Smile

Mehhhhhhh not my thing

come on give me something that will make me...

⭐ Good vibrations

3- Stars (7/15)

Didn't recognize at first but Heroes and Villains I recognized and I like the album overall.

So it's good but mostly weird. Not really the definitive version of the good songs and the other songs are just there.

Meh

Nice vocals. Don’t love it don’t hate it. Decent

Lemppari: Heroes and Villains Vähiten lempparit: Barnyard, Vega-Tables

Well there is of course the backstory to this, a re recording of one of the famous lost albums of the 60s. Originally intended to the the follow-up to Pet Sounds, everything went awry as Brian Wilson hit the rocks with mental health issues that took him out of action for decades. This album definitely sounds like Brian Wilson's Beach Boys of yesteryear - possibly due to similar collaborators, and garnered quite a bit of press adulation. I'm not really persuaded it's *that* good. After three listens, it was really coming across as a bit of a pastiche of Pet Sounds era Beach Boys.

A little slow, as a lot of The Beach Boys style can be. I appreciate it for the cultural impact it had but it is not my kind of music.

This is a pretty unorthodox way for me to be introduced to The Beach Boys. Or more specifically Brian Wilson. By far one of the most well recognized and respected songwriters of the 60s, and probably ever. People love this guy. And 100%, wholeheartedly believe he is a genius. I have no connection to him, his brothers, or their music. But I was surprised to learn he had solo material that made this list. Smile is a very interesting album to say the least, and one with an incredibly storied history. Originally intended to be the follow-up to Pet Sounds, Smile was eventually scrapped and became regarded as the most legendary unreleased album ever made. Brian had a pretty deep emotional connection to this material, and suffered from some trauma regarding that time period and the creation of the record. So the fact he even came back to make this is probably a miracle. There is a lot to talk about, so before I get into the music, I want to comment on Wilson himself. For a man who was in his early 60s when this was recorded, he sounds pretty damn good. Now the music. I’m not totally sure where to begin. And that’s because I don’t know if I fully processed what I heard. No doubt, the arrangements that are present here are incredible. Some of the strongest and most unique that I’ve heard so far. It’s clear a lot of effort was put into the recording part of that aspect. They are super varied and never really boring. But the pacing of each section is so quick, that I found it hard to keep up at times. I mean Heroes and Villains alone feels like it has 6 different songs contained within itself. It definitely justifies that progressive pop label. But I don’t know if they are pieced together and sequenced as well as they could be. This album comes off as more like one big continuous adventure. It doesn’t have a lot of replay value unless you are listening to it from start to finish. But as one big musical journey, it’s super fun and a ride to remember for sure. It has an almost barbershop quartet, doo-wop feel to it. I’ll be completely honest though. Some of those background singers sound a lot like My Singing Monsters to me. It’s not that I don’t like what I’m hearing on most of these songs, I just found it difficult to digest. I don’t know if personally I could consider Brian Wilson a genius yet, but I need to hear how he comes together with his fellow band mates. Rating: 6/10

Credo sia uno skit, una parodia di qualcosa che non capisco, ma le canzoni sono piacevoli. Ah no ok pazzesco, è tipo una leggenda, rilasciato 40 anni dopo averlo registrato e Brian Wilson è dei Beach Boys. 3 stelle comunque.

Really weird. I do think Brian is a genius

Beautiful harmonies and of course the production and the arrangements are Brian Wilson's greatest strength. Each listen offers new details that keep the music fresh and interesting. The songs are not as strong as Per Sounds but still a fascinating listening experience 3.5 stars

Føles som om han tog Pet Sounds og prøvede at gøre den bare en smule mere artsy, men Pet Sounds er lige præcis så artsy som den skal være

Bare meget mindre imponerende fra en ældre herre i 2004 end det ville have været fra en ung mand i 1967, men lyder rigtig godt ikke desto mindre!

If you like Pet Sounds, you'll like BWPS. Great version of "Good Vibrations".

It’s as if a beach boys cover acapella group was led into a studio, given psychedelics and told they were unchained and could now use instruments. It’s like Winnie the Pooh happened upon a bunch of heffalumps that love The Beach Boys. It’s both a very familiar childhood sound and very unmoored.

I appreciate this

Ain't nobody got time for this

What a weird album, seems to jump all over the place

This is a tricky one. Yes, there’s a couple of great songs on here. I hate myself for thinking it and I’m a horrible person for saying it and it is completely normal unfair, but, most of this album sounds like Pet Sounds cosplay. I’m glad Brian got to finally make this album, and one of his pinkies has more talent than one hundred of me put together, but this album fell flat with me overall. Less life changing vibes and more straw hat wearing taffy makers at an amusement park.

I’ve done a deep dive or two on The Beach Boys, and I saw Brian Wilson live when he did his Pets Sounds tour. It was an OK concert. I remember when this came out and all the hub bub. I have a good friend that was particularly interested in it. I’ve heard different versions of several of these songs, as well as this album before. I think this is a solid album, but does not capture the magic Brian Wilson used to be capable of. Still, a nice enough listen.

5/10 I listened some songs from thst album 3 days ago ir so and haven't managed to remember any. (Needs reconsidering)

Interesting but not the work of genius some claim.

After reading the Wikipedia article for this album, it makes a lot more sense. I thought it was just The Beach Boys, which technically, yes. What I didn’t like about it was how many songs in the first half of the album just stop and switch to a B side of the song. It took me out of the listening experience. “What are they doing?” Was what I would say to myself. I really liked the three part song of Song for Children, Child Is Father of the Man, and Surf’s Up. This album was overall good, but I’d much rather listen to a different, finished Beach Boys project. Standouts: Heroes and Villains, Surf’s Up, Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow, and Good Vibrations.

FWIW I’m enjoying this listen a lot. I put it on a bunch in 2004/2005 when it was new and haven’t thought about it since but these melodies/etc actually did stick in my subconscious and I’m having that ‘familiar and good’ feeling I guess it’s notable for its notoriety and the fact that it was finally ‘completed’ after decades of waiting. I think this can’t be what Brian had in mind when it was conceived though -> my initial impressions were that it didn’t live up to the hype. This is also SUPER happy - it’s kind of like Brian is writing songs about what he thinks it must be like for people to be happy (having been incapable of it himself for 50 years)

Some fine moments.

It was a fun, happy vibe. A nice casual listen.

A 2004 release of a reworked 60s album is symbolic of the old fartyness of this list. Even though an old fart myself I've never felt able to fully access the cult of Brian Wilson. I can tell he is uniquely talented and has a vision unlike anyone else. There some brilliant tunes and arrangements on here but sometimes it's all a bit cutesy for my taste. The one I didn't know but really liked was Mrs O'Leary's Cow.

Very Brian Wilson. I think you need to like Brian Wilson a lot to really like this album

Fun ride.

Allt í lagi, ekkert súper dúper.

This is such a hard album to rate. On one hand, I don't love the way it sounds, it's not bad but it's nothing spectacular. I'm not a lover of the beach boys sound in general so hearing a more modern version of it is a bit jarring to me. But the history of this album is interesting and makes me want to rate it higher. So we'll stick in the middle with a 3. Fav songs: - Heroes and Villains - On a Holiday - Wind Chimes - Blue Hawaii - Good Vibrations

I appreciate the troubled history and I remember critics wetting themselves but it just has a giddy moronic happiness that wears after a while. That's possibly too harsh but so what...

Some lovely stuff on here but doesn’t have the spark of the 60s stuff

Reading the wiki page made it sound like this would be the most phenomenal album I'd ever heard. It was fine - guess you have to be a big Beach Boys fan to really understand the phenomenon

Sounded fine but the whole flow of the record felt a little jumpy. Not much here that I would listen to over the full band.

