Can we talk about how good this is?
It's like The Beach Boys' "Donuts", just an outpouring of great ideas and creativity.
Easily their best work.
It really is. It would've been a seismic event in music history had it been released. Brian Wilson was on an unmatchable creative peak during that period.
>>66134026
This. The Beatles would hardly be remembered today if it came out.
>>66134059
That's a bit of a stretch to me, but I definitely think it would've knocked them down a peg or two. Rubber Soul and Revolver were two phenomenal albums and I bet Sgt Pepper would've still been received very well, but Smile would've really gave the Beatles their first big competitor in the music world. People would revere the Beach Boys even more today, and the Beatles while still hugely acclaimed wouldn't quite have reached the messiah level mythical status that they have today.
>>66134265
I've always seen the significance of Sgt Pepper to be it's recording production under George Martin. It had revolutionary use of effects and studio tricks which essentially obscured only okay songwriting from the beatles. Conversely, Smile had incredible songwriting with very little actual studio effects. Delays, reverbs, some fuzz bass, but that's really it. Everything else is just pure musicianship.
>>66134059
>>66134265
>>66134466
The Beatles still hadn't released their two best albums though, Abbey Road and their s/t
although now that I think about it, they might've been a lot different if Smile was released before
>>66134600
That's true. On the one hand I love Abbey Road, but there's no telling what a longer rivalry between the Beales and The Beach Boys would have lead to for both bands.
>>66134820
the thing about the Beach Boys was that the genius was all Brian Wilson, meanwhile The Beatles had McCartney, Lennon, Martin, and Harrison (well, wasn't as essential as the rest, but still). That's why The Beatles managed to produce so many great albums, while Brian Wilson had a mental breakdown while making The Beach Boy's second truly great album. They not only had a lack of brain power, but Brian Wilson also had the obstacle of Mike Love wanting to take the band in a completely different direction.
>>66135205
I see where you're coming from. I think part of the reason Pet Sounds, Smile, and even Today were so good though was because they were ONE man's vision, at least musically. It was a lot coherent as a result.
Abbey road is great and all, but because it's had three songwriters it lacks a single unified sound. I mean you've got Lennon's She's So Heavy, and right after Harrison's Here Comes the Sun. They're both great songs, but they are completely different sounds. Whereas on say, Pet Sounds, Everything felt like it belonged there (except maybe Sloop John B).
>>66135841
ey u knockin sloop john b nigga ima fite u
>>66136293
It would've sounded more at home on Today! It kinda kills the flow on Pet Sounds. Good song but considering I listen to Pet Sounds almost exclusively in it's entirety in my car, I get nitpicky when my favorite song on the album fades out into what's in my opinion the worst song on the album.
Again good song though.
What's your favorite moment on the album, OP?
I have a new favorite one every time i listen to it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loPY0jIvwLE
Go to 13:59 I am absolutely in love with the banjo line, its so pastoral and immersive
Wa halla loo lay
Wa halla loo lah
Keeny wok a poo lah
>>66136715
As of now I like Do You Like Worms the best, but the whole thing us great.
>>66136715
Not OP but the second chorus of Cabinesence and the grand coulee dam section stand out as the most imaginative sections on the album. I love Dennis' quiet rap under the huge mountain of voices. Also the coulee dam section where the banjos play an eastern melody with the railroad spikes simulating the sounds of Chinese railroad workers. It's genus.
>>66136715
Never heard this before, good shit
>>66134600
White Album was the Beatles' best work IMO.
what's the best version of this? the 2011 release?
>>66138062
Too much filler
>>66138162
Oh, this complaint again.
For the record, there are no more than 5 filler tracks out of the 30 song track listing.
>>66138242
>wild honey pie
>piggies
>why dont we do it in the road
>yer blues
>everybodys got something to hide
>honey pie
>savory truffle
>revolution 9
>>66138359
>yer blues
>savoy truffle
>revolution 9
>filler
>>66138359
>everybodys got something to hide
>yer blues
>honey pie
>revolution 9
>savoy truffle
>filler
>>66138395
>>66138445
>he listens to revolution 9 unironically
wew laddy
>>66137278
> banjos play an eastern melody with the railroad spikes simulating the sounds of Chinese railroad workers. It's genus.
Themes like that make me think SMiLE would not have been a success if released on time.
Its not only a criticism of american expansion and ideals, its just too intricate and serious of a statement for people to understand in 1967
>>66137278
Where does this eastern melody of the banjos theory come from? Are they really playing an eastern melody?
