SMiLE!

Sort of a piece of crap. I say that not as a snarky little bitch, but as a fan who was hoping for far more. Very disappointing. Also please to note that I listened to the whole thing.

It's patchy sounding. The Amazon.com review calls this "modular," I call it not having the focus/discipline/clarity to finish/polish the songs properly.

Stereo?

It sounds like a fucking kids' album.

The harmonies sound artificial, like they've been corrected. Especially when you can actually hear Brian over the Wondermints. Give it a rest, huh?

It also kind of sounds like an over produced Christmas album. Sort of a "New Kids and Mannheim Steamroller do the Serious Classics" kind of thing.

It's a shame he has that whistle/lisp on his 's' sounds. Makes him sound older than he should.


In the end, my impression is that the people doing this album simply don't "get" Brian Wilson or the Beach Boys that preceded this. You don't feel California, or Murray Wilson screaming at them or the demons or the beach or the drugs or even any emotion at all. It sounds to me like they got bogged down in the "sound" and forgot to work at all on the "feel". You know, gotta have more cowbell?


Don't fear the reaper.