favorite Beach Boys stuff. RIP Brian Wilson. 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3. Favs: Heroes And Villains Cabin Essence Good Vibrations Least Fav: Mrs. O'Leary's Cow

Interesting history and ok album

It’s not a bad album, but it’s definitely out of is time. It not surprisingly sounds 60-ish and Beach Boy-ish. Certainly doesn’t deserve the Grammy it got, but then again these awards have long ago stopped being about talent and are feel good things.

Не понимаю культа бич бойз, не моя музыка

beach boys были крутыми в 60е, но идентичное звучание в 00х уже не качает, 2.5

was it fun? sure! sure it be on here? no! it is a beach boys style rock opera, and we let him get away with it because: say it with me, brian wilson invented music!

I enjoyed this pop/rock album from Wilson! Some of the songs were kind of corny and fun which I enjoyed. You can still hear the influence of The Beach Boys and their iconic sound and song structures in a lot of these songs. Overall, I enjoyed this album but it didn’t blow me away. I would listen to it again in the future but it wouldn’t be my first choice.

I approached this album with less weight than listening to Pet Sounds. The latter has greatest of all time expectations that I have never quite gotten, while this reworking of its ill-fated follow up had far less of a burden to overcome. I found Smile far more pleasurable than Pet Sounds. Whimsical, child-like and imaginative are a few descriptions that come to mind. The use of innovative multi-part harmony singing as the lead instrument gave the record a strong dose of originality and fun. Maybe the absence of Mike Love’s grating nasal vocals boosted these songs as I found the singing wonderful. At times the vocals and elementary music class lyrics got in the way of the terrific bass and piano parts that supported the songs. For the most part I found everything complimented each other, and the numerous percussion instruments Wilson and his collaborators used were as interesting as the vocal parts. The more famed songs stuck out. Other stand-outs like “On a Holiday” were strong enough to make up for questionable tracks such as “Vega-tables” and the lyrics to “Roll Plymouth Rock.” Nice to see Brian Wilson overcome the obstacles that originally got in the way of this album

I'm on the edge with this one. It's great at times, kitschy for sure, which can edge from fun to odd ("Vega-Tables"). The transitions are without a doubt the highlight of the album, but it can also blend songs together. I love the opener so I will label that as my favorite. Why is this on here over other late in life classic rocker outputs? I don't know. But it's fine for being exactly what Brian Wilson was put on this Earth to do.

A few days ago I had 'The Rise and Fall' by Madness - another concept album about childhood. That, though, was more like childhood memories from a culture I am familiar with. This felt more like a mythology of childhood: a dream trying to capture a mythical purity that never truly existed. Maybe that is what 'Smile' will always be

The infamous lost Beach Boys album. It's a bit fragmented at times but when it's good it's very good. Favorite track: Heroes and Villains

Deels unhinged, deels geniaal, maar weet me nergens écht te pakken

Some sections feel more admirable than emotionally overwhelming. Some transitions and miniatures register more as brilliant architecture than as songs you will live inside forever. The record is so conceptually loaded that people sometimes respect it before they love it. That is a real issue. This is not a casual, throw-it-on pop album. It asks for attention.

Pretty good

fine. Would probably like it more if I listened to beach boys

Moyen de fou

Ni slabo

Nothing exciting here. Though I aren't a fan of of the beach boys.

The sound and melody Brian always wanted the world to hear.

The one thing Len Houmous always used to say about Brian Wilson was how unusual his smile was. 2.5 2/18 Heroes & Villains

Interesting lore around the music. Music itself is enjoyable, and the lore gives good context to the way some of the songs progress into chaotic disorienting sound or sad, low vibes 3/5

Master of harmony, Brian Wilson delivers a pretty solid collection of songs. It felt like a nursery rhyme the whole time for some reason, probably due to the instruments in use. Some of these I wouldn't necessarily even call songs, and a couple are just covers of his old tracks? A few songs are the same as others as well. Nothing here is bad, but I'd rather just listen to the original Beach Boys.

This is as good a any beach boys' album I've ever heard.

Kinda liked it. Not my genre.

