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Editorial Reviews
The long awaited release of the Brian Wilson and Beach Boys masterpiece, Smile Sessions. With the full participation of original Beach Boys Al Jardine, Mike
Love, and Brian Wilson, Capitol/EMI has, for the first time, collected and compiled the band's legendary 1966-'67 sessions for the never-completed SMiLE
album. Rolling Stone magazine recently called SMiLE the most famous unfinished album in rock & roll history."
In several sessions between the summer of 1966 and early 1967, The Beach Boys recorded a bounty of songs and drafts for an album, SMiLE, that was intended to
follow the band's 1966 album, Pet Sounds. The master tapes were ultimately shelved, and The Beach Boys' SMiLE has never been released. Drawn from the
original masters, SMiLE Sessions presents an in-depth overview of The Beach Boys' recording sessions for the enigmatic album, which has achieved legendary,
mythical status for music fans around the world.
Love, and Brian Wilson, Capitol/EMI has, for the first time, collected and compiled the band's legendary 1966-'67 sessions for the never-completed SMiLE
album. Rolling Stone magazine recently called SMiLE the most famous unfinished album in rock & roll history."
In several sessions between the summer of 1966 and early 1967, The Beach Boys recorded a bounty of songs and drafts for an album, SMiLE, that was intended to
follow the band's 1966 album, Pet Sounds. The master tapes were ultimately shelved, and The Beach Boys' SMiLE has never been released. Drawn from the
original masters, SMiLE Sessions presents an in-depth overview of The Beach Boys' recording sessions for the enigmatic album, which has achieved legendary,
mythical status for music fans around the world.
SMiLE Sessions' physical and digital configurations include an assembled collection of core session tracks, while the box set delves much deeper into the
sessions, adding early song drafts, alternate takes, instrumental and vocals-only mixes, and studio chatter. SMiLE Sessions invites the listener into the
studio to experience the album's creation, with producer, singer and bassist Brian Wilson's vision leading the way as he guides his fellow Beach Boys, singer
Mike Love, drummer Dennis Wilson, lead guitarist Carl Wilson, rhythm guitarist Al Jardine, and newest member Bruce Johnston (who'd replaced Brian Wilson in
the touring group during 1965), through the legendary sessions.
Artwork for all of the SMiLE Sessions' physical and digital configurations has been created with and inspired by Beat-Pop artist Frank Holmes' original 1967
LP sleeve art and booklet designs intended for the SMiLE album.
2CD Edition contains:
- Lift top box measures 5.5" x 5.5" x 1"
- Features original cover art designed by Frank Holmes
- 2 CD wallets
- 14.5" x 20" poster of Frank Holmes cover art
- 1" Smile button
- 36 page booklet featuring:
- Liner notes by Brian Wilson and more.
- Previously unseen photos
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
43 of 48 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Note: This review also applies to The Smile Sessions Box Set.
Other than The Beatles' GET BACK album, which still has not been released in its original form (the Spectorized Let It Be (Remastered) and the remixed, de-Spectorized Let It Be... Naked notwithstanding), The Beach Boys' SMiLE project is the most famous (and maybe infamous) unreleased album in rock history. Originally planned as a follow-up to 1966's Pet Sounds, Brian Wilson scrapped the project in mid-1967 after months of work, believing he had lost his competition with The Beatles, and the pressures from the other Beach Boys, plus legal problems with Capitol Records, finally wore him down.
A replacement album, Smiley Smile, cobbled together by the group using only the "Good Vibrations" single and fragments from the original sessions - the rest of the album was rerecorded - was a critical and commercial flop. Fragments of SMiLE were issued on later Beach Boys albums such as 20/20 and Surf's Up. In 1993, about an hour of lost SMiLE music was issued on the Good Vibrations: Thirty Years Of The Beach Boys boxed set. Then, in 2004, Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks completed a new version of SMiLE and recorded it with Brian's new band, The Wondermints (Brian Wilson Presents Smile); a live concert version, recorded earlier that year in London, was also issued on DVD.
Now, with the impending 50th anniversary of The Beach Boys approaching, Capitol Records, along with Brian, has released two versions of THE SMiLE SESSIONS - a basic two-disc version, and a nine-disc box set (five CDs, two vinyl LPs, and two vinyl 45 RPM singles). The first CD, which contains the same contents in both releases, contains a newly revised SMiLE album, using the same running order as the 2004 remake, giving us an idea of what the album would have sounded like in 1967. Most of the tracks are mono, as Brian always preferred; he was deaf in one ear, and could not hear stereo sound properly, and as a producer, he believed that only mono mixes could present the music to the listener as he wanted it heard. Stereo, Brian believed, left too much to the listener's equipment setup. While I would have loved to have a stereo version of the album, as was done with The Pet Sounds Sessions box set in 1996, the producers explained that unlike Pet Sounds, most of the multi-track masters and many of the components were lost, so a stereo remix of SMiLE was impossible to produce.
