The SMiLE Sessions

1. iconicshrubbery

   Nov 5, 2011

   10

   This is Beethoven's 10th or Schubert's Finished;-it is what we 60's survivors were missing when we were scandalously offered left-over scrapsThis is Beethoven's 10th or Schubert's Finished;-it is what we 60's survivors were missing when we were scandalously offered left-over scraps on Smiley Smile and Friends.Brian's 2004 version was the prelude. This is the Real Thing! With the youthful energy and the original sounds. An incredible labour of re-assembly of the atomised parts of that crashed and derided folly of Brian Wilson.This puts Cabinessence,Surf's Up and Good Vibrations up on their fallen pedestal,and re-unites them with the other lost jewels in the crown;-Wonderful,Child of Man,Wind Chimes.And all of this Symphony is now Complete.
   Ludwig van,Franz and now,Brian.… Expand

   • 1 of 2 users found this helpful
2. NickOMoss

   Sep 17, 2014

   10

   Simply put, The Smile Sessions is one of the greatest albums ever made - and it is unfinished! Taking from the magical recording sessions ofSimply put, The Smile Sessions is one of the greatest albums ever made - and it is unfinished! Taking from the magical recording sessions of Brian Wilson's drug-fuelled 1966 and 1967, the compilers (along with Brian Wilson himself) have faithfully recreated the lost album SMiLE as close to as it was originally envisioned in 1966.
   
   All the greatest moments have been captured perfectly, including "Heroes and Villians," "Surf's Up," "Wonderful," "Vega-Tables," "Cabin Essence" and "Mrs O'Leary's Cow" all appearing in their best versions - as they were originally intended and written. That is how The Smile Sessions trumps all previous bootlegs and especially 2004's Brain Wilson Presents Smile - because it features the original band, the original instrumentation, the original sound and feel and the original vision as it was in 1967. This is no recreation, it is instead the definitive collection of the album which was practically finished when it was scrapped. (Interviews since the demise of the album have suggested the piece was 90% finished in 1967.)
   
   Not only are the standout tracks incredible, but the tapestry of music which Wilson composed to weave all the songs together in to one big symphony is equally beautiful. At times (Mrs O'Leary's Cow, Child Is Father Of The Man) the songs can be confusing and challenging, at other times (Gee, I'm In Great Shape) they are upbeat and enjoyable, and at certain points (Our Prayer, Holidays) they can be emotional, nostalgic or moving. This only goes to show how affective Wilson's music was, and what potential the album had.
   
   However the one moment left out thus far is undoubtedly the album's greatest. 'Love To Say Dada' begins the end of the album with what sounds like a summoning, a spiritual experience where the group is calling fourth something special. The song then bursts in to a prayer, a short and loud escalation of voices which sounds almost religious, right before 'Good Vibrations' starts. It's a remarkable ending to the album - one of the greatest moments in music which I have ever experienced. We know that, because Wilson was involved in the compilation process, this was how Brian wanted to present Good Vibrations to the world, and it is magical. Hearing it this way for the first time send a chill down your spine.
   
   Although Good Vibrations had already been a single before this album, and even with Heroes and Villians being Brian's centerpiece to the album, it's impossible not to consider SMiLE as being an album which was built specifically to house one of the greatest songs ever created. The song was so good that it demanded an album of equal strength to present it. The Smile Sessions captures this intention faithfull and flawlessly.
   
   In conclusion, this album is not pop or rock music alike anything else ever created or heard before - it is almost a challenge to hear for the first time, and therefore may not resonate with every listener. However, it goes without saying that if SMiLE had seen release in 1967 - with that final 10% filled in - it would have changed music forever. It would have reinvented the art, and it would have probably been the greatest album of all time. As it is, in this form, that lack of the final 10% means it falls short of a few albums, and certainly of Pet Sounds, but it is still one of the greatest albums you are ever likely to hear. Made even more remarkable by the accompanying story. So find a dark room, put on some headphones, sit back and listen to those (sometimes dark) good, good vibrations.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
4. brog

   Nov 18, 2011

   10

   As a serious fan of music I strongly recommend this album. If you have listened to Brian Wilson's 2004 SMiLE or Pet Sounds you are still inAs a serious fan of music I strongly recommend this album. If you have listened to Brian Wilson's 2004 SMiLE or Pet Sounds you are still in for a real treat. Having heard many of these songs previously on separate releases or on internet radio, hearing them all in one complete package as originally intended is extremely satisfying. We finally get to hear what the greatest all-American album that never was, really is (or as close as we will probably ever get). Many of the out-takes have some of the more memorable moments of the collection and serve to enrich the actual "album" of songs as intended. As an American in his 20's I am much too young to truly appreciate what the release of this album represents for American pop music and the Beach Boys catalog in general. Still, the music contained within stirs my emotions and inspires me more than any recent musical release possibly could. The Beach Boys, I feel, are under-appreciated in this day and age and are regarded more as a pop staple of the 60's than as a truly innovative musical group (IMO). If you are even a little bit impressed with the musical capabilities of these guys, then please listen to this album and absorb it. This is what music can be.… Expand