>>66133909
Donuts? More like Black Foliage
>>66134059
lol
>>66138569
Now this is an album with filler
desu i refer the smile sessions tracklist (including psychodelic sounds & he writes speeches) to the 'trve smile' tracklists that are only ~12 songs long. It feels like I'm witnessing everything Brian had in his mind, uncompressed, and enjoying it along the way, not just 'what made the cut'.
>>66138900
tru
>>66138466
I think that's what made Smile so great though. It was the embodiment of America as a whole, with both the good and the bad.
I'm not sure that any "criticism" against American ideals was what would've prevented Smile's success, as in 1967 the counterculture movement was growing and protest songs were becoming increasingly popular. Especially considering Good Vibrations was pretty much an anthem of the counter culture. It's hard to say whether or not it would've been successful. It's a whole lot happier as a whole than Pet Sounds, so there is some mainstream appeal there, but I agree it may have been a bit too beyond its time to have initially sold well.
>>66138548
Yeah, listen for yourself.
https://youtu.be/VsayYkWqeKQ?t=1m23s
is Heroes and Villains the best song of all time?
>reddit wilson's unfinished backing tracks
>>66140732
not even the best song on the album desu
>>66136715
I love the strongs in My Only Sunshine
>>66140803
This was a pretty good thread, don't try and ruin it.
>>66133909
Am I the only one who prefers the Brian Wilson version of Smile? The Smile Sessions' production and mixing quality is so poor it puts me off. What do (most of) you guys like more about the Smile Sessions?
>>66141932
What about the mixing quality seems poor to you? I think Surf's Up, Heroes and Villains, Good Vibrations, and Cabin Essence sound better now than they ever had. Everything's a lot more clear, the vocals are perfectly distinguishable, the bass and low frequencies are balanced and not muddied like in previous releases.
>>66134466
a little effects, but tons of editing and splicing
>modular recording
which could be compared to what the beatles did with like, strawberry fields and a day in the life
>>66142143
Let's take Heroes and Villains for example.
the backing vocals at sections are barely distinguishable and the horns sound like they are being played into a pillow. The bass also sounds fuzzy throughout. Among other things.
>>66141932
>>66142143
I like how choppy it is sometimes
Its like Brian unlearned everything he knew about making a pop song
>>66142266
I will say the bass is a little more present in the 2011 version than smiley smile, but I think that's to make up for removing the horrible organ drone in smiley. But the vocals are just as clear as smiley and the horns are definitely not muffled. Maybe distant, but that plays into Brian's Spector obsession.
All it takes is one listen to 20/20's cabinessence to see how much better the session's release is.
>>66138606
i love this album to fucking pieces but there is just so much filler bullshit in it :,,(
Anyone? what's the best recording to listen to?
>>66140732
No that's Surf's Up but you're not far off by much
>>66144736
Smile sessions reconstruction is my personal go to, but in terms of bootleg versions here's my favorite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxpA2cZv3hc
Ending with Surf's Up is so PERFECT and is probably the only thing the officially release should've done different.
>>66138450
>implying revolution 9 isn't a god tier sound collage that was essential to the album
>>66144764
Heroes and Villains evokes a feeling in me which I haven't felt before, it's just effortless and beautiful I don't understand it
>>66138125
yeah 2011 sessions or there are some good fan edits that combine completed parts of the 2004 version with the 60s tapes
>>66133909
yup.
>>66134026
yup.
>>66145074
link?
>>66139609
>>66138466
>criticism of american expansion and ideals
that's what makes it great though, it simultaneously criticizes american ideals while celebrating american culture.
what i love about the album is that while the beatles (and a bunch of other bands) were using sitars and taking influence from world music, brian was celebrating americana and using banjos and stuff (in arguably an even more interesting way. it's just fucking great.
>its just too intricate and serious of a statement for [...] 1967
i disagree desu. i think people were ready for this stuff at the time. brian and the beatles were sort of on the same track (although i think smile would have catapulted him further than them by a bit if it was released in full in all it's glory) and i think while it may have been a little bit early it would have been warmly received (maybe at the reluctance of a couple of people, and traditional beach boys fans in general, but that's a given)
>>66145200
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eno24_1n-7k
1967+2004=3971
>>66138466
I'm not so sure about that. Some very adventurous and left field music was being released and selling very well at the time. Miles Davis' Bitches Brew was one of his most commercially successful despite being damn near impenetrable for some people. Revolver and Sgt Pepper were huge left field leaps and were met with universal acclaim and were massive hits. Lots of very bold artistic statements were not only being made but becoming sizeable hits.