The second CD of the first version contains session highlights from "Our Prayer" to "Good Vibrations" - more than enough to satisfy the casual Beach Boy fan. The deluxe box set is aimed more at collectors and die-hards, and what a collection it is. CD1 is identical to the first version, but CDs 2 through 5 contain a very comprehensive view of the SMiLE sessions. So comprehensive, in fact, that the "Heroes and Villains" sections take up about 90 percent of CD2, and the "Good Vibrations" sessions take up all of CD5. While somewhat repetitive, the session tapes offer fascinating listening, showing Brian's perfectionism and dedication to getting the right sound. I'm sure he drove the other musicians and the other Beach Boys crazy, but it was obviously worth the effort.
The two-LP vinyl album in the deluxe edition follows tracks 1-19 of CD1 for the first three sides. The fourth side contains rare stereo mixes that are not included on the CDs. The two 45s are the singles that never were, the two-part "Heroes and Villains" single, and the "Vega-Tables"/"Surf's Up" single.
Packaging and amenities are impressive. The two-disc set includes a colorful 36-page booklet, a SMiLE button, and a fold-out poster of the album artwork. The deluxe edition is even more impressive; the artwork on the box cover has 3-D graphics; the inside of the box lid has the original back cover of the Duophonic (fake stereo) release of the album, had it been issued. Inside the box are a 60-page hardcover book with additional essays and a complete sessionography; a double-gatefold sleeve with slots for all five CDs and the two vinyl 45s; the two-record vinyl album in a mono jacket with a gatefold sleeve and a 10" photo album inside; and a giant-economy-size version of the album artwork poster.
The casual fan will probably make do with the two-disc set, but collectors will want both.
I'd love to see The Beatles and Apple do a similar box set for the GET BACK SESSIONS, not to mention the long-lost LET IT BE DVD.
Some additional observations:
1) The vinyl LP and singles sound fine. I especially enjoyed the stereo mixes on Side 4, but wish that they had been on the CD releases. Although I grew up with vinyl, after listening to CDs for over 20 years, vinyl just sounds flat.
2) The 45 versions of "Vega-Tables" and "Surf's Up" are the same as on the LP and CD.
3) If you have the big box set, "Heroes and Villains Part 1" and "Heroes and Villains Part 2" are only available on the vinyl 45, though the individual modules for these tracks are probably scattered throughout the four Sessions CDs. The only way to get the full versions of "Heroes and Villains Part 1" and "Heroes and Villains Part 2" on CD is to buy the two-disc set (Tracks 2 and 3 on CD2). All of the other tracks on that disc can be found on the session box set, although some of them are edited (particularly the "Good Vibrations" sessions).
4) I compared the 20/20 versions of "Cabin Essence" and "Our Prayer," and the 1971 version of "Surf's Up," to the SMiLE versions. Save for stereo remixing and overdubs, the versions are almost identical. It's amazing that the 1968 overdubbed vocals on "Our Prayer" are almost perfectly in sync with the 1966 originals - another tribute to Brian's production genius.
Other than The Beatles' GET BACK album, which still has not been released in its original form (the Spectorized Let It Be (Remastered) and the remixed, de-Spectorized Let It Be... Naked notwithstanding), The Beach Boys' SMiLE project is the most famous (and maybe infamous) unreleased album in rock history. Originally planned as a follow-up to 1966's Pet Sounds, Brian Wilson scrapped the project in mid-1967 after months of work, believing he had lost his competition with The Beatles, and the pressures from the other Beach Boys, plus legal problems with Capitol Records, finally wore him down.
A replacement album, Smiley Smile, cobbled together by the group using only the "Good Vibrations" single and fragments from the original sessions - the rest of the album was rerecorded - was a critical and commercial flop. Fragments of SMiLE were issued on later Beach Boys albums such as 20/20 and Surf's Up. In 1993, about an hour of lost SMiLE music was issued on the Good Vibrations: Thirty Years Of The Beach Boys boxed set. Then, in 2004, Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks completed a new version of SMiLE and recorded it with Brian's new band, The Wondermints (Brian Wilson Presents Smile); a live concert version, recorded earlier that year in London, was also issued on DVD.
