Views on Smile

I've had it for a couple of days now and I haven't plucked up the courage to play it yet.
To think that this guy is such a genius, and this has to be his definitive work, I am having to make sure that I am in the right frame of mind.
This is important stuff here!

It's a masterpiece. It seems to me as if you've not been too aware of what Brian's been up to in the past few years. He hasn't just been revived from a coma or something - he's been wowing audiences and critics alike with his live shows, where he's supported by a band far superior to the Beach Boys even at their peak. The Pet Sounds tour in 2002 and currently the Smile tour have been getting rave reviews (I've seen 3 of them and can vouch for how wonderful they were). He's currently playing Smile live in its entirety and it's the most amazing thing you've ever heard live. Smile itself has been getting 5 start reviews left right and centre. So get it on the CD player and marvel at this wonderful piece of music.

"Pet Sounds" is a masterpiece. Smile is, by any standards, a fine album but I know "Pet Sounds" and frankly Smile you are no Pet Sounds.

IMHO, of course.

Matthew

Damn fine question.

I bought "Smile" today,listened to it tonight. At least part of me is saying, "So What?" Sure, its good, but, genuinely, can someone explain to me why it is held in such reverance.

Regards

Mike

Spending money I don't have on things I don't need.

quote:

---

Originally posted by mike lacey:
Sure, its good, but, genuinely, can someone explain to me why it is held in such reverance.

---

Just keep playing it, Mike. It will explain itself.

Listen carefully to the last 30 seconds of Surf's Up. Astonishing, sublime music.

FWIW, I got more out of Smile when I read somewhere that the three suites have titles: Americana, Cycle of Life, Elements (Fire, Water, Earth & Air).

Talking of astonishing and sublime, the new Peruvian editorial assistant has just arrived at work and I've completely lost my train of thought...

Regards,
Davie

Matthew, you like the things you know...

Someone like me who's had the bootlegs etc for years (like, 20 years) and bought 'Surf's Up' the LP in 1971 should be hardest to please. However, I was bowled over by the live shows this year and the album completely lives up to the expectations. I was praying it wouldn't sound over-computerised but the production is not only amazingly visual but also reflects the mindset of 1960s production. The version of Cabin Essence (and here I disagree with Nick, I think the new version is better!) is so pictorial and colourful.

However, there's no reason at all that you should 'get it' if your cultural/musical journey has been very different since the 1960s - no point saying 'yes but imagine this in 1967' cos that might mean nothing to you (Mike?). It does require dumping a lot of post-60s clutter to really get into it though. I think the complexities and subtleties of the original productions - well reproduced in this version - were unparalleled for years, but maybe recently it's become far easier to 'sound complex' on disc so perhaps that's why you don't understand why it was held in such reverence for so long.

I have to say I agree with Matthew. Smile has never, IMHO (of course) matched up to Pet Sounds.

However, I was looking forward to the album as I enjoyed the July concert immensely. I have to say I was disappointed. As far as I'm concerned, Smile was a Brian Wilson composition written for The Beach Boys. This is a very good approximation is that composition played by some competent people. Not quite the same thing really.

I'd rather have a good quality bo*tl*g of the show I saw.

Kevin (Morganistic: Enchanted)

SMiLE, with the lower case "i", suggests to me that it is an acronym for something. Anyone have any ideas on this?

Kevin,
There's no shortage of reasonable quality bootlegs from the Smile tour. I've not found any soundboards yet but there are a couple of exceptional audience recordings quite easy to come by. The best I've got is from the RFH on 24th Feb.

Rumours are that he's going to release a DVD of a whole concert. Let's hope it's true although I'd prefer a cd.

I had a good listen to it and although I intend to persevere, I am a bit disappointed. There are moments of absolute beauty, but much of it seems slightly out of key; his backing band cannot really replicate the Beach Boys harmonies. Also, whichever context you place it in, 'Vegetables' is a truly terrible cringeworthy song which should have been left on the cutting room floor.