Orkestrale pop in zijn puurste en meest verfijnde vorm. Ondanks dat het mij dan al snel wat té kunstzinnig klinkt, moet ik zeggen dat vooral de overgangen tussen de nummers me echt verwonderen. Waanzinnig hoe het orkest de melodie net een beetje tweakt waardoor de melodie van het opvolgende nummer subtiel het podium betreed, zoals goed hoorbaar in de overgang tussen 'Child Is Father of the Man' en 'Surf's Up'. Die tweede is dan ook wel echt de piek van het album. Dus, in essentie niet echt mijn dingetje, maar aan de magie van Brian Wilson is niet te ontkomen. 7/10 Highlights: Roll Plymouth Rock Cabin Essence Surf's Up

"SMiLE is misschien wel het bekendste album dat nooit gemaakt is". Laten we dit even goed begrijpen. BW produceert de opvolger van Pet Sounds, knijpt er tussenuit en de Beach Boys maken zelf iets af in de vorm van Smiley Smile. 35 jaar na dato doorgaat BW een emotionele rollercoaster met het naleven en 'afmaken' van Smile en brengt deze solo uit. Persoonlijk vind ik twee dingen ingewikkeld. 1. Smiley Smile is gewoon een vette plaat. Natuurlijk zonder BW maar toch één van de beste werken van de Beach Boys. Dus hebben we echt iets gemist destijds? 2. 2004 is niet helemaal het moment om iets uit te brengen wat eigenlijk bij het jaar 1967 hoort. Ineens is het dan gewoon outdated. Bij het beoordelen op kwaliteit hoort ook het zien in het tijdsgewricht. Ondertussen was er zoveel meer mogelijk en uitgeprobeerd dat Smile in 2004 niet perse speciaal klinkt in mijn oren. Dat gezegd hebbende. BW is een fenomeen. En de periode voor SMiLE - na Pet Sounds - was prime Beach Boys en natuurlijke essentiele jaren voor de popmuziek die daarop volgde. Smile is dus een best interessant album om te luisteren en klinkt heerlijk zoals de Beach Boys. Maar een hoge score zit er ook niet uit in, want zie hierboven. 7/10 Highlights Good Vibrations?

I liked Heroes and Villains.

I see what he's doing, I see why he's doing it. That's about it

I love Brian Wilson and I have read enough about this album to know how happy it made him to record and release this. And in his very troubled life he deserved all the joy this album brings. RIP Brian

It’s a delightful lighthearted album. Melodies are nice for most songs. Nothing too special stands out but it’s a good listen.

I can see why this made the list, it’s another showcase of Brian Wilson’s talent, but I don’t know if it still hits the same way after almost 40 years after The Beach Boys hit the scene. It’s not bad by any means, it just feels like a long journey to get to a remake of Good Vibrations (which in all honesty still slaps). I wouldn’t be mad to hear it again, but I wouldn’t seek it out.

I have to dive deeper into the Beach Boys to get a better understanding of this album's context, but what I heard wasn't too bad. There's definitely a lot of songs to keep track of, so it got a bit monotonous. However, it's an interesting take on pop music with some unique instrumentation and silly lyrical moments. Not too much to hate, but it's not something I'll come back to too much. Favorites: Heroes and Villains, Song for Children, Mrs. O'Leary's Cow, Good Vibrations

Hard to approach this without any consideration to its complicated history, but I've never been a huge Beach Boys guy so the circuitous path and alternate versions and original recordings and Brian Wilson losing his mind and slowly getting to a place where he could make this doesn't mean a whole lot to me. The music itself is nice. It definitely feels like Brian Wilson and a bunch of people standing in as the Beach Boys. There's some sparks of the old magic, and the compositions are nicely baroque and ever-changing. Words are mostly nonsense. It's a neat glimpse into Wilson's skewed vision of American pop music and where it might've gone, but a glimpse is all I need.

Pretty much what the top guy said. I've spent way more time listening to the filth that is the Cocaine Sessions. Oh Lord is the best piece of outsider music ever recorded, by some of the all time most famous boys.

This was an interesting album. From the get go, it feels and sounds like any beach boy album. But there’s just this sadness to it. It wasn’t even necessarily in the lyrics: it just felt like a farewell note. A goodbye to the music that made his career. The harmonies were magnificent as they always have been, and the beach vibes were there. It just felt bitter sweet as love letter.

Sounds like the same old shit! I know Wilson is considered a genius by many but I’m not so sure. I bought Pet Sounds many years ago and apart from a couple of tracks I wasn’t smitten, I think Smile is pretty much the same.

