Smiling Pets
Smiling Pets is a multi-artist tribute album consisting of experimental/alternative cover versions of Beach Boys songs from "Pet Sounds" (1966) and the never-finished "Smile" project. It was released exclusively in Japan by Sony Records in March 1998. Background. Some song titles differ from how they have been officially published by the Beach Boys. The most prominent of which is "Tones", which is a cover version of the instrumental "Smile" track "Holidays". Prior to "Smiling Pets", most "Smile" material was only sparsely available on the compilation "" (1993). Because "Holidays" had not been officially released until more  than a decade later on "The Smile Sessions" (2011), it is highly likely that unauthorized bootlegs with erroneous track lists were consulted by "Smiling Pets" artists. "Tones" (also known as "Tune X") was actually a working title for an entirely different composition recorded by Carl Wilson during "Smile" sessions. Another misleading title is "Heroes and Villains", which can arguably be more accurately described as a reprise of "Do You Like Worms?". Tracks from this album later reappeared on individual band compilations or album reissues. "Surfin' U.S.A." is present in complete form on Melt-Banana's "MxBx 1998/13,000 Miles at Light  Velocity" (1999). Secret Chiefs 3's cover versions of "Good Vibrations" and "Heroes and Villains" are on their compilation "Path of Most Resistance" (2007). The Olivia Tremor Control's versions of "Do You Like Worms?" and "Little Pad" were later included as bonus tracks on reissued releases of "" (1996). An album similarly-fashioned to "Smiling Pets" was released two years earlier, entitled "The Christmas Album", which was a tribute to the compilation "A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector" (1963). It was also compiled by Seiji Morita and included some of the same performers. The Ships and FORMS are  aliases of the Olivia Tremor Control and Secret Chiefs 3, respectively. OnoTetsu is the pianist for Harpy, an experimental Japanese noise band. Short Hair Front and Feelds were short-lived bands seemingly led by the album compiler Seiji Morita, and he is credited as arranger for their contributions "I'm Waiting for the Day" and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times". Little is known about the album's more unrecognizable artists Sports Guitar or R. Gree & Grey Tea. They may also be pseudonyms. Critical reception. Writing in his 2005 book about "Smile", Domenic Priore praised "Smiling Pets" and  highlighted "Fall Breaks and Back to Winter" and "Cool, Cool Water" as stand-out tracks.