Brian and his full Wondermints ensemble landed in New York this week for two shows at Carnegie Hall in the midst of their American tour promoting Smile. I went as a music fan, one not particularly familiar with the Smile material at that, but I knew the legend, and obviously, like everyone on the planet older than 40, I knew much of the Beach Boys work. I don't know if Smile really compares to Pet Sounds, but the concert performance Brian and his full band put on was one of the most triumphant evenings of music I have ever seen. The crowd included many musicians and producers and long term industry veterans, and so many long term, passionate fans. I can't imagine anyone feeling let down. If you get a chance, go and see this American original.

bdnyc,
Glad you enjoyed the concert. As you probably know Brain has toured the UK and Europe extensively in the past 2-3 years and been ecstatically received.

It's too soon to say how Smile really compares to Pet Sounds. At the moment I prefer it but obviously the real proof is in how it ages. I think it will go on to be a truly significant album but time will tell.

This is all about context. It's not 1967. It is clearly not the equal of Pet Sounds and it is not the Beach Boys. Put all of that aside, and I do appreciate that it is difficult, and you have the best Brian Wilson solo album by a mile but a very patchy album by anyones' standards. It's enjoyable but not compelling other than in a morbid sort of way. My partner described it as having the quality of those Top Of The Pops compilations from the 70s and the more I hear it the more I agree.

As for the live shows. I've said this before. The Pet Sounds tour was (mostly) a revelation. The Smile tour was not. The set list was disjointed; most audiences sycophantic idiots who applaud people who can stand IMHO (please note the use of the word 'most' before you all kick off and the gigs were absolutely reflective of the final product. Remarkable that it's happened but ultimately disjointed and inconsistent. Now, back to some new music.

Mike

Well, what a lot of hot air about something so self-evidently miraculous and brilliant. As Brian says, 'PetSounds' was sad, 'Smile' is fun. It just sounded to me so like the Vigotone bootleg that I had to read the notes to assure myself it was all newly recorded.As truly wonderful as Pet Sounds is, this recoed was definitely the 'answer' to Sgt Pepper and there's so much more to enjoy. I've been humming the backing tracks for years and now I have the finished songs, and hey - what the - 'Vegetables' is one of the most catchy hummable tunes ever! Who are these people? Folks who didn't grow up with the music, I suppose. Some of us did, and some of us are simply thrilled beyond belief - and doesn't he sing it all so well?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bhoyo:

Just keep playing it, Mike. It will explain itself.

Regards,
Davie

---

Davie

You are right.... getting there....

Regards

Mike

Spending money I don't have on things I don't need.

FWIW, I bought the vinyl album yesterday. To me it sounds notably better than the CD version I have: its adouble album with side four being instrumental versions of some tracks.

Worth seeking out, IMO.

Regards

Mike

Spending money I don't have on things I don't need.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike Hughes:
My partner described it as having the quality of those Top Of The Pops compilations from the 70s and the more I hear it the more I agree.

Mike

---

That is so true, the vocals in particular sound uninvolved.

Mark S

Well, for what it's worth, I think that it's sublime (and that's on CD).

G

Overall it has been received in a pretty ecstatic manner with a staggering number of 5 start reviews (and I think it has already been voted album of the year by at least one magazine). There have however been a fair number of negative comments mainly from, I suspect folk who have not been too involved in Brian's solo work and were expecting it to be a rehash of the Beach Boys from that period. This no Beach Boys tribute band. This is Brian Wilson, back from the brink, doing his own thing supported by probably the best band I've ever had the privilege of seeing live.

And I agree Graham, it's one of the most beautiful albums I've ever heard.

Smile has for decades been regarded as the "Greatest Album Never Released." it would be nearly impossible for the new record to live up to the Smile legend, much less to Pet Sounds.

so, it's likely true that my expectations were unreasonably high for the new album. nevertheless, i was underwhelmed. i listened to it a few times after i bought it, but i really haven't had much interest in listening to it again. i just can't get over the fact that the Beach Boys harmonies aren't there.

for whatever reason, the new record just does not sound as exciting or interesting as the old ones do. this is particularly evident, as others have noted, in the new version of Good Vibrations. i feel that the new recording has much less vitality than the original.

'SMiLE, with the lower case "i", suggests to me that it is an acronym for something. Anyone have any ideas on this?'
Not an acronym, just the way it was first printed on the original (1967) cover slick and poster for the unreleased Capitol LP.