The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

from pitchfork:

The Beach Boys' Smile is quite possibly the most storied lost album in rock history. The album was stalled in 1967 by sonic mastermind Brian Wilson's nervous breakdown, and its songs were heavily bootlegged in the ensuing decades. Wilson released a much-loved, reworked solo version in 2004, but all sorts of issues with record labels and band members prevented the official release of the original Smile. But now, Billboard reports that Capitol is finally planning to release The Smile Sessions later this year.

According to Billboard, Mark Linett, who recorded and mixed Wilson's 2004 Smile, and archivist Alan Boyd are co-producing the release, which will be available as a download, a double-CD set, and a box featuring four CDs, two vinyl LPs, two vinyl singles, and a book by Beach Boys historian Domenic Priore.

Although no release date has been set yet, and previous plans throughout the decades to release Smile have fallen through, EMI exec Bill Gagnon assures Billboard that "it's coming out," saying that all of the band members and associated parties have given their support.

Linett and Boyd are working to construct a version of Smile that's as close as possible to Brian Wilson's original vision, with the album proper taking up one CD or three sides of vinyl, and outtakes claiming the rest of the space. In a statement given to Billboard, Wilson says, "I'm thrilled that the Beach Boys' original studio sessions for Smile will be released for the first time, after all these years. I'm looking forward to this collection of the original recordings and having fans hear the beautiful angelic voices of the boys in a proper studio release."

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I really liked the Wilson disc that came out a few years ago but I'll be buying this to go right next to it.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

I might have to get the box. All the Smile recordings I've heard have been incredible.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

What are people going to talk about when it comes to overdue media with SMiLE, Detox and Duke Nukem Forever all coming out this year and Chinese Democracy released 2 years ago?

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

Great News! I would definitely get either the Box set or Vinyl set

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

I really dug Wilson's 2004 reconstruction & seeing him perform it live was one of the most thrilling concert experiences of my life. Still, I thought the snippets that appeared on the Good Vibrations box set blew both that & the versions on Smiley Smile out of the water.

I always assumed what was on the box set was about as completed as this thing ever got. Can't wait to hear what else is out there.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

I'm very, very excited about this. Smile has been an obsession of mine for a long time now. I can't wait to see a tracklisting for this thing.

I don't spring for the big over-priced sets of this sort but I will have to bite for this set.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

My same thoughts. Interesting news.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

There are actually some remastered and mixed versions of the original SMile on Youtube. I remember listening to different takes and song sequencing. Brian had all the songs completed back then he was only missing some of the building bridges. I always thought the coolest thing would have been to have Enhanced CDs were you could re-arrange tracking numbers and takes then Smile really becomes more than an album.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

Any updates on this?

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

Wiki has this:

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

Thanks!

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

Doesn't make sense to release this in the summer anyway.

(Although it's summer music).

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

Man...that looks awesome.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

$170 for the big box at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Smile-Sessions...4859070&sr=8-1

$32 for the CD only: http://www.amazon.com/Smile-Sessions...4859070&sr=8-2

$23 for the vinyl only: http://www.amazon.com/Smile-Sessions...4859070&sr=8-2

While looking it up I found a listing for a 4-disc box of Quadrophenia with unreleased demos and notes and such. Coming out November 15th.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

I want that big box soo bad.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

That's what sh-- ahh forget it...

I'm very curious about this release. Not enough to spring for the ginormous twat set, but the CDs for sure.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

Not to mention AQUALUNG 40th Anniversary box set too! :up: http://www.amazon.com/Aqualung-Anniv...ref=pd_sim_m_6

And three Pink Floyd "Immersion" sets... it's cool they're targeting collectors with this stuff, but at $120-$150 a pop? Good Lord...

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

Does anyone remember when the Pet Sounds 4 CD set came out and it was $40? I picked up the remastered vinyl for $25. What's the deal with $170?