Reminder that Brian Wilson released a Smile follow-up in the form of a song in the 80's.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OYg5MIcrzk
>>66133909
>Beach Boys
>their best
>their
>>66145669
all hail based brian
and van dyke parks
>>66145706
Smile - Brian Wilson, Van Dyke Parks, and the Vocal Harmonies
>>66145774
and acid
>>66136715
In some versions the heroes and villains horn plays during the barnyard part, and I love it so much for some reason. However, I think it's only in SMiLE AD, which is a weird condensed version. This'll give you a good idea of what I mean.
https://youtu.be/xHDT2NDsbnQ
For the regular album, my favorite is probably the do do-doooo bah-bah bah-bah bah-bah part during wind chimes.
>>66145854
>>66145774
>>66145706
and los angeles wrecking crew
>>66146136
Always remember the wrecking crew
The unsung heroes of pet sounds and smile tbqh
>>66146269
carol kaye <33333
wow this is the most actual discussion i've ever seen here
>>66147786
Right? It's actual discussion and no one being dicks to each other. It's pretty nice.
>>66147835
>>66147786
i've been in a lot of the smile threads on here and they usually have cool discussions like this. hang out more
>>66146269
by the time they reached pet sounds, brian *needed* well-experienced classical and jazz trained session musicians to record his elaborate compositions
>>66147786
>>66147835
>>66147887
yeah lurk more desu. beach boys threads are normally pretty cool and civil with good convo
>>66147939
why did you put needed in quotes?
>>66148131
because as he improved the parts were getting too complex for less-experienced musicians to play
>>66148131
it's italics for *emphasis*
>>66148162
no i know why he used session musicians, i saw the italics as quotations and thought it was irony or something
>>66148167
oops, saw it as quotes instead of italics. he really did need the wrecking crew though, the beach boys were good but they just weren't there technically, iirc dennis just started playing drums for the beach boys when brian asked
Sorry for being a virgin but is there a torrent of the 2011 release with any actual seeders?
>>66149264
Use Soulseek, or the /mu/ archive.
>>66149424
Thanks
>>66149264
it's in kickass torrents
>>66138359
>piggies is considered filler now
White Album is too good for this shit world.
SMiLE is Brian's best work overall, though I think the best melodies still belong to Pet Sounds.
SMiLE highlights:
>Our Prayer
>Banjo in Cabinessence
>Surf's Up
>the breakdown in Wind Chimes
>Good Vibrations
>>66133909
It would have changed music, it sounds remarkable now, if it had been released in 1967 it would have blown everyone out of the water. Wilson may be popular music's greatest genius, his solo demo of Surf's Up is a contender for my favourite ever song.
>>66135205
I don't know man, as the beach boys progressed some of the others started to shine, like Dennis during Sunflower and Carl during Friends.
>>66135205
There's truth in that, but Pacific Ocean Blue shows that Brian wasn't the only brilliant member. Mike Love is a fucking dick.
Hey, look everybody!
It's another freakin' thread about how great Smile is, and how it would've given Sgt Pepper a good run for it's money, and it was a shame it didn't come out on time, etc ad nauseum 4th of July edition!
>>66152029
so what
we're getting good discussion
>>66152029
Ok Mike Love
>>66133909
I feel like a lot of people who think sgt pepper is really overrated have never heard it in mono. It sounds much more like a rock album than wooooh crazy studio effects. And this is comin from a huge smile fan, its my favorite album of all time
>>66156098
doesn't matter, smile is still vastly better/more interesting
>>66156098
i love themono mix so much and actually there are *more* flanger and ADT effects in the mono mix than the stereo, but dont you feel harrison kinda got the short end of the stick in the mono mix? his sweet leslie speaker lead guitar lines in Lucy In The Sky are pretty much inaudible in the mono mix
Reminder that "Smile" its not a real album. The Smile Sessions is just a compilation.
>>66156293
yeah did you see the part where i mentioned smile is my favorite album of all time? also i prefer revolver magical mystery tour and the white album
>>66156359
oh and by effects i mainly meant the annoying panning present all over the stereo version. and yeah harrison did get the short end of the stick but thats the best mix we got.