   • 6 of 6 users found this helpful
5. CECS

   Feb 11, 2013

   10

   PET SOUNS "THE BEACH BOYS" IS VERY GOOD, AHHHHHHHHH BUT SMILE SESSIONS "THE BEACH BOYS" IS EXCELENT, INFINITY GREAT, FOR MI ONLY 1 ALBUM IS APET SOUNS "THE BEACH BOYS" IS VERY GOOD, AHHHHHHHHH BUT SMILE SESSIONS "THE BEACH BOYS" IS EXCELENT, INFINITY GREAT, FOR MI ONLY 1 ALBUM IS A LITLE MUCH BETTER SGT. PEPPERS LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND "THE BEATLES" AND DEFENITIVE THE SECOND [SMILE] … Expand

   • 1 of 1 users found this helpful
6. Dikkus

   Dec 21, 2011

   10

   Quite possibly one of the best albums I have ever heard in my entire life. And it's unfinished. If this had came out in '67 it would'veQuite possibly one of the best albums I have ever heard in my entire life. And it's unfinished. If this had came out in '67 it would've drastically had changed music, no doubt.… Expand

   • 2 of 2 users found this helpful
7. Ed_Mac

   Nov 1, 2011

   10

   Hard to return to '67 but had this been released then, we could have heard The Beatles pushed beyond Sgt. Pepper. If only...
   Any negativeHard to return to '67 but had this been released then, we could have heard The Beatles pushed beyond Sgt. Pepper. If only...
   Any negative reviews based on an excess of material, for example, the overload of extras on the box set, should be considered as a critique of a marketing effort and not a review of the music contained herein. There are some that just won't get it...aren't there always?… Expand

   • 6 of 7 users found this helpful
8. BBFan

   Nov 1, 2011

   6

   Having listened to countless bootleg versions of SMiLE over the years, I am convinced that the love this album gets isn't due to the musicHaving listened to countless bootleg versions of SMiLE over the years, I am convinced that the love this album gets isn't due to the music itself, but is due to the fact that it was never released nor completed. A few things should be pointed out: First, in its now-official form, the album runs the length of an LP-and-a-half. Had it been released in 1967, it would have been cut by a third, or else the band would have had to press on and add even more material--highly unlikely, and which may have made it a better or worse album, but would have assuredly pushed the release date into 1968. Two LPs or one LP, the album would not have been released until the end of 1967 at the earliest, by which point there was a big backlash against the psychedelic scene (see: "Their Satanic Majesties Request"). If it had come out then, it almost inevitably would have been called overlong, pretentious, meandering, and a letdown compared to "Pet Sounds"--which, really, it is. There's some good tracks here and there--Heroes and Villains, Vega-tables, and, of course, Good Vibrations are all standouts. Surf's Up is a nice ballad, Wind Chimes is quite charming, and the opening prayer is a nice touch. But the rest is middling, tossed-off, and forgettable. Tracks like Child Is Father of the Man, Love To Say Dada, and Cabin Essence really don't hold up and, frankly, are kind of annoying. Unfinished(?) tracks like Holidays and Mrs. O'Leary's Cow are pointless filler that don't go anywhere. As much as many reviewers want it to be, SMiLE is no Sgt. Pepper, Are You Experienced, or Piper At The Gates of Dawn. Even Country Joe & The Fish's "Electric Music For The Mind and Body", as much of a period piece as it is, stands head and shoulders above SMiLE. Not to say SMiLE is a totally worthless album. Its highlights merit repeat listening, and the link tracks are weirdly endearing, although, as mentioned before, much of this material would have been cut had it come out as a single LP back in 1967. So, it is what it is. The official SMiLE isn't much different from all the bootlegs we've heard over the years, and like most of them, it's even mixed in mono. And, like those bootlegs, the official version is a lot more hype than it is substance. But it is weird, and I like weird pop music. As far as Beach Boys albums go, it's one of the best. But that's not saying much. Whatever your take on it, one thing is for sure: its unofficial status made this weird but underwhelming album into a legend. And after all these years, it's nice to have it on the shelves instead of behind the counter… Collapse

   • 2 of 9 users found this helpful

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