The Beach Boys - The SMiLE Sessions

[kidamnesiac]

So this is out Monday. Can't believe it's actually finally happening. Pet Sounds is one of my favorite albums ever and I love the version of SMiLE Brian Wilson did a few years back. It will be so great to hear the songs as close as is possible to the way Brian originally intended. Box set looks so awesome. There are also standard CD and vinyl versions.

http://www.amazon.com/Smile-Sessions-Box-Set/dp/B004RFYEEC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319845780&sr=8-2

[supafly]

I am getting the double lps

[someasiandude]

Nice didn't realize you could just purchase the 2 LP. Didn't want to drop that much on the entire box.

[rocknroll76]

I'm meeting Brian Wilson on Tuesday so he can sign my 2XLP.

STOKED!!!!!

[kidamnesiac]

I'm meeting Brian Wilson on Tuesday so he can sign my 2XLP.

Jealous!

Kind of bummed that the standard LP doesn't just end with Good Vibrations.

[somethingvinyl]

Beach Boys are an under-appreciated band. They made one of the top 10 recorded albums of all time in "Pet Sounds". I too love the 2003 Smile and was looking forward to hearing 45 year old version but I've been reading a lot about this release and I have a feeling we're going to be disappointed by the end product.

A lot of this stuff was bootlegged and Smile was pretty much bootleg as a finished album, just not conceptually as Brian would have recorded and intended it to be. Most of the songs ended up on the subsequent Beach Boys albums anyway. Of course not all, so it'll be good to hear some of the things that have been locked away. This box set has a lot of the unheard songs: http://www.amazon.com/Good-Vibrations-Thirty-Years-Beach/dp/B000002UR4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319903279&sr=8-1

But whatever, if this sounds like the album was supposed to sound, it will be worth the money. Before Wilson's 2003 Smile, the record was considered the most famous unreleased record in music history. And the fact that more people on this board have no idea about the history proves their short-sightedness and appreciation for stupid music.

I was born in 1980 and just considered the Beach Boys an oldies band until I began reading about their history when I was in college. The only real competition in 66/67 to The Beatles was this band. It will be nice to hear this most-elusive album.

[Guest deathbydrums]

^^Thanks, didn't know that! I'm sure it will be pure aural gold anyways. Where are you guys getting Brian Wilson to sign your copy? SO LUCKY!!!

[iamafreeman]

And the fact that more people on this board have no idea about the history proves their short-sightedness and appreciation for stupid music.

This, from the guy who listens to MxPx.

Stop making out like you're so much cooler for knowing about this album while other people on the board don't know about it or could care less. That doesn't make the music they like less relevant.

[rocknroll76]

If people only know them through the tired hits that are played on the radio ad nauseum, then they are missing out on some AMAZING music.

Pushing the boundaries of pop music with lush arrangements is all good.

Here's a good example for those that are curious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcFDaDZbc3Y&hl=en&fs=1

[kidamnesiac]

No one can be blamed for not knowing about The Beach Boys' awesomeness or the mythos of SMiLE. It was originally recorded in the 60s. The only reason I even care about Brian and the gang is that I grew up in Southern California and The Beach Boys were one of my dad's favorite jams. I remember playing the Endless Summer compilation endlessly as a kid.

This is available in certain countries on iTunes now, and as a result it's floating around the internet. It's pretty much everything I ever hoped for. The original album portion is all in glorious mono. Haven't had much time to delve in to some of the extras, but I still really wish the standard vinyl edition contained only the 19 songs that make up the album. I'm totally buying this!

[kriss]

They're certainly one of those groups that can be dismissed and lost in the shuffle of 60's AM pop which for alot of folks isn't all that interesting not because they're not musically smart enough to get it, but because alot of that stuff has been heard an infinite amount of times since birth (how many of us have never gone out our way to hear Surfin' USA but still know all of the words?). I'm not the hugest Brian Wilson fan, but I definitely understand his talent as a composer and Smile certainly highlights that in spades alongside Pet Sounds and it's certainly in the same line of seemingly disposable pop artists turning the predominant perception that's held of them on their heads when they turn around and produce brilliant music (XTC, Talk Talk, The Monkees, etc).

