CORPORATE LINE: Smile is inarguably the most long-awaited album in modern pop history. It’s been more than 37 years since the title first appeared on a label release schedule, intended as the January 1967 follow-up to the groundbreaking art-rock of the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds. But Smile never made its initial release date. Today, this album is not a mere reconstruction of past performances, but something entirely new, a serious summation of a project that has been gestating for nearly four decades.
THE GREAT:
“Wonderful” – All of the genius of Brian Wilson can be heard in this song. This is the bar for which everything the Beach Boys released is held. If there is anything in life that is perfect “Wonderful” is it.
“Heroes And Villians” – If you are a Beach Boys fan you’ve surely heard this before. It’s a gorgeous song—even in its new rerecorded state.
“Good Vibrations” – Sounds like the sound of America. It’s that hit that no matter who you are, where you are, what you listen to, the song is a friend.
“Roll Plymouth Rock” – Instantly lovable. How anyone could avoid being swept up by the melody would be beyond imagination.
THE AVERAGE:
“Range” – How glorious the harmony flows—yet how poorly the lyrics go.
“Blue Hawaii” – Beautiful even in a nonsensical way.
THE BAD:
“Barnyard” – For every “Good Vibrations” there seems to be a few songs that are beyond obscure—to the point of intolerable.
“Vega-tables” – Although this isn’t the first time I’ve heard it I still can’t accept this song as anything more than a poor excuse for a gimmick.
FRANKLY: “Smile” has long been hyped as the greatest album that never was. While many of these songs have surfaced on greatest hits albums already many are known as only tidbits here and there but never fully realized. There are some absolutely lovely harmonies and melodies—on the flipside there are some zany tracks that still seem not ready for prime time.
It’s great to know what “Smile” was and it finally puts all those questions about whether it was the greatest album of all time or just a mere fantasy. It’s no “Sgt. Pepper” nor “Pet Sounds.” Honestly, aside from the already released tracks, “Smile” pales in comparison to “Pet Sounds” and is nowhere near as good by “Sgt. Pepper” as a whole or song v. song. Finally, this is all rerecorded material—not the original Beach Boys singing and it does show. There is something to be said for the chemistry of Carl, Dennis, Mike, and Brian that isn’t here. It’s a grand substitute, but a substitute nonetheless.
+ Rae Gun
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