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Hello everyone,
Living in Belgium, I bought the SMiLE Sessions Boxed set on Oct. 31th. I have been listening to The Beach Boys for over 10 years, owning all their records, I heard a myriad of SMiLE bootlegs (including the spectacular "a big Bag of Vegetables", which contains nine CD's). I'm not pretending to give here a definitive review, I'd just like to share my thoughts.
First of all, the sound quality of all the CD's is terrific. This being said, the first CD (the two LP's) should have been issued in stereo (where possible). The packaging is beautifully done and worthy of the project.
On the album: Imo they should have made one single album consisting of the 12 songs BW gave to Capitol in 1966: H&V, GV, CFOTM, The Elements, Vega-Tables, I'm in great shape, Wind Chimes, Surf's Up, Wonderful, Cabin Essence, Do You Like Worms, The OMP. It would have been impossible in '67 to put so much songs as TSS contain on one album. They largely stuck to BWPS, which I think only covers a partially credible version of what SMiLE might have sounded like if released back then.
Songs:
Our Prayer/Gee: maybe the only song from which we know for sure where it would have been placed on the album. A brilliant harmonizing semi-gregorian track, 4,5/5
Heroes and Villains: almost equally as good as it's predecessor GV, with a nice "outro", 5/5
Do you like worms: I was listening again to the BWPS track and it is totally blown away by this version. And I mean totally. The only thing that are missing here are some lyrics. Maybe
in the end they should have kept the instrumental "bycicle rider"-theme as a metaphor for the American expansion... All in all a 4,5/5
I'm in great shape: a potentially good track, which is unfinished. The effect of putting Brian's sung lyrics in the final mix is not that good. I wonder why he put such a short
track on his original list. 2/5
Barnyard: here the lyrics are reworked better into the framework of the song. Excellent transition. 3/5
The OMP/You are My Sunshine: Brilliant track. I always thought the ending couldn't been bettered, with the chords descending right into "Cabin Essence", but the last 30 seconds (I wonder where they've taken them
from) are sublime. 4,5/5
Cabin Essence: A stroke of pure SMiLE genius. Impressive 5/5
As it stands, this could well have been the first side of the original SMiLE...
Wonderful: another highlight. A very very good version of a song that rivals "Caroline No" in emotional intensity. 5/5
Look: clearly, an unfinished song. A good could-have-been: 2,5/5
Child is father of the Man: although the opening is a bit clumsy in this mix, this would have been a beautiful song, were it finished. 3/5
Surf's Up: fabulous mix, best version I've ever heard. Equals "A day in the life", easily 5/5
IWBA/Workshop: wasn't this supposed to be the "reconstruction" song. All in all a magnificent sound snippet, 4/5
Vega-Tables: in the best of worlds this song would not have ended up on SMiLE. But all in all
good enough, 3/5
Holidays: again, there's the feeling that somethings missing, but the combination with Wind Chimes elevates
this song, 3/5
Wind Chimes: Almost as beautiful as Cabin Essence, a classic, 4/5
Fire: a very good version, not far from ranking amongst the best SMiLE songs, 4/5
LSD: it's such a pity this was never finished. You should imagine the finished version of BWPS in
1967. As it is in this version: 3,5/5
Good Vibrations: terrific version of one of the best songs ever recorded. Personally,
I think the record company would have insisted on putting it on side B, nr. 1, thus finishing the
album with "Surf's Up"... 5/5
To my mind, You're welcome (4/5) ranks as a SMiLE song.
So here's the problem: where "side" one is consistently strong, "side 2" is a more mixed affair.
So all in all, you've got 5 songs that equal everything any recorded artist ever attempted to put on tape: H&V, GV, Wonderful, Cabin Essence and Surf's Up.
These are followed, very closely, by Fire, The OMP, and DYLW. Still, Pet Sounds or Sgt. Pepper's it isn't.
I wonder why. Take Sgt. Pepper's: you've got 5 brilliant songs. LSD, With a little help, She's leaving home, A day in the life, fixing a hole.
Followed closely by the title track (and the reprise) and getting better. Still though, it is a finished product and everything is were it ought
to be, even the "lesser" songs sound perfect into place. Admittedly, it's unfair to compare an unfinished SMiLE to Sgt. Pepper's...
But on Pet Sounds which equals Sgt. Pepper's: Wouldn't it be nice, God only knows, Caroline No, I just wasn't made for these times,
Don't talk, I know there's an answer equal everything that is on SMiLE, save perhaps Surf's Up and Good Vibrations. And as an album
it's just a better product: more quality in less time.
SMiLE with it's ups and downs - at least in the version we know - reminds me more of The Beatles (aka The White Album) than of
Pepper's. For one reason or another I don't think it would have bettered Sounds, not even in it's finished form. But then again
we'll never know. Perhaps the album has lost it's moment for ever. But even that's not sure, since it continues to inspire.
Still, this is essential listening for any music fan and ranks easily amongst the finest pieces of pop music.
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