Search - Beach Boys :: Smiley Smile

Fill the Gap!

Kendal B. Hunter | Provo, UT United States | 10/05/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First of all, this album is for die hard Beach Boys/Brian Wilson fans ONLY! Do not get this if you aree hosting a luau or beach party. If you like the albums "Pet Sounds" and "Surf's Up," then proceed . . .This albut is the "lost recordings" of the album the Beach Boys did after smashing things up with "Good Vibrations." what you are listening to is mostly rough cuts, scratch vocals, and backup tracks. So it is quite an unusual mix. Imagine looking at Da Vinci's sketchbook, and you get the idea. The ideas are not fill-blown, but you see the gems and grains of genius.You may have heard other forms of the songs in the later Captiol recording, especially "Smiley Smile," "20/20," and the Brother Records "Surf's Up" and "Sunflower." Howver, in almost all cases these rough-cut tracks are better than the cannibalized and polished released tracks.I am strangly attracted to this album. It is far more avant guard than "Sgt. Pepper's." At times it delves into a stoned da-da-ism. However, the music, harmonies, and orchastration are impeccible.So buy it, listen, and form you own opinion of what could have been."

"Smiley Smile Makes Sense" Shock Exclusive

D. Coram | Bournemouth, UK | 09/28/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Now that SMiLE has been released, you have to come to this album downwards from the big one rather than up from your expectations of a follow up to Pet Sounds. This is the companion; the one you play in the car, in the office, or while you're "sittin' in a dentists' chair." In the context of the spiritual and psychological rollercoaster that is SMiLE, this album genuinely makes perfect logical sense as a Brian Wilson Chills Out After Major Head Mess record. I really, really, really urge you to get this record and listen to it after you've digested and learnt SMiLE because you'll really, really enjoy it."

Smiley Smile

Music Maniac | Pennsylvania, USA | 05/26/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"For the casual Beach Boys listener, this album will largely sound incomplete and underproduced, with the obvious exception of the two radio songs, "Good Vibrations" and "Heroes & Villains." Most of the songs retain very simplistic music tracks (in contrast to the fine-polished production of their radio hits and previous albums). So, if you're looking for the Beach Boys' acclaimed surf-music sound, don't start here. But if you're wanting to take a trip into Brian's mind during the late '60s, here's a good introduction."