Strange to hear a 60s record from the 00s

I'm getting so damn sad sitting here thinking about the paralyzing trauma and anguish Brian Wilson must've languished in for years....(I mean, truly paralyzing artistically, psychologically and socially), and would love the storybook ending of a groundbreaking work ultimately being released 40 years later, as the "myth" of Smile's release suggests...but let's face it: Other than Heroes and Villains (which is outstanding), this is really a collection of (albeit, mostly pleasing) soundscapes, snippets, ideas, and experiments that have not been fully executed and actualized into a cohesive album. And the thought of admitting that makes me sad...because I really wanted the storybook ending.

-Nice vocals -Nostalgic vibe -so many different Instruments -Best Songs: Heroes and villains, surf‘s up /Least Fave Songs: Roll Plymouth Rock, Mrs. O‘Leary‘s Cow -Barn yard has interesting sheep noises

This was a big deal when it was first released and I was pretty excited to hear it. I was mostly disappointed on the first listen. I've gone back to this a few times, it's helped and I enjoy more of it but overall it's still just ok, perhaps my expectations were set too high.

Interesting. It's really the triumph the hype would have you believe. I miss the old harmonies that were the core of the best Beach Boys songs. I don't think i'd listen to this again.

I didn't hate listening to this and parts of it I really liked. But it's missing something, and something big. Might be the harmonies, might just be youth, I'm not sure. I'm glad that this exists and I heard it, but I don't know if I'll listen to it again.

3.5 really ambitious, kind of lost itself a couple times but the recordings are jam packed with creative ideas

Ok enough as background music but hard to listen to straight up

Classic Brian ilson

Brian Wilson is a musical genius, but it’s mainly for The Beach Boys and the writing behind that more than this album. Smile is a good rendition of what made The Beach Boys special and a nostalgic look at the music then and now. There’s not much wrong with this album but it’s not anything more than a revisit to popular music from the 60s with an older person take on it. 6.7/10

It was fine. All those years in the making for that? Not bad but not at all exceptional.

Perfect for a Sunday morning

Its nice and an interesting rebirth of material, I just am not a big fan of the Beach Boys and find this to not be as good as Pet Sounds and I don't see myself wanting to listen to it again.

I don't know how to rate this. I've never liked the Beach Boys and I've never understood why people compared them to the Beatles. These harmonies are what I expect from the main Beach Boy. But they are boring. So it's just me waiting for the album to end.

Not bad but sounds very much like the Beach Boys. A little weird to think that this came out in 2004. I probably won't listen to this again but I don't regret hearing it.

An enjoyable album but if I’m going to listen to something I’m just throwing on The Beach Boys over Smile.

It's a smart album that takes us back to the artist's roots. Beach sounds. Staying close to his core competencies.

cute and relaxing

I bought this upon release in 2004 while riding the internet music media hype machine. The Beach Boys/Brian Wilson are certainly interesting and groundbreaking but they’ve always come off as too comical and child-like for me to take them seriously. They lack an outright cool factor that other bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones wallow in. This album is not bad at all, its good for what it is trying to be…it’s just not the upper echelon musical experience old music critics claim it to be.

I still don't really get the Beach Boys. Apart from 5 or 6 songs that are legitimately genius, they just don't click with me, and I'm starting to think they never will. They were fantastic singers, wrote great melodies and harmonies. But the rest is just like animal noises and weird sound effects. A lot of this sounds like a soundtrack to a children's cartoon. Not that I'm opposed to that in small doses - I don't think all music needs to be taken super seriously. But it just leaves me scratching my head to think that they were pitted head to head with The Beatles at the time. It just makes me feel sorry for them; it was a contest they were never going to win. They were just fine in their own way though.

Our Prayer/Gee 3.2 Heroes and Villians 3.3 Roll Plymouth Rock 3.2 Barnyard 3.1 Old Master Painter/You Are My Sunshine 3 Cabin Essence 2.9 Wonderful 2.8 Song for Children 2.7 Child is Father of the Man 2.7 Surf's Up 2.5 I'm in Great Shape/I Wanna Be Around/Workshop 2.3 Vega-Tables 2 On a Holiday 2.2 Wind Chimes 2.4 Mrs. O'Leary's Cow 2.6 In Blue Hawaii 2.5 Good Vibrations 3.4 Score: 2.752941176

Olfos, es que es el de los Beach Boys. De hecho, por eso le doy un 3, porque me ha parecido un poco tostón.

Well that's crazy. We went from the Beach Boys to Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. lol. I don't think I've ever heard any of his solo stuff. This album came out in 2004!? This first track is pretty. Just acapello. This will be interesting. Heroes and Villains is on this album a song featured on Fantastic Mr. Fox. Recognized it right away. There were definitely some very interesting songs on this album. I'm not sure if I liked it very much. I'll give it a 3.

Old man sings the hits.

was gonna make it a two because it just felt all over the place BUT good vibrations brought it back

Felt like an affirmation for the harmonies Brian and the Beach Boys were notable for. Perhaps a vanity piece, but not an unpleasant entertainment

I don't hate it, but I don't need to hear this again. Good vibrations tho. 2.5.

Poor, poor Brian Wilson. I feel like this album suffers under the weight of its legend. Had it come out in ‘67, it truly may have been one of the greatest albums ever made. It didn’t, though, not in the way Wilson intended. And this version isn’t the album he intended to put out, either. This is still a rough listen, though, because you can so clearly hear *what* the vision was here, but time hasn’t been kind to Wilson, and the weight of his tragedies are so evident in every note. Listen, though. It’s still essentially a Beach Boys record, and I love The Beach Boys, so I didn’t hate anything here. And there’s moments on Smile where the skies part and the colors become more vibrant and you start to hear one of the greatest albums ever made. Unfortunately, those moments are too infrequent and very fleeting. There’s also a lot more fun moments of silly inversions of school yard songs and nursery rhymes, and you chuckle and find it endearing, but your joy feels a bit forced, because it sounds like Wilson is forcing a smile, and what you’re actually hearing is a wince. And maybe that’s the point, sure, but in this version, I think it’s really, really hard to listen to it without the knowledge of all the years between its conception and the actual release date of the music. And that’s the biggest issue — this is a record full of hindsight, and that hindsight ruins a lot of its magic. And while it’s still The Beach Boys, it’s also not; the harmonies aren’t as textured, the session players aren’t the Wrecking Crew, and 40 whole years have passed, and the world where The Beach Boys meant something has long disappeared and now we live in a world where The Beach Boys mean something else entirely, and unfortunately, Smile contains very little of what they meant *or* what they mean. One day, I’ll get around to listening to the bootlegs/The Smile Sessions, because I think there’s a lot of potential on display on this belated version. But on face value, this version of Smile is not the masterpiece it could have been, and potential and concept are not enough if the music doesn’t actually come together in the end.

Like a B-sides collection from the Pet Sounds era. I was WAY into this era of Beach Boys when this came out and listened to it a lot. It's good but the songs feel like sketches instead of those perfect little three minute radio tunes that the group is known for.

Cool story behind the album, and I know what a great artist Brian Wilson was (is?). But this was a weird listen… some songs had cool harmonies calling back to Beach Boys hits, but then other songs were a fever dream during a drug binge. Disjointed flow between songs with some hard transitions, where some faded well. I wanted to like it more than I did. 2.5/5

Я слышал этот альбом еще до того, как узнал, что это за чел. Это хороший альбом, но вот эта некоторая клоунскость в звуке некоторых песен, карнавал и вот это всё, отталкивают меня. Я не самый большой The Beach Boys фан на земле, надо признать, и это определенно влияет на мое восприятие и этого произведения тоже. Я не выбираю Good Vibrations как лучшую, потому что в моей книге это песня The Beach Boys. Лучшая песня - Cabin Essense.

I can see all the fuss, a vintage era Beach Boys album in all but name decades afterwards. Beautiful playing and singing. But not my cup of tea. There is some trail off by the end (Vegetables) as well. 2.5 but will round up to 3.