Super interesting sonically and musically, but not very catchy and I couldn’t re-sing a single song.

I like The Beach Boys' version more.

Good

This would be a 4-5 if it was actually released in 1967, it's basically a 2nd Pet Sounds. But instead it sat on a shelf and was released in 2004.

# Album Name: Smile # Artist: Brian Wilson # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Middle of the road kinda album. Definitely didnt need to listen to it and probably wouldnt again. Theres better beach boys than this. # Top Tunes: # Would I listen to it again? No

No. 382/1001 Our Prayer 3/5 Heroes and Villains 3/5 Roll Plymouth Rock 3/5 Barnyard 3/5 Old Master Painter 3/5 Cabin Essence 4/5 Wonderful 3/5 Song for Children 3/5 Child Os Father of the Man 3/5 Surfs Up 4/5 I'm in Great Shape 3/5 Vega-Tables 3/5 On a Holiday 3/5 Wind Chimes 3/5 Mrs Leary Cow 2/5 In Blue Hawaii 4/5 Good Vibrations 3/5 Average: 3,12 Alright listen, but pretty unremarkable.

6/10 Some great songs (if not always in their best version), some nice compositions, but also a lot of pointless filler. Highlights: Surf's Up Good Vibrations Heroes and Villains/Roll Plymouth Rock

Equally beautiful and incoherent as if the Joker collaborated on an album with Bob Dylan

Interesting artifact, legendary story. I think you must worship at the altar of Brian WIlson to have your mind blown, which I do not. Some interesting music and concepts. Glad that the man had some closure for this. Excessive hype, though, doesn't let this stand on its own musically.

Smiley Smile is more enjoyable. This is from the annoying era when rock musicians wanted to make serous art instead of songs about fucking.

I went through a proof where I listened to the beach boys when I was about 11 years old, so I genuinely enjoy them and appreciate what they did. But what they did was make don't good pop songs. I just don't understand them being put in the same league as The Beatles, Dylan, The Stones, or any of the other major boomer artists of that era. I get that Brian Wilson was pioneering in his arrangement techniques, but that's it. It was the arrangement. He used harpsichords and put musical snippets into a suite. That influenced the Beatles to do the same. Frankly, they did it better. I get the historical importance of this album, and there's nothing here that I actually dislike, it just passes over me as pleasant nothingness.

Bonkers, like it.

This is a wild album in that there are some moments that would do a number on me if I was under the influence of drugs. I understand the significance of this album and why it would be included in a collection like this. I just wonder if it would've sounded better if it had been released back in the day with the rest of The Beach Boys in on the recording? I guess we will never know. As it stands this album would get a 2.5/5 from me but I will round up to a 3/5 for the significance and the fact that I don't feel like this is a total waste of space in this collection.

Pleasant enough. Wiled away an hour

I did not enjoy this. The production and orchestration is so polished and well done. But it's too weird to be enjoyable.

was about to comment that this is so beach boys esque till I checked his credentials

So we are actually doing this? Are we listing Brian Wilson’s 2004 Smile or the myth that was the planned But not finished follow up to Pet sounds. As someone points out, this actual albums actual liner notes actually do ask “does Smile actually exist”, but also frames it as “our smile dream has come true”. And that’s my issue with this being on this list, because I don’t think they have added and are really reviewing a 2004 album but the 60s dream, and that’s unfortunately a little bit too much of a nostalgia trip. Musically, I like the Beachboys, heard everything, own most of what they have ever released even Summer in Paradise for my sins, and if this was in an alternate universe the 1966/67 album, it had a long supposed release period then yes it’s as iconic as its story suggests, and would be an easy 5 star for me. But, and it’s a big but it isn’t. This isn’t the 20 odd old Wilson pushing things so far he had a breakdown, it just isn’t and without the background story it probably sounds like a fairly odd album from an old rock star with a few catchy songs, I am glad he got to put it out and I have it but have listened to the sessions box set more, and definitely the tracks that came out on other albums. His vocals are shot, compared to the originals and it’s 2000s production, cleaner, smoother and dare say easier, and just well isn’t the same. So most of my thoughts are not about the actual thing but what it isn’t, but I can’t shake that that’s the whole point. 5 star for the myth, the sessions, the books and podcast series on the Smile, but I can’t honestly say I think personally this album from 2004 should be on this list, that it’s in anyway essential listening other than what might have been, so it’s got to be middle of the road 3 Star.