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

It's 2011. The year of outrageously priced overstuffed boxed sets of single album reissues. I predict this trend will die quickly. I see these kinds of things clogging the shelves, collecting dust.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

I think I'm just going to get the vinyl.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

it's cheaper than the CD. This is definitely what I plan on doing.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

I think I may get the vinyl too. All those studio out-takes, mix downs, etc are interesting, but only in small doses. I don't listen to all the pet sounds instrumental mixes, vocal only mixes, alt takes, etc.

THe vinyl sounds like it will be packaged exactly as it would have been released in '67. I'd like to buy just the book.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

You think $170 is bad. Check out this version for $700. Apparently it's limited because it has a switch that turns the light off & on in the storefront on the box cover. If I was filthy dirty rich or clinically insane, this is the version I would get.

http://www.merchdirect.com/TheBeachB...roductid=14651

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

Anyone else pick this up today? I got the vinyl set and it's wonderful. Nice booklet full of photos, new liner notes by Brian Wilson, and the music sounds immaculate. Very close to one of the reconstructions I've heard before. I played it for a friend of mine who had only ever heard snippets of songs and he immediately said he needed to go buy it himself.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

I'm looking forward to hearing this. My only fear is not liking the mono vs. the stereo cuts from the box set.

edit: Just listened to this on Spotify. Damn. Awesome. This is one of the very few pieces of work that I will just put all versions on my iPod. Box set stereo, Brian's 2004 solo release and eventually this stuff in mono.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

You can listen to it here: http://music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/#/3

I'm sure I'll breakdown sometime and pull the trigger to get this.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

Man, I really wanted that big box but the tracklisting on CD's 3-5 is just exhausting. I can't imagine I'd ever listen to all that more than once. But that 3D cover is really cool looking. The two disc version comes with a small amount of swag though....a little SMiLE button and a fold up poster.

The sound on this thing is really good. I almost forgot that CD's could sound decent if they weren't brickwalled. I miss the days when music was mastered to be listened to & not just heard.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

For those who didn't want to buy the giant box set, all five discs are available to listen to on Spotify.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

I bought the 2-disc. Been listening to it. Never really heard it before. It is so freaking good! I like it way better than Pet Sounds. I'm tripping out by it sounds both of it's time and also thoroughly modern. It's arrangements are so complex (though not overly so) that it's hard to tell that it's in mono and not stereo.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

It's definitely better than Pet Sounds. I even like it more than Sgt. Pepper.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

Saw the big box at BB, and boy is it an eye catcher. Just couldnt pull the string to get it, I know alot of it would only be listened to once. I didnt purchase the regular, still undecided about the big box.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

For all intents and purposes, this is a new Beach Boys album, therefore it is eligible for The Billboard Top 200 Album Chart. Wouldn't it be cool if it debuted at No.1, or even in the Top 10? The last Beach Boys album to go to No.1 was a hits collection called Endless Summer in 1974.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

I picked up the 2 disc CD version and really enjoy it. I decided to go ahead and pick up the Brian Wilson presents Smile so I could compare the two versions.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

They actually changed the rules a couple years ago to allow catalog titles to re-chart- I think during the Michael Jackson sales boom after his death. Granted, this album applies either way. I don't see it happening though, a lot of the big box stores like Target and Wal-Mart didn't get it in my area, and the Best Buys had at most a couple of copies on hand. But wouldn't it be nice? ;)

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

Nice enough - it debuted on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart at No.27.

I can live with that - at least it's a new Beach Boys album in the Top 40, amongst endless turd entries of the 21st Century.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

I did spend some time this weekend listening to Smile on Spotify. I ended up enjoying it far more than I thought I would! Definitely gonna pick up the 2CD version when I can.


Although I still dont like Pet Sounds...

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

Really? What's not to like?

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

Other than the classic cuts Wouldn't it Be Nice and God Only Knows I just don't hear any timeless songs on the album. Certainly not to the point where it should be considered one of the best albums ever made. The rest are nice songs alright but every time I try to really get into the album it leaves me cold.

Re: The Beach Boys: The Smile Sessions - 2011
 

Groundbreaking, often breathtaking production values. Mostly forgettable songs. It's an album to appreciate, not love. Although I do love "God Only Knows", as probably most people do off that album.