Good Good Good Good Vibrations

Brian Wilson is a titan in rock and roll history. He has written some of the best songs of rock music history and has been an inspiration to numerous other writers around the world. For those unfamiliar (which I hope are few and far between), Brian Wilson was the founder of the Beach Boys, an iconic American rock and roll band most popular in the 1960’s but who continue to operate to this day. Wilson battled alcohol and drug addictions as well as mental illness for years and was eventually fired from the Beach Boys in 1982. In 1988, having overcome his many problems, he struck out on a solo career. His records up to 2003 received mixed reviews.

This leads me to my listening choice for today, SMiLE. Released in 2004, SMiLE is the realization of a 37-year-old project. While some of the songs were released on other albums, this record brings together all of the original songs into this dynamic musical that has received the highest score on the Metacritic list.

#1 – Brian Wilson, SMiLE (Metascore = 97)

This record demonstrates Wilson’s endless quest for perfection. He started the SMiLE project back in 1966, but numerous delays as well as his own mental collapse delayed the release of the project. He originally intended for the Beach Boys to release the album, and they did release a few songs in different incarnations, but the album as it was originally intended was never released until 2004. SMiLE is a concept album that tells the story of the birth of the United States, from its British beginnings at Plymouth Rock to the Wild West to Hawaii. Underneath it all is the Beach Boys’ sound, California surf rock, mixed with different sounds and occasionally an orchestra.

The many years between the original creation of the songs until their realization reveals the detail that Wilson spent on the record. He started writing the record shortly after the release of the Beach Boys’ masterpiece Pet Sounds, building off the sounds of the single “Good Vibrations”. The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, released in 1967, proved to be very important in Wilson’s creation of SMiLE. Had he finished the record then, chances are he would not have been able to realize the dreams he had. Each song is carefully crafted to tell the story, and each song is blended together artfully to feel like a musical. The harmonies are staggering, similar to the harmonies of the Beach Boys in their heyday. Over time Wilson has been able to write this record closer to his vision.

SMiLE is a fabulous record. I needed another listen to it in order to better appreciate what I had heard. Knowing a little more about the project and Wilson, I can understand the reasoning behind its long delay. You can hear that Wilson’s revisiting the project, rebuilding it, refining it, and ultimately releasing it has paid off in a big way. The music is varied but interesting, and the musicians and singers do an excellent job of recording the record. I can totally understand the critical success of this record. There are few, if any, flaws in this record. While the sound may not be for every listener, this listener really has been taken by it.