more orchestral affairs of the past. Bruce Johnston recalled: "we wanted to be a band again. The whole [Smile] thing had wiped everyone out, and we wanted to play together again." The last time the Beach Boys had an album where they essentially played as a self-contained band was 1964's Shut Down Volume 2. Only five tracks were recorded with assistance from session musicians. Some sessions were held at Wally Heider Recording in Los Angeles to accommodate the musicians with a larger recording space for overdubs. The album differs in many ways from previous Beach Boys records: it contains very little group singing compared to previous albums, and mainly features Brian singing at his piano. The recording sessions lasted only several weeks, compared to the several months required for "Good Vibrations" (1966). Harrison say that its "simple songs" lacked the "enigmatic weirdness" and "virtuosic mesmerizers" present in Smiley Smile, but featured the same production approach and similar core instrumental combo of organ, honky-tonk piano, and electric bass. The piano was slightly detuned, which Brian said made it "more like a twelve-string guitar, to get a more mellow sound. [...] I loved what it did to the sound of the record." Musicologist Christian Matijas-Mecca noted that "while the album's sparse production aesthetics and stripped-down sonic palette are deceiving, the album is arranged with an attention to detail and tonal clarity." Wild Honey was the last Beach Boys album to be mixed in mono. Songs Side one "Wild Honey" was co-written by Mike Love from the perspective of Stevie Wonder singing it. He felt that the album title was suggestive of both edible honey and "honey" as a term of endearment, Session musician Paul Tanner was recruited to play his Electro-Theremin on the track. "Aren't You Glad" is described by Rolling Stone magazine as a "Lovin' Spoonful type song with the Beach Boys touch", while magazine editor Gene Sculatti said it "achieves a Miracles style smoothness via a Bobby Goldsboro-type song". "I Was Made to Love Her" was originally recorded by Wonder, who had a number 2 hit with the song in July 1967. "Country Air" was stated by Brian to be his "favorite cut on the record." "A Thing or Two" is identified by Christian Matijas-Mecca as a "sibling" to Smiley Smiles "Gettin' Hungry", and that the vocal riff would be reprised in the group's 1968 single "Do It Again". Side