Now, with the impending 50th anniversary of The Beach Boys approaching, Capitol Records, along with Brian, has released two versions of THE SMiLE SESSIONS - a basic two-disc version, and a nine-disc box set (five CDs, two vinyl LPs, and two vinyl 45 RPM singles). The first CD, which contains the same contents in both releases, contains a newly revised SMiLE album, using the same running order as the 2004 remake, giving us an idea of what the album would have sounded like in 1967. Most of the tracks are mono, as Brian always preferred; he was deaf in one ear, and could not hear stereo sound properly, and as a producer, he believed that only mono mixes could present the music to the listener as he wanted it heard. Stereo, Brian believed, left too much to the listener's equipment setup. While I would have loved to have a stereo version of the album, as was done with The Pet Sounds Sessions box set in 1996, the producers explained that unlike Pet Sounds, most of the multi-track masters and many of the components were lost, so a stereo remix of SMiLE was impossible to produce.
The second CD of the first version contains session highlights from "Our Prayer" to "Good Vibrations" - more than enough to satisfy the casual Beach Boy fan. The deluxe box set is aimed more at collectors and die-hards, and what a collection it is. CD1 is identical to the first version, but CDs 2 through 5 contain a very comprehensive view of the SMiLE sessions. So comprehensive, in fact, that the "Heroes and Villains" sections take up about 90 percent of CD2, and the "Good Vibrations" sessions take up all of CD5. While somewhat repetitive, the session tapes offer fascinating listening, showing Brian's perfectionism and dedication to getting the right sound. I'm sure he drove the other musicians and the other Beach Boys crazy, but it was obviously worth the effort.
The two-LP vinyl album in the deluxe edition follows tracks 1-19 of CD1 for the first three sides. The fourth side contains rare stereo mixes that are not included on the CDs. The two 45s are the singles that never were, the two-part "Heroes and Villains" single, and the "Vega-Tables"/"Surf's Up" single.
Packaging and amenities are impressive. The two-disc set includes a colorful 36-page booklet, a SMiLE button, and a fold-out poster of the album artwork. The deluxe edition is even more impressive; the artwork on the box cover has 3-D graphics; the inside of the box lid has the original back cover of the Duophonic (fake stereo) release of the album, had it been issued. Inside the box are a 60-page hardcover book with additional essays and a complete sessionography; a double-gatefold sleeve with slots for all five CDs and the two vinyl 45s; the two-record vinyl album in a mono jacket with a gatefold sleeve and a 10" photo album inside; and a giant-economy-size version of the album artwork poster.
The casual fan will probably make do with the two-disc set, but collectors will want both.
I'd love to see The Beatles and Apple do a similar box set for the GET BACK SESSIONS, not to mention the long-lost LET IT BE DVD.
Some additional observations:
1) The vinyl LP and singles sound fine. I especially enjoyed the stereo mixes on Side 4, but wish that they had been on the CD releases. Although I grew up with vinyl, after listening to CDs for over 20 years, vinyl just sounds flat.
2) The 45 versions of "Vega-Tables" and "Surf's Up" are the same as on the LP and CD.
3) If you have the big box set, "Heroes and Villains Part 1" and "Heroes and Villains Part 2" are only available on the vinyl 45, though the individual modules for these tracks are probably scattered throughout the four Sessions CDs. The only way to get the full versions of "Heroes and Villains Part 1" and "Heroes and Villains Part 2" on CD is to buy the two-disc set (Tracks 2 and 3 on CD2). All of the other tracks on that disc can be found on the session box set, although some of them are edited (particularly the "Good Vibrations" sessions).
4) I compared the 20/20 versions of "Cabin Essence" and "Our Prayer," and the 1971 version of "Surf's Up," to the SMiLE versions. Save for stereo remixing and overdubs, the versions are almost identical. It's amazing that the 1968 overdubbed vocals on "Our Prayer" are almost perfectly in sync with the 1966 originals - another tribute to Brian's production genius.
109 of 133 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The product of a drug addled genius imploding, the greatest lost album in rock music, a smorgasbord of styles and content so varied it makes your head ache but your heart leap and a tale of ambition so big no studio could hope to contain it. The Beach Boys resident modern day Mozart has of course previously let the cat out of the bag on this music with his truly lovely 2004 "Brian Wilson presents Smile" where the compositional dreams of completely inspired 24 year old imbued with the lyrical preoccupations of the slightly less mad Van Dyke Parks, were finally reconstituted by more reflective composer in his early sixties. Some Beach Boys fans might argue that the 2004 rework fully did the job (scoring an unprecedented 97 on Metacritic reviews) but others have never ceased to harbor deep longing for the base metal of the original sessions on official release despite the fact that this must be one of the most available bootlegs in musical history.
