I agree, Jason. I have done and do still love it too for what it was, but the personal stuff clouds it for me and makes it a harsh listen these days.
That's all part of the legend. The main selling point for most people is that they would love to hear the music that supposedly drove its creator insane.
That's never been a main selling point for me, I must admit.
For me, it's always been about the legend of Brian Wilson's magnificent unreleased opus magnum that should've followed 'GV's. The album that
might have tipped the scales in Brian Wilson's (ergo: the Beach Boys) favour in the Pop/Rock/Psyche hierachy in the '60's if it had been released back then.
Me, I thought it was so dark and so ominous that I actually got chills listening to a few of the sections.
Hehe .. that's how it
used to be for me, before I learnt about the whole backstory.
If there's one thing we can learn about Smile, it's not really a "happy" album.
You're right, the '66-'67 session tracks/vocal castoffs and tidbits don't make for happy listening. SMiLE, on the other hand' as released by Brian Wilson; makes for one helluva happy album
As long as the '66-'67 era stuff is archived properly for posterity ( .. America's band at what could have been it's finest point in it's career) then I'm happy.