Brian just said fuck it

I'm happy for Brian that he got to finish his Magnum Opus. It isn't the next Pet Sounds or maybe even better, though. A handful of songs show that it might have been, but all in all there are too many sketches instead of polished songs and the whole thing just flows by impressing the listener more with its lavish production than with songs for eternity. Happy to have heard this, but I will stick with the singles in the band version.

MY EARS: Hey, Brain, can you please stop playing BareNaked Ladies? We're trying to listen to Brian Wilson. MY BRAiN: Yeah, I know. That's why I'm playing Brian Wilson. MY EARS: But We're trying to listen to Brian Wilson! MY BRAIN: Hello! I'm playing Brian Wilson. MY EARS: We hate you. All I can really say is, I'm just glad that Brian Wilson got to make the masterpiece he set out to make. It took him so long but he did it. It's his masterpiece to him & that's should be what matters. Dewey Cox would be proud. It's bit of a mess to my ears. We got to step into Wilson's brain. It's weird in here but beautiful. 3

I really enjoyed the continuous nature of the album. Everything felt like one long song with small breaks here and there. The highlight of the album for me was Good Vibrations, In Blue Hawaii, Our Prayer/Gee & Heroes & Villains. So I guess I liked the beginning & end of the album the most.

Such a sweet little album. I miss Brian Wilson man :( Favorite track: Surf's Up 3.5/5

***A good easy listening album

Overall: 6/10 Hey, this guy stole from the Beach Boys! If this was released in 1967 instead of Smiley Smile then I might have enjoyed it a lot more, but a few songs from that were used here and it kind of defeats the purpose. Still pretty good, but not necessary. Fav Song: Heroes and Villains

J’avoue avoir été un peu déçu, presque 40 ans de développement pour la suite d’un des meilleurs albums de tout les temps? C’est sûr que le résultat n’aurait pas satisfait mes attentes démesurées, mais je m’attendais quand même à plus qu’une translation moins vigoureuses des tounes de Pet Sounds. Meh

63/100.

Like a beachboys b side

This is ok, but nothing made me think I want to hear more.

This was good, but I’m not sure why I was expecting something different

- pourquoi ça feel lowkey comme un album de Noel/album pour enfants par moment - good jazzy and cozy vibes but I got bored halfway through - j’aime bcp la reprise de good vibrations tho

Brian Wilson is one of the greats, and tackling this album after being away so long is commedable, its almost like a time capsule. That being said you can tell why it was left behind, it feels like it couldve used some more pushback or editing to pare things down. I'm sure getting this done and pushing it out was daunting enough as is. The harmonies of course are amazing, and altogether its a good sounding album, just a little aimless.

I’ve never really gotten this album. The history/story of it is interesting and the fact that he finished it is a triumph but the whole thing still feels half baked. There’s some interesting ideas here and you can really see it as an evolution of Good Vibrations but overall it’s not a very satisfying experience. Some songs are a minute long, some songs are 5 but there’s 6 different transitions and overtures on them. Impossible to follow This would be an absolute nightmare to perform as there’s no cohesion between any of the parts. Sure melodies are repeated but then they just stop and a completely different melody starts playing. The harmonies are nice and that “Father of the son” part is pretty dope but overall this whole project is just kind of forgettable. But I hope making this gave Brian Wilson some peace

Eh. Interesting back story and some decent jams.

I believe that the place this record occupies in the canon and myth of unfinished masterpieces is way above its actual quality as a record. Do not get me wrong, it is a fine piece of art. However, the expectations did affect my rating of this album.

Favorite Track: Good Vibrations

3.5⭐️/5 01.07.2026

Except for two rather ominous songs, it sounds like what you'd expect from a solo beach boys. Vegetable song was memorable for its ridiculous lyrics. Most of album made me think of soundtrack to a cartoon, possibly because I remember a lot of slide whistle (but every chance it was just in one song, not throughout)

When it's good it's great but lots of it blurs together

Grand

Very samey but not bad

Good, a lot weirder than Pet Sounds but very enjoyable

This started really well in a lush Beach Boys sort of way, but by the end of the album it was just too much and some of the lyrics are just dumb.

queen shit. boinggggg

Overall, I think this album is "weird". I don't know what the hell Brian tried to bring here, but it looks like Chucky met Peppa and both made an album. What saves the album of receive only 1 star is your amazing production. The instrumentals were well-tied but in general this is not something I would listen again.