[jerseydave77]

Calling the Beach Boys "under appreciated" is ridiculous. Pet Sounds is consistently a top-10 album of all time and on many lists the greatest of all time. It's sold a ton of copies and it's unfortunate that Brian Wilson fell out with the rest of the group at the height of their creative genius but they are by no means under appreciated.

[somethingvinyl]

Wow, today is douchey day. Let's go from douchiest to legit:

And the fact that more people on this board have no idea about the history proves their short-sightedness and appreciation for stupid music.

This, from the guy who listens to MxPx.

Stop making out like you're so much cooler for knowing about this album while other people on the board don't know about it or could care less. That doesn't make the music they like less relevant.

Yes, matter of fact, even though MXPX might be painfully nostalgic for me, I still have an appreciation for better music. Check my tradelist, I own a few Beach Boys albums. But you don't care about that. You're the guy that makes witty remarks, so you don't have to stand up for your love of Blink, Sum 41 or some other shitty flash-in-the-pan band that's currently making your panties wet. I didn't write my post to make myself sound cooler. If that were the case, I wouldn't have confessed myself not appreciating them beyond an oldies group well into my 20's.

No one can be blamed for not knowing about The Beach Boys' awesomeness or the mythos of SMiLE. It was originally recorded in the 60s.

Maybe they can't. I appreciated you posting this because of how important this music is. If people don't understand how brilliant it is, you can lower your opinion of them. Trust me, it happens easily But, truthfully, the mystic of the album is well enough publicized that anyone who cares to know can find out about it easily.

If people only know them through the tired hits that are played on the radio ad nauseum, then they are missing out on some AMAZING music.

Pushing the boundaries of pop music with lush arrangements is all good.

Absolutely. This is essentially what I was getting at. You articulated it better. Great song to reference. As far as Pet Sounds, I feel like "I just Wasn't Made For These Times" is my anthem.

Calling the Beach Boys "under appreciated" is ridiculous. Pet Sounds is consistently a top-10 album of all time and on many lists the greatest of all time. It's sold a ton of copies and it's unfortunate that Brian Wilson fell out with the rest of the group at the height of their creative genius but they are by no means under appreciated.

It's actually not ridiculous. Case in point: this thread will not exceed 10 pages of people either affirming or disagreeing about Smile. Because, as Kriss' cogently asserted, most people don't care to go beyond the surface. They are under-appreciated because they were the greatest American pop group but they're relegated to the "oldies" section in the minds of music buyers, as I once erroneously thought. Take a survey amongst music buyers you know and ask them. Bet your bottom dollar, people say "Help Me Rhonda" before they reference the song Jeff gave as an example.

[jerseydave77]

This board is interested in very specific genres so your point about pages isn't relevant here. If you went to a Rolling Stone board and posted a new thread about the Beach Boys and say Between the Buried and Me - the Beach Boys thread would be huge while the BTBAM would not. Just because a lot of punk-oriented kids don't appreciate the Beach Boys by no means makes them under-appreciated in the greater scheme of things.

And to defend the pre-Pet Sounds era - they made some great surf rock music. It wasn't earth shattering and revolutionary like Pet Sounds but it was good music. It was also much more single oriented. Pet Sounds is a great Album but it never lent itself to singles like their previous work did.

Anyway, I will say that post-Brian Wilson Beach Boys stuff is pretty close to generic junk and no amount of the compentent drumming of John Stamos could save it. Ha ha.

[kriss]

I think both of these are valid points in terms of what VC caters to taste wise. There's a group of folks on here who do enjoy non punk related stuff so I can see how threads like this may never reach 10 pages but will be brought back up top from time to time when one of the enthusiasts on the subject finds something new and wants to share it with the other folks who also hold that interest. Those folks aren't more rounded in taste than anyone else, they're just different (a quality that around here could be either accepted or rejected - again, depending on the subject or band or genre at hand). I've never been one to hold to the notion that folks should listen to a record because it's 'seminal' or 'groundbreaking' or anything else if at the end of the day they don't like it and would rather listen to something else. I'm not saying anyone in this thread is attempting to perpetuate that argument by any means, but it's really easy for debates like this to head that way if when universally acclaimed records are being discussed.

