Seeing as we here in the Northeast and much of the rest of the US are locked into a seemingly endless cycle of winter, the only thing one can do is dream of warmer days and hope they’re not too far away. And what more summery music is there in the Rock canon than that of The Beach Boys?

One of Brian Wilson’s archetypal pocket symphonies, “Good Vibrations” is perhaps The Beach Boys best song and arguably one the greatest tunes ever recorded in any genre. It was certainly one of the most expensive songs in its day, costing an estimated $50,000 in 1966 dollars in studio and musician fees and took roughly 6 months to be completed to Brian’s satisfaction. It captures the group at their artistic peak and before Brian became completely lost in endless tape loops and overdubbing and psychotropic drugs. Released directly after and somewhat mysteriously left off of the Beach Boys’ masterpiece, Pet Sounds, it seemed to point the way to limitless possibilities as the band and their artistic leader vied to out-duel the Beatles for pure sonic invention. But the rivalry and visionary music in Wilson’s mind could not be reproduced to his satisfaction with the studio technology of that time and the legendarily messy and drug infested recording process of Pet Sounds’ planned follow-up, SMILE, led to confusion and musical cul de sacs. The sessions and tracks became so expensive and chaotic that eventually they had to be pared down and released as the bastardized Smiley Smile, on which the single “Good Vibrations” was finally included but clearly is not really a part of. Smiley Smile was, therefore, an ambitious yet truncated album of beautifully produced but oddball compositions with limited commercial appeal. The old Surf Rock fans didn’t like the new impressionistic vibe and the Rock intelligentsia, while appreciating the technical ambition and mastery of such tracks as “Heroes & Villains” and “Wonderful”, were decidely unimpressed by an overall sound that Jimi Hendrix derided as “psychedelic barbershop quartet.” The coup de grace for Brian Wilson came with the release and massive critical and popular success of the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band just after the original SMILE was being shelved. Wilson conceded the concept album competition to the Liverpudlian champs and began his rather rapid decent into drug-fueled madness and artistic decline.

But what music he and the Boys made before the crackup! And it’s just what us polar vortex-blasted souls need to carry us through until the crocuses sprout, the days grow really long and warm, the barbecue is fired up again and the baseball season starts. Wouldn’t it be nice to strip down to our shorts, crack a beer and get some sun? You’re damn right it would.