Grade: A+
“Smile” was the greatest album never heard until 2004. Brian
Wilson and his band released “Smile” that year to much critical acclaim, but we haven’t heard the “full” album with original Beach Boys recordings until now. Essentially, it’s the same songs in the same order as Wilson’s album, only now it includes The Beach Boys. This is great because both versions are amazing. Songs “Our Prayer” and “Heroes and Villains” set the bar high for the rest of the album, and it doesn’t disappoint. The Beach Boys were always known for their tunes about surfing, girls and California, but “The Smile Sessions” shows how creative they could be. It’s stunning to see Wilson’s creative mind at work in this album, and one can only wonder the masterpieces The Beach Boys could have released if everything had gone according to plan.
 
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