I first heard about Brian Wilson Presents Smile around October 2004, there was a storm outside and so I went into the lounge room and my mother was watching something on Brian Wilson on the ABC (Australia’s ABC), so I down sat and watched it and the music I heard in between the static interruptions (remember those analogue TV days?) was like the religious experiences I heard about before.

It taken me some time, but I finally got hold of the album and was impressed by just how much work went into each track, all those instruments, the many vocals, it all came together in one album that lasts just under an hour.

Our Prayer/Gee
Heroes and Villains
Roll Plymouth Rock
Barnyard
Old Master Painter/You Are My Sunshine
Cabin Essence
Wonderful
Song for Children
Surf’s Up
I’m in Great Shape/I Wanna Be Around/Workshop
Vega-Tables
On a Holiday
Wind Chimes
Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow
In Blue Hawaii
Good Vibrations
Heroes and Villains – Instrumental (not on video concert)

Seventeen tracks are on the album, though it is really twenty-one when you have the tracks with multiple songs, they aren’t very long and they’re pretty much all connected to each other, so it is hard to find one to enjoy on its own.

Nine years after the release of the album, the video was available on YouTube, and I had to watch it, and it was just as an important moment as seeing that documentary at the age of 18.

This is perhaps Brian Wilson’s greatest work even though he wrote/co-wrote and performed some of the greatest songs in history with the Beach Boys.

While I enjoy the album from start to finish, Surf’s Up, I’m in Great Shape/I Wanna Be Around/Workshop, Vega-Tables, On a Holiday, Wind Chimes, Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow, In Blue Hawaii, Good Vibrations are my favourite tracks, the album really had a strong finish.

This is definitely one of my favourite albums of all time and it is unlikely that it will ever lose its place.