Super gnarly and whimsical

I’m not sure it was ever going to be the legendary album it was alleged to be but there are some fantastic tracks on here. It was better as a whole than I remember but does not match the consistency of Pet Sounds or have the same light and dark. It loses a mark for the eating sound in Vege-Tables.

I’m sorry Brian. I’m sure it was an emotional journey getting this completed, but this just doesn’t have the same level of quality as some of the beach boys output. The lyrics are more trite, the harmonies (whilst still great in places) just sound that much more flat, possibly because it doesn’t have the variety in timbre of other singers. Wilson, doing multi-part harmonies with himself just doesn’t work in the same way when he does. The tone is just a bit off and where pet sounds shines because of its more maudlin topics, the infantile subject matter for some of these lets it down. Instrumentation is more sparse in places and ordinarily this would let the harmonies come through more clearly, however the aforementioned issues I have with them just draws more attention to it.

Was surprised to heard GOOD VIBRATIONS in this. What a feel good tune. but still like a 3/5 for album

It’s comforting to know Brian Wilson at 62 years old decided to make super weird art.

our gee- 4 heroes and villains- 4 roll plymouth rock- 4 barnyard- 4 old master painter- 4 cabin essence- 4 wonderful- 4 song for children- 4 child is father of the man- 4 surfs up- 4 im so fucking bored dude

Brian Wilson, the founder of the great Beach Boys, is such a significant musician. What an intro to this album, the harmonies genuinely sound like angels singing. It’s filled with layered vocals, quirky instruments, and sudden shifts in mood and tempo. Very experimental overall. I appreciate the significance of this album and the history behind it, but I wouldn’t put it among my favourites style wise. It feels a bit too theatrical for me almost like a Broadway production. The whole thing is whimsical and bright. The album cover looks like it was made in MS Paint. There’s no way to justify that atrocity. My favourite tracks are Our Prayer / Gee, Heroes and Villains, Child Is Father of the Man, and Surf’s Up.

I know I'm starting to sound like an album critic, but this seems overproduced and self-indulgent. The result is rather boring, as a whole. And sorta childish with the slide-whistles etc. I'm sure that's what he's going for, but I still don't like to listen to it. This version of Good Vibrations is the only thing that brings it up to 3*.

I heard Smiley Smile before, but I'ver never heard this version of it.

Ihan ok levy, mutta hivenen liian tasapaksu. Ennestään tuttu oli uusi versio vanhasta Beach Boys klassikosta ”Good Vibrations”.

3.0

Brian Wilson Presents Smile is great (for a 62 year old with schizoaffective disorder.)

Weird to see this came out in 2004 but it's vibes.

Groovy.

Very cool to have this album here, never sat down and listened to it, but well aware of this work. Obviously I was already more than familiar with "Good Vibrations" but I now also love "Heroes and Villains". Not sure what to give this one, between 3 and 4 stars most likely. It is an enjoyable to listen but does feel a bit unpolished and unfinished, some great ideas here. Rated 3.5 on RYM, perhaps should REVISIT in the future...

Great one to get while I'm at work because listening to any variation of Smile sends me down a Wikipedia wormhole about Smile & Brian Wilson, who is for my money, one of the single most interesting and complicated musicians ever. I can't even really say that I love Smile track-to-track or grasp Brian's vision but it is rewarding to know that he finished a variation on Smile that he was satisfied with. The Smile project is one of the strangest in recorded music, engaging with it is like looking at a fractal. There are so many ideas thematically and musically that it's difficult to even know where to start thinking about it. I think this 2004 version has a level of polish to it that makes it feel a bit too close to "product", the version of Cabinessence here is still good but the version on 20/20 has a sinister edge that this one lacks. A lot of 2004's Smile has the edges sanded down, which probably has a lot to do with Wilson mellowing out between the 1960s and 2004. Favorite Tracks: Heroes & Villains, Old Master Painter/You Are My Sunshine, Cabin Essence, Mrs. O'Leary's Cow, Good Vibrations

Eh

Happy happy, but didn't excite me that much

I like the Beach Boys but idk... this album just feels off.

Beautiful voice some nice arrangements, but songs just ok

Ah man, it started off really well but just turned into one long blah-fest, punctuated only occasionally with a good track. If it didn't end with Good Vibrations then I likely would have missed the ending. Just far too many boring tracks in here that passed me by and struggled to hold my attention. 2.5 rounded up.

I think I need more context on this album. Ok, reading about this it was supposed to follow pet sounds. That explains why it sounds like a beach boys album that someone was trying to reproduce nearly 40 years later. It sounds dated and modern simultaneously. It’s good. Heroes and villains sounds like Brian was copying the Beatles. This is really good. I can’t put my finger on why, but I like this better than pet sounds. I don’t like this version of good vibrations. It’s ok, but feels like a demo for the track I know and love. Ok I went and tracked down the versions released in the 60s. They sound better to my ears. While this album is the same tunes, it’s not quite there for me.

The story behind this album is what makes the album. If you listened to it in a vacuum, you would never give it the flowers that critics do. It's extremely experimental, but at the same time cartoonish. After hearing this I can definitely say that Pet Sounds is my favorite work by Brian Wilson. 3⭐️

What happens when a myth becomes a reality 40 years later? Are you disappointed when what you believed to be true is somehow not what you encounter it? The much beloved and bootlegged abandoned Beach Boys album - Smile - appears in a completed form by Brian Wilson and while your are somewhat familiar with several of the songs, you are stunned by how cohesive this version appears to be. But, you are also fully aware that this 2004 version is likely no where near what this record would have sounded like as a Beach Boys album in 1966. And this is no disrespect to Brian, Van Dyke Parks and the Wonderments who have produced an iteration of the album full of wonderful arrangements and magical harmonies. The album should be considered a part from its history but it cannot. If you had never heard of The Beach Boys, would this symphonic version produce the level of endearment without the mythos of its antecedent version? I can’t answer that question. Undoubtedly this is a gorgeous version of songs but having also heard the Smile Sessions released in 2011, I can say that this record is nice but also rather lifeless. The bass is buried and the digital nature of the tracks means the warmth of the original recordings is lost. Similarly, Nrian’s vocals are thicker and less energetic as befitting a man who was then in his 60s. See e.g. In Blue Hawaii. As an artifact it is interesting but I think supplanted by the Smile Sessions. P.S. Good Vibrations is still an exceptional fucking track no matter the version.

I've been aware for a long time that Smile was a legendary unfinished text, and I don't know that I ever listened to any of the unfinished versions that were released, nor to Smiley Smile. This is a LOT. I feel like I need to listen to it again to really give a true assessment. When it just sounds like circus music and slide whistles I was genuinely annoyed (e.g., the first half of "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow"). Some of it strikes as extremely down-the-middle Beach Boys pop, which is perfectly fine to listen to but seems to almost mask the incredible effort that went into it (e.g., "In Blue Hawaii"). But a few of the tracks feel truly magnificent. I'm thinking here of "Our Prayer/Gee", "Heroes and Villains", and the second half of "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow." And of course, "Good Vibrations" is about as close to a pop masterpiece as you can get. This version being different doesn't diminish that. I may well come back to this. I'm certain this has themes and multitudes lost on me.

I agree with most people in saying that the history of this album is much more interesting than the tracks themselves. Although I did gain something from delving deeper into the Beach Boys zeitgeist. Standout track for me would be Roll Plymouth Rock.

Meh, I expect I might come down in a similar camp to many others on this one. It's not that the sound isn't good, or even iconic at times. I just don't understand why we need this album in the mid 2000s, given what's on it. There's some good songs, no doubt, but we heard it all in the 60s and music had progressed well beyond this at that point. That's not to say that this vintage sound isn't cool, it is. It just had its time, and that time wasn't in the 21st century. 3 stars, which might be generous.

Oh dear no. This is too bitty and to confused for my tastes. There are some good enough bits but overall, its just not that great. I do like the fact it is so wackadoodle though.

The story behind this is pretty cool, same for the album itself.

I see why it’s popular, but not my jam.

Some brilliant tracks (vegetables), others mixed.

Viele Songs starten durchaus vielversprechend, ändern jedoch ihren Stil zum Nachteil der Hörerfahrung. Im Allgemeinen kein Album, welchzes ich privat hören werde.

Brian Wilson? The brother of the only guy who gave musical prodigy Charles Manson a shot at fame? He too makes music?

