Cosmic America

This episode of Cosmic America takes a listen to an album that never really was — at least, not in its original form. The Smile Sessions, released a few years ago after a few decades of strife and mystery, represent the reconstruction of the original "Smile" album as conceived by Brian Wilson and performed by The Beach Boys. Recording problems, nervous breakdowns, and band politics ended up putting the kibosh on an album that might have been a watershed pop moment from the Summer of Love. We work our way through the album, talking about the flow of each section and the centerpiece songs (Heroes and Villains / Cabinessence / Surf's Up / Good Vibrations) (linked in this post for ease of listening).