Fun, beachy hits (definitely has a Beach Boys aura) with some funky eclectic songs thrown in. Worth another listen.

Certainly still has that Beach Boys sound

The charm of Beach Boys albums is gone, all we have left is the main guy and the same songs, just sang 40 years later. I'm not a big enough fan to appreciate it, so I'll just quietly move on.

A chill album that was very Beach Boys (duh), that Brian was able to have come to fruition as there had been numerous failed attempts previously. Despite the controversy surrounding him not defining it as a Beach Boys album it seems he did what he set out to do. Best: Heroes and Villains Worst: Child Is Father of the Man

Good Vibrations Heroes and Villains

Actually great

I struggle to see what the big deal is with Brian Wilson \ The Beach Boys. It wasn't bad, far from it, but it never really got me going either.

I knew of this album by reputation, but had never listened to it before. Insert Krusty the Clown "What the hell was that?" meme here. There's some decent songs, but most seem half baked with everything and the kitchen sink thrown at them to make them seem whole. This isn't a masterpiece, it's a mess.

I love the beach boys but never heard of this before. I hear a lot of the harmonizing goodness. This was enjoyable, with some tracks having the BB charm, but not as good as the OG. 3*.

Hard to judge this album — it’s the most notorious lost album of all time, but based off the sessions we have it seems really inconsistent. Great beautiful stuff like Our Prayer/Gee, Heroes and Villians, cabinessence, and Surf’s Up. You can hear most of that on other albums. But then you have a song about eating vegetables. Also, good vibrations doesn’t fit on here (it would’ve also been out of place on Pet Sounds). Still, Brian is an all-time genius and melody writer

Brian Wilson Presents Smile is an album I don't really know how to evaluate. I get the story behind it and appreciate the incredible sentimental value it holds to fans of one of the most talented and accomplished groups ever, and there are places of real quality throughout as you'd expect of anything Beach Boys related, but it doesn't quite get me the way I think it gets people who were and are far more into them than I am. The entire production is meticulous and impressive, the layering of instruments and tones and textures, the voices themselves being as much an instrument as anything else, it all comes together into a magnificent sound that has atmosphere you can almost reach out and touch. I just think it's unnecessarily long and weird in places; it does whimsical well at times and entirely unnecessarily at others, like I could do without Barnyard, Vega-Tables and Mrs O'Leary's Cow right off my head. Again, I can forgive that as part of the project and the importance of it to Wilson, but if I don't care about the story and only the music then it doesn't fulfil me, and that's a flaw of this entire exercise we've pointed out before, that the true resonance of many reverential albums lies in the moment in time and the narrative/journey it took to get there and what came next. I'll sum this up by saying In Blue Hawaii was incredible, and I'll give the whole thing a 3 overall.

Really nicely put together, it all flows beautifully, but the individual tracks just don't do it for me, Clive. Heroes & Villains is quite catchy, then you have Good Vibrations/Surfs Up (and probably others?) from the Beach Boys back catalogue by the time this was released. Beyond that, not a lot. The whole is more than the sum of its parts, unfortunately the parts are (mostly) really not good. 3/5.

The fact that this was released in 2004 makes me like it better

I didn’t know the story of this album, but I had heard a few songs from Fantastic Mr Fox. I’m interested in hearing the Smile sessions they released.

I wanted this to be great, but it isn't. It's mostly pretty good and some of it is fantastic, but a lot of it just washes over. 'Heroes and villains' has always been one of my favourites, but there isn't another single other tune on the album I can remember, despite playing it on repeat all day.

Not too shabby. Like The Beach Boys but just not as good.

This album shows just how much Brian Wilson was responsible for the sound of the Beach Boys. A strange album - partly it feels like a concept album and partly it feels like a musical stage show celebrating the Beach Boys.

I listened to this a bunch when it was new, hoping for Pet Sounds 2.0. It isn’t that. It’s more just a nostalgia trip about what might have been.

What did I just listen to?

founding member of the beach boys. A solo recreation of an old album that was never finished by the band. cool album. Amazing alternate lyrics for good vibrations. 3

Oh, Brian Wilson. What can we say? Parts are genius, parts are weird. It's everything you would expect from an album that took Wilson like 3 decades to compose. Some of the harmonies are fire.

Strange like a Warhol. Sometimes bordering on bizarre. He made major changes, whether it be instrument, tempo, key, or a combination, like every 4 bars, which did not allow a groove to set in. Unsettling.

Always like listening to cool projects like these. 3.5

Overall this was a fine album and I definitely respect him as an artist. Nothing really stood out to me as exceptional enjoyable however I would still give this a 3.5.

Een prima easy listening albumpje, lekker stemgeluid van meneer Wilson van The Beach Boys. Na een tijdje wel een beetje eentonig en die middeleeuwse klavecimbel en goofy ahh sounds hoeven van mij ook niet per se

Geinige muziek, maar niet mijn smaak en ga er ook niet nog eens naar luisteren denk ik zo

I’m sure if I liked The Beach Boys, I would really like this album. Unfortunately, I don’t care for the Beach Boy, and thus I don’t care for this album. Definitely had that distinct sound.

Yeah, sure…

I mean it's basically just a Beach Boys album recorded a couple decades too late and it sounds just like that. Not great not bad, just ok.

This is a quirky, cute and somewhat interesting 60s record, made in 2004.

Probably a 3.5 star album i saw him live and was awesome

Wild

Yeah, that's not the best showcase of Brian's skill. I understand that this was a bit of a cathartic release for him but I'm not sure anyone buy him needed for it to be released, honestly. It's really disjointed with each track taking multiple left-turns within the song. The lyrics are, by and large, nonsensical. And the production, while unsurprisingly high-quality, makes a lot of... strange choices. This is far from his best work and it's not a particularly enjoyable listen. Stars for skill, though.

Maybe because I was listening in the dark in Reykjavík in the depths of winter but I couldn’t get this album to stick at all. It’s unquestionably an incredible piece of musicianship, and the lore behind it only adds to the allure. But while I love Pet Sounds, Smile feels like it just went too hard into the musical, theatrical vibes for me. Still though, very impressive. I’ll try re-listen in summer and see if it does anything different for me.

While I didn’t love this - I did like the gentle menace, like the train bit at the beginning of Dumbo. I know it’s harmless but there’s something underlying there.

The beach boy sound became older

nice sunny music, doesn't make me want to re-listen or find out more 3

Pet Sounds is the better album, and Smile was best off shelved. A convoluted album that lacks clarity.

not impressed sorry

Well at least we know who was responsible for the harmonies in the beach boys

Don't really get it.

Sounds like the Beach Boys. If you like the Beach Boys, you will like this.

Nicht meins.

That was definitely interesting thanks Brian!

I like the classic beach boys sound, but the album is a bit strange.... Like if the beach boys were a fall festival carnival attraction, this would be their lineup? Overall, not bad.

Sure it was the lost Brian Wilson album... that he eventually recreated. I was happy to hear the recreation in the early 2000's but this album fell way short of the hype.

Alright but I would not listen again

Watched the film and enjoyed this album

An amazing album. Brian Wilson has crafted an amazing sound and not a hair out of place.

The legend of the original Smile sessions cast a long shadow on the history of pop music. They reportedly destroyed Brian Wilson's mental health, and the tapes (oft bootlegged) became one of the great lost albums of rock and roll, and created this hypothetical question of "how would music be different if Brian Wilson had completed and released Smile?" And here we have the answer. Darian Sahanaja did a wonderful job of sensitively facilitating Brian and Van Dyke Parks to complete a version of the material. Is it exactly what Smile would have been in 1968? Probably not, but probably close. They have done a really great job of arranging and recording a terrific simulacrum of the Beach Boys studio sound c.1968, and the songs that have been previously released are pretty close in tone to what is presented here. Arguably, this is the best (and certainly most consistent) Beach Boys album released since the original sessions collapsed. But is it, you know, _that_ good? The best material had already been released on a variety of Beach Boys albums (Heroes and Villains, Good Vibrations, Cabin Essence, Surf's Up), and the material debuting here is not that world changing. I don't rate Parks' lyrics, and Vege-Tables is still my go-to example of how white-boy rock snobs over-rate the 'genius' of Brian Wilson. It's a joke (except that it isn't). So, it's a good sounding album, and interesting to hear how Smile might have sounded in a complete form, and answers once and for all the question of whether Smile would have changed musical history. That's a resounding 'no', nothing would have really changed. But it's great not to have to wonder about that anymore. In 2012 I was in New York City, and had the opportunity to see the Beach Boys, including Brian Wilson, performing in Central Park for GMA (https://youtu.be/ASfjoEadmow). They only performed about four songs (including soundcheck) and it was at 8am, but it was a chance to see Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys for free, so I dragged the family off to see the show. Between songs, Brian was super cranky, and admonished the (bored) crowd for bouncing around the beach balls that the production had provided. Most of the musical heavy lifting was done by Brian's band, but they were tight and upbeat and could still punch out a compelling rendition of their past glories. It was fascinating to hear them sound-check, and how well they could produce that Beach Boys sound.

ganz okay

far be it from me to disagree with Geoff Hoon, but the next generation has no need for the last one

Fantastisk roligt att höra. Trots att jag ser mig själv som ett Beach Boys-fan hade jag missat detta. Behövdes den? Nja. Men fick det mig att le? Absolut!

Good, but not great.

Nice and decent

Love it for its historical relevance, but don’t particularly enjoy it. Lovely, though.

Really appreciated the attempt at making a continuous album. The album is indulgent, but not always in a good way. 3/5 Would listen again

Can tell this would’ve been a beach boys record, liked the more intimate direction and style

Not bad, but I likely won't listen again.

Niin siis tämähän kuulostaa ihan Smiley Smile -levyltä, että enpä tiedä mikä tästä niin erikoisen tekee. Ihan hienoa Beach boys soundia että ei siinä mitään. Maailman kuuluisin ”julkaisematon” levy. Kyllä tämä kolmosen ansaitsee. 3/5

Onhan tää varsin hieno näinkin. Vaikka uudelleenäänitys ja 40 vuotta myöhästyminen syö tehoa. Jos julkaisu 1967 olisi onnistunut, niin olisi varmaan suosikkini beach boys -levyistä. Surf's Up ja GV on kyl kovia.

Kyllä se beach boys sieltä vielä kuuluu. En valtavasti innostunut tästä kokonaisuutena, 3/5

stand out track - In Blue Hawaii // Good Vibrations

недостаточно хорошо представляю бич бойз и все эти хиты, ну ничего такой вроде чувак

This alternated between Fun Weirdo Shit and Annoying Weirdo Shit but I’ve gotta respect a weirdo going fucking nuts so I’m not gonna ding it too hard for being annoying lmao

There are several good songs here and the story behind this album is fascinating, but much of its music bores me, especially in the first half. Thankfully things pick up later on. I still can't give this higher than a 3 due to wishing I was listening to something else for more than 20 minutes

It's just ok. It's like the Beach Boys without the greatness.

I genuinely struggled with this. I should love it as I do have real affection for Pet Sounds. But I couldn't get going with it. I'll try again on another day.

I've wanted to listen to this album for quite some time now, because it's notoriously listed as one of the most critically acclaimed releases ever (according to Metacritic). It's Brian Wilson, the mastermind Beach Boy, doing his own thing. There's a heap of lore here, it's a lost album that he never made and was scarred by having scrapped, and it materialized decades later after much coaxing. If you're me, the best description for the lore is a cross between Dr. Dre's "Detox" and Jai Paul's album. But rich lore does not a good album make. That's not to say the music is bad, it's certainly not. But it doesn't hit me as revolutionary or, for the most part, even exciting. Then again, I wasn't a backpacker Beach Boy fan from the '60s-'70s clamoring for Mr. Wilson to give the people what they want. Hearing this from a lens of impartiality (though I do like the Beach Boys) and decades removed, it's alright. Not at all worth the hype to me, save the hype for Pet Sounds. But it's okay. Favorite tracks: Our Prayer/Gee, Child is the Father of Man, Good Vibrations (this one's not a lost track, what?). Album art: Well, it's a sun, with some hippy-style fonts on top, and an ornate digital art frame. Pretty weak, especially given the lore. You had decades, and this is it? Bah humbug. 3/5

Pretty good

3.5 var ikke dårlig

I mean it has 2 of the best songs ever in H&V and Good Vibrations but I found much of this a bit of a slog

Olfos, es que es el de los Beach Boys. De hecho, por eso le doy un 3, porque me ha parecido un poco tostón.

not big on beach boys

I don't know if my negative mood was affecting my opinion, but I didn't really like this. I love The Beach Boys but I just felt like this was long and cloying. I'm going to try listening again some day when I'm in a better mood.

So I had Pet Sounds a few weeks ago (which I had never heard before) and was completely bowled over. I have since been doing some Wikipedia dogging on Beach Boys and Brian Wilson and while I know the general strokes of their careers I thought now would be a great time for me to get into them. Especially since at the time my wife and I were planning a summer road trip in the US and I think Beach Boys are the quintessential American rock band. However I don’t think they hold as much mystique as any other rock act in the ensuing 50 years as the Boys still are musically active and at this point most of what millennials would know about them is through parody in Walk Hard and The Simpsons. I remember when Brian Wilson’s Smile came out

It's a brilliant example of symphonic pop, and there isn't really much that comes close to the exuberant highs on the album; but there is always a part of me (and so many fans) that wonders what could have been if this album was completed in 1967. The music itself is really beautiful, but there is a certain sadness listening to it. I think its best summed up by the different versions of "Good Vibrations" - while this version is fine and sounds so close to the original, the noticeable differences just make it feel off. I also listened to The Smile Sessions, which was released after this and is compiled from the original recordings but uses this album as a template. I think there are trade offs between the two, but think I prefer the original recordings.

After reading the reviews I’m gonna give this album another chance. 3 is a place holder

starts of as a standard beachboys album but the ending is remarkable as experimental music thats just fun

Estilo muy cercano al de la banda de la que formó parte, The Beach Boys. Canciones melódicas y tendencia surf. Escuchable, sin más.

Beach Boys are usually nails on a chalkboard to me, so of course this album ventures into that territory at times as well. But I appreciate the overall message of the album and the amount of effort that went into the arrangements--that much is very apparent. Favorite track: In Blue Hawaii

Some recycled Beach Boys music. Extremely well made, but also reminds me of all these horrible American indie bands Brian Wilson is single-hand responsible for..

How to evaluate this project of mythical proportions? Well, it has its moments - closer Good Vibrations is irresistable - but equally often the songs appear to have been composed in a complicated way just to show off.

My first thought when listening to this is the impressive layered sound. Then there's the familiar Beach Boys sound. The album is good and the songs are catchy. Nothing mindblowing but still a nice listen.

3.75

I was happy to check out Smile by Brian Wilson. I think that the Beach Boys are okay but I knew that there was some extended history on the final production and release of this album, and that many praised the album on its release. There is some interesting, frequently odd music on Smile. I'm not quite sure what to do with a track like "Vega-Tables" which verges on silly, while composing some well written music. Most of the album seems to follow that pattern of weird but well-composed. There is an interesting cheerfulness to the whole album. I don't know if I could come back to a full album re-listen, but I've only heard this music once.

No Pet Sounds is it?

One for the mega fans I think. I just kept wanting to hear the hits. But still a great musician.