Skemmtilegt, en óklárað og smá þreytandi.

Áhugavert en óklárað.

Weird. Thanks for suggesting, but I won't listen again.

This is one where I think the legend and lore far outweigh the significance of the actual music on the album. Had it come out in 66 when it was supposed to maybe it's a different story, but as it is this is an interesting but not groundbreaking record.

A good bunch of bops from the beach boy

Nice! I've never listened to this before, and I enjoyed it. Always nice to have The Beach Boys on in the background while you're playing or working or driving or ... whatever.

Ok, not one for a repeat listen

vega-tables

Beach boys on acid. Sometimes cheerful and boisterous, sometimes sad and lamenting. Carnival sounds, and other interesting audio add ins like animal sounds.

I can't say that the music itself was more interesting than the backstory for the album, which itself feels a lot like a relic from a bygone age.

Reminiscent of “The Beach Boys” but with all of the fun stripped away, and “Vega-Tables” was obnoxious

Feel like im on a merry go round rn

I've always felt that the genius of Brian Wilson is appreciated more on an intellectual level than an emotional one. As such, I've never really connected with The Beach Boys or his solo work. I was only vaguely familiar with Smile. I feel like if I sat down and gave it a few focused listens, I would probably like it more. But for this exercise, it comes across mostly as a collection of unreleased Beach Boys tracks that I'm not vibing with all that much.

Fun!

3/5 - I needed to hear this album as a whole once because of its mythology and history. This is an incredibly hard album to rate. It’s like an Old Masters painting presented as modern art depicting a landscape from an imaginary Disney planet. Smile has moments of incredible beauty, jarring transitions, barnyard animals, and then comes back and hits you with heavenly harmonies. It’s a masterpiece I don’t really understand and find hard to access. It also contains Good Vibrations which is about as good as it gets in pop music on par with God Only Knows.

okayyyyy brian i get it. you’re very good at this. but it’s just so……beach boys. idk. it’s very hard to listen to this outside of that context. and i think he deserves credit for his skill and for developing such a recognizable, sonically lush style, and i can appreciate that it sounds Nice in the fullest sense of the word, but it’s just not that interesting to me.

I felt similarly about this as I do to all other Beach Boys albums I've heard -- extremely impressive technically, harmoniously, compositionally, etc, but not sonically something I find exciting to listen to. Hearing the purely instrumental tracks, through its isolation of Brian Wilson's work, make obvious his prowess as a producer however, so I did enjoy hearing that.

De Beach Boys: een rare grap die wellicht nooit zo lang doorgezet had moeten worden als uiteindelijk is gebeurd. Ze hebben wel wat goede nummers gemaakt, origineel was het vaak ook, en je herkent ze direct. Maar sorry, je kunt dit toch moeilijk serieus nemen. Bewijsstuk één is dit album: pas na jaren officieel uitgebracht, maar qua geluid helemaal blijven steken in het mallotige hoekje waar ze altijd al zaten. Blije samenzang met blije arrangementen, het is niet zoals bij de Beatles dat je denkt dat er nog een gedachte achter zit, nee, het is blije gekkigheid om de gekkigheid, Sesamstraat is er niks bij. En op een gegeven moment is de grap er wel vanaf.

Heroes and Villains rips. The genius is here and the madness too.

It’s a good stab at recreating this mythic lost album. But you really need the 60’s recording quality and the Beach Boys’ harmonies to really make it pop. The solo version sounds a bit sterile and cheap in comparison.

By no mean bad, tbh Chill

A very interesting work -- and very important to fans of the Beach Boys and pop music history. Finally, almost 40 years later, Wilson's vision gets realized. I enjoyed how surprising and dramatic it was, despite the familiar sounds of the Beach Boys. I genuinely had no idea what was next. The structure is very unusual: many songs will abruptly come to silence — it sounds like a little death — and then explode into a new structure completely. The lyrics do drive me kinda nuts, though. I mean, Barnyard: what the hell is this?

