Tiring of making frothy pop, the late Brian Wilson threw away his Beach Boys’ template, assembled a battalion of top session players, and began recording an all-time classic

The death of Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson reminds us all that the great artists don't live forever, and we should cherish their masterworks while they're here.

If you enjoy most any kind of pop music, you’re a cork in Brian Wilson’s ocean. The principal songwriter and sonic architect of the Beach Boys, he bottled the vibes of Southern California — and really,