This was exhausting to listen to. I don't have the boomer history with the Beach Boys and their music is fine so I don't care about this mythical album. It's so tiring. I can't quite describe why, but it just feels so much worse than other Beach Boys stuff. Maybe because it was released 30 years later? No idea. Just tiring.

A very pretty Beach Boysy album, and interesting to hear an isolated version of his influence on the Beach Boys. What a wild thing, to revisit and finish an album so many years later. I do question its place on the list a little bit for that reason, but it certainly turned out well.

I really don't like Brian Wilson or the Beach Boys. However, I can recognize the mythos and interesting history behind this album. I'm glad he was able to finally overcome it and put it out, even though it's not for me.

It’s still The Beach Boys. Still.

Love the beach boy's sounds

as with anything associated with brian wilson (being either solo material or beach boys), those amazing harmonies with his signature falsetto are there. many of the songs sort of bleed into one another. layered experimental sounds, as with the phenomenal “pet sounds” album, though not nearly as good. still a fascinating listen.

i can't imagine how ambitious of a project it is to finish an album from several decades ago! music changed a lot in those 30 years. but brian wilson managed to catch the same beach boys sound in their later years, including their lean towards experimental. i found that showed itself through the variety of instruments used. wilson used the early beach boys' sound of playful pop, too. "heroes and villians" is a good example of this! of course, like the beach boys, some of this was just too on the nose for me. i don't need to hear wind chimes in a song titled "wind chimes." but i realize i'm being grumpy--i'll refrain from telling kids to get off my lawn. also, there are some small easter eggs. i'm not the biggest beach boys fan so there were some that i missed, but hearing a light melody of "good vibrations" in "song for children" was adorable. i think that's a nice treat for the fans after so many years of an unfinished album, in addition to covering the beach boys' biggest hit toward the album close. anyway, this album convinced me that the beach boys were primarily driven by brian wilson.

The back story is maybe a bit better than the end product.

good vibrations

Maybe this isn't the best entry-album for someone who has never heard a Beach Boys song outside of the really big hits. For records like this, the story and context plays just as big of a role as the actual music does - I bet Beach Boys & Brian Wilson fans always felt a heartwarming and probably bittersweet pang of nostalgia whenever they listened to this. As an "outsider," I can still appreciate it. The album title is very apt. I found myself smiling through its whimsical nature, imagining waltzing around Disneyland or sailing the ocean singing sea shanties. But that doesn't make it feel like an album. It's more like a musical act in audio form, which is to say that by themselves the songs aren't that strong and don't necessarily warrant independent listens. They're mostly carried by the fact that the album as a whole is bright and cheerful. That's not a bad thing, but it's not really a compelling reason to go back to this record anytime soon. I will say though, when Good Vibrations (which I had not heard in full until today) started, I immediately understood the appeal of the Beach Boys and what this album probably achieved for its fans. What a song. Looking forward to seeing Pet Sounds come up, as I can only assume that's on the list too.

The man is obviously talented and there are a couple of bangers in here, but overall it’s a bit of a mess.

lame pokusaj pet soundsa

Is a 4 at times, but no song in particular stuck out

A brave album that Brian Wilson completed unexpectedly considering it was unfinished from the 60s. I don't particularly love that the other members on this record are other musicians not from the original Beach Boys, but Brian Wilson still has a strong voice here. Enjoyable overall.

Gaaf album hor. Misschien nog wel beter dan Pet Sounds.

Draaiorgel.

I like the Beach Boys but have never been a big fan. This is an interesting What If and starts off well. The melodies of the 60's realised with post-Millenial production values but it ends up being a well produced Medley of tunes and sounds. It's a bit sad really but goes to prove that rerecording the past is not what you think it will be.

it got better as time went on. the beginning was pretty boring. instrumentally it got much more interesting as it progressed. the vocals weren't bad but felt pretty generic, like beach boys. turns out theres a reason for that. 3.

More of a smirk

I was really into this at the time of its eventual release in 2004. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Slightly heavy-handed construction, but lovely melodies. Bit too long and "twee" in places, but Beach Boys melodies from the late 60s. High 3.

Quite distracting for studying, otherwise very fun.

eh

I was vaguely familiar with the story of this album but didn’t know that several of the songs written for it ended up on other Beach Boys releases. Most notable among them is Good Vibrations, which is comfortably the best thing on here, and I now realise I still haven’t heard anything else quite like it, even after all these years. Trying to make a whole album as good as that would cause anyone to have a breakdown. It’s a pleasingly odd record but I don’t think it’s a masterpiece; there just aren’t enough great tunes. Still, I always respect albums that flow seamlessly, have recurring motifs, and are greater than the sum of their parts. Even without the mythology behind it Smile offers something different to this list. 3.5

I believe I gave a 2 to Pet Sounds and the other late-career Beach Boys LP we received. I’m bumping it up a point for Smile because 1) I like the story behind it, the idea of trying to recreate an album that was semi-recorded 4 decades earlier but never released, using the vintage equipment 2) I actually like the songs better. Brian Wilson’s voice isn’t quite up to the task, but compared to late vintage Leonard Cohen or Bob Dylan, he hits it outta the park.

Not really my bag, but it IS a tremendously well-made album and it sounds lovely.

Ganska kaotiskt men älskar Brian Wilson och Van Dyke Parks, borde lyssna flera gånger, strong strong 3 for now

Maybe I wasn’t concentrating but I didn’t enjoy this as much as I expected to. Still love the Beach Boys sound and really feel for Brian Wilson but feel this only warranted a mean 3*

Fine.

3 - must be much better live but a bit muddled

Pop.

Confession, I have never listened to this album before. I know lots of people will judge me for that. It's very jolly. I see why people love it. And respect it for it's craft. But probably not something I'd listen to as an album again.

Enjoyable enough, but very much of its time

Overall I enjoyed this. Classic sounds and good harmonies. Went off the rails a few times but I didn't mind it.

This album is certainly experimental, but hard to listen to at times knowing the abuse he suffered as a child. The child-like melodies were purposeful which is brilliant and heartbreaking. There’s touched of the signature Beach Boys sound that I really liked, and a song full of farm animal sounds that my 18 month old enjoyed.

Beach boyssss, simple men solide pop/rock melodier

Stands as a reminder of what could have been.

Bit of an odd one this. I mostly enjoyed it but it was a little bit too "zany" for me.

The Beach Boys' legendary lost album rerecorded in its entirety by Brian Wilson in 2004. He did a pretty good job. Despite no other Beach Boys being involved, this delivers the classic sound and characteristic harmonies. It will be interesting to compare this to 'The Smile Sessions' from 1967. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Heroes and Villains Date listened: 28/09/22

Good album just dated

Smile seems to have a kind of concerto form: The middle slowed things down and apparent lyrical themes lost me a bit. Every track has a bit of substance, and Heroes and Villains grabbed me hard at the start. The project in retrospect, though, feels overproduced and under-something (certainly not -worked, given the time involved).

Easy listening and enjoyable

I struggled with some of this but don't want to be unfair as I was in a stressy bad mood. Some of those songs were generally irritating BUT some of them are classics. I think Good Vibrations is one of the best songs ever. Luke told me the sad history of this album, that it was long awaited whilst Brian Wilson struggled with drugs and was feeling intimidated by the Beatles.

Nice but I did get a bit bored by the end

All I can hear in my mind as I am listening to this is "Weird Al" Yankovic's parody "Pancreas." And I _KNOW_ I shouldn't be thinking of it, but it's stuck in there as I am listening to this. The whole thing feels very... childish. But then, I always felt that way with the Beach Boys. Like, the songs never dealt with overly mature stuff, and the music reflected this (Good Vibrations and all). It's too clean cut. Speaking of that, Good Vibrations to me will unfortunately be linked to Sunkist soda. I remember seeing the commercials when I was 13 or 14. I didn't realize the corporate linking, I just assumed the song was for the soda. Little did I know... So now I cannot unlink it in my head. So I think it was a great accomplish for Brian Wilson to come back to this work over 35 years later. Are the melodies hummable? Probably. But it's so... light and sugar-y. It's an important album in the history of rock, but I just don't know if it's something I would come back to and listen to again and again.

