I put on SMILE yesterday for the 1st time in over a year and remembered how much I really like a lot of it. I think it worked even better live in fact; the orchestra probably had something to do with that. But a friend of mine whose a longtime Wilson/Beach Boys fan claims the original SMILEY SMILE is better. I've never heard it, just wondering if anyone around here has and how they'd compare it.
Smile is better. There is more clarity and vision. Give Smiley Smile a listen, and then you'll enjoy what a little soberness can create.
his new album " That Lucky Old Son" leaked finally. It was streaming on some sites I guess recently. Anyone else heard it?
anyone else heard it? Brian Wilson - That Lucky Old Sun Just checked this out..it may not be quite of the level of 2004's SMILE, but it has a lot of classic, trademark-Brian Wilson stuff..especially the 2nd half, the Beach Boys/Barbershop vocal harmonies of course..some nice string arrangements as well. Lyrically a lot of it seems about Southern California, and his younger days..so not anything highly different or new from him, but it shows he can still compose HIS STYLE of music. I'm gonna be going back to this one I imagine a lot more soon. 7/10
woah, haven't heard the new album. I adored SMiLE and am completely looking forward to That Lucky Old Sun. Brian was (is?) such a master of melody and harmony, it's unbelievable that a guy could mix classical/baroque with 60's pop and americana so well that it transcended the era it was born in.
yes, but not as "romantic" (as in love between a couple, but filled with nostalgia and longing) and much more nuanced, with different moods and stories to tell. listen to surf's up and ms. o' leary's cow to spot the difference!
definitely check out SMILE man..knowing your taste it's right up your alley. This new record is not bad either tho..the man can still write.
Has anyone heard the Beach Boys original SMiLE. It's leaps and bounds better than Brian Wilson's Smile. The new one is just lacking in the youthful energy and of course the Beach Boys. My favorite version was put together by Tim Smolens of Estradasphere. It is much better to listen to SMiLE as close as it was intended to be.
i heard the original SMiLE on youtube - some guy posted some versions of how the songs might've sounded had they been released on the mid 60's, using takes and tracks from various sources (bootlegs, live versions, etc.) i have to say, it sounded fucking amazing. SMiLE should've been released back then... because it would've been as influential as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, imho. it's a shame that (ewwww) Mike Love didn't like it. Mike Love sucks, anyway.
yeah but the live SMILE with the ORCHESTRA is even better. If you're referring to SMILEY SMILE as the topic title mentions..I got it..the most recent reissue and frankly, no, I actually can't say I prefer it to the 2004 release. So unless you're referring to something else..which as I understand it, the original SMILE was released on various b-sides over the years and most of if not all of entirely ended up on what is SMILEY SMILE..so if that is indeed the case, I would disagree. I still like the '04 version more..it's more cohesive. But I can't stress enough, seeing it live with the Orchestra was better than anything on record.
if you're talking to me - the guy who posted these vids on youtube basically took some tracks from bootlegs and stuff and arranged them in a way they sounded pretty much like their 2004 counterparts but sung by the original Beach Boys (and of course Brian Wilson with that wonderful young voice of his). the downside is that some of the tracks kind of suffer from this - the most prominent example being surf's up, missing the multi-layered vocals at the end (using the vocal harmonies from 1971 would have been kinda strange, since Brian's voice was lower and raspier from that year onwards). the best thing about it is that you can actually hear the original Beach Boys, and not Brian's backing band (which is great nonetheless).
I dunno..I guess given the trade of hearing a more cohesive piece, vs hearing more performers I prefer collectively..I would probably prefer the former. Sure, it would have been best if it was the full Beach Boys vs Brian and his band..but ultimately if it works better as a full product, I still enjoy that more. Also perhaps some of it has to do with production. I forget if the version I got was actually remastered or not from the original master tapes. I honestly don't recall the quality to be that great. And of course something made now would have that advantage. Maybe on Vinyl it would sound better, I wouldn't know.
I'm not talking about Smiley Smile, that album was made as a cop-out after Brian Wilson had his famous meltdown. The version I am talking about is recreated from bootlegs and demos from the original SMiLE sessions. You can find these recreations on various torrent sites. There is one version made by someone named Purple Chick that utilizes the instrumentation and sequencing from Brian Wilson's album and spliced in the original Beach Boy vocals. I have been completely obsessed with this album in any form recently. There is something about this album that transends and inspires.
yeah I have SMILEY SMILE on right now..it's as I mentioned..not really anything more than just some pieces put together as a mix really..no seguing or anything. I guess I'll have to try and find what you're referring to then.
I just found the Purple Chick mix..some others actually too..I'm gonna have to give this a go tomorrow at work, thanks.
she knew how to gather the forest when God reached softly and moved her body one of the best songs on SMiLE, i have to say. Such a beautiful little gem.
Nice try, but I'll raise you with these... Surf's Up Aboard a tidal wave Come about hard and join The young and often spring you gave I heard the word Wonderful thing A children's song The BW version of that one pales in comparison to the original.
nice try? no, my good man - i actually agree with you. Surf's Up is my favourite song off Smile, since i find there's nothing wrong with it at all. the ending vocal harmonies melt me every time i hear them. EDIT: a children's song, have you listened as they play? their song is love, and the children know the way. (child, the child, father of the man... child, child...)
I listened to some of the older BB's versions today..and I was pretty impressed and surprised on the quality actually. Maybe the problem was tho the mp3's weren't tagged well and so I didn't hear them in the proper order. But yeah.. BB's SMILE >> BB's SMILEY SMILE for sure.
there's no "proper order" anyway... Brian settled down on a definite setlist only for the 2004 version. every previous SMiLE bootleg bears no similarity tracklist-wise to 2004's release, except, maybe, for the 1-2 combo of Our Prayer/Gee/Heroes and Villains. that's the most wonderful (pun intended) thing about it. you can arrange it anyway you like, trying to find the exact spot between epicness and flow.
So, my copy of this album chops out between each track which really hurts the album's playability. Can anyone please help me out? Also, I love a lot of songs on his album That Lucky Old Sun, particularly Southern California which is one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard. FUCK Mike Love for causing this album not to come out. The Beach Boys are quickly becoming one of my favorite bands.
Listening to "Love You" the last Beach Boys album Brian wrote every song for. Brian said it was his favorite Beach Boys album and it's got great reviews on RYM. My question is: Why? It sounds like cheesy 80s music and the songs are all weird and drowned in Moog. They feel like half-songs and have none of the beauty of Pet Sounds that everyone says they do.
the saddest thing about that album is the evident change in Brian's voice. Comparing, for example, "Good Time" (which was from 1970) and "Solar System". It's hard to believe it's the same guy singing. By that stage, Brian was a mess, and his voice was practically gone after years of substance abuse .
Yeah you're right. I was wondering why I was loving Good Time so much. Turns out it's an old song... with Brian Wilson's old voice! God he had the most amazing voice. I actually prefer his voice on his last two albums to his voice on here. It just depresses me on here. Some pretty good songs. The overall sound of the album is just... It may be the gayest thing I've ever listened to.
Starting to really like "Love You." IT grew on me like nobody's business. So cheesy and gay and synthy but... some awesome melodies and catchy hooks.
Capital Records to release the Smile Sessions? http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/News/beach-boys-0208-2011/
I hope it wont be exactly the same order and arrangement the Brian Wilson's Smile is. To me the album has to end with Surf's up and Good Vibrations is not part of the Smile record. I have a version made by Tim Smolens from Estradasphere that is only 3 tracks and has the best flow of any version that I have heard. It was like his 6th version, and he obviously has a great love for the record.
