Discuss & Rate Beach Boys Songs Day by Day

4/5. I think the fade into Gee sounds weird. Took of a point because I thought the voices to blend as well as the original (to be expected, of course).

 

Beautiful, that's all I have to say. 4/5

 

This album is a tough judge. I loved it when it came out, love the live show, love the DVD, but it's not the Boys and Brian's voice, though a billion times better than on GIOMH isn't the same. If this is all we had, I'd probably give everything 10 out of 5! But really, everything is about 7/10 - for the execution. 4/5 for this one.

 

I agree very much with this. It is well made, and maybe it helped Brian with some of his demons, but I don't think of it as really Smile and I never listen to it. For that reason I don't think I should stick my nose in here and I'll keep an eye on things and chime in again later. Have fun.

 

5/5. No complaints and sounds good to me. No, it's not the original but I'll gladly enjoy it as I do the entire album. This was an incredible step for Brian and a great windfall for fans.

 

For me all of the Smile era music performed on BWPS rates a 5/5 - where a critique comes in is in the performance, the vocals, and the arrangement of the suite. I’m not even getting into the issue of this not being close to what a 1967 Smile would have been, because that’s not the point- Brian made it clear at the time this suite, created for live performance, reflected how he felt about the music now, not an attempt to “finish” a 1967 Smile.

That said, I’m not a fan of Gee following Prayer - it’s kind of a let down and a not very good intro to Heroes with the slow “dit dit dit Heroes and Villains” kind of undercutting the excitement of Heroes. Also the processing on the start of Gee to make it sound like an old fashioned radio broadcast just sounds off and wasn’t a good idea. So I’ll bring my rating down to a 4/5.

 

4/5 I was glad when this release came out and it was and is an enjoyable listen, but can never totally replace the Beach Boy sound. I kinda get what Brian is doing here. I think he is trying to link our connection to God to the good. From that standpoint I don't have a problem with the execution. Anyway, it was something I looked forward to given the lack of the original.

 

Good day to pick for this beginning... 4/5, 8/10. Happy Sunday, everybody.

 

yes Easter is the perfect time to begin a critical look at Brian’s symphony to God.

 

I'm with smilin' ed, this album, and the songs contained therein, are going to be interesting, and difficult, to assess.

This release was such a cause for celebration, as I never thought it would happen, however, it was bittersweet because it wasn't happening with the participation of the band and, of course, by this point Carl and Dennis were no longer with us. Nonetheless, it was such a catharsis for Brian, who could not like it.

Like others, though, after a year or so I went back to listening to what we had of the Beach Boys doing SMiLE. Therefore, it goes without saying that I haven't listened to the BWPS songs in about 15 years

Our Prayer/Gee. I have no issue with Gee leading in to H&V and the effect lou refers to. Naturally, the choral of voices on Our Prayer is nowhere as majestic as on the original but it is certainly a good college try. My only problem, if you can call it that, is I don't really hear Brian in the blend of voices.

I'll go 4/5.

 

It has to be taken in the context of the time. It was an amazing thing to experience after so many years of hearing how Brian had done everything from burning the tapes to not being able to even listen to 'Heroes and Villains'. I was at The Radio City Tribute Show where we were all STUNNED that he performed it live and from most accounts, that is what led to Brian finally considering completing SMiLE. Flash forward to the live performance previewing the album at Carnegie Hall in 2004 and it was almost too much to take. Sure, it's not THEM but just the idea that he would go back to that material was a catharsis for both BW and fans alike. And of course it eventually led to the BB's 2011 box set release of ALL the sessions in pristine quality, something those of us collecting those old SMiLE boots in the 80's and 90's could have only dreamed about. 5/5

 

As others have said -- it's really, really hard to rate these Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE tracks. We're talking about Brian's troubled, lost masterpiece. But it's not actually it -- it's actually a recreation of it.

However, it's also the realization of that masterpiece. It's never been realized or assembled. It's always been the assembly of SMiLE -- how it was to all fit together -- that is much of the mystery. That IS the mystery, actually. So this recreation album was also the official presentation. I'm not sure if history has anything like this.

As if that's not enough, "Prayer" was never meant to be "a track." It was only an introduction to the album -- Brian's words. Whatever that means. So, it's a lot to digest.

Anyway.... I'm going with a 5/5. I was astonished with how well they executed this album -- note-for-note. "Prayer" especially. I think it comes off perfectly. I'm totally convinced what I'm hearing.

As for "Gee" -- I like it. I never quite liked the hard cut of "Prayer" ending and "Heroes" just beginning.

 

I love Gee into Heroes And Villains. They really nailed this, almost sounds like the original, though missing some spook. The only major misstep is, after all this trouble, why didn’t they use a real harpsichord?

 

Well, well you're welcome. The emotional swell is out for this one.

 

Your ratings for Our Prayer/Gee:
1-0 vote
2-0 vote
3-0 vote
4-8 votes
5-4 votes

 

Today's song is Heroes And Villains:

 

5/5, but prefer Beach Boys mix releaesd 2011. However this was the template for that and I suppose this is probably the best version.

 

Collated ratings for Gettin' In Over My Head

1. How Could We Still Be Dancin' 2.625
2. Soul Searchin' 2.5714
3. You've Touched Me 2
4. Gettin' In Over My Head 3.7778
5. City Blues 2.2222
6. Desert Drive 2.5714
7. A Friend Like You 1.5
8. Make a Wish 1.5455
9. Fairy Tale 1.8889
10. Saturday Morning In the City 3
11. Don't Let Her Know She's an Angel 2.181
12. The Waltz 2.2

Gettin' In Over My Head album: 2.1111
Average song rating: 2.3403

• Believe In Yourself 2.92857

 

About the best song on the album 4/5.

 

H&V doesn't grab me quite as much as it does with other people. If we were rating out of 10, then i'd probably give it a 7. I'll go 4/5, albiet a low one.

 

Another 4 for the reasons above - and this is one of their great songs

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

4/5. Much prefer the Beach Boys cantina version of it to this one, but whatever. My only complaint is that the drums do not have a great kick to them like in the live performance.

 

4/5 Again well-executed but it doesn't have the Beach Boys sound. To my ears the track lacks soul, there is not a tight harmony with high voices. But is still a good track.

 

H&V - A 4, I guess. Hard to say.

I just realized I havent played this album since the SMILE sessions box was released.