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Brian Wilson

Hello Goaty ♥

By Hello Goaty ♥,
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Moose

Moose

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Posted

It's great, and finally brought some much-needed consistency to the previously existing patchwork of half-recorded SMiLE bits. This is the final, complete SMiLE you'll be playing from start to finish forever now; everything segues into stuff it's supposed to segue into, so you can easily pick out the three "movements" (Heroes and Villains/Child is Father of the Man/ The Elements) that were meant to underpin the album all along. More to the point, though, it just sounds so full, lush and lovely, that I had to be convinced that it was a complete re-record which didn't use any earlier SMiLE material (it is, and it doesn't, as it happens). Brian's voice isn't what it was when he was in his mid-20s, sure, but then there aren't many 60 year olds who can say that it is; just listen to the new Wind Chimes and be amazed by what it can still do.

As far as I'm concerned, then, it's a huge triumph, strong contender for best album of the year, and certainly winner of the "Bloody hell, I didn't see that coming" award 2004.

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Cappuccino Kid

Cappuccino Kid

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After substantial lurking, I couldn't help but wade in on this topic...

It a good album I used to have the old bootleg copy, but not quite the awe-inspiring work of art that the reviews would have you believe

It's not really fair to compare what's now in the shops with the bootlegs, simply because until now the album was never finished. The new (or at least newly added, when they were written is still unclear) lyrics and melodies really make the whole thing cohere in a way it didn't before. The themes that run through the songs (Americana, the Elements and childhood) but were never entirely clear have really been brought to the fore by the new sequencing, which is far far superior to any of the bootlegs or fanmixes that have done the rounds. It's the only concept album I know of that actually works, and manages to be fun rather than annoyingly pretentious. And the more I hear it, the more I think Brian Wilson's current voice really suits the material more than I ever thought it would.

Is Dr Landy the biggest c**t in music history?

Heh, well after watching BBC3 last night I'd say Gareth Evans is in the running too! Landy certainly did Brian a lot of harm in the later years, but he also probably saved his life in the late 70s/early 80s.

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scruffycat

scruffycat

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Posted
After substantial lurking, I couldn't help but wade in on this topic...

It's not really fair to compare what's now in the shops with the bootlegs, simply because until now the album was never finished. The new (or at least newly added, when they were written is still unclear) lyrics and melodies really make the whole thing cohere in a way it didn't before. The themes that run through the songs (Americana, the Elements and childhood) but were never entirely clear have really been brought to the fore by the new sequencing, which is far far superior to any of the bootlegs or fanmixes that have done the rounds. It's the only concept album I know of that actually works, and manages to be fun rather than annoyingly pretentious. And the more I hear it, the more I think Brian Wilson's current voice really suits the material more than I ever thought it would.

Hmm, still not quite convinced but I think I may buy it this week and give it another chance though.

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roskelld

roskelld

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I just want to add my love for this album... It's about the fifth time this year that I've discovered an unbeatable album of the year. I'm really gonna have to put them all down in one afternoon and make a final decision (I'll prolly leave that till December though), at the moment, this is looking like a potential winner.

Anyway, to add something to this thread, I found this video...

http://www.warnerreprise.com/asx/brianwils...e-epk_450-v.asx

or

http://www.warnerreprise.com/qt-ref/brianw...ile-epk_ref.mov

Nice showing of the rehearsals and live performances from the album.

Approx 21 mins long.

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dr_lha

dr_lha

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Posted
I just want to add my love for this album... It's about the fifth time this year that I've discovered an unbeatable album of the year. I'm really gonna have to put them all down in one afternoon and make a final decision (I'll prolly leave that till December though), at the moment, this is looking like a potential winner.

Anyway, to add something to this thread, I found this video...

http://www.warnerreprise.com/asx/brianwils...e-epk_450-v.asx

or

http://www.warnerreprise.com/qt-ref/brianw...ile-epk_ref.mov

Nice showing of the rehearsals and live performances from the album.

Approx 21 mins long.

There is also a 2 hour documentary thats showing tomorrow night on the premium US cable channel Showtime (home of Dead Like Me etc.) called: "Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile".

Apparently the documentary also includes a film of one of the Live Smile shows (might be the first one in London).

I'm Tivoing it tomorrow night <_<

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Sideshow

Sideshow

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Posted

Whats this madness...

We at Showtime Online express our apologies; however, these pages are intended for access only from within the United States

Their stupid message on their stupid website doesn't even make any sense.

