Brian Wilson Finally Delivers "Smile"

For me, the Beach Boys were a quintessential Keener group. Their prime paralleled WKNR's rocket ride to number one in Detroit, and like the Keener legend, the essence of their best work still inspires. There are other connections. Beach Boy knock offs, including the uninspired Mike Love iterations, do no more justice to the legacy than do the Kool branded oldies automatons. An exception is the short burst of excellence that came out of the suppressed live concert recording of Al Jardine's Family and Friends, where the Jardine sons and the Wilson daughters took the cannon to a new and delightful level. Another is Wouldn't It Be Nice: A Jazz Portrait Of Brian Wilson, the incredible jazz interpretations of the Master's lesser known works, featuring Don Grusin, The Elements, The Yellowjackets, Larry Carlton, Marilyn Scott et al. So as the rave reviews for Brian Wilson's long awaited Smile project start to come in, those of us who believe that broadcasting is still an art form again dare to hope that we'll again find radio excellence that's worth a long term listen.