This is what it would sound like if you were having a nightmare and someone put a Beach Boys album on in the background (particularly Mrs. O'Leary's Cow - that's some dark stuff for a Beach Boy). Overall, this album is...interesting. Probably more relevant as a musical curiosity (long unfinished album finally gets finished) than as a great album. I also listened to Smiley Smile (the sort-of Smile album the Beach Boys released in 1967) - it's interesting to compare the same tracks on each (where available). Heroes and Villains is a pretty cool track and compares pretty closely to the version on Smiley Smile. Good Vibrations is a classic, of course - interesting that this version has different lyrics from the original. I'm interested enough to want to keep digging into this album, which is usually at least a 4 for me, but it's also seriously weird. I don't necessarily mind weird, but I'm going to have to go with a 3 because it's just a little too weird.

I like the beach boys and all but I feel like I just haven't quite got all the way there with them yet.

Self-indulgent, backward looking, and mostly mediocre. Dennis > Brian. Best track: Heroes & Villains

Must have been surreal for Brian to revisit work from 4 decades prior and the personal challenges that came with it. Clearly the man is an absolute genius. The production and vocal layering is incredible. But over an entire album, it lacks dynamics and changes to the songs to really provide something more worthwhile.

A throwback to the Beach boys days however it still doesn't really reach me. The pop music is relaxed and easy listening but it doesn't really grab my attention etc

A very wild ride!

In some ways, this was a very awkward album. It's the re-visiting of a 60's album in 2004. At the same time it's a boy-band album sung by an aged man. At times it's also more psychedelic than how I imagine anything related to the Beach Boys should be. All that said, it doesn't sound bad. But despite it's weird aspects, it does not sound very memorable at all.

This was a fun album, lots of good vibes. Good vibrations aside tho nothing really stood out for me. It's a little all over the place, and the acapella oooooo's wear a bit thin after a while. Also vege-tables gave me horrible flashbacks to Mr Bloom's nursery and Sebastien the aubergine

I'm not sure how to place this album genre wise. Kind of weird, choiry and acapella but not really. Weird vibe that changes with each song. Hmm.

Kuulad ja aru ei saa, mis aastast see on. Kõlab nagu Beach Boys. Midagi kõlab vist siiski 00ndate indilikult, võib-olla neutral milk hotellikult isegi. Selgus et ta oli Beach boysi asutajaliige ja see plaat on avaldamata materjal :D

A trip into Brian Wilson’s mind…as I expected, it was interesting, weird, super creative, and surprising. Not the kind of album I’d spin most days, but I appreciate it for the art that it is.

Interesting and at times really beautiful. I thought about The Fleet Foxes a lot when listening to the harmonies.

I get that this album was mythical for decades, but I dunno if it was worth the wait... I like the really diverse instruments and structures. But I think Brian Wilson's melodies are usually just too smart for me. The through-composed nature of most of these songs gives you nothing to latch on to. Those with at least a little bit of motif (e.g. Vege-Tables, Wind Chimes, and obviously Good Vibrations) are therefore the highlights.

Olfos, es que es el de los Beach Boys. De hecho, por eso le doy un 3, porque me ha parecido un poco tostón.

I don't know. I guess I'm glad I heard it so it's hard to give it too low of a score, but it was really not very compelling. Not sure what was going on in "Vega-Tables" but it was a weird failed attempt at being clever. A lot of the songs had really cool parts but then the whole mood and style of the song changed into something worse. Probably won't listen again.

An album of its time. In this case, ‘time’ being the aborted sessions of the late 1960s rather that its belated release in 2004. It does have its charm, but it doesn’t add anything to the Beach Boys canon (completists, you can pretend I don’t exist. I’m cool with this)

2004? decent 60s songs

choir boys

Not very interesting but I guess it sounds alright. 6/10

I like beach boys but I’ve only herd a best of album and pet sounds before so I’am looking forward to seeing what they ( well Brian Wilson) took so long working on… Our prayer starts off the the album just as a little bit of humming prayer like music makes sense as an intro. Gee is a very short bit at the end of prayer ,as it should, sounds very beach boys. Hero’s and villains us really enjoyable with how sonically distinctive each part is other than multi part song I’ve never herd such variety. But i do vaguely remember this one. I love the drumming at the start at roll Plymouth Rock also I like the change for the chorus and the bridge bit is good. Barnyard is alright for what it is but it’s just super short. But it works into the small small instrumental old master then the depressing cover of you are my sunshine. Cabin essence is another one without such great verity between the different parts which I love and it’s great for ending the first ( of 3) parts. The backing vocals are great and the that subtle trumpet makes wonderful a good listen if its not one of their best. It flows perfectly into song for children actually quite a childish sounding in the verses then the chorus just sounds depressed ( which isn’t a problem). Then child is the father of the man is fairly weird in the chorus but i like it especially the piano work and the trumpet at the end. Surfs up is truly a favourite of mine now it’s just so fascinating and I like it’s one of the slowest beach boys songs. I’m in great shape starts off the final part it’s alright its just a lead into the slow cover of I wanna be around and then the short workshop to end this three piece mini tracks. Then workshop leads into a separate track vega-tables quite an odd one probably my least favourite “full track” as i don’t like the “ wa, ha’s” in the background and the lyrics are very filler. On a holiday is a nice piano track with some filler but still good lyrics and the closing moment is great flowing into… Wind chimes has these great orchestral moment and the piano bit bridging these parts, but i’am not huge on most of the song. Mrs o Leary’s cow is a great piano led instrumental which has a good intro then it spirals off into this stranger part being intriguing but not a re listen for me. The downtempo start of in blue Hawaii swoops in then builds up to a piano section which is cool then it gets much happier only to be met with great strings and horns near the end. What hasn’t been said about good vibrations? It’s definitely the top track and a solid closer to this album i can’t say what hasn’t said before so i’am not gonna say anything. Overall I enjoyed the album but with that many tracks it felt a bit too long and without good vibrations the final part would be a really huge quality drop.

WTF just happened? I’m not sure if Brian Wilson is a mad genius, or just mad (and I don’t mean angry; although maybe he is, I’m not sure.) To be completely candid, 'Smile' simply went right over my head. I’m guessing the first of Wilson’s three movements was something of a lament over the early white settlers illegal and unjust occupation of north American lands upon which the Indians had lived for millennia? If so, a western saloon-sounding piano might not have been the best choice of instrument for ‘Roll Plymouth Rock’- and yes, I know Plymouth is in the eastern United States. Reason for further confusion. That said, the choice of banjo and harmonica on ‘Cabin Essence,’ three songs later, was very appropriate to the mood. So, what do I know? Wilson’s more the master of this. On ‘Blue Hawaii’ (the third movement- hey, why go in order? I’m lost anyway) his outstanding harmonies ‘water, water, etc.) actually sound like, well, water. I’m not learned enough in musical theory and composition to explain why this is so; it just is. Listen for yourself. Lyrically, however, that’s a whole other story. Assisted by Van Dyke Parks, Wilson’s co-writer, 'Smile' is chocked full of lines like ‘Columinated ruins domino,’ from a tune entitled (just as curiously) ‘Surf’s Up.’ Or ‘I’m in the great shape of agriculture,’ from ‘I’m In Great Shape/I Wanna Be Proud/Workshop.’ Would someone, could someone, please explain what Parks and Wilson are expressing? Captain Beefheart probably could. Syd Barrett? That’s a good bet. ‘Course they were both mad hatters as well. I’m not sure it I liked 'Smile' or hated 'Smile.' No, on second thought, I definitely did not hate it. But I might not know for a while to what extent I either did or did not like it. The highlight of this whole thing was the final track, ‘Good Vibrations.’ No surprise why this became such a huge hit, and it holds up today, over half a century later. In fact, I wish the entire album would’ve been a little more like it, a mostly sustained tune with some interesting melodic and tempo changes; but not too much, unlike the rest of the LP. All the stopping and starting finally wore me out. Sometimes an artist can be too clever. On the plus side, though, Wilson does excel in creating lush harmonic soundscapes, from the beginning acapella ‘Ooos’ all the way to the end. Add to that the splendid orchestral arrangements of the Stockholm Strings ‘n’ Horns. Bravo! And, finally, the band itself, close to a dozen players with no instrument left behind! No wonder the other, original Beach Boys mostly panned this LP with a lot of snarky, jealous comments to the press. ‘Course these boys have been bitching amongst themselves like an elderly women’s church quilting bee for decades now, so why should the 21st century be any different? In my opinion, The Beach Boys need Brian Wilson a lot more than Brian Wilson needs The Beach Boys. The question unanswered remains: What does the listener need? Imagination? Hallucination? Conversation? Consultation? I’d add Explanation, but I doubt Wilson’s entertaining that anymore, if he ever did at all. Or, maybe the answer’s right in front of me: to smile and listen through my teeth, while my ears take over chewing duties. Or as the saner Bob Dylan once replied to Mona when she warned him to stay away from those bloodthirsty railroad men, ‘… there’s only one I’ve met, and he just smoked my eyelids and punched my cigarette.’ OK, now, I’m smiling.