Anyway Smile is great, everything I hoped and dreamed it would be. My album of the year too. All I need now is Beefhearts' Lick My Decals Off, Baby and I need never buy another record again.

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roskelld

roskelld

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Posted
There is also a 2 hour documentary thats showing tomorrow night on the premium US cable channel Showtime (home of Dead Like Me etc.) called: "Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile".

Apparently the documentary also includes a film of one of the Live Smile shows (might be the first one in London).

I'm Tivoing it tomorrow night :unsure:

P05t$ t0rr3ntz pur-l34s3....oney-one-one.

Going back to his singing, I'm really suprised that the vocals are new recordings, especially after hearing him sing during the rehersals, his voice sounds old and, well, a bit rubbish, but on the album it sounds bloody amazing.

Another thing I picked up on was some of the vocal sounds on the album. I've not heard the original recordings (Grabbing them off slsk as we speak) so I don't know how close this matches, but I'm drawing a number of similarities on the layered vocals between Mr. Bungles California album and Smile.

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bear

bear

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Posted

Got this last friday and well wow is the only word I could use for this.Really its excellent.Having never really bothered much with the beach boys much(only own their best of) I wasnt too excited about this but its great.

Played the old and new good vibrations back to back last night and the new one sounds every bit as good if not better.A richer sound is the only way I can describe it as my musical lingo is pretty limited.

Ordering that amazon version later.Oh yes....

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  • 1 year later...
Graham S

Graham S

Posted
Posted
Bad vibrations, four decades on, as Beach Boys resume squabble

Dan Glaister in Los Angeles

Saturday November 5, 2005

Guardian

It is like 1967 all over again. Beach Boy Mike Love has fallen out with fellow Beach Boy Brian Wilson over the band's legendary 60s concept album Smile.

In court papers filed this week in Los Angeles, Love accused Wilson, his cousin, of promoting the 2004 release of Smile in a way that "shamelessly misappropriated Mike Love's songs, likeness and the Beach Boys trademark, as well as the Smile album itself".

Love, the Beach Boys' lead singer and the owner of the name of the band, is seeking millions of dollars in damages.

The lawsuit reignites one of pop music's most notorious feuds. In 1967, with the Beach Boys at the height of their popularity, Wilson recorded much of Smile without the rest of the band. Love objected to the content, describing it as "a whole album of Brian's madness". Although nearly completed, the project was shelved. Shortly after, Wilson suffered a breakdown, withdrawing from public life. Love and the other members continued to perform and record without Wilson, the group's main songwriter.

In the suit filed this week, Love, who co-wrote Good Vibrations, the best-known track on Smile, objects to a promotion in the Mail on Sunday in which 2.6m copies of a Beach Boys compilation were given away. He alleges that the free gift had an adverse impact on sales of Beach Boys recordings, resulting in a loss of earnings. The lawsuit seeks damages including "millions of dollars in illicit profits", according to the Associated Press.

"Mike has a lot of affection for Brian and they have a good relationship and cordial relations," said Love's lawyer, Phil Stillman. "There's obviously some problem with the way Brian's [associates] have promoted the albums. They remain family and the co-founders of a very important band in rock'n'roll history."

Despite the assurances, the dispute between the two Beach Boys has endured for almost 40 years. Wilson wrote most of Smile with lyricist Van Dyke Parks, rather than the other members of the Beach Boys. It was intended to be an experimental album, a kaleidoscopic survey of American popular music. Wilson referred to it as "teenage symphonies to God". His bandmates disagreed, calling it "freaked out".

As the album languished unreleased, so its reputation and the mystery surrounding it grew, and it was hailed as pop's great lost masterpiece.

Three years ago Wilson returned with a completed version of Smile, which he performed live to great acclaim. Last year the album, titled Brian Wilson Presents Smile, was finally released.

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Rev

Rev

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Posted

So is it anything to do with Brian Wilson then?

In the suit filed this week, Love, who co-wrote Good Vibrations, the best-known track on Smile, objects to a promotion in the Mail on Sunday in which 2.6m copies of a Beach Boys compilation were given away. He alleges that the free gift had an adverse impact on sales of Beach Boys recordings, resulting in a loss of earnings. The lawsuit seeks damages including "millions of dollars in illicit profits", according to the Associated Press.

Makes it not sound like it. Is it just that the tracks on smile were allowed to feature on the disc?

I don't get it.

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