This is a historically fascinating album, a time capsule no doubt, for those alive upon its release—brand new Beach Boys songs 38 years after their initial recording. Their harmonies are beautiful, and the mix is pretty exquisitely crafted—a strange dichotomy exists between the quality of the recording and engineering and the content so clearly from a bygone era. I find that while the album is pleasant—and there are plenty of avant-garde elements that are surely of interest to prog fans and the like—it's not terribly... Memorable? Exciting? I find the second half is a little more engaging. Vega-Tables is good fun and did in fact make smile. Mrs. O'Leary's Cow is like listening into a parallel dimension, one where they venture into hard rock and pioneer along side with Black Sabbath. Heros and Villians is also particularly interesting. There's a craftsmanship to this album that I really appreciate, but I feel like I cannot rank it higher than a three because it's highly unlikely this will get much replay from me.

Brian Wilson is incredibly creative and it was interesting to hear some new songs and envision what the original album would have sounded like if the younger Beach Boys had released it in the 60s. Overall, it was enjoyable but not as Earth shattering as some of the Beach Boys work, in my opinion.

I've always had problems matching people's veneration for the Beach Boys and subsequently Brian Wilson with what I'm hearing when I'm listening - this is no exception. But while I usually am able to file their music under pleasant enough pop - and successful in setting itself apart from what came out of Britain - this here is jingles. An odd musical. In its one-man extravaganza with all the (also literal) bells and whistles like clips from a children's Tubular Bells. And then the 2004 production? Makes it kind of eerie. I did not not enjoy this, in a way - now skipping between it and the Smile Sessions - and there's some magic happening between "Song for the Children" and "Surf's Up" and also Good Vibrations, of course, but there's also an equal amount of musical moments where a clown is appearing on stage. Or Homer Simpson tripping on psychedelic drugs. Bit weird, the whole thing. And not the endearing weird. Don't know what to do here, I'll leave it at 3.

Not sure how to rate this, but it’s very original which I like, I just enjoyed this less than I hoped but can’t put a reason on it. Some great gems in here and I’ll probably revisit eventually.

Wilson was an excellent singer, a great songwriter and such an influential figure for pop and music in general. This record is a collection of a lot of work over the years, and it's a mythical piece of work that seemed lost for many years. Beyond the mysticism surrounding it and the legendary status of Wilson, the record ends up being a good pop album, driven by Wilson's vocals but not much more than that. Again, the singing here is the standout. The backing vocal melodies are as beautiful as ever. The songwriting is pretty good and fun too. One of my favourite aspects of Wilson/Beach Boys are the bridges, they manage to deliver these spectacular variations, that are very moving and expand the songs so much. But given Wilson's history, I expected this record to go further and present more interesting ideas. I feel like the fact that it's essentially revisiting an album from the late 60s, it feels like the ideas are well executed but not as innovative as they would've been back then. "Heroes and Villains" is an excellent song and "Roll Plymouth Rock" was pretty good and catchy too. "Surf's Up" and "Good Vibrations" present interesting versions of songs that were part of the Beach Boys catalog. My favourite song was "Child Is Father of the Man", which is more ambitious sonically and I loved the place it goes to, particularly with how it flows into "Surf's Up". I would've liked the album to work more in this space.

Härlig vibe, kände inget särskilt dock, typ lagom.

Good vibrations was mijn favorietje

Day 17 First listen- Its an alright album, felt a bit stretched at times.(3/5) RIP Brian Wilson

I guess I should’ve expected it to sound just like The Beach Boys, huh?

Apparently, the context of this album is absurdly deep, and it even has a documentary called 'Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile'. If we skip all the personal life of Brian Wilson, we get that this album was an unfinished project from The Beach Boys that started back at 1967. That's why it may sound a bit out of place for a album that was released in 2004, since it primarily feels like a project from Beach Boys's golden years. This album is a compilation of some charming pop-rock tracks, but with a much modern production. What shines the most for me is the notable use of multiple vocal layers. With that being said, in spiste of the great performances, sound and positivity, I left a bit uninterested, but enough to overshadow my positive feeling about it, so I'm giving it 3 stars.

It was fine

Ooh, a bit weird. I felt a lot of it was a bit samey and boring, but then some bits suddenly made some interesting choices. Not sure I'd relisten though.

Not much else to say about Brian Wilson.

This was like being led through a dream by a barefoot genius in a bathrobe. Where am I? In a barn? A courtroom? The transitions are chaotic but deliberate, and it’s got that Beach Boys-ish vocal blend, but run through a kaleidoscope. Not something I’ll be blasting at a party, but it was interesting and fun. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - Heroes and Villains - Surf's Up - Good Vibrations

How very "Brian Wilson"