I think a lot of people are familiar with the "lost album" this album shares it's name, as well as possibly knowing the story about how it drove Brian Wilson mad. I can somewhat see why. I think "ambitious" isn't an ambitious enough word to describe the undertaking here. Each song changes phase so frequently it's tough to keep track of them. It's well arranged and flows well together, just maybe a little insane. Favorite tracks: "Heroes and Villans", "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow"

3/5. Most of the songs are enjoyable.

Man, I’m tripping…

While I appreciate the complex vocal harmonies and enjoyed some of the arrangements, this is probably not an album that I would listen to again. 3.5/5 stars

Really starting to grow on me. Interesting album with interesting sounds. 3/5

Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Good vibrations

um okay beach boy

Un dels grans àlbums perduts del pop. La versió finalment editada de Brian Wilson va ser molt celebrada a la seva publicació. Però no és més que un bon disc de pop simfònic, amb dos o tres grans temes, ja coneguts, i la resta de petites píldores amb gran atenció pels arranjaments, i menys per les melodies

Solid 3, Jolly album

feels like 2 albums, possibly due to time taken to write vs release date, loved the instrumental finish

sounds like other beach boys songs

Euh Brian t'as pas l'impression de te foutre de nous là ?

Robert nous a pour ainsi dire bien baisé, choisissant parmi la maigre sélection d'albums des années 2000 un album préhistorique, composé dans les années 60 au Abbey Road studio.

Lots of harmonies. Sounds like a compilation of nursery rhymes. Good vibrations.

Good vibrations, but don't like most of it.

This is a concept album, so I think you either get it or you don't. Maybe I would appreciate it more if I paid closer attention to the lyrics. There are also too many vocal harmonies for my taste. Still, it is really impressive that this project was revived and brought to a complete form after so many years!

So many harmonies

Like a lot of it’s ilk this is damn twee… I do like the beach boys, but this is too faux psychedelic.

Smile is an album that i didn't really like all that much. It definitely feels like Brian Wilson needed the rest of the Beach Boys to keep him grounded because he went way too off the rails here. The musicianship on offer is decent even if it does sound like something i would hear in something like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or some other kids show. The main issue with this album is that it just feels incredibly unfocused. It was messy, disorganized and the songs just kept changing themselves up without any rhyme or reason to it. And that is the thing that is really holding back this album because without it, it would be fine, but as it stands, This album is very flawed. Best Song: Wonderful Worst Song: Mrs. O'Leary's Cow

This must be what listening to the Beach Boys on acid is like. An extra star because Brian Wilson was a genius, but mostly I felt like I didn’t really understand what was happening here.

Really annoying and gimmicky how the music keeps slowing down for transitions Sounds like the Beach Boys but not as good Really basic I do not understand the rave reviews for this album. Were they sympathy votes for BW?? This is so recycled—Good Vibrations? These were good songs when they came out but not again in 2004.

I wanted to like this album. I wanted to enjoy this album. I was disappointed and managed neither. Entirely too much indulged "genius" here along with slidewhistle and other sound effects.

A few good ones and musically complex but overall not something I would listen to

Pre listen: This is the first album I get that I know absolutely nothing about. Nothing about the musician, nothing about the work itself, none of the songs. I’m excited. ——— Deeply well composed music, layered, and well written. I’m enjoying Roll Plymouth Rock. ——— Old Master Painter X You are my Sunshine - that’s creative. ——— Wonderful is the peak thus far. It wrapped the album in the psychedelic mood the previous songs were reaching for. love how it blended into the next track. ——— ok but how many times can you say father in one album? ——— the more i listen the more it sounds like a deconstruction of a musical. i sort of just want it to be over. ——- yeah this got annoying. the father is the child and he is the man and the child is the child. and the music is cartoonish but there is no clear direction of where it’s going. and the father is the father of the child. child. musically, it’s fun but it’s not something i think i would ever listen to again. ——— Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow was crazy tho lol. That’s fun. I was excited for Good Vibrations - but it’s soooo loud. Idk! feeling so many mixed things POEM: Brian Wilson Presents Smile Brian Wilson He was much more unique than the other guys A mechanical canine if you see him, you might be in for a big surprise (These things happen all the time) The doom and gloom up in his room Is broken instantly (These things happen all the time) And you don't know where you are now Seeing trouble from a distance It was then that he knew what he had to do (These things happen all the time) creepy stuff happens in nowhere (These things happen all the time) If nautical nonsense be something you wish We got the world to see So many things to do and not much time (These things happen all the time) You and me, Heroes in a half shell One is a genius, the other's insane Just know that I am on my way I know somehow we're gonna get there (These things happen all the time) But you might find out it'll go to your head (These things happen The end will no doubt justify the means all the time)

Another pretty dull, forgettable album for me

erm her was echt een random mix van mid nummers

Dull and pale. He tried to spice it up by injecting some good vibrations near the end, but the corpse of an album was long gone. Avoid this, nothing new, nothing special.

Til hvers er þessi plata segi ég nú bara. Brian Wilson ákvað að fara í stúdíóið með hálfkláraðar hugmyndir og ýta á Rec og stoppa ekkert á milli laga. Hlustaði á hana á leið frá Fellabæ til Akureyrar og það lá við hjónaskilnaði. Good vibrations í lokin reddaði því 🙏

Is it a Brian Wilson album? Yes. There are much better examples of his work.

Corny music similar to show tunes.

Not great

Orquestra divertida e suave.

This album felt bizarrely unmoored in time, like something simultaneously modern and from the 60's... which makes perfect sense when I look up the history of it. Unfortunately, it is kind of a mess. I can't shake the feeling that it sounds like someone is being forced to make this album against their will, and tracks like "Vega-Tables" I find more annoying than endearing. Favorite track: "Wind Chimes"

I try, I really do try. I just find his music so grating and annoying.

A little boring

Sorry Brian, your incessant vocal harmonising was not for me

Meh

Nope, not a Beach Boys fan. I could not really get into this album. I just don't get Brian Wilson.