"Smile" was the product of Wilson being locked away in 1966-67 in the small Studio One at Sunset Sound in Hollywood. His behavior by this time was erratic at best and his emotional state increasingly volatile. The pressure of following Pet Sounds and the sheer earth shaking impact of the Beatles "Sgt Pepper" literally spun him out of control and impacted on a man whose mental health was rapidly degenerating and which would spiral into a prolonged acid induced psychological hell. All this is captured in graphic detail in Wilson's own enthralling yet excruciatingly painful autobiography "Wouldn't it be nice" and "Smile" was primary architect of his near destruction.
That was then and this is now. As of today "The Smile Sessions" will be issued in three versions: as a two-CD set; and in a box set with four CDs, two vinyl LPs, two vinyl singles and a 60-page book. For Beach boys obsessives this is manna from heaven and you can spend as much time as you require in the second disc bumping around the studio with Wilson as he fiddles, twiddles and constructs. But what of the main act of this album that stretches in suites from "Our Prayer" to "Good Vibrations"? The format followed here by producers Mark Linett and Alan Boyd is essentially that of the 2004 Smile Sessions. The remastering is pristine and even after the umpteenth listen you are reminded that on occasions Brian Wilson could musically balance on mercury. No offence to the "later Wilson" of 2004 but its also the case that the sweetness of vocals on the original and the alchemy of the "group" harmonies make this an extra special deal. The great "Cabin Essence" while perhaps not as powered up as the 2004 version remains the great unheralded Beach Boys song. When followed with "Wonderful" it is a killer double pairing. Those who love "Heroes and Villains" are completely overwhelmed for choice with the original, a very nice stereo mix and at least five other works in progress or variants. With the sublime "Surfs Up" you get the god like genius of the original plus an instrumental and a gorgeous take piano take which is an absolute standout. Quite what new can be said of Good Vibrations other than to gasp in shock and awe. Granted "Vega -tables" and "Barnyard" will either completely charm or irritate but "Mrs O'Learys cow" remains the Beach boys "Day in the life" with its frightening swirling dark force and one can only picture the horror on Mike Love's face when this was first played back.
Listening again to "Smile" confirms that the obsessive Wilson could never perfectly transpose the noise or the demons inside his head to a finished product. It also shows that it nearly killed him trying. In terms of the earlier Beatles comparison this reviewer is firmly the camp that much prefers the staggering pop/rock genius of "Revolver" to the ground breaking psychedelica of "Sgt Pepper". In the same way the sheer unrelenting perfection of "Pet Sounds" far outstrips the modular brilliant eerie innovation of "Smile". It does not detract however from one of the great pieces of modern music and a compositional genius who nearly pulled off the ultimate musical masterstroke. The word essential doesn't come close.
"Smile" was the product of Wilson being locked away in 1966-67 in the small Studio One at Sunset Sound in Hollywood. His behavior by this time was erratic at best and his emotional state increasingly volatile. The pressure of following Pet Sounds and the sheer earth shaking impact of the Beatles "Sgt Pepper" literally spun him out of control and impacted on a man whose mental health was rapidly degenerating and which would spiral into a prolonged acid induced psychological hell. All this is captured in graphic detail in Wilson's own enthralling yet excruciatingly painful autobiography "Wouldn't it be nice" and "Smile" was primary architect of his near destruction.
That was then and this is now. As of today "The Smile Sessions" will be issued in three versions: as a two-CD set; and in a box set with four CDs, two vinyl LPs, two vinyl singles and a 60-page book. For Beach boys obsessives this is manna from heaven and you can spend as much time as you require in the second disc bumping around the studio with Wilson as he fiddles, twiddles and constructs. But what of the main act of this album that stretches in suites from "Our Prayer" to "Good Vibrations"? The format followed here by producers Mark Linett and Alan Boyd is essentially that of the 2004 Smile Sessions. The remastering is pristine and even after the umpteenth listen you are reminded that on occasions Brian Wilson could musically balance on mercury. No offence to the "later Wilson" of 2004 but its also the case that the sweetness of vocals on the original and the alchemy of the "group" harmonies make this an extra special deal. The great "Cabin Essence" while perhaps not as powered up as the 2004 version remains the great unheralded Beach Boys song. When followed with "Wonderful" it is a killer double pairing. Those who love "Heroes and Villains" are completely overwhelmed for choice with the original, a very nice stereo mix and at least five other works in progress or variants. With the sublime "Surfs Up" you get the god like genius of the original plus an instrumental and a gorgeous take piano take which is an absolute standout. Quite what new can be said of Good Vibrations other than to gasp in shock and awe. Granted "Vega -tables" and "Barnyard" will either completely charm or irritate but "Mrs O'Learys cow" remains the Beach boys "Day in the life" with its frightening swirling dark force and one can only picture the horror on Mike Love's face when this was first played back.
