It took 44 years for Brian Wilson's mythical masterwork to emerge from the original tapes, and the result is a look inside the eternally optimistic yet increasingly troubled mind of its creator.

Bright and bouncy but tinged with shades of gray, The Smile Sessions unfolds over the course of five CDs, 2 LPs and two seven-inch singles. Early song demos, studio chatter, alternate takes, instrumental and vocals-only mixes - the listener is literally a fly on the wall during a magical time of unmatched creativity.

In addition to the music, The Smile Sessions includes a 60-page book featuring extensive liner notes, lyrics, producer's notes, a sessionography, drawings and more than 60 never-before-seen photos.