First recorded in 1966-67, The Beach Boys' SMiLE is regarded as one of the greatest "lost albums" of all time. Different bootleg versions have been floating around for years, and many of the songs were remade for later Beach Boys albums. Heck, Brian Wilson even revisited the album in 2004, recording a brand new version with his band at the time, The Wondermints. However, this is the first time the original, as-complete-as-possible version of SMiLE gets an official release, and it's a doozy. Using Wilson's 2004 sequence as a guide, the album feels pretty dang near complete, with all the pieces falling nicely into place. It's exhilarating to finally hear, and it will surely put a smile on your face. Available as a 2CD, 2LP, or deluxe box set, with tons of extras, alternate versions, outtakes, etc. Dig in!
"If it ultimately sounds like nothing else, it still variously touches on doo-wop, barbershop singing, ragtime, the mock-Polynesian Tiki culture that swept Hollywood in the '50s, pre-rock'n'roll crooning, yodelling, cowboy movies, and 'You Are My Sunshine'." - The Guardian
"It’s easy to lose yourself in the countless studio takes. Little gasps of pure genius here and there. The slow dissolution to it all. The echoes of things to come. It’s a history lesson come to life, and that’s part of the reason the collection here works so well." - Consequence of Sound