I personally don't have that much of a thing for the pre PS stuff because while I agree that they made great surf rock, I personally prefer the likes of Link Wray, Dick Dale and the various compilations of surf music out there putting together singles by small time garage bands who never cut more than one or two songs.

Ultimately, all of these arguments both for and against are valid.

[saxamaphone]

I wish I could afford the box set, but I'll be happy with the 2X LP one.

I personally don't have that much of a thing for the pre PS stuff because while I agree that they made great surf rock, I personally prefer the likes of Link Wray, Dick Dale and the various compilations of surf music out there putting together singles by small time garage bands who never cut more than one or two songs.

Listen to the stereo version of "Don't Worry Baby" on a good set of headphones. Or just listen to all of Shut Down Volume 2.

[somethingvinyl]

This board is interested in very specific genres so your point about pages isn't relevant here. If you went to a Rolling Stone board and posted a new thread about the Beach Boys and say Between the Buried and Me - the Beach Boys thread would be huge while the BTBAM would not. Just because a lot of punk-oriented kids don't appreciate the Beach Boys by no means makes them under-appreciated in the greater scheme of things.

And to defend the pre-Pet Sounds era - they made some great surf rock music. It wasn't earth shattering and revolutionary like Pet Sounds but it was good music. It was also much more single oriented. Pet Sounds is a great Album but it never lent itself to singles like their previous work did.

Anyway, I will say that post-Brian Wilson Beach Boys stuff is pretty close to generic junk and no amount of the compentent drumming of John Stamos could save it. Ha ha.

I think we're floating around the same opinion, you're just more comfortable with people around here not being interested in the Beach Boys, and that's a point taken. You're right, this is a niche board, so the amount of pages isn't going to quantify anything. But it's not just a bunch of punk kids who don't appreciate the group; it's a majority of people who cannot name songs other than the hits. It's the same problem with the Beatles and Stones. They're adored by millions but it's the folk who dig deeper and listen to the albums that truly become fanatical. The problem and why I still contend the Beach Boys are under-appreciated is that while they have 30-something singles, including a single for Pet Sounds ("Sloop John B"), all of the tracks on Pet Sounds are better musically and lyrically than many of their singles. Yet, originals that preceded and followed Pet Sounds are great tunes as well. And those songs that lack attention because they're not the hits are why the band is under-appreciated. Maybe that happens with all great artists?

[fattacus]

[sharkticon]

My Dad will be purchasing any and every version of this. He's fucking nuts about the Beach Boys. Named me Brian Dennis for a reason. One day I'll inherit his Beach Boys collection that's twice the size as my entire collection.

[kidamnesiac]

Wanted to jump back in and say that I've had a full listen to this now and it's quite incredible. The best American pop album ever written, in my opinion. Can't wait to pick up the vinyl.

Head over to http://www.merchdirect.com/TheBeachBoys if you want to check out some ludicrous deluxe limited packages.

[yancey47]

This is the sound of a someone going insane.

[kriss]

More folks should lose their minds then!

[serum7]

The whole time I was listening I couldn't help but think of how much early of Montreal sounds like this. Well, Gay Parade and Coqulicot anyway.

[One Hundred Fifty-Two]

I do not like what somethingvinyl has been saying in this read so I'm not going to keep reading. Mad underground props for knowing about the beach boys. The band had 36 top 40 hits. They aren't under rated. It doesn't matter how many pages this thread gets. They are one of the biggest bands ever. You are not cool. Maybe I am cool because my MxPx nostalgia has ran dry while yours is still flowing.

[somethingvinyl]

I do not like what somethingvinyl has been saying in this read so I'm not going to keep reading. Mad underground props for knowing about the beach boys. The band had 36 top 40 hits. They aren't under rated. It doesn't matter how many pages this thread gets. They are one of the biggest bands ever. You are not cool. Maybe I am cool because my MxPx nostalgia has ran dry while yours is still flowing.

Your literacy skills have ceased flowing too, I assume, because:

1. Never claimed to be cool.

2. Never said the Beach Boys were underground, thus making me underground.

3. Never said the Beach Boys were underrated.

I said under-appreciated. And if like kidamnesiac posited, this is the greatest American pop album (which I tend to agree with), than this band is under-appreciated when people claim "Barbra Ann" or some other surf-pop song is their greatest hit.