Review::

Brian Wilson: "Wonderful"/"Child Is Father of the Man"

37 years after these songs were supposed to have further upped pop's ante from Wilson's prior teenage symphonies to God, Smile is upon us. Hearing them now, it's downright tragic to imagine what could have been. It's not because the songs don't sound great: Brian's singing is incredible, and the arrangements are as close as you're going to get to the original tracks without being sued by Mike Love. "Wonderful" is the same arrangement as appeared on the 1993 Good Vibrations box set, with harpsichord, sparse brass and pizzicato strings, and of course the delicate backing vocals, now taken by The Wondermints. Brian's voice seems weightier now, but that's to be expected-- the surprise is how tender he can still be.

"Child Is Father of the Man" has never appeared on an official album in complete form, and this version is majestic. The backing vocals of "Wonderful" are transformed into counterpoint over a new chord progression and Van Dyke Parks' typically playful prose: "One, maybe not one, maybe you too are wonderin'/ Wonderin' who, wonderful you are wonderin'." Clarinet, harpsichord and orchestral brass elegantly flesh out what is already art song. The second half of the song introduces the familiar "child is father of the man" refrain from "Surf's Up", released on the 1971 album of the same name. Now, it's all starting to come together. Life is grand, and Smile is here. [Dominique Leone; September 7th, 2004]