The Beach Boys were in transition in 1968, still sporting some wounds from the implosion of
SMiLE and
Brian Wilson's accompanying breakdown. They rallied on 1967's
Wild Honey and settled into a mellower groove for its follow-up, 1968's
Friends.
Wake the World: The Friends Sessions is a digital-only clearinghouse of 31 outtakes, alternate takes, demos, and incomplete tracks recorded during the making of the album (the collection also contains the "original 1966 track mix" of the
SMiLE staple "Child Is the Father of the Man," which is a welcome and unexpected bonus). Where many
Beach Boys outtake collections are filled to the brim with vocal tracks,
Wake the World slightly favors instrumental backing tracks, a move that can emphasize the band's mellow eclecticism. Without their lyrics, "Transcendental Meditation" really swings and "When a Man Needs a Woman" has a cinematic sweep, "Passing By" boasts a lush floral arrangement and "Little Bird" feels symphonic. Such subtle transitions are evident in the alternate takes, too: "Even Steven" -- an early version of "Busy Doing Nothing" -- swings with a lounge-like insouciance. Some of these cuts are pretty skeletal -- "New Song" and "Untitled 1/25/68" are as unformed as their titles suggest -- but it's also fun to hear the band tentatively attempt
Buffalo Springfield's "Rock and Roll Woman," which never quite leaves the ground. Such highlights may take some effort to excavate among the loose ends and alternate takes, but for die-hard
Beach Boys fans, it is worth the time. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine