Did Wilson Finally Lose The Plot? (Smiley Smile - Beach Boys)

Member Name: nilo0901

Product:	Smiley Smile - Beach Boys
Date:	10/11/09 (8 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Some standout songs, interesting arrangements

Disadvantages: Some goofy fluff that's throwaway

I'll say right off the bat that you can't help but be disappointed by Smiley Smile. This was finally the watered down release of the shelved infamous 'Smile' album, the follow up to 'Pet Sounds' that would build on the experimentation of that album. This album contained some of the original concepts and tracks from Smile but also some additional material recorded after the Smile sessions.

What we ultimately get is a bit of an incongruous mess. This is strangely a somewhat weirder album with numerous throwaway nonsense songs such as 'Vegetables' and 'Wind Chimes' than Smile was intended to be and perhaps testament that Brian had indeed lost the plot. There is an overall lightweight feel to this record both in content and in sound and scope with only a handful of standout tracks namely 'Heroes and Villains' and Good Vibrations, the latter often deemed as the definitive Beach Boys track.

Good Vibrations aside, even the other strongest track disappoints. 'Heroes and Villains' was Wilson's opus and originally clocked in at over 5 minutes but has been butchered to form the version that appears here. Yes it's safer and radio friendly, and still a great song, but hearing the out-take versions which appear on some re-issues of this album (namely the one coupled with Wild Honey) and you hear what potential there was here.

The lush harmonies are still here and the singers are in fine form throughout. The song writing itself when good is great. Wilson teams up with Van Dyke Parks for a lot of the writing and the difference in lyrical quality shows - both in the very successful such as 'Heroes and Villains' and the downright odd in 'Vegetables'.

I would classify this one as being for Beach Boys fans only and even then as a curiosity rather than as a fine achievement.

Summary: An Interesting If Largely Disappointing Outing By Beach Boys Standards