CD Review: Brian Wilson 'Smile'

Taken from my article at LiveDaily
http://www.livedaily.com/news/7120.html

In 1967, 24-year old Beach Boy mastermind Brian Wilson (news CDs), hot off the now-classic release of 'Pet Sounds' had composed his "teenage symphony to God" known as the 'Smile' album.

However, its release turned into a nightmare consumed with label pressure, nervous breakdowns, drugs and personal demons, which would consume Wilson for decades. The full album was never released and only certain songs like "Good Vibrations", "Surf's Up" and "Heroes and Villains" would appear in their full form across multiple albums and box sets. Now, 37 years later, Wilson has become the musical prodigal son. After the success of his 'Pet Sounds' tour in 2000, Wilson has rejoined with his original collaborator, Van Dyke Parks, to finish what he started.

From the opening pop choir harmonies in "Our Prayer / Gee" to the now-classic theremin sounds on "Good Vibrations", Wilson has accomplished his pop magnum opus. The sound of 'Smile' takes you to a time when studios were rooms overflowing with symphonic sounds from string and horn sections and sound effect svengalis – complete with whistles, whizzers and even barnyard animals. Wilson has taken the majority of what had been originally envisioned in the 60's, added a new, final movement to the end and created a brand new version of what has been dubbed one of the best unreleased pop albums in history.

It's difficult to review 'Smile' as either a reissue from 1967 or a new piece of work completed by Wilson in 2004. After debuting it to European crowds in early 2004, Wilson and Parks returned to the studio to set the record straight. All the vocals and instrumentations are brand new which can easily decrease the album's authenticity, as we're no longer treated to Wilson's musical relationship with his Beach Boy brothers. However, the effort is captivating enough to bring the old listener to the end of their musical journey while charming the new listener into a new one.

All the songs flow together – its tough to find one standout track - in three orchestral-like movements. Wilson and Parks create a world filled with youthful harmonies and colorful orchestral arrangements that bring the listener back to when pop music was innocent and filled with endless possibilities. Some of Wilson's voice has left, but the confidence to convey that music can have immeasurable promise is definitely there.

In today's world of singer-songwriters and super producers, listening to 'Smile' confirms that Brian Wilson is one of the last great pop music composers. It's a lost art that hopefully hasn't come too late in the game, but it's still beautiful to reminisce.