Listening again to "Smile" confirms that the obsessive Wilson could never perfectly transpose the noise or the demons inside his head to a finished product. It also shows that it nearly killed him trying. In terms of the earlier Beatles comparison this reviewer is firmly the camp that much prefers the staggering pop/rock genius of "Revolver" to the ground breaking psychedelica of "Sgt Pepper". In the same way the sheer unrelenting perfection of "Pet Sounds" far outstrips the modular brilliant eerie innovation of "Smile". It does not detract however from one of the great pieces of modern music and a compositional genius who nearly pulled off the ultimate musical masterstroke. The word essential doesn't come close.
33 of 42 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Like everyone else I'm beside myself with this collection (even though I'd heard most of the tracks before). I/we have been waiting for this for an eternity! It's about time! When I found out earlier this year that the original 'Smile' would be released (then pushed back until today), I was counting the days. I had today off and at 10:00 sharp entered the local CD store and walked out with the 2-CD Set five minutes later. I drove for the next two hours while I listened to every note on my car stereo. Then listened again. There were more snippets than I knew existed. I mean, didn't Brian say years ago that he got rid of a lot of the tracks because it was too painful to keep them? I'm glad that was a falsity. Anyway, I loved it infinitely more than the 2004 version, mainly due to the 1966 Beach Boy voices! Listening to the Smile background vocal track and hearing Brian's clear high angelic voice withers the 2004 vocal versions. No offense to Darian, Scott and the boys, who shine on that album. My only qualms with the Smile Sessions (and they really don't matter for my overall enjoyment); are: 1. Most of the tracks are in mono; and 2. My favorite 30 seconds of the album needed to be recorded louder per volume and in my opinion carry on a little longer: The 'Whispering Winds' section of the latter part of 'Holidays'. Other than those trivialities on my part, the album is a classic! Thanks Beach Boys and Capitol! Finally!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Birthday Gift a BIG HIT !!
The Smile Sessions was a Birthday gift to my Oldest Nephew, And it went over BIG TIME! He 's really enjoying it and has become a big Beach Boys and Brian Wilson fan... :-)
Published 22 days ago by Clinton Gantt,Jr
5.0 out of 5 stars
gotta love the Beachboys
I still enjoy hearing the beach boys sing. well done CD as was their records many years ago. a must have for summer parties
Published 23 days ago by George
5.0 out of 5 stars
Now I get it!
Although Brian composed it in the late 60s, I had never heard of Smile. In the early 2000s I went on a Beach Boys binge, listening to every LP and CD I had of them, and then the... Read more
Published 28 days ago by Beachboysrockme
5.0 out of 5 stars
COOL
Wanted to hear this for years, and now that I finally have, think it was worth the wait.
I especially like the 2nd CD that lets you hear them work with the orchestra and... Read more
I especially like the 2nd CD that lets you hear them work with the orchestra and... Read more
Published 3 months ago by gene plank
4.0 out of 5 stars
If Like the Beach Boys You Should Buy this Album!
If Like the Beach Boys You Should Buy this Album! This album appears in the R S 500 update from 2012.
Published 3 months ago by Robert R. King
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beach boys Smile Sessions
loved the price for this CD on this website, the music is classic beachboys but more becuase of new sounds they were trying/experimenting.
Published 4 months ago by Carmen
3.0 out of 5 stars
More Myth than Reality
I own the two disk set and while I do enjoy quite a bit of it, I have a feeling that if this album came out as intended in the 60's it would be a niche record and would not have... Read more
Published 6 months ago by M. Mcmahon
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Album ever made!!!
All I can say is Thank you Brian Wilson for all your wonderful art that touches everyone if they choose to take it all in. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Andrew
4.0 out of 5 stars
Patience is required for the average listener
I bought this album several months ago, and the first impression is that of an album which tries almost too hard to be creative. Read more
Published 9 months ago by John Adams
3.0 out of 5 stars
If you like repetitive cuts buy it
I've purchased "Smiley-Smile"-Brian's "Smile", most recently The Beach Boys "Smile" 2cd set.
Of the 3, I'll probably "burn" several cuts and make my own playlist. Read more
Of the 3, I'll probably "burn" several cuts and make my own playlist. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Doug