This sounds like I took four tabs of LSD and put on Pet Sounds

every song sounded like good vibrations and eventually that song played so slay. also was like wow this sounds like the beach boys! apparently this guy was the founder of them. lol

I don't mind this,very jolly and Sunshine's 2.5/5

In my opinion, this never took off (in a musical sense). There was maybe one song I truly enjoyed, but everything else felt average. Don't get me wrong - the songs are creative and playful. This same creativity and playfulness kinda turned into a trap, though. I couldn't take the songs seriously. Like there is only one that I would listen to outside of the context of the album. I can appreciate the story behind the album's creation, but I don't think this stands strong as an album, for my own personal taste. Favorite Track: Wind Chimes

fascinating orchestral offering from Wilson; delayed in its production and release. Can definitely hear the experimentalism that he has always been famous for. Too eclectic for me.

2.5

To my ear, it sounds like a late 60s Beach Boys album. I don't like the Beach Boys and I didn't like this. It wasn't quite awful enough for one star, but there's no way I'm awarding it more than two stars. For this to be released in 2004, I imagine there's a nostalgia element. It does sound strange, with modern production quality, but archaic songs. The vocals are the killer for me, harmonising sickly sweet and cloying. Everything else sounds superficial and almost like a novelty record.

There are too many Smiles, but thankfully our intrepid list maker specified we're to listen to the 2004 release. Not Smiley Smile, not the Smile Sessions. Brian Wilson's version. I don't think this is marred by that, if for no other reason than Mike Love isn't associated with it. But I've never really -gotten- the Beach Boys. I don't love their harmonies. I find their music always feels a bit too stuck in a high school era that never really existed. This isn't really resolved by the album being recorded by a more mature, older Wilson. But the bigger statement is how weirdly structured these songs are. Harmonies that don't really resolve morphing into new keys, multiple movements in one song, songs that blend together… this is Wilson's White Album, in that, while I will stand for no argument against the White Album, this similarly feels like throwing every idea at a wall and seeing what sticks. And also, because Heroes and Villains’ instrumental is basically “I Want to Tell You” with a carnie organ solo (not that that was a white album track). The problem is, these don't feel like wholly baked ideas. They also often feel thinly composed, which is a weird thing to say about a man who never met a note he didn't want to harmonize thrice. And lots of this is goofy in ways that don't feel intentional. And as a concept? I mean, I don't know what he's going for, unless the concept is a man who just keeps starting new songs in his head as he looks at things. Maybe this is why there is a song about looking at wind chimes. Maybe that explains Child is Father of the Man's chanted chorus. Maybe this man sings Vega-Tables to himself every night at dinner. I like weird things and all. I like unconventional music choices. But I'm just so beyond what makes this genius. Even the most interesting bits of this never gel, or shift into a completely different idea too soon. And with that reliance on chaste 50s nostalgia that hampers so much Beach Boys music, it never really feels like experimentation so much as a very distractable former Beach bum. 2*

Favorite songs: Heroes and Villains, Good Vibrations

Was a lot going on. Appreciate these guys and all but if I was looking for some harmonies and an acapella vibe I would go for the Pitch Perfect soundtrack over this.

me guarde un tema ngl pero wtf con los lyrics😀

Rare lore heeft deze plaat. Het hit mij in ieder geval niet zoals een plaat als Pet Sounds doet. Dat het in 2004 is uitgebracht heeft daar misschien mee te maken, het klinkt daardoor ook wat... opgepoetst? Alsof de sfeer volledig uit briljante nummers als Good Vibrations is gezogen. Anyway. Hou van Brian Wilson, maar ik zie weinig redenen om hier naar te luisteren in plaats van de jaren 60 BB platen.

This guy must’ve been fuckin crazy

it's fun and weird but i don't think i really feel a spark... reviewing albums like answering the question 'do you want to see each other again?' on first dates.

This was chaotic, eclectic and jumped all over the place like a cricket on amphetamines... I liked snippets of the songs but overall it just felt clumsy.

I really am just not the target audience here. There are some genuinely beautiful moments and instrumentation on here but at the end of the day I don’t really want to come back to this. The toybox falsetto aesthetic just isn’t my thing. Glad this exists though. Barnyard and Vega-tables should have just been scrapped. Maybe I’m just not versed in the background of this album but they feel so tonally clashing. Maybe that’s the point and I’m just dumb but I don’t enjoy the sound enough to dig deeper here.

I got very little from this. I feel like all of the things I've heard about it probably led to some expectations, but the album felt very underwhelming. I just hear it and wonder why it caused so many issues and was such a big deal. It's fine at best, but often worse than that. I don't see why it gets so much fanfare. Maybe it's a me thing. Overall: 1.75/5

Nei. Skal ikke høre på dyrelyder...

Not for me.

Silly me. Since this project is Beach Boys-adjacent, I thought this was going to be a rock 'n' roll album. It is *not*. It's a vocal harmony 'n' keyboards concotion with barely a backbeat in sight. As a result, it sounds like half an album, like a mix where the drums, bass and guitars have all been muted. It doesn't sound beautiful as much as it sounds empty - there's no spine to counterbalance all of the airy parts. (OK, the rhythm section *does* show up halfway through "Wind Chimes", but it's a case of too little, too late.) It also sticks to a very limited emotional range, meaning not only that it gets a little redundant after a while, but also that there isn't any hint of the longing or despair that would occasionally appear on Beach Boys tracks like "Wouldn't It Be Nice?" or "God Only Knows", songs that gave the band's catalog some depth. (Only the instrumental number "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow" has any moments of tension, and it's a relief when they finally appear to spice up the proceedings.)

No standouts

5/10

This definitely wasn't my jam. It almost sounded as if Brian Wilson wanted to create a soundtrack for a Disney film that never got released. That being said, liked the ambition and the scale behind it and I can totally understand how it resonates with a lot of people. There's an orchestral grand feeling throughout that paints vivid pictures by mixing elements from various styles. It missed the mark for me but I respect it. I liked "Surf's Up" and "In Blue Hawaii".

I could barely get through this. This album is definitely built on history and reputation, as opposed to objectively judging it based on the music, which just isn't very good.

It should have been an EP back in the 60’s instead of an LP back in 2004. Too many unfinished ideas. It sure is a bizarre album. There are some nice songs here but it’s out of its era.

Best Song: Good Vibrations. A classic. Worst Song: Vega-Tables. You cannot convince me that this Veggietales-tier song is the product of some kind of "pop music genius". Overall: The whole album teeters between soulless and downright annoying. Yes: they are tight harmonies. No: that isn't sufficient to make the music interesting or listenable.

Is... is this a prank? This is just a goofabout, right? Like a generational long con meant to dunk on pretentious music critics? Because it's not even an album! There's barely any actual songs! The only reason it's not a 1 is because Good Vibrations exists, and it's still a bop. Otherwise? Loopy clown music.

......why am I suddenly at the farm? Nah that took me completely out if it. I was about to say "Very nice" between two bites of music but it's joever unfortunately. Was this album made for children? Sure feels like it.

Inte alls särskilt intressant. Ser fram emot att lyssna på Beach Boys men detta var ganska tråkigt. En 2a.

This album did nothing for me. I've never cared for the Beach Boys, and this album felt childish at times,with weird cartoon-ish noises. I appreciate the struggle Brian went through to get this out there... it just didn't interest me at all.

This is an okay album, but yet another baffling inclusion. We really needed a beach boys solo album from 2004 that hasn't evolved musically since pet sounds? Is there no other influential musician or niche genre that could be represented here?

😭

Brian Wilson, c'était déjà moyennement ma tasse de thé à son prime en 65, alors en 2004 voilà hein.

When this came out in 2004, I wasn’t old enough to appreciate it. And now, decades later, I’m still not, which is why I gave it a 2.

Beach Boys Lite. Less filling. Less taste.

Not a fan of Brian Wilson post Beach Boys. Sadly, a pale imitation

This did not make me smile. There is no place for sheep noises and pop whistles on any album let alone one that is in the 1001. A grudging 2* because he is a legend

I didn’t enjoy this unfortunately, it mostly just felt goofy